Local Veteran Owned Company Launches Advocacy Campaign to Help Military Members Afford Housing at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield

GlobeNewsWire
Thursday, November 10, 2022 at 8:35pm UTC

Hinesville, GA, Nov. 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With Veterans Day approaching, a local veteran owned company is launching an advocacy campaign to raise awareness of the housing crisis and seek emergency funding from the Department of Defense for active military families at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield.

American Veteran Properties is not profiting from this advocacy campaign but is extremely concerned about the discrepancy between Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) in Hinesville and the cost of housing for families. Every day, more military families at Fort Stewart are living in RVs or hotels or expensive short-term rentals, doubling up with two families living in single family homes and struggling to make ends meet. This advocacy campaign is being launched to help our troops afford local housing through increasing their BAH to appropriate levels through contacting Congressman Buddy Carter or their Home of Record Congressperson.

The statistics reveal why low BAH rates at Fort Stewart personally affect the military community. The recent inflation of the housing market means that the cost of homes for sale and rental prices have skyrocketed. This means that average rental prices in Hinesville, GA are now just under $1,800 a month and the average mortgage on a small home is $2,100. A Corporal at Fort Stewart (E4) has a BAH of $1,491 a month making it nearly impossible to find affordable housing. While the soldiers are given access to on post housing, the list to receive a home on post is so long that military families are having to find other places to live. A Colonel at Fort Stewart (06) has a basic housing allowance of $2,232 a month meaning that it is almost impossible for them to find affordable family housing commensurate with their rank. By comparison, military families in Beaufort, South Carolina, which is home to the Marine Air Station (MCAS) and was one of the 28 military bases across the USA awarded the BAH emergency increase last month, is in a much better position. Residential housing rates are similar to Hinesville but an E4 receives $2,172 and an 06 receives $3,336. More information about BAH rates can be found https://www.travel.dod.mil/

 

Eric Lukkarinen, Founder and CEO of AVP says, “Every day our agents see military families struggling with lack of affordable housing. We are not seeking to profit from this campaign but to encourage congress to grant Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield the BAH emergency increase through this advocacy and education campaign.” He continues, “Our military naturally has other priorities than teaching service members how to leverage their home loan and BAH to their benefit. In fact, if used recklessly, these can lead to financial instability and foreclosure, which is why we are offering any service member access to our free ‘Fatigues to Financial Freedom’ educational seminars.”

Eric Lukkarinen was a soldier in the U.S. Army until 2001 and has over 20 years’ experience in residential real estate. During that time, he saw firsthand how difficult the housing and especially the real estate market can be for service members and their families. Constant relocating and unfamiliarity with new areas makes it difficult for service members to find a way to own a home and actively participate in owning property. Eric realized he could help fill a need faced by service members and veterans, initially in the Savannah and Hinesville areas: near Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. With that mission in mind, Eric started American Veteran Properties. He launched a new type of real estate company to help military families reasonably enjoy homeownership and build financial security. His primary residential focus has been on military sales with use of VA loan packages and overall income-producing real estate management with specific experience regarding military PCS/relocations.

To contact Congressman Buddy Carter, Georgia’s first district representative, visit www.buddycarter.house.gov/contact/. For more information on writing to Congress or to find your local representative, please visit www.congress.gov/contact-us. For more information about American Veteran Properties and to register for the free seminar, please visit www.americanveteranproperties.com/fatigues-to-financial-freedom

American Veteran Properties is a full-service real estate agency which offers the highest quality advice and support for military members to make the best decision for themselves and their families, in addition to helping military members enjoy homeownership while building and growing personal wealth. For more information, please visit www.americanveteranproperties.com , call 912-385-3000, email sales@americanveteranproperties.com or visit them on social media.

-ENDS-

For media inquiries, please contact Kristyn Beasley at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancis.com or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).

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Kristyn Beasley
Lesley Francis Public Relations
9124175377
kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com