,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #aeac ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #af1 #bjai,ms4 ,cortez ,masto introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,armed ,services ,a ,,bill ,to improve oversight of privatized military housing provided by the ,department of ,defense to members of the ,armed ,forces and their families1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,better ,military ,housing ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,oversight of privatized military housing 7a7 ,enhancing health1 safety1 and quality of privatized military housing 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,defense shall develop and implement a plan to address health1 safety1 and quality issues at privatized military housing4 7#b7 ,new processes1 positions1 and offices ,the plan developed and implemented under paragraph 7#a7 may include new processes for reporting challenges1 as well as proposals for new positions or offices responsible for oversight of privatized military housing contracts4 7#c7 ,consultation ,the ,secretary shall consult with the ,secretaries of the military departments1 members of the ,armed ,forces and their families1 and organizations that support members of the ,armed ,forces and their families in the development of the plan under paragraph 7#a74 7#d7 ,requirements for new processes 7,a7 ,in general ,at a minimum1 the new processes included in the plan under paragraph 7#a7 shall include the following elements3 7i7 ,ensuring that members of the ,armed ,forces and their families may report concerns regarding privatized military housing without concern of reprisal from the military chain of command or the landlord for such housing1 which may include-- 7,i7 establishing a confidential hotline2 or 7,,ii7 providing access to military housing advocates who will maintain confidentiality4 7ii7 ,ensuring military leadership from installation commanders to the ,secretaries of the military departments are regularly updated on outstanding issues at privatized military housing facilities1 including the time landlords are taking to resolve work order requests and respond to queries by tenants regarding work orders4 7iii7 ,to the extent practicable1 establishing standardized metrics throughout the ,department of ,defense for evaluating housing health risks1 quality1 and safety4 7iv7 ,to the extent practicable1 establishing common provisions that could be incorporated into tenancy agreements for privatized military housing throughout the ,department4 7v7 ,improvements in carrying out oversight of privatized military housing contracts1 which may include aligning incentive fee payments to health1 safety1 and quality metrics4 7vi7 ,improvements in training for the offices of installation commanders and housing offices concerning responsibilities1 authorities1 and processes related to oversight of privatized military housing4 7,b7 ,additional resources ,to the extent the new processes included in the plan under paragraph 7#a7 require additional resources1 the ,secretary shall request such resources in the following fiscal year budget4 7#e7 ,report and briefing ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,defense and the ,secretaries of the military departments shall-- 7,a7 submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the processes developed under the plan under paragraph 7#a7 and any resources needed to implement outstanding elements of such plan2 and 7,b7 brief the congressional defense committees on such processes developed and such resources needed4 7b7 ,information for tenants and landlords ,upon a tenant entering into a tenancy agreement for a housing unit provided by the ,department of ,defense under a privatized military housing contract1 the ,secretary of ,defense shall provide to the tenant information on-- 7#a7 the rights of tenants1 including recourse and actions1 to include a ,tenants ,bill of ,rights2 7#b7 the expectations of the ,department regarding reporting by tenants of maintenance1 health1 or safety issues relating to the housing unit2 7#c7 the expectations of the ,department regarding the maintaining by landlords of certain standards relating to the condition1 health1 and safety of the housing unit2 7#d7 a clear and comprehensive accounting of the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords relating to maintenance of the housing unit2 and 7#e7 a comprehensive maintenance1 repair1 and remediation history of the housing unit4 7c7 ,inspector ,general oversight inspections of privatized military housing ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and not less frequently than annually thereafter1 the ,inspector ,general of the ,department of ,defense shall-- 7#a7 conduct an inspection of the oversight by the ,department of privatized military housing at not fewer than #ae randomly selected installations of the ,department2 and 7#b7 publish on a website of the ,department available to the public a summary of the results of those inspections4 7d7 ,study on potential improvements for privatized military housing 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,defense shall conduct a study on ways to improve privatized military housing and the oversight and execution of privatized military housing contracts to improve housing conditions for members of the ,armed ,forces and their families who are stationed at installations of the ,department of ,defense4 7#b7 ,elements ,the study required by paragraph 7#a7 shall include an assessment of policy options for the ,department to achieve the following objectives3 7,a7 ,the use of privatized military housing contracts of shorter duration4 7,b7 ,the use of market incentives or other means to increase the availability of privatized military housing options for tenants on or outside of an installation1 including the use of two or more landlords at a single installation1 and including possibilities for increased housing options in communities where few options currently exist4 7,c7 ,the use of technology applications to simplify1 streamline1 and improve transparency in the privatized military housing work order system4 7,d7 ,the creation of a ,special ,housing ,advocate-- 7i7 to provide counsel to tenants of privatized military housing2 and 7ii7 to independently represent the interests of tenants before those of landlords4 7,e7 ,such other potential improvements to privatized military housing as the ,secretary considers appropriate4 7#c7 ,partnership ,the ,secretary shall enter into a partnership with a federally funded research and development center to conduct the study under paragraph 7#a74 7#d7 ,report ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the findings of the study under paragraph 7#a74 7e7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,congressional defense committees ,the term congressional defense committees has the meaning given that term in section #aja7af7 of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#b7 ,landlord ,the term landlord means an eligible entity or lessor who owns1 manages1 or is otherwise responsible for a housing unit under a privatized military housing contract4 7#c7 ,privatized military housing ,the term privatized military housing means housing provided under subchapter ,,iv of chapter #afi of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#d7 ,privatized military housing contract ,the term privatized military housing contract means a ground lease and all associated documentation between the ,secretary of a military department and a landlord to provide privatized military housing4