DATE: Thursday, July 31, 1997               TAG: 9707300659

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Military: A Special Weekly Report 

SOURCE: BY DIANE TENNANT, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   73 lines

PROPER PROPERTIES: THE NAVY'S SET-ASIDE PROGRAM WORKS WITH LOCAL LANDLORDS TO PROVIDE REDUCED-COST HOUSING, WITHOUT THE HASSLE

The sailor was out to sea when a wind-blown tree took up residence in his house.

His family declined to live with it.

Thankfully, they didn't have to. Through a special program that sets aside rental property for military families, the sailor and his family found an apartment and moved in within hours, all without paying a security deposit or application fee, and without lengthy background checks.

The Set-Aside Program, as it's called, is a partnership between the Navy and private landlords. Beginning in late 1995 with only 30 designated units, the program has grown to 4,762 apartments from Williamsburg to Virginia Beach, with nearly 1,000 of them still available.

The majority go to Navy families, but the Navy Housing Welcome Center, which runs the program, also has interservice agreements to help Army, Air Force and Marine Corps families find rental property.

While landlords don't hold apartments vacant for military members, they agree to rent available housing to them, under the provisions of the program.

``It's a wonderful program,'' said Penny Monteiro, housing management specialist. ``We were shocked that it has snowballed like it has.''

At last count, 37 property management firms participated in the program, and most of them run multiple apartment complexes. S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co., for example, has set-aside apartments in at least 21 of its complexes, said Toni Baker, director of marketing.

Landlords receive several benefits from the program.

Rent is paid by allotment, directly from the military member's bank account to the landlord's bank account.

The Navy conducts before and after inspections of the property and mediates any disputes between landlord and tenant.

The military member signs a one-year lease.

The Navy helps track down and recoup late payments.

The sailor also receives benefits:

Rent discounts.

No security deposits or application fees are required.

Property choices ranging from about $300 a month, up to $800 or $900 a month.

At the moment, most available apartments are one- and two-bedroom units. But as of July 24, 166 three-bedroom apartments were also available, as well as two four-bedroom units.

The Navy Housing Welcome Center helps match military members with empty units in their price and geographic range.

``We're real pleased with the program,'' said Baker of S.L. Nusbaum. ``We want to be in the program so we can lease apartments to the military. We live in a military area. Those are our clients. Being that they fight for our country, they deserve a discount.''

Military members must enroll in the program before participating. Spouses cannot do it for them. The current roll includes ranks from the low enlisted grades through full commanders, Monteiro said.

The Navy Housing Welcome Center helps sailors narrow down their choices, and will actually drive them to visit various properties on request.

The program has been so successful that Monteiro and Jacky Dubeck, acting division director, have been invited to present it to bases around the country. Dubeck just returned from Camp LeJeune; Monteiro has just gone to Washington state and San Diego. An invitation from Fort Campbell, Ky., remains.

The next goal for the program is adding townhouses or single-family houses to the list of choices. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MOTOYA NAKAMURA, The Virginian-Pilot

Toni Baker is in charge of the program for private property managers

to designate a certain number of housing units, for military

personnel for S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. The company has set aside

apartment in at least 21 of the complexes.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu