R 162155Z JAN 13 ALCOAST 016/13 COMDTNOTE 11101 SUBJ: MANDATORY ASSIGNMENT TO OCONUS GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED HOUSING A. Coast Guard Housing Manual, COMDTINST M11101.13 (Series) 1. In the Commandants Direction 2011, Admiral Papp committed to improving the quality of housing for our Coast Guard members and military families. In support of this initiative, COMDT (CG-1) and (CG-4) completed a nationwide housing assessment to validate the condition and need for the approximately 3800 Coast Guard owned family housing units. We reviewed the data from the assessment and applied what we have learned to identify over 300 additional excess houses from our inventory. To date, this brings the total number of excess houses approved for divestiture to 750. Following this process, our housing inventory will be reduced to those homes determined to be located in the areas most needed by our families and best positioned to support Coast Guard operations. The nationwide assessment validated that our OCONUS housing is the most expensive to maintain, has some of the highest occupancy rates, and satisfies some of our most pressing needs. 2. Fundamentally, our housing inventory is broadly grouped into four categories: A. Adequate: Adequate housing must meet minimum standards for material condition, health, safety, and basic functional criteria (has serviceable utilities, includes appropriate bathroom/laundry/kitchen facilities, is within two-hour round trip commute of permanent duty station, includes parking, is not located in an objectionable area subject to industrial noise, environmental pollutants, or high crime, etc.). Further guidance on the definition of adequate housing is contained in chap 6 of ref (a). B. Inadequate: Inadequate housing does not meet the criteria in para 2.A and is declared inadequate by COMDT (CG-13) in accordance with chap 6 of ref (a). Inadequate housing is not habitable. No members or families will be assigned to inadequate housing. C. Pending Renovation: Pending renovation includes housing that requires major repair, renovation, or recapitalization. No members or families will be assigned to housing scheduled for extensive maintenance or alterations in order to minimize family relocations and disruptions. Housing that requires minor repairs or routine/change of occupancy maintenance that does not present a significant inconvenience or disruption to the occupant is not included in this category. D. Pending Divestiture: Housing that is excess and approved for divestiture by COMDT (CG-1223) will be disposed of. Housing in this category will be sold, demolished, transferred, or repurposed for non-housing use. No members or families will be assigned to housing pending divestiture. 3. As stewards of Coast Guard resources, we have a responsibility to make efficient use of all available adequate government-controlled housing. Commencing with assignment year 2013 permanent change of station (PCS) orders, all members assigned to OCONUS duty stations will be required to reside in government-controlled housing when available and adequate. Government-controlled housing includes Coast Guard owned housing and Department of Defense and Department of State housing available through inter-service support agreements. This change in policy is focused on our responsibility for the welfare of our Coast Guard families, maintenance of military readiness, and our obligation to be responsible financial stewards. In several locations, government housing provides security and community benefits not available on the economy. Efficiently utilizing government-controlled housing is the right thing to do for our people and our Service. 4. All members with PCS orders reporting for duty outside of the continental United States on or after 15 April 2013 must submit an Application for Assignment to Military Housing, Form CG-5267, to the housing office at their new duty stations. Local Housing Authorities shall assign members to government-controlled family or unaccompanied personnel housing when it is available and adequate. Members already residing on the economy will be allowed to remain in their current status until they are tour complete. Those who extend in their current assignments or receive new orders within the same geographic area/reasonable commuting distance will also be allowed to remain in their current homes. 5. For purposes of determining bedroom requirements for assignment to Coast Guard-owned family housing OCONUS, Local Housing Authorities should make a reasonable attempt to assign one bedroom per dependent, excluding spouses. However, where family size and existing inventory preclude this family housing will be assigned based on the bedroom requirements contained in encl 5 of ref (a). Inability to assign one bedroom per dependent, excluding spouses, is not a basis to grant a release from mandatory assignment. 6. Individual releases from mandatory assignment to government housing will require approval by the appropriate Area Housing Authority (Base Commander). Examples of circumstances where a member might be granted a release from mandatory assignment to government-controlled housing include, but are not limited to, homeownership and family medical requirements. Members who are denied a release will be advised by the Area Housing Authority of the process to appeal the decision to the Personnel Service Center Personnel Services Division (PSC-PSD). Members who do not obtain a release from assignment to government-controlled housing will be ineligible for basic allowance for housing or overseas housing allowance entitlements. 7. Members assigned to an embassy country team or overseas interagency billet, including liaison officers, defense attaches, security assistance officers, and maritime advisors will continue to follow housing assignment policies and procedures prescribed by the Department of State or other sponsoring agencies. 8. Public-private venture housing is not government-controlled housing and is not subject to the mandatory assignment rules. 9. These changes will be incorporated in the next change to ref (a). 10. A list of frequently asked questions is available at the following Coast Guard Personnel Service Center (PSC) site: http://www.uscg.mil/psc/psd/fs/Housing.asp. 11. This message is only applicable to government-controlled housing located outside of the continental United States. 12. PSC-PSD technical authority POCs are Ms. Anne Becker at Anne.M.Becker(at)uscg.mil., and Mr. Wayne Canfield at Wayne.S.Canfield(at)uscg.mil. COMDT (CG-1223) housing policy POC is Ms. Melissa Fredrickson at Melissa.M.Fredrickson(at)uscg.mil. 13. Released by Mr. Curtis B. Odom, Acting Assistant Commandant for Human Resources. 14. Internet release is authorized.