DoD to build Marines' housing on GALC land

by Lannie Walker from KUAM.com

Guam - It seems the Tiyan landowners who are in line to receive the Federal Aviation Administration property in South Finegayan are having not only to deal with a lawsuit filed by other original landowners, but there's no telling what challenges may lay ahead now that Uncle Sam wants the same piece of land.

Landowner Benny Crawford told KUAM News, "We at one time thought wow we are going get dirt we are going to build our ranch and do what we need to do and life goes on, but now with that military buildup, that's not going to happen. However, we realize now that there is a need for these two parcels: the FAA and the Marbo Command."

According to the Record of Decision the Department of Defense plans to use the former FAA property in South Finegayan to build homes for the U.S. Marines and their dependents. Yet this same piece of property is the subject of a lawsuit filed by a number of original landowners who argue that a new public law that deeds the land as well as land at Marbo Command to Tiyan landowners is unfair.

The Tiyan landowners are being given these properties in exchange for the government taking their properties for use by the airport. Crawford has been at the forefront of the battle for compensation, and said, "Originally it wasn't about finances it was about the dirt and now it turned out to be about finances and it might be lucrative for the landowners. And if that would be the case right on more power to the landowners."

But according to the Tiyan land swap law, the Guam Legislature made known that their intention was not for these ancestral lands to be made available to the Department of Defense. So the worst-case scenario, should the military moves forward with the ROD, would be that one of the recourses it might have to pursue is condemnation.

Crawford continued, "However if they are going to condemn the land that doesn't leave the landowner in a good situation because condemnation would be fair market value and leaves us out of the negotiation, how much and how to use land for."

On the other hand, Attorney Curtis Van De Veld, who represents landowners against the Tiyan land exchange law, believes there's billions that could still be made. But it wouldn't be just for Tiyan landowners but all original landowners under the Guam Ancestral Lands Commission. "And it's going to be substantial," he noted. "The estimate is in excess of $2 billion."

Van De Veld still believes the deal with the Guam Economic Development Authority and Jortberg Properties is still valid. The two sides were on the cusp of signing a deal to lease the GALC's FAA property when public law was signed mandating that same piece of land be deeded to Tiyan landowners. GEDA subsequently withdrew the request for proposal.

The attorney explained, "When you make an offer and it is accepted, you create a contract. And there was no termination of the offer prior to the acceptance was my understanding, so I think there is likely to be a binding lease on the property."

While Jortberg Properties has not indicated what it plans to do about the GEDA request for proposal, Van De Veld is still moving forward with his clients case, hoping to strike the Tiyan land swap law so that all landowners will benefit no matter what's done with the land. Van De Veld's request for a temporary restraining order has already been granted by a superior court judge, with additional hearings planned ahead.

"At that point, it will simply be a matter of submitting legal argument to the court and letting the court come up with a full and complete judgment in a short period of time which in the best interest of everyone," said Van de Veld.

Navy Says Service Members On Guam Won't Get Housing Bump

Navy Says Service Members On Guam Won't Get Housing Bump

Written by Michael Rudolph, Guam News Factor Writer
Thursday, 17 December 2009 13:01

GUAM - Members of the armed forces stationed on Guam will reportedly not benefit from the average 2.5% increase in housing allowance rates for 2010.

Guam service members are under the Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) program, which according to Guam Navy Housing has not been informed by Washington of any housing allowance increases for 2010.

The Department of Defense issued a press release yesterday to announce that close to one million men and women serving in the armed forces and stationed in the 50 U.S. States will receive an average increase of $37 (2.5%) to their monthly housing allowances.

The 2.5% increase to the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) Program for 2010 marks the smallest increase in the program's history. This is because "Rates are set based on actual housing data, so as the economy has declined, vacancy rates have increased [and] rental prices have declined, which results directly to lower BAH rates in various areas," according to the statement made by DoD BAH program analyst Cherly Anne Woehr reported by the American Forces Press Service.

But, according to Woehr's assessment, big cities in the U.S. may account for the overall bump.

Typically, rates are higher in larger, more heavily populated metropolitan areas, such as New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C. Rates in rural areas usually are more stable, and although they may increase to some degree, the rise doesn't have the same impact as in larger cities.

Population Growth Creates Housing Problems

Population growth creates housing issues
Friday, 25 September 2009 00:57 by Jude Lizama
Marianas Variety News Staff .

THE island’s civilian population is projected to increase by approximately 50,000 people by 2025, requiring approximately 10,800 new housing units mostly in the northern and central part of the island which is expected to absorb about 80 percent of the growth, according to the draft Northern and Central Guam Land Use Plan.
The report prepared by ICF International and released by the Bureau of Statistics and Plans cited studies indicating that over the past 20 years, the island’s population has steadily increased at an annual rate of 1.6 percent, and has historically been closely tied in with local United States military installations.

While housing availability has been relatively level with population growth, the island community has experienced increasing strain due to the lack of affordability.

Local rates of home ownership, which stands at 48 percent, are well below the U.S. national average of 66 percent.

However, efforts to find solutions to satisfy the increasing housing availability needs of the local community have been at the forefront for some time.

Three main housing issue goals proposed by the land use plan cited the need to designate sufficient land area for provide various housing types and prices, increase home ownership, and encourage a variety of housing choices in the northern and central portions of the island.

Based on the three main goals cited in the plan, a plethora of additional policies were cited in order to achieve the mentioned goals including the establishment of various land use categories; implementing zoning categories to provide proper single and multi-family development densities; administering land use plans to ensure land availability; providing opportunities, education, and counseling for first time homebuyers; and implementing affordable housing measures to increase affordable permanent housing availability.

The land use plan also suggested taking advantage of the construction worker “influx” related to the ongoing military buildup by encouraging temporary worker housing to be eventually converted to permanent housing developments.

Incentives for larger residential developments such as “density increases” or “flexibility in development standards” were also suggested in the housing study. Additionally, an increase in housing availability opportunities for both persons with disabilities, and “supportive and transitional housing for homeless individuals and families” also made the long list of projected policy goals.

Buildup Hits Another Snag

Buildup hits another snag
Monday, 24 August 2009 01:08 by Gerardo Partido | Variety News Staff .

Conflict over military housing may delay Marines’ relocationTHE planned transfer of U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam has apparently hit another snag as Japanese media reported over the weekend that there are serious “differences” between the U.S. and Japan over a housing project for the relocating Marines.

The Kyodo news agency, citing sources close to Japan-U.S. relations, reported that these differences revolve around conflicting interpretations over the quality standards for the housing project.

Earlier, Japanese opposition officials already expressed concerns over the “expensive” cost of housing units on Guam given by U.S. authorities.

Bloomberg News had quoted opposition Democratic Party of Japan legislator Keiichiro Asao as saying that the projected $700,000 per housing unit for the Marines quoted by the U.S. is too much given that the land is already free.


Japan election

The Japanese election is just a week away and the opposition, which had been pushing for a review of the Guam buildup costs, is widely predicted to take over power from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

According to Kyodo, the housing project for the Marines is already more than six months behind schedule because of the conflict between the U.S. and Japanese sides.

Moreover, the impasse may delay bids by potential contractors since it normally takes about a year and half before the winning bidder is selected and three to four years before a project of that size can be completed.

This threatens to delay the Marines’ transfer, which was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014 by both governments.


Friction

According to Kyodo, another cause of friction is the U.S. proposal to use part of the Japanese funding to help improve military facilities on Guam that are not directly linked to the transfer of the Okinawa-based Marines.

Public opinion in Japan is already very much against the financing plan for the relocation of the Marines, which many Japanese consider too high and unfair.

The decision to take on $6 billion of the total cost marks the first time a Japanese government has agreed to share the costs of building and improving facilities at a U.S. base overseas and this has enraged Japanese nationalists.

Kyodo said the deadlock in the talks to relocate the Marines to Guam may also affect the plan to transfer the heliport functions of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station from Ginowan to Nago, both in Okinawa, as the two elements are closely tied by the bilateral agreement.

Another Kyodo source, which the news agency did not name, said a delay beyond 2014 appears to have become the "tacit understanding" of officials from both sides.

Under the May 2006 agreement, Japan is to shoulder up to $6.09 billion of the $10.27 billion relocation cost mainly to build houses and improve infrastructure.

Military Households in Hawai'i Use 1.7 Times More Power

Wind Power Tested for Military Housing
Reported by: Gina Mangieri
Email: gmangieri@khon2.com

Last Update: 7/26 7:02 pm

Navy and Marine Corps housing on Oahu may soon be going even more green by tapping into wind power.

One test is underway, another near, to see if wind can help generate electricity in Pearl City and Kaneohe. There are also new incentives to curtail the often higher power consumption in military homes.

It’s a hot day on the Pearl City Peninsula, and the kids in Navy housing are finding fun ways to cool off — when gentle Pearl Harbor breezes don’t do the trick.

But even light winds may still be just enough someday to keep the lights on — that’s what this contraption is here to figure out.

“We hope to understand how the wind operates here off of Pearl Harbor and eventually try to generate power using wind energy,” said John Wallenstrom, senior vice president of military housing for Forest City Military Communities Hawaii.

A 164-foot tall meteorological tower or “MET” is measuring wind speed to see how well smaller wind turbines could work here. The same test will get underway soon at other housing Forest City manages on the Marine Corps base in Kaneohe.

The grant-funded, year-long tests could lead to smaller wind turbines that could generate enough power for 10 homes each.

“We’re doing things in residential neighborhoods, and it’s very important to us to treat our residents well and do things that don’t upset the quality of life,” Wallenstrom said.

Wind would join already prevalent solar power in the Forest City communities. Whenever they get a chance to build new, even more steps are taken, making homes 40 percent more efficient than code.

Forest City is also working on helping residents be more energy conscious. Navy households in Hawaii use about 1.7 times the average amount of electricity as off-base housing. Military families don’t directly pay their electric bills.

“We don’t see it, so we can leave all the lights on and stuff like that, since we don’t see it,” said Sgt. Adrian Puentes, a Pearl City Peninsula. “I’m sure those who do pay it probably have a fit.”

A new incentive will give $100 a month to the top 5 percent of residents who cut their consumption the most. The Puentes family says they’ll go for it — which could mean even more pool time instead of air conditioning.

“We’re in the service and people think we don’t have hard times,” Puentes said, “but we need the money too, so it’s pretty good.”

Source: http://www.khon2.com/news/local/story/Wind-Power-Tested-for-Military-Housing/fLEN761UZku1GoYywXQxhw.cspx

20 Years of Growth in 5

20 years of growth in 5:
Guam population will add 42,000 by 2013
By Gaynor Dumat-ol Daleno
Pacific Sunday News
September 14, 2008

During rush-hour traffic in Dededo, Tamuning and Tumon, cars often move at barely a crawl in bottleneck areas...

That's Guam today, with its population estimated at close to 173,000.

Add more than 42,000 people to that figure five years from now, according to data from a draft transportation plan.

"Guam will experience 20 years of population growth in just five years with the military buildup," the 2030 Guam Transportation Plan states.

The plan, which takes into account the U.S. military buildup, outlines massive projects that include widening and building new roads for civilian as well as military needs. The plan includes a mass transit system that would work for a lot more people than its current small pool of riders.

The military buildup has been projected to cost as much as $15 billion, and would include: relocating thousands of U.S. Marines and their families from Okinawa; expanding the Navy and Air Force bases; and building an Army ballistic missile defense facility.

By 2015, when the military buildup is expected to be complete, Guam's population will top 231,000, according to the report. Without the military buildup, it would take Guam at least two decades to reach that level of population growth.

The Department of Public Works plan proposes seeking a combination of funds from the Department of Defense, the Federal Highway Administration and other pockets within the federal government.

Some members of the community have voiced a mix of optimism and concern regarding the growth.

Preparation
John M. Lee, who owns a Shell service station along Route 3, in the general area of the preferred site for a Marine base, said he welcomes the anticipated growth.

"Wow," was Lee's initial comment when he heard of the population growth projection.

A larger population means more opportunities for entrepreneurs such as Lee, who's also opening popular Japanese pastry shop Beard Papa's at Guam Premier Outlets.

But, at the same time, Lee would like to see Guam -- as a community -- prepare better to handle the projected growth. He offered the analogy of would-be parents who must learn parenting skills as best as they can before having children.

"If we are going to expect that," he said of the population surge, "we must do our homework."

And that homework, he said, includes establishing social safety nets and a system that makes sure quality of life for those who already call Guam home doesn't suffer.

Potential strain
Economist Joseph Bradley said the bottom line is that, yes, Guam can handle the projected growth.

"After all, we did so during World War II, and again during the Vietnam War," said Bradley, a senior vice president at the Bank of Guam.

Defense Department representatives have called the proposed buildup the biggest military move in Guam since World War II.

The host community, Bradley said, won't like the potential strain of that growth -- crowding, traffic congestion, sewer overflows and water shortages.

"Unless we make some rather enormous moves now, today -- which we should have made last year, or the year before -- if we don't do whatever we can in the civilian community to prepare for what we know is coming, we will come nowhere close to optimizing the benefits that we might still receive," Bradley said.

"It is time to make the tough decisions and take the aggressive actions that are needed for the prospective growth and prosperity of Guam. Given the global economic situation, we can't afford to wait," Bradley said.

Housing
Part of the challenge when 20 years of growth is compressed into five years is whether there will be enough homes for all the newcomers.

Between 1990 and 2000, Guam has seen a population growth rate of 14 percent.

In five years, if the plan's projection is correct, the number of people on Guam will surge about 24 percent -- that means one additional person for every four people who currently live on Guam.

There's no reason to doubt the population growth projection in the transportation plan, states SMS Research and Marketing Inc., a Honolulu research partner for PCR Environmental Inc. PCR has been selected to conduct a housing study for the government of Guam.

Accommodating a population of 215,000 by 2013 would require housing construction rates on Guam to increase by 40 percent to 50 percent, according to SMS.

"If ... the 215,000 projection is used, and there is no change in the housing production rate, Guam would need an additional 5,573 new units, or almost 1,115 units per year, between 2008 and 2013," SMS officials said.

Contrasting markets
The military buildup puts Guam's economic outlook in stark contrast with the gloom engulfing the housing market in the U.S. mainland.

In most of the nation, the number of new homes being built has fallen to lows not seen in decades, while home purchases have seen double-digit drops, according to wire news service reports.

In contrast, Guam faces an overall construction boom that's in the billions of dollars for both private-sector and military projects.

Based on the 2015 population projection, Guam would need about 7,500 more civilian housing units, said Nick Captain, president of Captain Real Estate. His company tracks local housing data.

The military also is expected to build houses within the proposed Marine base in the Finegayan area on Route 3. About 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents are expected to move to Guam.

The bulk of the military buildup construction is expected to start in 2010 -- if the military receives all the environmental clearances it needs by early next year.

During the buildup's construction phase, 12,000 to as many as 20,000 additional construction workers are expected to be needed on Guam, and their count is included in the 2015 population projection.

The military, in an industry forum on Guam earlier this year, floated the idea of Olympic-village-style housing for the temporary workers. The worker housing could be converted into low-cost housing for Guam residents when the projects are completed, according to initial discussions between the local government and Defense Department representatives.

Captain emphasized that Guam is in a unique position of being perhaps the only U.S. location with guaranteed and significant major boost in population and economic growth within the next several years.

"Guam is looking at a phenomenal period of population and economic growth over the next five years, and there will be good and bad accompanying that growth," Captain said. "It is a phenomenal growth."

Guam currently has about 26,500 stand-alone housing units and approximately 5,000 condominium units, according to Captain's estimates. The vacancy rate for the stand-alone houses, or single-family dwellings, is around 10 percent at this time, he estimated.

"If we play our cards right, and the government makes good decisions, the quality of life will increase," Captain said.

Developing social safety nets for local residents is key to helping Guam residents as the island transforms into a much bigger community, Captain said.

Navy Begins Construction of New Homes

Navy begins construction of new homes
Sunday March 30, 2008
By Zita Y. Taitano
Variety News Staff

IN keeping its commitment to provide a quality lifestyle for its sailors and their families, the U.S. Navy on Friday held a groundbreaking ceremony to build 55 homes at the Old Apra housing complex in Santa Rita.

The three-bedroom and four-bedroom units will replace the current homes that were built in the 1950s and 1960s.

Overseeing the $42.1 million project is Black Construction Corporation. According to the company's senior vice president, Leonard K. Kaae, the housing upgrade is a good move for the Navy.

"Certainly it's a positive step on behalf of the Navy to demolish these (homes) and replace them with new homes as a result of their age. This will also improve the quality of life," Kaae said.

Naval Base Guam Commanding Officer Capt. Scott Galbreath said the reconstruction of the homes at the complex was necessary.

"So many were damaged by years of earthquakes and typhoons," Galbreath said.

The new homes have air-conditioning units that are energy efficient, covered patios, private fencing and additional storage spaces, among other features. The housing area will also include playgrounds, jogging and bike trails, and a picnic area.

Meanwhile, the project, which is in phase I, is scheduled to be completed by May or June of 2009. The second phase will include the reconstruction of about 73 homes at Old Apra and has yet to be awarded to a contractor.