Housing inspections begin Feb 3, appointment scheduler open now

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas - Every family housing unit on Fort Cavazos will undergo an interior and exterior inspection beginning next month, and housing officials are encouraging residents to schedule their appointments now.

Congress has mandated all family housing on Army installations be inspected by an independent, third-party contractor retained by the Department of the Army. Inspections on Fort Cavazos begin Feb. 3 and will continue until all Cavalry Family Housing units have been inspected, likely mid-March.

"It's going to be a very busy month-and-a-half here, but we welcome it," said Luis Miranda, chief, Army Housing Division within the Directorate of Public Works. "I welcome this third set of eyes. These are exciting times. I hope residents are as excited as I am."

These inspections are being conducted by RER Solutions and Jones Lang Lasalle, a third-party, contracted company not affiliated with the Army.

Housing personnel have been working diligently to spread the word about the inspections. They have hung almost 5,500 door hangers and placed 60 signs throughout the Cavalry Family Housing areas to ensure all residents have the QR code giving access to the appointment scheduler.

The appointment scheduler is open now, and 40% of residents at Fort Cavazos have already scheduled their inspections, Miranda said, adding 100% participation
is required.

Appointments for inspections are available Monday through Friday by using the QR code on the door hangers left at each residence or by visiting assetcalc.net/?redirect=army and following the instructions. If a resident is unable to locate their address, they should contact the housing office for assistance.

Miranda noted some of the newest housing addresses are not listed on the site, but every housing unit must be inspected.

There are five time slots each day from which residents can choose to schedule their inspection - 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. The bulk of appointments will be scheduled Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays so Mondays and Fridays can be reserved to inspect vacant and escorted areas in
family housing.

Housing staff are recommending residents book their inspection appointment as soon
as possible.

"You can get on the schedule when you want, when it is convenient for you,"
Miranda said.

Someone over 18 and on the lease will need to be at the unit during the inspection, added Amanda Johnson, general engineer, Fort Cavazos DPW Housing Division.

Residents are asked to secure their pets during the inspection.

Fort Cavazos' housing units have been divided into five neighborhoods for the inspections.

Comanche 1 and 2 units are scheduled for inspections Feb. 4-13.

Comanche 3 will be inspected Feb. 10-20, but no appointments will be scheduled on Feb. 17 during the Presidents Day holiday.

Venable and Pershing Villages are slated for inspection Feb. 24-March 6.

Kouma and Montague will schedule inspections Feb. 24-March 13. Patton Park, McNair Village, Wainwright Heights and Heritage Heights also will have the Feb. 24-March 13 inspection window.

Once a resident signs up they should receive an email confirmation.

"They need to make sure they receive that email," Miranda said.

The inspection process is meant to be as seamless as possible. The contracted inspectors have already completed over 50,000 inspections in military housing, Miranda said.

Inspectors will arrive at each housing unit with a Soldier escort. The escorts are required for homes that were not scheduled for an inspection. However, every inspector will have an escort as an extra measure of safety
for everyone.

Each inspection will include a visual survey of the unit's exterior, heating, ventilation and air conditioning system; plumbing and electrical system; and other elements easily visible and accessible. No furniture or appliances will be moved. The exterior of each home's drainage, landscaping and other facets will also be inspected.

"All systems inside and outside the residence will be inspected - every room, every system," Miranda said.

Inspectors are expected to be inside each home approximately one hour, possibly two hours, but the time is an estimate. Inspectors could be onsite longer to ensure there is a comprehensive and quality review of the premises.

Education about the inspections is critical to the process. Housing personnel have been talking to units, working with community life noncommissioned officers and meeting as a team to mitigate any wrinkles in the process and ensure residents are educated about
the inspections.

"The more information you can provide, the better educated the residents are," Miranda said. "Education is key to everything we do."

Miranda is confident there will not be major issues found during the inspections, but he is cognizant of the aging housing units on the installation.

"We're not anticipating any surprises with the inspections, but, hopefully, they will identify any issues," he said.

Johnson said one issue inspectors have identified during their time at other installations has been corded blinds. Corded blinds are not permitted in on-post
housing units.

If major issues are found, Fort Cavazos Garrison housing staff and Cavalry Family Housing will be notified immediately of any required repairs necessary to correct life, health and safety concerns.

Miranda will receive daily reports on the inspectors' findings during the inspection period. Those results will be shared with Fort Cavazos Garrison command, Cavalry Family Housing and the Department of the Army.

He is looking forward to seeing the feedback and the positive results of the inspections.

"I truly believe this is a win-win because we have some of the oldest housing inventory," Miranda said. "These inspections will provide families some peace of mind that they are in the best housing."

Questions about scheduling an inspection can be directed to the RER Solutions and Jones Lang Lasalle Help Desk at [email protected].

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