MCAGCC Housing FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for Base Housing?
Military personnel who are authorized Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), assigned to MCAGCC or have been issued Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders to include web orders, and have one or more bona fide dependent(s) residing with them for over six consecutive months are eligible for base housing.
When can I apply for Base Housing?
An application for base housing may be submitted to The Military Housing Office (MHO) at any time provided the service member has received PCS orders (including web orders) to 29 Palms and has qualifying dependents. A service member with imminent marriage plans may apply for family housing 30 days prior to date of marriage.
What qualifies a dual military couple to occupy housing?
- In order to rate base housing, BOTH service member's (SM) must be permanently stationed at the same installation. To apply, both members must either be stationed here, or have orders directing them here (MCAGCC must be the assigned duty station.
- If only one member in a dual military couple is stationed at MCAGCC they must have a qualifying dependent residing with them for over six consecutive months in order to be eligible for base housing.
For more information, see CCO 11012.1S
Will living in housing affect BOTH service member's BAH?
The "with dependent" BAH rate is required as rent to occupy quarters. If dual members currently have no other dependents and are receiving the "without dependent" BAH rate, PPV will collect the difference on a monthly basis. Service members will be required to pay the difference as stated in the lease agreement.
What determines my position on the waitlist?
Waitlist position is determined by an individual's Control date.
What determines my control date?
Control dates are established in one of the following ways:
- If an advance application, DD Form 1746, and all supporting documentation including PCS orders are received by the housing office, the date of receipt is the control date.
- If no advance application is received, the date of detachment from the previous command is the control date providing the application is submitted within 90 days of the reporting date.
- If no application is received within this time frame, the date of receipt of the application by the housing office will be the control date.
- In cases where residents are requesting to move from their current quarters to another set of quarters, the date of their request, if approved, becomes their control date.
- Designated key and essential personnel (Per CCBul 11101) may be assigned to a house, if one is available upon arrival or placed in a position of priority on their appropriate waiting list.
Why Does my Position on the Waitlist Keep Changing?
Because positions are determined by control date, there may be incoming applicants with a control date prior to another individual. In these instances, applicants with an earlier control date would appear before you on the waitlist in the respective order of control dates. Examples of why this would occur include:
- A member applying with PCS orders has an earlier Control date than your own.
- A member applies for housing, and has one or more Priority Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) family members.
- A member is deemed to be Key and Essential by the Base Commanding General and is place in a priority status.
Do EFMP families rate priority assignment?
Priority assignment is determined on a case by case basis based on the EFMP enrollment letter issued to the member from Headquarters Marine Corps as part of the program requirements. The enrollment letter must state “Priority Housing is recommended.”
Can I wait for a particular area, neighborhood, or type of house?
No, unfortunately because of our high occupancy rates eligible personnel will be assigned to the next available set of quarters once they reach the top position on their respective waiting list. They will not be allowed to choose an assignment to a particular set of quarters or housing area.
Can I accept a smaller unit than I am qualified for if the waitlist is shorter?
Yes. However, requests to relocate to a larger home at a later date will not normally be granted.
Are the neighborhoods separated by rank?
Yes. Housing areas are categorized by rank regardless of DoD Component.
E1-E3 Junior Enlisted
E4-E5 NCO
E6-E9 SNCO
01-03/WO-W3 Company Grade
04-05/W4-W5 Field Grade
06 Senior Officer
07 + GOQ
Can I relocate to a Different Home once I am already in Housing?
Transfers on Station (TOS) requests are approved or disapproved by the Family Housing Office/Liberty Military Housing on a case-by-case basis. A minimum of six months in quarters is normally required before such requests are considered. An inspection of the unit is required in order to proceed with request to relocate.
Can I be assigned privatized housing before I arrive at MCAGCC?
No, the Service member must have been detached from his/her previous command and checked into their new duty station in order to be assigned housing.
What do I do after I check into 29 Palms and my new unit?
Marines need to report to IPAC and conduct a New Join Audit. Once your audit is completed ask IPAC for a BAH Recertification Letter, also known as a Housing Letter.
Sailors need to report to PSD where they will receive a Statement of Service Letter.
After the service member physically checks into the MHO with all appropriate unit/IPAC endorsements his/her application is referred to our Public-Private Venture (PPV) Housing Partner Liberty Military Housing. Original establish control date will be utilized for placement on appropriate PPV housing waiting list.
Once a service member reaches the Freeze Zone (top 10% or top three applicants, whichever is greater) his/her position on their appropriate wait list will be stabilized.
When a service member reaches the top of their assigned list they will be offered the next available set of quarters. In most cases service member will be given no less than a 31 day notice of housing assignment.
What happens to my Household Goods (HHGs) if housing is not available when I arrive?
DMO will store your HHGs until housing becomes available at which point you would schedule you delivery to your assigned house. If you are living in the local community while waiting for base housing and choose to have your HHGs delivered to that location you in most cases would rate a “Courtesy Move” by DMO to your assigned house on-base.
If I am on the wait list but not in housing yet can I still enroll my child/children in school?
Yes, upon arrival to 29 Palms you will receive a DD-1747 (Status of Housing Availability) from the MHO. This form will allow you to enroll your child/children into their appropriate school without the need of having a base housing address.
Public Private Venture
What is Public Private Venture (PPV)?
Congress authorized the Public Private Venture (PPV) initiative in 1996 with the intent of improving Family Housing faster and at a lower initial cost to the government. While the government retains land ownership, the PPV partner provides resources to improve Family Housing and operates, maintains and assigns the homes.
Why has the base entered into public private ventures?
The shrinking housing budget coupled with aging housing units and maintenance backlog make it difficult for the Navy/Marine Corps to provide quality housing to service members. The public private partnership will make it possible for the Navy/Marine Corps to renovate and construct family housing quickly and economically.
Who oversees the partner?
Oversight of the partner will occur on several levels including Headquarters Marine Corps, Naval Facilities, Southwest Division, and daily interaction with MCAGCC staff.
What recourse do military families occupying PPV have if the property manager does not respond to service needs?
Personnel at the Central Family Housing Office will continue to be available to occupants of PPV housing. Annual resident surveys will be conducted with results submitted to the Base. In addition, each PPV housing site will have resident representatives to speak for all residents at Resident Advisory Boards. Resident issues brought to the board will be brought to the base military leadership for appropriate action.
Who enforces the rules under PPV?
Both PPV Partners and Government Staff will enforce all rules and regulations.
Resident Energy Conservation Program (RECP)
How is my energy usage target determined?
Your house will be grouped with other housing units into like-type energy baselines so that utility usage targets are set based on comparable home energy performance. The Monthly Utility Usage Target is calculated every month based on the current month’s average for like-type housing units. A 10% plus and minus buffer is set around the utility usage target in order to establish the normal usage zone.
What if there is an extremely hot summer/cold winter?
Your utility usage target is established on a monthly basis to account for actual weather changes.
Can I get information about the like-type group I’m in?
Yes, your Resident Services Manager/Housing Office can provide you with that information.
How will this program affect my Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)?
There will be no impact to the BAH allowance.
How does billing work?
Residents who use less than the lower utility usage buffer will accrue a credit or rebate and residents who use more than the upper utility usage buffer will have a balance due. Monthly, you will receive an actual invoice. Depending on your consumption for the month, this invoice will show that you have a credit, have to pay the balance due, or have no charge, and will indicate when you need to submit payment of the balance.
How and when will I expect a rebate?
Residents whose monthly utilities cost is 10% or more below the monthly usage target will earn a credit or rebate that will be payable when the accumulated rebate exceeds $25. Residents can elect to roll-over savings credits to apply against charges they may accrue in future months.
We have two children in our family and live in a 3-BR home. Many of our neighbors do not have children. Will the monthly usage average for our like-type group be skewed?
Like-type homes are homes with comparable expected energy usage based on a number of criteria including neighborhood location, size (number of bedrooms and square footage), and year of construction. These factors and the number of homes in each group (often between 50 and 100) serve to normalize the variations in family size within the 10% range.
Maintenance
Who do I call for housing maintenance under PPV?
Contact the 24HR Hotline: (888) 578-4141.
If maintenance isn't satisfactory, whom do we address the issue with?
Contact Government Family Housing, located in the Military Housing Office, Bldg. 1003, at (760) 830-6611 between 0800 - 1630 Monday through Friday.