Fort Riley and Corvias Military Living announced last week that single and unaccompanied military personnel who receive the basic allowance for housing are now eligible to live on post in privatized military housing.

They cited the decision to expand eligibility was made due to immediate home availability and a small decrease in the number of active duty families currently living on post.

Junction City Mayor Mick McCallister has responded by noting that the post housing inventory is higher than what was agreed to in 2010. “What Corvias and the Army would like to do is open up the opportunities to single soldiers to be able to live on the post. ” McCallister cited the information he has seen, “Somewhere around $400 per person, maybe two, maybe three people to a vacant home they’re looking to fill with single soldiers, active duty soldiers.”

McCallister said both Junction City and Manhattan have listened to Army requests to build apartments off the installation because the two-bedroom capability was being eliminated on post. “That was done. Junction City’s been doing that, Manhattan’s been doing that, and now the plan is because of the over abundance of inventory on the installation there is a plan to fill that with single soldiers. That really would adversely affect the Flint Hills Region.”

In their news release Army officials noted that the expansion of housing eligibility at Fort Riley helps to ensure the housing partnership between Corvias and the Army is able to reinvest in future home construction, modernization, upgrades and repairs throughout the 50-year partnership. They noted with troop drawdowns and changes to Army structure, several Army installations have similarly expanded on-post housing eligibility programs across the nation.