JANUARY 28, 2021 – The Army took a major step forward on Jan. 5, 2021 to improve privatized housing by approving terms negotiated by Lendlease, a company that has partnered with the Army to own and operate housing on multiple Army installations, for $1.1 billion in capital investment from public financial institutions.
This investment of private-sector funding will allow Lendlease to accelerate their previously planned sustainment program at Army installations by more than 10 years. Lendlease owns and operates military housing across a national portfolio, including over 26,000 Army homes, and is one of the U.S. Army’s seven major private housing partners. Obtaining this additional private-sector investment will accelerate significant improvements to 12,000 existing homes on Fort Hood, Fort Campbell, Fort Knox, Fort Wainwright, Fort Drum and Army housing on Oahu. The additional investment will also enable the construction of over 1,200 new homes on Fort Hood, Fort Campbell, Fort Knox and Fort Wainwright. A significant portion of the total investment will be given to Fort Hood, one of the Army’s largest installations.
“Under the guidance of Army senior leaders to ensure readiness of our force and quality of life for Soldiers and their families, we have reached an extraordinary milestone with Lendlease,” said Gen. Ed Daly, commander of Army Materiel Command. “This additional investment will go a long way in improving the quality of homes for Soldiers and their families.”
Each Army installation has long-term sustainment plans that include capital repair, replacement and reinvestment. These plans provide details on the future development and investment required to maintain and improve housing over the long term.
Investments like this will allow the Army and its private-sector partners to continue to improve on-post housing and to maintain the availability of housing necessary at each installation. The Army has previously approved the efforts of other privatized housing companies to attract sufficient additional private-sector investments to fund the development and renovation of over 3,500 homes and total replacement of more than 800 additional homes.
“We are getting in front of housing issues,” Daly said. “Commanders at all levels are engaged. Our leaders and housing staffs continue to address problems quickly. The feedback loops – such as web-based apps, installation town halls and helpdesk lines to ensure our residents can quickly identify and report problems – are working. Leaders and housing company personnel are responding quickly, and we are seeing significant results.”
By Army Spokesperson