Military Families Magazine recently highlighted the advantages of living in on-base, privatized military housing. One resident gave an account of the safety, community, and ease of commute that comes with choosing to live on-post:
Army spouse Kathleen Kent is a self-professed “on-post person.” She has opted to live in privatized military housing five-out-of-seven times of her husband’s 15-year military career, despite knowing a home outside the gates for the family of three likely would be much larger.
Kent, 35, says neighborhood safety, commuting distance for her husband, on-base amenities and a built-in connection with other families typically tips the scales in favor of living on-post.
“I value the close relationship with my neighbors and how we move on a much more accelerated path than a normal friendship,” explained Kent, whose current military housing is a 1,300-square-foot ranch on Fort Liberty in North Carolina. “Once I’ve met someone, once we have some rapport, they can knock on my door at midnight and I’ll help them with anything. It’s just a different sense of community.”
Those advantages are present at military housing communities around the country. Privatized military housing providers use their private-sector expertise to provide an exceptional resident experience to military families—on or near military installations. That allows military families to live in like-minded communities, with easy access to work, commissaries, and all the conveniences of military installations.
Through the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI), private companies can provide on-post housing for service members and their families. MHPI housing covers vital services like lawn care, repairs, and community amenities. As Kent put it:
“When we really crunched the numbers, I found that living on-post is a good deal because I do use the amenities so often,” said Kent.
Another military spouse, Larriesha Legier, spoke about the critical connections that take place in on-post housing, which allows for military community members to live side-by-side in tight-knit communities.
“It has been amazing. Because the community is so small, you’re forced to immerse yourself in all the base has to offer,” Legier said, adding that living across the street from a pool and park also has been ideal for her growing four-person family.
…“In the community here, everybody helps one another. We have a Facebook group. If there’s anything new going on, they share things,” Legier said.
The public-private partnerships enabled by the MHPI program provide service members with convenient, quality housing options—without out-of-pocket costs that can come from choosing to live off-base. On-base housing allows military families to live in military-focused communities, take advantage of amenities and services, and benefit from the close-proximity to work.