Political Quotes

“Nearly two decades ago, Congress created the Military Housing Privatization Initiative to improve military family housing that, in many cases, was decrepit by allowing private developers to upgrade, maintain, and operate housing communities. In the years since, public-private ventures created under this program have infused millions in private capital to improve the living conditions of military families at installations all across the country and has made a tremendous difference for our military families across the Nation. As of 2011, 193,000 units of housing have been converted under this program. Under the program, priority for housing goes first to military personnel, then to Federal employees and retirees. However, if occupancy rates drop below certain levels for a period of time, the housing can be made available to the general public. Allowing nonmilitary families with children access to this housing is an important part of ensuring the financial viability of these ventures, but it also presents unanticipated challenges to the host communities where they are located, since these properties are property tax exempt. For example, today, there are 130 civilian nonmilitary children residing at the public-private housing at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut. These children attend Groton public schools alongside military children residing in the same community; yet Groton receives no Impact Aid support for the cost of their education.…”