WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) announced today the U.S. Air Force has selected Picerne Military Housing of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, to manage and improve the military family housing at McConnell Air Force Base (AFB). The project is part of the six-base Continental Group Housing Privatization Project. The purpose of the Air Force’s housing privatization program is to provide military families access to quality, affordable, well-maintained housing in a community on the installation where they may choose to live.

“McConnell’s airmen and women and their families will soon be assured the modern, quality housing they deserve,” Sen. Moran said. “I am pleased to see the Air Force taking the next step forward toward revitalizing McConnell’s community.”

When the deal closes in October 2011, the Air Force will convey to Picerne 441 homes at McConnell AFB and lease the underlying land for a period of 50 years. Picerne will then move forward with building 173 homes and renovating 191 homes. They will also build a neighborhood center with pool and other recreational/community facilities throughout the McConnell AFB housing areas.

Picerne Military Housing will provide all development, operations and maintenance, property management, construction, renovation and demolition services for the project. This is Picerne’s first Air Force housing privatization project, although they are a partner in the Army’s residential community initiative at Fort Riley and six other bases around the country. 

To date, the Air Force has awarded 27 projects at 44 installations for a total of 37,851 homes, or 70 percent of all Air Force housing within the continental United States and its territories. Within the next year, the Air Force will complete the privatization of 100 percent of all United States-based military housing.

In addition to McConnell AFB, the Continental Group Housing Privatization Project includes Edwards AFB in California; Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field in Florida; Eielson AFB in Alaska; and Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina. The Air Force will initially convey 3,739 homes at the six installations, later convey 368 homes under construction at Eielson and Seymour Johnson AFBs, and lease the underlying land (approximately 2,425 acres) to each installation’s selected property manager for up to 50 years. 

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