Architect-Engineer services, surveys, fees, etc., in connection with advance planning and design of family housing dwelling units and properties included in or proposed for the Defense Family Housing Management Account. 11. Requirement: The funds requested are necessary to procure architect-engineer services to make site and utility investigations; for the preparation of designs and specifications; and for other services and fees in connection with the preparation of advance plans for future year housing programs, and for such effort on proposed projects which subsequently may not be included in approved construction programs. MAY January 1982 AIR FORCE FAMILY HOUSING (In Thousands) FY 1983 Program $2,500 Purpose and Scope This program provides for preliminary studies for the development of additional family housing facilities, studies for site adaptation and determination of type and design of units; and working drawings specifications and estimates, project planning reports and final design drawings of family housing construction projects. This includes the use of architectural and engineering services in connection with any family housing new or post acquisition construction. Request Authorization is requested for appropriation of $2,500,000 to fund this construction, advance planning, and design. a. Operations. following sub-accounts: This portion of the program provides for expenses in the Management. Includes installation level management expenses such as housing office operations, administrative support, training, travel, programing and studies, and community liaison. All housing referral costs are also included, although the housing referral program assists personnel in finding quarters in the private sector. Services. Provides basic support services such as refuse collection and disposal; fire and police protection; entomology, pest control, and custodial services; snow removal; and street cleaning. Utilities. Includes all utilities except telephone. Appliances and Furniture. Includes the moving, handling, and storage; the maintenance and repair; and replacement of existing inventories of appliances and furniture which are beyond economical repair. Also, included initial issue of furniture and appliances where authorized. Miscellaneous. Includes funds paid to the Department of State to operate permit housing units occupied by DoD personnel overseas; and mobile home hookups. b. Maintenance. This area supports the upkeep of family housing real property, as follows: Maintenance/Repair of Dwellings. This includes service calls, routine maintenance, major repairs and replacement, and interior or exterior painting. Exterior Utilities. This encompasses maintenance and repair of water, sewer, electric, and gas lines, and any other exterior utilities located within family housing areas. Other Real Property. This includes work on grounds, road and parking areas, and any other family housing real property. Alterations and Additions. This provides minor improvements to dwellings or other real property which are not classified as capital investments. Larger scope or higher dollar value items which are considered investments are funded in the construction program. January 1982 AIR FORCE FAMILY HOUSING OPERATION & MAINTENANCE HIGH POINTS Air Force shares the concerns of Congress expressed in several committee reports for improved support to military families and the proper care of the existing inventory of houses. This budget is in consonance with the long-range program responding to Congressional desires. OPERATIONS Funds available for must-pay operational costs in FY 1980 and FY 1981 were insufficient, and these costs were paid for at the expense of maintenance where there is already a large backlog. The shortfall in Operations was principally in utilities, in appliances, and in furniture for overseas bases. The FY 1983 request shows a nominal increase of 15% over FY 1982 and represents fact-of-life inflation experienced in FY 1981, inflation rates prescribed by Office of Management & Budget (OMB), and increases in the average number of units. Assuming that real inflation does not exceed the rates specified by OMB, this budget will provide minimum essential services for about 142,000 government-owned or controlled houses, housing referral services to about 130,000 family members, and furniture support of about 69,000 families overseas. APPLIANCES AND FURNITURE The provision of this equipment is a function of economics. 1) Cookstoves and refrigerators are provided to each governmentowned or controlled dwelling unit in the continental United States (CONUS); for the overseas bases a clothes washer and dryer are added; two appliances are authorized in CONUS, four for overseas bases. 2) There are 13 bases overseas where economics dictated the provision of government furniture vice privately-owned furniture. The number of bases authorized to provide furniture in minimal acceptable quantities overseas changes based on changing economic factors. This creates a four to five year transitional period where some of the families are using their own furniture and some are using government furniture. The request properly relates to these changing circumstances. 3) Private housing in foreign areas frequently have no clothes closets or kitchen cabinets. Therefore, to reduce the burden of the service family from purchasing all these items, which have no future use upon the family's return to CONUS, Air Force issues wardrobes (movable clothes closets) and kitchen cabinets. January 1982 4) AIR FORCE FAMILY HOUSING Finally, at these overseas bases where members bring their own furniture, there is still a requirement to provide loaner sets of furniture to avoid much of the cost of Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA). The loaner sets are in use for about 120 days for each rotation of a military position, about 60 days for the incoming member and about 60 days for the outgoing member. 5) In sum, economics is the only reason for providing government appliances or furniture. Underfunding the program does not allow the economies of a government-provided furnishings programs to operate. MAINTENANCE Air Force now has a validated backlog of deferred main- Full funding of the request in FY 1983 is essential to the success of the program to preserve and protect the $11 billion replacement value of existing houses and enhance the quality of life of military families, which in turn affect readiness and retainability. The Air Force has made a concerted effort to economize by increasing the number of bases converting to contract maintenance. In the last two years 62 bases were studied under criteria of OMB Circular A-76, and 43 bases were converted. The estimated savings to the Government are about $15 million a year. However, because military labor used in the in-house effort was not paid from family housing account, there is a net increase in cost to the housing account of $2,000,000 per year. |