Housing
HOUSING MANAGEMENT OFFICE
The Housing Management Element is responsible for the Enlisted Dormitory Campus, Referrals/Relocation Services, and oversight of Privatized Family Housing.
Airmen, E-4 and below must live on-base in the dormitories, while higher ranking Airmen can live either on base or off base. Airmen and officers, with families, can live either in privatized government housing or off base, while single officers are eligible to reside either in privatized housing or off base housing.
Service members with eligible family members must check in with the Family Housing Referral Office within 30 days of arrival. Based on your needs, requirements and eligibility entitlements, you will be given a referral letter to be placed on the appropriate waitlist for a Privatized Housing or assisted in locating off-base housing.
The Housing Management Office is located in Building 1150, and it is open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Its phone is (623) 856-6629/7641 or DSN 896-6629/7641. The Housing Referral Office and the Privatized Housing Office are located at 1368 Kachina Street and they are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
DORMITORIES
Enlisted airmen, E-4 and below, must reside in on-base dormitories, with a few exceptions. Airmen, E-5 and above, may reside either on base or off base. Newly reporting Airmen can get their dormitory assignment from the Dormitory Management Office, located in Dormitory 635, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday. Enlisted members arriving after duty hours should report to the Lodging Office for temporary quarters until they are assigned to a dormitory.
For Airmen, there are several different dormitory styles at Luke.
Most dormitory rooms are 1 plus 1; residents share a bathroom with the adjoining room. In some dorms, the residents share a bathroom and kitchen and have a community laundry room with multiple High Efficiency machines.
Additionally there are 2 plus 2 rooms where two residents share a suite with the same entrance, share a kitchen and bathroom, and share a laundry room with the adjoining suite.
New to Luke AFB is the Quad; four residents share a suite, each room in the suite has its own full bathroom, and all residents in the suite share a kitchen and laundry room.
There are no shared permanent party enlisted bedrooms at all; therefore, no roommates. All dormitories have common area recreation rooms, pool, and foosball tables, lounges and big screen television rooms.
All dormitory and room assignments are made based on group integrity and are done by the Consolidated Dormitory Management Office (CDMO), located in Dormitory 635, across from the base post office.
Airmen desiring to reside off base may be approved for BAH only if the base-wide dormitory occupancy exceeds 90 percent. Applications can be made at the CDMO. Approvals will be based on time in grade, promotions, and approval from member’s organization. For further information, contact the CDMO at (623) 856-7841 or DSN 896-7841.
FAMILY HOUSING
Effective February 6, 2007, Family Housing entered a partnership to privatize family housing at Luke AFB. With 550 homes in Saguaro Manor, north of Glendale Avenue, and Ocotillo Manor, south of Glendale Avenue, Luke Air Force Base has it all. Quiet, bright and inviting, each home offers comfortable, modern living for any lifestyle with on-site management, numerous amenities and a great location. It’s everything you could want and more!
Balfour Beatty Communities consists of several types of homes that are available based on rank and family size. Basic bedroom requirements are determined by the number of dependents residing with eligible member including qualified dependents up to age 23 who are students. The waiting time for privatized housing varies according to the number of bedrooms authorized, the member’s rank and the time of year of arrival.
With proper documentation, a member arriving from an unaccompanied tour is put on the wait list effective the date he or she departed from CONUS after the top 10 percent of the wait list is frozen (freeze-zone); with maximum length of 18 months back date time. Providing the service member applies for housing within 30 days of arrival to Luke, their effective date will be the date they left their last duty station. All other applicants will use the date of application as their effective date.
Airmen and junior non-commissioned officer homes consist of two, three, and four bedroom multifamily units (duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes). Senior NCO’s are offered three or four bedroom multifamily units. Key and essential personnel and Officers with families are offered single-detached three or four bedroom units.
All of our homes come with fully equipped kitchens, washer/dryer hookups, and central air conditioning. Our centrally local community center provides residents with amenities such as swimming pool, conference areas, media, and fitness rooms.
Balfour Beatty Communities is responsible for managing the on-base family housing to include providing 24-hour management for residents, maintenance and upkeep of the homes, and maintenance of the landscape.
Caring and professional, the Balfour Beatty Communities management and maintenance team at Luke AFB is committed to providing all military members and their families with quality homes and superior customer service. Twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, the Balfour Beatty communities team is ready to make your living experience at Luke AFB a pleasure. To contact Balfour Beatty Communities office, call (623) 388-3515 or visit the web-site at www.lukefamilyhousing.com.
REFERRAL SERVICES
The Luke Housing Management Team is committed to providing its customer a full range of relocation assistance and offers complete referral services. Some of our services include Landlord/Tenant dispute and mediation, Homeowners Assistance Program, Home Buying /Selling and Property Management Briefing, lease agreements counseling, maps, Rental and For Sales listing and information regarding the communities in which the rental properties are located.
All renters should carry renters insurance against fire, theft and other damages. The property owner’s insurance will cover the property but not the renter’s personal property or liability for damage.
In keeping with modern technology, the Referral Office has implemented Department of Defense (DoD) web-based program, Automated Housing Referral Network (AHRN), for military personnel, DoD civilians, and Retirees. Eligible personnel can access the Web site 24/7 for current listing of off base rental property. To view what is available for rent at Luke AFB and the Phoenix metro area, go to www.ahrn.com. In addition to rental property listings, the Housing Management Office has listings of sales property to help you with your search.
The housing referral office offers home buying seminars approximately four times per year to help educate future home buyers on the process. At these seminars, you will learn how much house you can afford to include: overall cost and monthly payment, what mortgage brokers look for on your credit reports, how to look for and work with a real estate agents, what to expect at closing, how to read a contract, and many more helpful home buying hints, tips, and pitfalls to avoid. To find out when the next home buying seminar will be held, call (623)-856-7643/7544.
HMO staff members are available to assist with problems you may encounter such as discrimination complaints, tenant/landlord disputes, or any questions or problems about on or off-base housing. For assistance call (623)-856-7643/7544.
OFF-BASE HOUSING
Luke has a moderate cost of living with the price of rental typically within the basic housing allowance. Most rental properties require a first and last month rental deposit with additional charges for pets. The average cost to rent can range from $750-$1500 per month. The cost to purchase a home ranges from $100,000 - $300,000 depending on size and location.
Utility bills vary widely depending on the size of the apartment or home and time of year. Utility costs are highest during the hot summer months due to air conditioning energy demands. Average monthly utility estimates range from $100 for a one bedroom apartment to $300 per month for a three- or four-bedroom home. High-demand devices such as pumps for swimming pools can significantly increase utility costs. Many rental properties and houses are all electric. Some rentals include water, sewage, and garbage as part of the rental payment; however, some do not and the minimum services for all three could cost $100- $200 monthly.
All single Senior Airman and below must reside in Dormitory. All E-5 and above are eligible to live in the local commuting area. To request BAH, you must contact your squadron support section. Airmen need to contact the housing office before signing any contract for off base housing. Call or visit the Housing Management Office at (623) 856-7643/7544.
It is a standard practice in the Phoenix area for property managers to run a credit check on prospective tenants. The credit checks will include previous rental history, background survey, and criminal record. Negative findings may limit your rental options and may make this process very difficult. If you are having credit issues, the Airman and Family Readiness Center staff can help you start the lengthy repair process. Call (623)-856-6550.
RENTAL OPTIONS
While the average cost of housing in the commuting area of Luke is moderate, opportunities to rent are available throughout Maricopa County. The types of housing available are as varied as the communities within the county. Single-family homes, condos, townhouses, and apartment are available.
Many realtors and landlords require a fee to process your application. This fee offsets their expense for verifying your credit references, employment history, etc. The application fee is $20 or less and it does not have to be refunded if you do not take the rental. If the application fee exceeds $20 and you do not rent the unit, you may be entitled to a refund of any money in excess of $20. Refunds generally takes up to twenty days.
A landlord cannot demand a security deposit of more than an amount equal to two months rent for an apartment. In some rental agreements, a clause states that part or all of the security deposit will be forfeited if you move out before the lease terminates. The housing office has sample alternate clauses to assist military members in the event you must terminate your lease agreement prior to the expiration date e.g. deployment or accepting on-base housing. Call (623)-856-7643/7544.
PURCHASE OPTIONS
The median cost of purchasing a house near Luke starts at $154,000, with the typical 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom house costing $289,000. Despite the uncertainty of the market, the current market poses an acceptable level of risk for some.
The housing market around Luke is one of the most severely impacted in the nation. Arizona has the second highest percentage of foreclosures and experienced a 33 percent decline in home value in a 1-year period, bringing the value of many homes to less than 50 percent of the original purchase price. Therefore, making a decision about whether or not to purchase a home involves assessing the risk in the market, and assessing personal financial readiness. If you are considering the purchase of a home, we ask that you take into account the current market, and associate risk with purchasing a home.
Luke has great resources to help you identify the housing option that best meets your needs. Both the Housing Office and Airman and Family Readiness Center offer a variety of services relating to home ownership. Call the Housing Office at (623)-856-7643 or Airman and Family Readiness Center, (623)-856-6550.
PET POLICY
Privatized housing residents are limited to two pets per home. For more information reference the Balfour Beatty Communities web page, www.lukefamilyhousing.com or contact the office at (623) 388-3515.
Many off-base property managers allow pets for an additional fee or non-refundable deposit. The amount may vary according to the type, size and number of pets. Contact the property owner first to find out their pet policy.
HOUSEHOLD GOODS DELIVERY
If your shipment was moved in the Defense Personal Property System (DPS), you schedule delivery directly with your carrier. If you do not have your carrier’s phone number, you can call TMO at (623)-856-6424 to get the number. If your shipment was not moved in DPS, call JPPSO-Colorado Springs to schedule delivery. Their number is (719)-554-9291 or DSN 692-9291. Family Services, located in Building 750, can lend small household goods items until your household goods arrive. They can be reached at (623) 856-6550.
CLAIMS
Claims are filed directly with your carrier. You have 75 days from the date of delivery to notify your carrier you are filing a claim and 9 months to finalize your claim. If you do not have your carrier’s phone number, you can call TMO at (623)-856-6424 to get the number. If you and your carrier cannot come to a mutually acceptable agreement on all or part of your claim, you can transfer your claim to the military claims office.
Generally you can avoid problems with a move by being home to accept delivery, requiring the carrier to unpack all goods, and clean up all debris, examining all goods for damage, and noting exceptions, and signing the inventory only after all items have been checked and exceptions noted.
For more information please call Claims at (623) 856-7371.