Graphic by Molly Cooke
The Army released results from the 2022 annual housing tenant satisfaction survey, which indicate a slight decrease in customer satisfaction for residents of privatized, government-owned and government-leased housing on Army installations. Survey respondents identified issues related to maintenance services – including response times, communication, follow-up and long-term solutions – among their top concerns.
Army announces results of annual on-post housing survey
WASHINGTON — The Army released results from the 2022 annual housing tenant satisfaction survey, which indicate a slight decrease in customer satisfaction for residents of privatized, government-owned and government-leased housing on Army installations. Survey respondents identified issues related to maintenance services – including response times, communication, follow-up and long-term solutions – among their top concerns.
The Army will use the survey results as one of several tools to continue identifying ways to improve housing conditions by enhancing communication with residents, creating and prioritizing action plans to correct deficiencies, and identifying items that are most important to residents. Army leaders will hold privatized housing companies accountable when they fail to deliver comprehensive, quality services to Soldiers and their families.
“I want to thank every Soldier and family member who responded to the survey. We had the highest response rate we have ever had,” said Michael E. Reheuser, Director of Installation Services. “The survey responses are consistent with what we have been hearing directly from Army families over recent months about the challenges that have occurred in Army housing at some installations. Army senior leaders remain personally committed to providing safe, quality housing on all Army installations.”
“This firsthand input will be critical to us as we continue to tackle the issues that were identified,” said Reheuser. “We will thoroughly analyze the responses to make sure our ongoing efforts to solve housing problems are on the right track – and to find new solutions. The Army will be transparent in communicating how we are addressing the survey responses. Our people are our No. 1 priority, and making sure Soldiers and families have safe and quality housing is a no-fail mission.”
The survey response rate for residents of privatized housing was 29.9%, an increase over 2021, with 23,561 residents responding. For Army-owned or leased housing, 2,350 residents responded for a 25.2% return rate, a slight decrease from the previous year. Among the five installations that offer privatized housing for unaccompanied Soldiers, there was a 35.4% response rate, an increase from 2021.
Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield family housing landed in the bottom 10 of the satisfaction index for this year’s survey.
“The Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield Army Housing Office has reviewed the 2021 tenant satisfaction survey results,” said Melanie Cruz, housing branch manager for the Directorate of Public Works Army Housing Office. “Although the results are not as great as we had hoped, the survey has given us insight into what our residents’ concerns are. The Army Housing Office will be working directly with our contractor, Balfour Beatty Communities, to develop an immediate action plan to address tenant concerns to enhance the standard of living for our tenants and their families.”
According to Cruz, that standard of living is of the utmost importance to the Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield Army Housing Office team.
“BBC will need to improve all aspects of their service to improve the quality of life for their residents,” she said. “This aspect will be an essential part of our action plan.”
Currently the Army is investing billions of dollars to improve barracks and on-post housing at installations across the globe to provide Soldiers and their families with quality, safe and secure housing and a better quality of life. The Army has fully implemented the Tenant Bill of Rights to further protect Soldiers and families and has established new incentive-fee metrics to hold privatized housing companies accountable for maintenance and customer service. In addition, the Army will include revised language in any new ground lease to require housing companies to ensure they are meeting their obligations, including by complying with quality assurance plans.
The survey was conducted by CEL & Associates, Inc. – an independent, third-party firm – using standardized questions prepared by the Department of Defense across all military services. An online survey link was emailed on Jan. 11, 2022, to more than 90,000 residents living in privatized, government-owned and government-leased housing on Army installations across the globe. Participation in the annual survey is voluntary and confidential – no personally identifiable information is shared with DoD or privatized housing landlords.
The 2022 tenant satisfaction survey results can be found by visiting army.mil/qualityoflife/housing.html.