Balfour Beatty hosts town hall to address housing privatization Published May 17, 2012 By Tim Flack 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- About 150 base residents attended a May 16, 2012, housing privatization town hall meeting hosted by Balfour Beatty Communities - the "landlord, manager and maintainer" of all on-base housing beginning Aug. 1. John Schaaf, regional vice president for BBC, briefed the residents on how the switch to privatized housing will impact them before opening the meeting to a question-and-answer session in Liberty Square. Schaaf began by outlining BBC's experience with managing military communities. BBC is responsible for the development and management of more than 49 bases across the United States and currently has more than 30,000 privatized military housing units under lease. "As we like to say, it's not our first rodeo," Schaaf said. Schaaf said BBC will provide Airmen and their families access to quality housing, improve the quality and appearance of residential communities, improve amenities and access to those amenities, and provide effective and efficient operating and maintenance programs. Community enhancements under the initiative include a multi-purpose community center with indoor playground and splash park, a group picnic area, two multi-purpose sports court, two volleyball courts and a dog park. Over the next 36 months, BBC will install privacy fencing and add larger decks, patios and new dining room flooring in base housing. Schaaf also addressed some of the most frequently asked question in reference to the transition to privatized housing. Issues included: Leases - Initial leases are for one year, and then convert to a month-to-month lease. All current housing residents will be given a grandfather clause that will allow them to break their lease - with a 30-day notification window - in the first year without any penalty. All residents must sign a lease, except for those who will vacate housing before Aug. 1. Rent - Rent will equal the resident's Basic Allowance for Housing with Dependents rate. Dual-military couples will pay the BAH of the higher-ranking spouse at the with-Dependents rate. The junior ranking spouse will still collect BAH. The BAH rent payments will be collected via allotment. Utilities - All utilities will be included in the current BAH allotment (not to include cable television, phone or Internet service). Individual electric/gas meters will be installed with the ongoing renovations and construction. Once all homes are metered, consumption costs will be tracked for one year to establish a baseline and residents will be given mock bills. That baseline will be used to determine how much of the BAH will be allotted for utilities; residents who use more than the baseline will pay out of pocket and those who use less will receive the difference. Officials are estimating that the installation of the meters will not be complete until several years into the project. Deposits - There will be no deposits for pets, water, electric or gas. Insurance - BBC provides personal property insurance of $20,000 with a $250 deductible and liability insurance in the amount of $100,000 at no cost to the resident. Residents can decide if they want to purchase additional insurance based on their own needs. Inspection Report - Current residents' move-in inspection reports will be transferred to BBC and will be used to clear housing when vacating the unit. Concerns - Effective Aug. 1, 2012, all questions about base housing should be directed to the Community Management Office in Bldg. 119. You can reach the office at 701-594-8000. The maintenance phone number will be 701-594-8003M. Schaaf also stressed that Balfour Beatty is committed to "bringing our communities to life" through a LifeWorks program that focuses on community-building activities promoting long-term health and wellness. LifeWorks is comprised of seven key areas, to include: Life Management, Community Service, Social Activity, Physical Health, Mind Building, Personal Safety and Environmental Awareness. He gave the example of one BBC base neighborhood in which an employee began running a "Biggest Loser" style fitness program. The first night, it was the employee and one resident. By the time it was finished, there were more than 100 resident participating. "That's part of how we build a relationship with everybody here," Schaaf said. One resident asked Schaaf to better explain what - exactly - Balfour Beatty could bring to Grand Forks. Schaaf explained the extremely high satisfaction rate experienced at other military communities they manage. Family member Nathan Wheeler told Schaaf that he would rather not have a 6-foot privacy fence, that he thought that would negatively impact the sense of neighborhood or community. Col. Tim Bush, 319th Air Base Wing commander, addressed Wheeler's comment, stressing the need for that sort of participation from community members. Bush said he wants the community to continue communicate their concerns. "You will have input," Bush said. Wheeler suggested putting gates that lock from the inside - like the doors in adjoining hotel rooms - on the fences so that neighbors have the option of opening them so they can better interact with those living next door if they want to. "I love your creative thinking," Bush said. Schaaf also called the suggestion a good idea, and noted it for further conversation. "We bring that one-on-one customer service - that relationship," he said.