2025 Housing Focuses
December 19, 2024MFAN HIGHLIGHTS PROGRESS AND OUTLINES FUTURE PLANS AT MILITARY HOUSING ROUNDTABLE
The Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN) prides itself on using research to shape every part of our work. Through our convenings, responsive programming, and advocacy, we have—collaboratively—made life better for military families.
Since 2019, the Military Housing Roundtable (MHR), made possible by Wells Fargo, has been an essential part of MFAN’s efforts to strengthen the well-being of service members, veterans, and their families. On December 18, 2024, the MHR gathered for a special meeting to recognize the progress and momentum made around military housing and share plans for what’s to come.
Background
In 2019, following feedback from the MFAN Advisory Board regarding the quality of privatized military housing, MFAN fielded a survey. In one week, over 17,000 military families responded. Their experiences and that report became a launchpad for change. Knowing we could not (and should not) pursue this work alone, we formed the Military Housing Roundtable with public and private sector leaders to create a sounding board for diverse stakeholders—military families, service organizations, advocates, researchers, policymakers, and housing experts—to collaborate, share information, and elevate a collective voice.
This work has led to meaningful changes
MFAN’s role is to conduct research to create an understanding and design solutions that expedite positive change. We are not claiming victory around military housing, but we are claiming progress, momentum, and investment.
Congress
- Increased oversight and accountability of privatized military housing
- Historic investments in housing and military personnel through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations
- Formation of the House Armed Services Committee Servicemember Quality of Life Panel
“The bottom line is that we need to ensure that those who serve are securely housed. We need more housing to discipline prices and more money in the pockets of military families and the members serving. This is a quality of life issue for those who are serving but it’s also a quality of life issue for the entire community surrounding military bases.”
“Our military’s expertise should be warfighting, deterrence, and peacekeeping…not necessarily experts at housing. But our service members and their families deserve high quality housing. So whether it is run by service branches or contracted with private operators, the standard should be the same. This is a recruitment and retention strategy that is very important.”
Department of Defense
- Creation and implementation of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative Tenant Bill of Rights
- Launch of the DoD Housing Feedback System (DHFS)
- Program and policy updates through Taking Care of Our People Initiative and Resilient and Healthy Defense Communities Strategy
- Improved Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates
“The thing we understand about this portfolio is that there’s not ever going to be a day where we should be satisfied that we’ve done enough. We’re looking at this as an enduring race to the top and we are never going to stop running this race.”
Government Accountability Office
- Multiple investigative reports on military housing privatization from 2019-2024
Privatized Housing Companies
- $32 billion private investment in military housing¹
The commitment continues
While we celebrate the momentum related to privatized housing, we recognize that consequential housing challenges have emerged.
Here’s what you can expect from MFAN. In 2025, we will launch a landscape analysis to shape our understanding of the housing support ecosystem, where gaps exist, and how we can provide meaningful support. Based on those learnings we will expand our housing section in the 2025 Military Family Support Programming Survey.
This approach will ensure that MFAN remains responsive to the evolving needs of our community, and that we are utilizing fresh data to shape solutions.
We are grateful for the individuals and organizations who have shared these accomplishments and are honored to serve the military community together. The success of this coalition is a testament to the commitment we all share to make life better for military families. Our work is not finished—stay tuned!
¹ Military Housing Association. About MHPI. (2024) https://www.militaryhousingassociation.org/about/about-mhpi/