Dover AFB seeks new resident council members

Photo By Staff Sgt. Stephani Barge | A sign sits outside the Privatized Housing resident advocate office at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, June 23, 2021. The Housing Resident Advocate is seeking volunteers to serve on the Dover AFB Privatized Housing Resident Council after losing members during permanent change of station season. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Stephani Barge)  

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, DELAWARE, UNITED STATES

06.23.2021

Story by Airman 1st Class Stephani Barge 

436th Airlift Wing

Swimming pools, barbecues and moving trucks: summer is permanent change of station season. With Airmen and their families moving to and from Dover Air Force Base, many people are affected by the transition. The Dover AFB Privatized Housing Resident Council is no exception, having lost the majority of their Neighborhood Representatives to PCS moves.

Neighborhood Representatives are service members or spouses who make up the Privatized Housing Resident Council. The council represents Eagle Heights military housing residents and works with Hunt Properties, the resident advocate and Military Housing Office to voice concerns and resolve issues.

“The Neighborhood Representative’s primary role is to be eyes and ears,” said Aaron Lewis, 436th Airlift Wing Privatized Housing resident advocate. “Their role is not to mediate and be the fact finder … [but to] be a good neighbor and direct [residents] to the appropriate helping agency.”

Lewis stated the council recently went from seven members down to three due to PCS moves and is currently looking for new members.

“[Being a Neighborhood Representative isn’t] a very time consuming task,” said Lewis. “[The council] meets quarterly with wing leadership, and I like to get together with them monthly to check in.”

Military housing residents volunteer to be Neighborhood Representatives for a variety of reasons, most commonly to help the community.

“I volunteered to become a resident advocate council member because I wanted to help bring a sense of community to the housing here at Dover AFB,” said Master Sgt. Theodore Cameron, Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Honor Guard Policy Program manager and. “As a resident in the community, I felt that if my neighbors had someone they could turn to with questions or concerns, they would have a voice fighting for them to other council members, MHO and Dover AFB senior leadership to help improve the overall quality of life of the housing community.”

According to Lewis, Neighborhood Representatives can help community members in simple but effective ways. A resident council member recently engaged with a resident on social media who voiced their displeasure with Dover AFB’s privatized housing company over a fee. Lewis and the residence council later reached out to the project owner and together they considered all pertinent information. In the end, a decision was reached, resulting in a favorable outcome for the Airman.

Housing residents can apply to be a Neighborhood Representative for one of the three neighborhood areas they reside in: Blue Heron Breeze, Orioles Cove or Falcon View.

Lewis states that applicants must commit at least one year to being a council member. Those who have a PCS coming up, or are about to separate from service should not apply.

Residents may contact a Neighborhood Representative at the following email addresses based on which neighborhood area they reside in: [e-mail], [e-mail]
and [e-mail].

For further information on being a Neighborhood Representative or discuss housing issues, contact Aaron Lewis at 302-677-3920 (office) or 302-382-2086 (cell), [e-mail] or [e-mail]. The RA office is located in building 262, room 308.

• Date Taken: 06.23.2021
• Date Posted: 06.23.2021 15:06
• Story ID: 399562
• Location: DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, DELAWARE, US