Base Closure and Property Reuse


Book Description

Military base closures are often viewed as a serious threat to a region's local economy. Defense base closings can also offer an unprecedented opportunity to restore the economic health of the community, prompt new industrial development, provide improved public services, and encourage long term economic growth. The purpose of this research is to examine the Base Closure steps and develop a model for the Property Reutilization of the military installations. This study will investigate the political economy of the military base closure: the federal and local public policy process and how it impacts the economic efficiency of public resource allocation. This study will describe a surplus base facility that represented the largest single block of land to become available to a community for many years. Few communities have the opportunity to plan properly the use of large contiguous land parcels, which can thereby, influence and stimulate the community's potential development. The methodology of this paper is descriptive. This paper is based on research data obtained by a comprehensive review of literature and through personal interviews and Department of Defense Officials. Additional data obtained came from the use of the Internet and the Air University Library. This study will highlight a major facility and land use principles involved in the Base Closure and Reuse of a former military. Nevertheless, the final responsibility for land use planning and for securing the optimum use of the former base facilities to serve local needs and objectives still rests fully with the local community leadership itself.










Military Base Realignments and Closures


Book Description

The 2005 military base realignments and closures (BRAC) round resulted in 125 closed bases with over 73,000 acres of surplus property available. The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act, as amended, requires the Departments of Defense (DOD) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to assist communities in determining the best reuse of land and facilities, balancing needs of the local economy with those of homeless individuals and families. This report addresses (1) the assistance provided as a result of BRAC 2005 and the extent to which DOD and HUD track its implementation; and (2) any benefits and challenges encountered as DOD, HUD, and local redevelopment authorities (LRAs) addressed homeless assistance provisions. Tables and figures. This is a print on demand report.




Military Base Realignments and Closures


Book Description

The 2005 BRAC round resulted in 125 closed bases with over 73,000 acres of surplus property available. The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act, as amended, requires DOD and HUD to assist communities in determining the best reuse of land and facilities, balancing needs of the local economy with those of homeless individuals and families. GAO was mandated to review the extent to which DOD and HUD implemented the homeless assistance provisions while disposing of BRAC surplus property. This report addresses (1) the assistance provided as a result of BRAC 2005 and the extent to which DOD and HUD track its implementation and (2) any benefits and challenges encountered as DOD, HUD, and LRAs addressed homeless assistance provisions. GAO reviewed homeless assistance plans; interviewed DOD and HUD officials; and interviewed LRAs and homeless assistance providers from a nongeneralizable sample of 23 closed bases, selected based on size, geography, and types of assistance provided.







Complete Guide to Military Base Closures and Brac


Book Description

Reports included in this complete guide to military base closures and BRAC:1. Community Guide to Base Reuse - One: Roles in Base Reuse - Assuming Responsibility * Two: Reuse Overview - Understanding the Process * Three: Local Redevelopment Authorities - Organizing for Success * Four: The Base Redevelopment Plan - Charting a Course for Economic Recovery * Five: Implementation - Working for a Sustainable Reuse2. Changes at Military Bases - A Community Planning Challenge3. Marketing Strategies for Base Reuse4. Guidebook on Military Base Reuse and Homeless Assistance - Section 1: Introduction, Section 2: Overview of the Base Redevelopment Process, Section 3: The Consolidated Plan and the Continuum of Care, Section 4: The Redevelopment Plan and the Homeless Assistance Submission, Section 5: HUD's Review, Section 6: Model Base Reuse Plans5. Converting Military Airfields to Civil Airports - The Military Airfield Conversion Opportunity, Guidelines to Airfield Conversion, Acquiring a Former Military Airfield, Seeking Federal Funding Availability6. Base Redevelopment Planning for BRAC Sites - Section 1 - Overview of Base Redevelopment Planning, Section 2 - Base Redevelopment Planning Process, Section 3 - Surplus Property Determination, Section 4 - Preparation of Base Redevelopment Plan, Section 5 - Outreach to State and Local Government, Non-profits, and Homeless Assistance Providers, Section 6 - Refinement of Base Redevelopment Plan, Section 7 - Beyond Base Redevelopment PlanningThe Department of Defense (DoD) has been closing military bases and assisting Defense-impacted communities through its Defense Economic Adjustment Program for more than 35 years. Over this period of time, experience has shown that the primary responses to a closure must be community-based. This describes the roles of community leaders, State leaders, Federal officials, and other resources. The role of community leaders-where economic adjustment efforts begin and end-is described in terms of the three components of economic adjustment: the community, local businesses, and workers. The roles of State and Federal officials are briefly summarized. A detailed listing of the various resources available to your community can be found in the Appendix. The economic and social fabric of a community is tested when a closure action is announced. What does this decision mean? How will jobs be impacted? Is there any way to avoid the closure? The closure and reuse process is disruptive, but the experience of most communities is that the net result is economically beneficial in the long run.The base reuse process consists of a series of activities involving both the Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA) and the Military Department. These activities are required by both laws and regulations. An LRA must be aware of this general process to effectively respond to the closure and to move the community toward economic recovery. The overall reuse and disposal process ("reuse process") consists of three phases: base-wide reuse planning; disposal and reuse decision making; and decision implementation. This Section provides a brief overview of the reuse process, including information on transitional impacts to the community as the base is converted from military to civilian use.







Military Base Closures: Role and Costs of Environmental Cleanup


Book Description

Near the end of its first session, the 109th Congress approved a new round of military base closures and realignments. As the Department of Defense (DoD) implements the new round, potential issues for the 110th Congress include the pace and costs of closing and realigning the bases and the impacts on surrounding communities. The disposal of surplus property has stimulated interest among affected communities in terms of how the land can be redeveloped to replace lost jobs. Environmental contamination can present a challenge to economic redevelopment if funding or technological constraints would limit the degree of cleanup needed to make the land safe for its intended use. Most of the land on bases closed under prior rounds has been cleaned up and transferred for redevelopment. However, some bases have yet to be cleaned up to an extent adequate for the planned land use. Bases closed under the 2005 round could face similar redevelopment delays if a community's preferred land use requires a costly and time-consuming degree of cleanup. This report explains cleanup requirements for the transfer and reuse of properties on closed bases, discusses property transfer status and cleanup costs on bases closed in prior rounds, and examines estimates of costs to clean up bases to be closed in the 2005 round to make these properties safe for civilian reuse.