That's an excellent question! Why should you live on base? What's in it for you, and is it worth it for your service member to be so close to work?

The short answer is that on-base housing gives you lots of extras and not many negatives. But before we get to the perks, we need to understand why it's in the best interest of military families to choose to live in military housing. To do that, we need to understand a little more about the history of military housing. 

In the late 80s and early 90s, military family housing needed serious attention. The DoD hadn't maintained or updated much of its housing in decades. So many of the units available to our military families were almost inhabitable. Two out of every three houses were deemed "substandard" and had to be removed or replaced. To make matters worse, the military had a backlog of maintenance issues that would have taken 30 years and $20 billion to fix.

So Congress passed a law to privatize military housing. The Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI) authorized the DoD to partner with private companies to provide quality housing for military families. 

Lincoln, and other public-private ventures (PPVs), make deals with military branches. The MHPI allows Lincoln and other developers to bid for the chance to operate and manage PPV housing. The DoD maintains ownership of the land the house is on, and a PPV like Lincoln is responsible for managing construction, maintenance, and renovations. That means that the partnership's success relies on providing military families with homes they want to live in that are safe.

So why should your family choose to live on base?

Military families can gain a lot from living on base. You'll likely save money on utilities and rent since everything is included. You won't have the added stress of paying bills each month. You'll also have access to interactive and amazing community amenities.

Most importantly, PPV housing offers something that you just can't find living anywhere else. It gives you and your family access to people who understand the military way of life. The military culture is unique, tight-knit, and incredibly welcoming. Choosing on-base housing helps set you and your family up for success at your new installation. 

Related: Discover the right way to unpack after a PCS! (Hint: It's simpler than it looks!)