FAMILY HOUSING, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY U.S. MARINE CORPS Budget Justification The Marine Corps Family Housing budget has been formulated to ensure that adequate resources are available to provide safe, sanitary and habitable housing for military families at reasonable costs. The following information is provided in support of the Fiscal Year 1983 budget request: a. Management - The request for management funding will provide the level of support required for the manpower necessary to properly manage the housing inventory and the housing referral program. These funds will also provide for the materials required in the operation of the housing offices. Insufficient funding would result in an inadequate level of supplies and an inability to satisfy the labor costs. b. Services The level of funding requested for services will provide the resources to supply the services required to maintain sanitary and safe housing conditions. Funding at less than that which is requested would reduce the level of refuse collection, pest control and other services which is provided for the housing areas. This would lead to less than desirable safety and sanitation conditions. c. Utilities Although energy conservation continues to be a high priority of the Marine Corps, utility rates are rising rapidly. The Marine Corps is committed to reducing utility consumption in an effort to keep the utility costs to the minimum level possible. To this end, energy conservation projects have been accomplished at various locations throughout the Marine Corps in recent years and have proven effective in reducing consumption. Additional projects are scheduled during Fiscal Years 1982 and 1983 (to be funded through the Improvements Program). However, even with this ongoing conservation program, utility rate increases are creating a demand for additional funding. The level of funding requested will also provide the support required for the increase to the inventory. As the utility costs must be paid, less than full funding would require reprogramming of resources from other programs to provide the required funding. d. Furnishings - The requested funding will provide for the moving and handling of the furnishing inventory and for the procurement of replacement items (primarily moveable equipment). As the inventory increases in age, repair of these items becomes uneconomical or, in some cases, impossible to accomplish. Lack of sufficient funding would result in an inability to ensure that the occupants will be provided with properly operating ranges and refrigerators. e. Miscellaneous The funds primarily provide for the hookups and disconnections of mobile homes owned by military families residing in government owned mobile home parks. f. Maintenance The requested funding is required to maintain an aging inventory to protect the government's investment as well as to maintain a habitable environment for the military families. The majority of the funds are programmed for reducing the currently identified maintenance deficiencies. A reduction in the funding from that level requested would have an adverse impact on the repair program which would result in a deterioration of the physical integrity of the housing inventory. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY LEASING (In Thousands) FY 1983 Program $21,480 Purpose and Scope This program provides payment for the contractual costs incurred by leasing family housing units for assignment as public quarters, including operation and maintenance costs, to the owners of the units. A. Domestic Leasing: Leasing in the United States, Puerto Rico and Guam is authorized in 10 U.S.C. 2686. The law limits such leases to 10,000 units at any one time on an individual unit basis. The law also provides that such leases be at or near a military installation only if the Secretary of Defense, or his designee, finds there is a lack of adequate housing and (1) there has been a temporary, recent and substantial increase in military strength, or (2) the permanent military strength is to be substantially reduced soon, or (3) the military complement is so small that building family housing is uneconomical, or (4) family housing is required for personnel attending service school academic courses on permanent change of station orders, or (5) family housing construction is authorized but not yet completed or such an authorization request is in a pending military construction authorization bill. Limitations on the maximum costs for individual units are also in the law. B. Foreign Leasing: Leasing in foreign countries is authorized in 10 U.S.C. 2675, which also limits leasing of family housing in foreign countries and specifies the maximum cost limitation. Department of Defense policy is to lease family housing for assignment as adequate public quarters only when such leasing is for the benefit of the United States and when (1) government quarters commensurate with the position of the intended occupant are not available; or (2) the military sponsor is unable to rent suitable quarters; or (3) undue hardship exists. |