Photo By Jean Han | Fort Bliss, Texas – Col. James Brady sits on the panel while hosting his first...... read more read more
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Fort Bliss, Texas – Newly posted Fort Bliss Garrison Commander Col. James Brady hosted his first Housing Town Hall, Sept. 23, 2021, at Kelly Park Community Center.
As part of an Army-wide focus on housing, the Garrison Commander conducts quarterly town halls to disseminate Fort Bliss privatized housing information and provide a forum for direct resident input.
“The Army has heard your concerns about housing. These town halls are meant to support our community and ensure we are addressing housing issues in a timely manner,” said Brady.
Joining Brady at the main table were Jessica Holston, Senior Community Manager, Fort Bliss Family Homes (FBFH) and Phillip Wrobel, Project Director, Balfour Beatty Communities (BBC). On hand were Command Sgt. Maj. Gerardo Gonzalez, Garrison Command Sergeant Major, and Lt. Col. David Hunter, Garrison Executive Officer, as well as subject matter experts from Fort Bliss Directorates: Public Works, Housing Division (DPW); Emergency Services (DES); and Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR). Fort Bliss Family Homes staff and representatives from the 1AD Engineer Brigade Sponsorship Program were also in attendance.
Brady kicked off the town hall by stating the importance of taking care of residents and providing quality housing for all Soldiers and families across the Army. He stressed that there will never be reprisals for providing information or reporting substandard conditions, which led into an explanation of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative Tenant Bill of Rights and Tenant Responsibilities.
Before turning it over to BBC and FBFH for housing updates, Brady prefaced that in this next portion of the town hall, residents would get to learn about the multiple communication methods they can use to address unresolved issues.
“We have several points of contact that can address issues within our community specifically with regards to housing,” said Brady. “We want to make sure you have access to those and that we are providing the quality housing that our Soldiers, their families and our community deserves.”
Wrobel started by providing an update on the ongoing five-year development plan for neighborhood community improvements. He alerted residents that roof replacement projects are underway at the Red Bricks and to expect increased activity throughout the neighborhood.
Holston provided several updates, starting with a few community reminders. The FBFH Resident Guide, in effect since May 2013, has been replaced with Community Guidelines, which can be found on the Resident Portal on the FBFH website. Residents can also access the Resident Portal via the RENTCafe Resident app.
According to Holston, FBFH is tracking all resident concerns, including the unusual amount of weeds and growth in the neighborhoods as a result of the recent weather. Holston assured residents that FBFH has hired additional landscape vendors who are working to resolve the overgrown areas as soon as possible, while reminding them they are responsible for treating weeds and growth in their own backyards.
Another result of the recent weather, the maintenance team is behind on scheduling work orders. Holston urged residents to check their email for schedule dates and times, and not ignore phone calls from 915, 267, or 215 area codes, as it may be the team calling to schedule work.
Once a work order is completed, residents receive a survey. Holston encouraged residents to always fill them out.
“We really appreciate that feedback, because it’s in real time. We get them daily. And if it’s negative feedback, it gives us a chance to correct it,” said Holston.
If an issue is not being resolved to satisfaction, residents can take advantage of the contact information available on the FBFH website. They can reach out directly to members of Community Management, as well as the Assistant Neighborhood Managers that are located at each neighborhood community center.
Following the updates, Brady opened the floor for a Q&A session. Residents voiced concerns about grounds maintenance, feral stray cats, the Call Center system being broken, and speeding in the neighborhoods.
In response to the last concern, Deputy Police Chief Todd Pidone assured residents that DES is well aware of the speeding issues and has put together a specialized traffic control step plan, which started last month.
“We started with targeting parking throughout the housing areas. Just yesterday, we initiated the step plan for speeding in the housing areas, school zones, and during peak hours,” said Pidone. “You will absolutely see a change in the next couple of days, and see MP (Military Police) cars in the housing areas.”
Regarding future housing concerns, Brady reiterated the value of community centers, housing town halls, and the Interactive Customer Evaluation system. ICE is a DoD program that offers commanders and managers access to customer feedback in real-time. Customers can submit comments online, both positive and negative, at https://ice.disa.mil.
In closing, Brady stated housing town halls are high on his priority list.
“The Army across the board is focusing on these walk-in town halls; at minimum we’re supposed to do these once a quarter,” said Brady. “With time, I’d like to do this once a month in a neighborhood, and hit every neighborhood throughout the year. That’s my aim.”
At the completion of the meeting, FBFH, BBC, and Fort Bliss subject matter experts held an Open House. Residents were free to approach each station and speak with SMEs face-to-face. BBC provided food and refreshments.
While the town hall was open to families, all attendees were required to observe COVID-19 protocols, wearing face masks and practicing social distancing.
| Date Taken: | 09.28.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 09.29.2021 12:04 |
| Story ID: | 406243 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | EL PASO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 570 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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