WASHINGTON—Military families are experiencing great uncertainty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with some at risk of becoming homeless because of steps taken to slow the spread of the virus.
The Department of Defense’s decision to halt Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves, while necessary for public health, places some military families in what will soon be an urgent housing situation: They have given notice on a lease or are in the process of selling their home in a location where they are now ordered to stay.
“With the decision to halt PCS moves, I quickly heard from our real estate partners who serve the military community across the country and around the world,” said Erin Ward, MFAN Board member and Realtor/Founder of HRVA Homes at Keller Williams. “They spoke of an immediate need for short-term housing for those who expected to move, sold homes, or are attempting to close home purchases, and also those who gave landlords notice of moving.”
To proactively address this issue, Shannon Razsadin, the executive director of the Military Family Advisory Network, brought these concerns to the attention of Hunt Military Communities (Hunt), a privatized military housing provider. She asked that Hunt consider the unprecedented option of changing lease term policies in order to make vacant, clean, and safe homes on military installations available for military families who are at risk.
Hunt was quick to act and encouraged their Military Housing Privatization Initiative counterparts to do the same. “The swift action of privatized military housing contractors will give military families a safety net and lessen their overall stress during these highly stressful times,” said Shannon Razsadin, executive director of MFAN. “This is an example of how we can all rise to the occasion, get rid of red tape, and support each other during difficult times.”
The following privatized housing companies rose to the occasion to support military families:
- Hunt Military Communities
- Balfour Beatty Communities
- Corvias Property Management
- Lincoln Military Housing
Because of the efforts of MFAN and the leadership shown by these companies, military families will now have peace of mind knowing that they will have a place to live.
“At Hunt, we are committed to doing our part to assist our military families during this difficult time,” said John Ehle, President of Hunt Military Communities. “Our teams are working to ensure the health, safety and welfare of our military communities, and this is a clear demonstration of how we can all work together in an impactful way.”
About MFAN: The Military Family Advisory Network is the authentic voice of the modern military family and the bridge that connects military families to the resources, people and information they depend on to successfully navigate all phases of military life. To learn more about MFAN, visit www.militaryfamilyadvisorynetwork.org .