When Kristin Martin found out her husband was being transferred to Naval Base San Diego, securing housing for their family of five quickly took over her life.

On-base housing wasn’t an option — the waitlist for a four-bedroom home in the neighborhoods they qualified for was 14 to 16 months.

Neither were the military-only hotels near base where new arrivals can pay low rates as they get their bearings — those were full, too.

So Martin cast a wide net across San Diego and started applying for rental homes, all sight unseen.

“I was waking up and the first thing I was doing was looking at properties,” Martin said. “I was looking at it midday, before I went to bed. I had alerts set. It became a full-time job.”

More than 30 rental applications later and hundreds of dollars in application fees down the drain, the Martins finally found a home.

But there were caveats. They’d have to start paying rent a month before they actually moved. And, at $4,200 per month, their rent was nearly $700 more than the monthly basic allowance for housing, known as the BAH, that her husband, a lieutenant, receives.

“We’ll probably be here two or three years, so that could be $20,000 that we’re paying out of pocket above BAH just for rent,” Martin said after completing her family’s fourth move in 15 years last month.

“It’s affecting us personally but then I think about how we were a junior enlisted family at one point. I cannot imagine the struggles (they) are going through.”

Housing has long been a major benefit for service members, a subsidy to salaries that trail the private sector. But, amid record-breaking spikes in rent, the Department of Defense has neglected its commitment to help military families find affordable places to live, service members and housing activists say.

That’s forced many to settle for substandard homes, deal with extremely long commutes or pay thousands out of pocket they hadn’t budgeted for.

“We have families coming to us that are on exorbitantly lengthy waiting lists and sitting in homes that they can’t afford, like an Airbnb rental, or they’re at a hotel or camping in tents or living in RVs,” said Kate Needham, a veteran who co-founded the nonprofit Armed Forces Housing Advocates in May 2021.

“I don’t think civilians really understand — they might think we’re living in free housing and just having a great time, making lots of money. And that’s not the case at all.”

Needham’s group supplies microgrants to military families in need, some of whom have resorted to food banks because their salaries do not cover such basics.

Reports of the housing squeeze military families face has alarmed members of Congress, who are pushing legislation that would force the Department of Defense to rethink how it handles housing.

A common complaint is that with rents soaring nationwide, the housing allowances, which vary by rank and are recalculated annually, haven’t kept pace with rental markets, even though they’re supposed to cover 95% of rental costs for the approximately two-thirds of active-duty personnel who, like the Martins, have to live off base.

According to a data analysis by The Associated Press of five of the most populous military bases in the U.S., housing allowances across all ranks have risen an average of 18.7% since January 2018. In that span, according to real estate company Zillow, rents have skyrocketed 43.9% in those markets: Carlsbad, California; Colorado Springs, Colorado; El Paso, Texas; Killeen, Texas, and Tacoma, Washington.

And because of how tough off-base markets are, on-base housing has become a hot commodity, with many bases having long waitlists.

Needham argues that the discrepancy between military housing allowances and the current market should alarm officials who are already struggling to recruit the next generation.

“If you can’t afford your job, why the hell would you stay in the job?” Needham said. “People are feeling abused by the military in so many different areas — the sexual assault issues, the lack of attention to medical care, the lack of attention to mental health. This is just another tick in the box that’s like, ‘Why would I join the military?’ And if you don’t have enough numbers, that’s a long-term national security problem.”

The Department of Defense did not comment on whether housing issues have become a retention concern. But defense officials said military housing offices monitor markets and offer tools to assist families, including referral services to help find “suitable, affordable housing, whether on or off-base.”

“The Department of Defense is committed to ensuring that service members and their families have access to affordable, quality housing within a reasonable commute of their assigned duty station,” it said.

At MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, housing allowances used to be in line with the local market. In January 2020, a senior airman without dependents received a monthly housing stipend of $1,560, compared to the typical Tampa-area rent price of $1,457, according to Zillow. But since then rent prices have exploded to $2,118 per month in July, while a senior airman’s housing allowance is currently $1,647.

With such a discrepancy and those living off-base facing notoriously long commutes, it’s no wonder that nearly all of MacDill’s 572 homes are full. As of last week, the base was at 95% capacity with a waitlist of 548 families, according to 2nd Lt. Kristin Nielsen, a MacDill public affairs officer.

“We are woefully underhoused,” said Stephanie Poynor, a Tampa property manager and wife of a retired serviceman. “The DoD needs to recognize how much our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coasties are really suffering in this market.”

Tampa real estate agent Renee Thompson, a relocation specialist, said it’s common for service members to rent homes that are an hour’s drive away from base.

“No homes in today’s market will even come close to the service member’s BAH,” said Thompson, who served in the Army. “It’s really disheartening.”

Nielsen said the annual housing allowance calculation takes six to nine months, making it a “lagging indicator of the current dynamic housing market.”

Officials are looking into adding on-base and off-base housing for MacDill, which has about 18,500 active-duty service members, she said. But because of the need for congressional budgetary approval, such long-term solutions are years away.

Even at rural Idaho’s Mountain Home Air Force Base, housing is extremely hard to come by, hampered by its location about 50 miles (80 kilometers) outside of Boise, one of the country’s hottest markets.

Col. Jamaal Mays, the 366th Fighter Wing commander for support, said housing allowances have increased, but not enough to keep pace with the spiking prices.

Brand new airmen are normally housed in dorms on base for about 36 months, but because demand for on-base housing is so high, they often only spend 18 to 20 months.

“They’re being pushed out on the local economy before they’re ready,” Mays said.

With few options, Mays said some airmen have started living in RV parks or moving much further away, including to Twin Falls, where they face commutes of up to two hours on sometimes snowy roads, hardly ideal if they have to respond to a base emergency, not to mention the fuel costs, he said.

Last fall, defense officials issued temporary BAH increases for October to December 2021 in 56 housing markets — including Mountain Home and Tampa. Yet even though rents have continued to rise, there’s no indication a similar bump is coming this fall.

Even if housing allowances do see a bump in January, that could end up taking away food-stamp eligibility for some military families who are struggling with food insecurity. That’s because the Agriculture Department counts BAH as income when determining a family’s eligibility for the SNAP government assistance program.

Frustrated by what she called the Defense Department’s lack of transparency into housing allowance calculations, U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland, D-Wash., has introduced a measure that would give the department one year to reexamine its process and report on how accurate the current system is.

BAH is like an “algorithm that needs updating on a regular basis,” said Strickland, whose district includes the massive Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, where many military families struggle to find affordable homes. Her proposal is part of the national defense bill that passed the House in July and is awaiting Senate approval.

“The vast majority of people live off post, so this is incredibly urgent,” she said.

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However, military families also have access to financial benefits and savings opportunities such as low-cost investments, loans, insurance, and legal protection, according to the website of the CFP Board, a non-profit organization whose mission is to benefit the public by granting the CFP® certification and upholding it as the recognized standard of excellence for competent and ethical personal financial planning.

“Applying the same mission mindset to managing your personal finances that you bring to managing your military career can be especially helpful,” says Steve Repak, CFP®, a U.S. Army Veteran who went on to a career as a certified financial planner after 12 years of service.

“If I had done a little planning, and executed on what might have been a slightly painful budget when I first joined the military, I wouldn’t have been left with so much credit card debt,” he acknowledges.

To make the most of your finances, create a financial plan for saving and investment just as you would plan a military maneuver.

– Identify your goal. First, identify where you are, then where you want to be financially, and outline the steps to get there. Start by figuring out your monthly income and expenses, and how much you want to add to savings each month. Put a plan in writing to reduce or eliminate spending to meet your goal.

– Turn to a team. Military families can consult a range of resources for help in developing a financial plan, including the U.S. Army Community Services (ACS) for Army personnel. In addition, a CFP® professional can help you clarify financial goals and objectives and offer you strategies for meeting them.

-“Be determined and take action now. What you know about financial planning is less important than what you do about it,” Mr. Repak says.

Adopt a “war fighting spirit” and do what is necessary to accomplish your financial mission, whether it is saving money, reducing debt, building wealth for retirement, taking specific steps for money management now that will pay off with financial freedom in the future.

Visit letsmakeaplan.org for more advice and tips to help military families meet their financial goals.

NewsUSA • Contributed

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To get you started, Wells Fargo Home Lending is providing these insights:

• Assess your readiness: “The decision to buy is personal. Take into account your goals and financial circumstances,” says Greg Murray, VP, national client relationship manager/military program. “Interest rates are at historic lows, so if you feel financially ready, this is a great time to look.”

If you decide to move forward, it’s important to be realistic about what you can afford, and having a rainy day fund is a good sign of your readiness. COVID-19 has reinforced the reality of unexpected economic ups and downs. So, don’t overextend yourself in buying. Leave yourself with the ability to weather economic cycles and afford run-of-the-mill expenses for home repairs.

• Build your team: Enlist a home mortgage consultant who can help you navigate the process, as well as discuss financing options that fit your needs. “Consider working with a military lending specialist who can help you make the most of the home loan benefits you’ve earned,” says Murray.

To get a better understanding of the local market, as well as the impact the pandemic may be having on home sales, lean on your real estate agent.

• Know your down payment options: Not all financing options require you to put 20 percent down. For military service members and veterans, VA loans provide low- and no-down payment options for qualified borrowers, and don’t require monthly mortgage insurance. Other low down payment options to explore include Wells Fargo’s yourFirst Mortgage program, as well as FHA and rural lending programs. However, it’s important to understand that more money down could reduce your monthly payments and interest paid over the life of the loan, and may also eliminate the need for private mortgage insurance or reduce your funding fee on a VA loan.

• Leverage digital tools: At a time when health and safety is top-of-mind, digital tools can offer a contactless experience. While a recent realtor.com survey indicates that 63.6% of consumers looking for a home want to see a property in person before buying, many start the hunt online, and now you have better opportunities to do so. In an effort to keep clients safe, many realtors offer home walk-throughs using video chat apps.

When it comes to the mortgage process, lenders like Wells Fargo offer time-tested digital tools allowing you to handle many aspects of the process remotely, including signing disclosures, uploading documents and simply getting started. In the first six months of 2020, 53% of the lender’s VA applications came through the online mortgage application. To contact a home mortgage consultant, visit wellsfargo.com/military. To access free resources that can help you be a savvier home shopper, visit Wells Fargo’s educational page, myfirsthome.wellsfargobank.com. Also be sure to visit www.va.org for instructions to get a “Certificate of Eligibility,” the first step to getting a VA-backed loan and a key document in using VA loan benefits.

Whether you wish to take advantage of historically low interest rates or you’re spending more time at home and want a larger space to accommodate the new normal, leverage as many resources as you can. For military personnel and veterans especially, rest easy in knowing there are resources available to simplify the process.

-StatePoint

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Going back to school, whether online, in-person, or a combination, is a yearly expense that can be especially challenging for military families.

In 2019, families in the United States spent approximately $700 per child on school supplies for the school year, according to the National Retail Federation. The combination of backpacks, clothes, notebooks, and lunchboxes adds up, and many schools also ask parents to contribute as much as $100 per family to help cover the costs of classroom materials. Many military families find themselves hard-pressed to purchase school supplies on top of other child-care costs and household needs.

Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit organization that has been supporting strong, stable military families since 2002, has taken on the challenge of getting military kids classroom-ready through its annual Back-to-School Brigade program, established in 2008.

This year, Hunt Heroes Foundation (HHF), a nonprofit organization founded by Hunt Military Communities (HMC), the nation’s largest military housing owner, has announced its support of Operation Homefront and its Back-to-School Brigade. HHF will be delivering 1,850 backpacks filled with school supplies to HMC communities in the continental United States in advance of the 2020 school year.

“Operation Homefront is proud that Hunt Military Communities is helping bring our Back-to-School Brigade program to military families in their communities,” says Robin Miller, senior director of Operation Homefront.

“With their support, we are able to distribute backpacks filled with school supplies to those who have given so much on behalf of all Americans and ensure that their children have the tools for a successful start to the school year,” Ms. Miller emphasizes.

The event aims to ease some of the financial burdens of back-to-school costs for military families, and the backpacks are tailored to all ages and grade levels.

“We are honored to partner with Operation Homefront on an initiative that will support military families during this uniquely challenging back-to-school season,” says John Ehle, president of Hunt Military Communities.

“It is our goal to make the process as seamless as possible for parents, and make sure that their children are prepared to start the new school year, whether virtually or in-person.”

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Back-to-School Brigade will be adjusted to adhere to federal, state, and local COVID-19 guidelines with features such as a drive-through format.

For more information or to support these organizations, visit OperationHomefront.org and huntmilitarycommunities.com.

-NewsUSA

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I think a lot about my friend Katie, a Veteran with two children, 9 months and 3-years old. As a Veteran, she’s never been afraid to take charge and get things done. But with two strong-willed little ones who have their own ideas about what they want to do, it isn’t always easy to stay on task. Her 3-year-old questions everything and is always on the move, never afraid of anything, and is having a hard time being told “No.” Her 9-month-old is just the opposite – very laid back and “go with the flow.” How can two kids be so different?

Katie has found helpful resources on the ZERO TO THREE website. She learned about how her children each have their own temperament and how that effects their interactions with her and with each other.

Then she discovered information on answering her older son’s questions about the pandemic and ideas for activities as they stay home more.

She also found information just for Veteran parents, including tips for self-care and transitioning from active duty military back into the community.

Katie also downloaded the free app, Babies on the Homefront. The app is filled with information and short videos about parenting military-connected young children, challenging behaviors, activities, and development. It even has an entire section on parental self-care. Her favorite activity is “Say It With Music.”

As you keep up with your own young children, remember to check out ZERO TO THREE’s Parenting Resources. You can find information on most early childhood-related topics, including temper tantrums, biting, and sleep, as well as great tips on early literacy and school readiness.

-VAntagePoint Contributor

Partners

ZERO TO THREE has partnered with both the Department of Defense and VA to develop resources just for you, including webinars on caregiving. At ZERO TO THREE, we know that early connections matter. You are helping your child to grow strong physically, cognitively, and emotionally. You got this! And we are right here with you as you make sure your child thrives! https://www.zerotothree.org/

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