Your military family may be eligible for a housing allowance boost
Many military families are paying more in monthly rent than what’s covered by their basic allowance for housing, or BAH. (Flickr)
About 200,000 service members and their families may be eligible for a temporary increase in their monthly basic allowance for housing, commonly known as BAH.
In late September, the Defense Department released a list of 56 locations where service members can apply for up to a 20% increase in BAH until Dec. 31, before new BAH rates kick in in January. This applies to active-duty and full-time National Guard families living in those locations.
This move by DoD comes after many military families experienced a difficult time finding affordable — and available — housing in the current real estate market. The latest permanent change of station moving season was riddled with stories of families consistently getting outbid when trying to buy a home or, in some cases having to settle for a rental house much too small because it was the only option they could afford with their BAH. (We talked about this at length in a July episode of the podcast, “How the Hot Housing Market Is Impacting Military Families.”
The 56 locations where families may be eligible for a BAH boost make up about 18% of military housing locations in the United States, Military Times reports. Families stationed in five locations can get 20 percent higher rates — the highest boost that’s being offered. Those areas are Twentynine Palms, California; Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; Boise, Idaho; Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho and Spokane, Washington.
So, if your service member was an E-5 with dependents stationed at Twentynine Palms, the BAH rate was $1,206 per month. Now, that’s gone up to $1,446 under the temporary increase. Eleven other locations will get a 15 percent increase, and 40 places qualify for a 10 percent jump.
The higher rates went into effect on Oct. 1, but service members do need to apply. This isn’t automatic. The good news is that even if you haven’t applied yet — maybe this is the first time you’re hearing about this — the boost is retroactive, if approved.
Who can apply?
Well, if you live on base, this does not apply to you. Sorry. This is for service members — single or with families — who have incurred extra housing expenses off-base during the coronavirus pandemic, since March 13, 2020, and through the end of 2021.
But in general, if you’ve moved, even within the same area, since March 2020 or renewed a lease and have been paying a monthly rent that has been higher than the current BAH rate for your area, you should make sure you have some documentation as proof of that and go ahead and apply.
DoD has said that troops will be getting an email from their service branches with more guidance, so make sure your spouse is keeping an eye on their inbox!