By Here is something that USFK should look at implementing once the relocation to Camp Humphreys is completed:
Alarmed by a new policy that requires all incoming military families to live in base housing, rental agencies are lobbying Okinawa and Tokyo officials to urge the U.S. military to suspend the rule.They want their representatives to apply pressure to Air Force officials who put the new policy into effect Aug. 1. They also want a suspension of all new housing projects on the bases.
“For more than 50 years, we have been engaged in the business of offering rental homes to people in the U.S. military community on Okinawa,” stated an All Okinawa Housing Association petition presented Wednesday to Okinawa City Mayor Mitsuko Tomon.
“If the policy is implemented, a great amount of rental homes will be left vacated, seriously threatening the basis of our livelihood.”
The group intends to file similar requests with the Okinawa Bureau of the Ministry of Defense, Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima, the Okinawa prefectural assembly and the mayors of cities and towns where the rental homes for Americans are concentrated. [Stars & Stripes]
I have no idea if housing fraud is going on at Okinawa or not, but it is fairly common in Korea and building quality housing on post at both Camp Humphreys and Osan Airbase would go a long ways towards protecting USFK families from the various rip offs that are common in Korea.
6:50 am on August 8th, 2009 1
Do a lot of contractors sign long term leases? Seems kind of risky with the way contract jobs come and go.
1:29 pm on August 8th, 2009 2
The going rate for a house outside Casey is W1,200,00 – $1200 a month. These exact same properties rented in the $600 range one year ago. It’s actually hurting the contractors most as often their LQA is figured as part of their total salary package (in other words they pay you less and point at your housing allowance as part of your pay). With the LQA drop plus many contracts paying 50-75% LQA along with the subsequent sky rocketing of rent, it’s a killer.
Add to this the landlords attempting every dirty trick in the book to get out of long term leases so they can immediately cash in on renting to a soldier (who will fork over all their allowance) and it just plain sucks.
2:15 pm on August 8th, 2009 3
That's right. Most contractors are not transient but here full term. In many cases providing continuity while active duty transfers after a year.
… Dude, you're leaving? Sorry to here that. asffas
3:45 pm on August 8th, 2009 4
Yeah most of us sign long term leases because the contracts are awarded for 10 years like mine is. I’ve been here 6 years and am now transferring to the states this month because it’s time to go home for me.
I’d love to see that here. Screw these land lords. The house outside Songtan I rented was 1.5 million Won (Stand alone western style house) and the Korean neighbors in a bigger 55 pyong 2 story home were paying less than 1/2 what I was paying.
A Korean/american at work transferred over here from Arizona and just used Korean to look for a villa in Anjeong-Ri and after all was said and done got a 40 Pyong villa for 600,000 Won instead of the 1.2 Mil the GI’s and contractors pay and the full LQA of the GS workers. Once they realized he was an american contractor they just slapped themselves in the forhead going DOH!
2:53 am on August 9th, 2009 5
The contract my friend is on went from being awarded yearly, to six months, and now to three months. And in talking with other contractors, it seems like most are guaranteed a few years, but that's about it.
That's just what I've heard myself though – I'm sure some get lucky and get to work long term contracts.
8:06 am on August 9th, 2009 6
Depending on the contract is how long it goes for. The IT ones are usually 3~4 years then they get rebid. If another company wins the contract they usually hire any technical works who were on the previous contract (saves them from having to pay / train new people). Its usually management that gets the boot.
For LQA, depending entirely how you negotiated your contract when you were hired is how its counted. If your competitive for your position then you will refuse to allow them to short change you on housing by lumping it in with salary. Salary and housing should be separate as they do yearly performance raise's based on salary. And FYI, most contractors get 50~75% housing that civilians get LQA. For us its not LQA as its not an allowance, its straight cash that we're allowed to do with as we please.
It helps x1000 to get a Korean to help you with housing. Do NOT rent from anyone who usually rents to Military / GS as they will rip you off hard core. Get a Korean to help you directly work with owners to try to find a decent place. Also avoid the places that are directly near / around the base. Those will always be overpriced by x2 the amounts. You might have to drive 15~30m to get to work, but will be living in an area populated almost entirely with Koreans and will be paying the Korean price. And if you happen to get married to a Korean (many long timers do), then the Korean spouse can enter into the "key money" system. For contractors its 100% legal to do, because its not LQA and not paid from the government.
1:31 pm on August 9th, 2009 7
Excellent advice for all.
10:09 am on August 10th, 2009 8
Maybe theyMaybe they shouldn't have been charging x5 the going rate for housing. I am glad this is happening.