US Army, SOUTHCOM partner to provide affordable housing to Miami-area service members and families

Photo By William King | John Burgess, U.S. Army Garrison-Miami’s Director of Public Works, and U.S. Army Col. David Noble, U.S. Southern Command’s Command Engineer, present proposed military housing solutions Sept. 17 for the Federal Aviation Administration’s land parcel in Doral, Florida. The conceptual design represents a proposed 195 housing units for USSOUTHCOM military personnel that is scheduled for groundbreaking as early as summer 2022. (Photo by Dionte Greensword)  

REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA, UNITED STATES

11.19.2021

Courtesy Story

U.S. Army Materiel Command   

MIAMI and REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – The U.S. Army and U.S. Southern Command have taken important steps forward in the process to provide affordable, safe and quality housing for personnel assigned to SOUTHCOM.

Upon completion of an environmental assessment that found no significant impact, the Army has received approval from the Office of the Secretary of Defense to identify a privatization partner and developing a detailed project plan for a potential SOUTHCOM housing project.

Once approved by OSD, the project would be developed on federal land adjacent to the U.S. Army Garrison Miami and SOUTHCOM headquarters to provide unaccompanied and family housing units for lease by Service members.

Housing shortages and escalating home prices exacerbated by the pandemic in the greater Miami area have put financial strain on several SOUTHCOM personnel. Bringing service members closer to the installation will greatly enhance SOUTHCOM’s ability to accomplish its full range of humanitarian, counternarcotics, defense and deterrence missions throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America regions.

“Providing our team access to affordable, high quality housing within a reasonable commute is one of my top priorities,” said U.S. Army Gen. Laura J. Richardson, commander of U.S. Southern Command. “This new housing will greatly boost morale, reduce undue stress on our personnel and families and, most importantly, increase the readiness of this command.”

U.S. Army Gen. Ed Daly, commander of Army Materiel Command, said AMC is fully committed to enhancing the readiness and quality of life for service members assigned to SOUTHCOM.

“Army Materiel Command fully supports this effort to put people first by bringing quality, safe and secure housing to service members assigned to U.S. Southern Command,” said Daly. “This is critical to supporting SOUTHCOM’s mission, and the Army is committed to delivering the best programs and services to all members of every service who live, work or train on our installations.”

While several critical steps in the process remain, including identifying a private partner and obtaining OSD approval of the final project plan, AMC and SOUTHCOM are committed to seeing this process through.

Send any questions to Col. Scott Rawlinson, Director of Public Affairs, Army Materiel Command, at 256-503-4190 or [e-mail]; or Col. Manny Ortiz, Public Affairs Chief, U.S. Southern Command, at 305-4371201 or [e-mail].

• Date Taken: 11.19.2021
• Date Posted: 11.19.2021 15:07
• Story ID: 409705
• Location: REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA, US