CFHA Residential Housing Unit (RHU)-old PMQ [MERGED]

[Redneck052]

Military Housing (CFHA).

How much is too much!  With posting season upon us, thought that I would help people coming to CFB Kingston.  Trust me, you don‘t want to get a PMQ here.

I have a three bedroom duplex, the place has no basement, no garage, and very little insulation in the walls.  During the winter I pay between $150-$200 p/mth for gas, between $60-$120 p/mth for hydro.  Here is were CFHA comes in... $700 p/mth, plus $14 for utlities.  Thats $1035. p/mth.  There is not much that you can do about the utlities, but with insulation in the walls, no draft from the windows that cost would be lower.

My rent has gone up every year $100.  With every pay raise we get, CFHA jacks our rent up.

If you are coming here....BUY A HOUSE it is cheaper then a Q.

So, How much is your PMQ where you are?


Bring back the Airborne Regt....disband the crooks at CFHA!!!

 

 

[Zoomie]

Out here in the middle of the prairies they aren‘t gouging us too bad. I live in a 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath duplex with basement. I pay $385/month rent, fixed rate gas at $75/month, fixed rate hydro at $36/month and utilities come in around $13/month. I have also rented a garage space on the other side of base for $50/month. That turns out to around $550/month for living expenses. Much cheaper than renting an equivalent home in town.

 

[combat_medic]

I know for the remaining PMQs in Jericho, Vancouver, the rents go for about 900-1200$ depending on the size of the house. That‘s not including hydro, water, or any other expenses.

Welcome to the west coast!

 

[klumanth]

Correct me if I‘m wrong, but isn‘t there a living differential for most of that area? I‘m thinking they should put one in for kingston too.

 

[McInnes]

how much do barracks cost...say if dont have a family kinda thing. condition/price
i dunno. they got rid of the barracks here when the got rid of the reg forces.

 

[Rogers86]

Are these facilities for officers only?

 

[Redneck052]

The PMQ‘s are for all ranks.

As for AAA and now PLD, Kingston is one of the few bases that don‘t recieve either.

Guys, great job, thanks for the input.
Lets keep it going.... maybe Ottawa will hear!

 

[Zoomie]

My thoughts on Post Living Differential (PLD):

--RANT ON --

What a crock of $hit!

Apart from the regions of Canada that are obviously in need for such an Allotment (Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto) all the others are a load of proverbial crap. I find that most bases that have a large population of CF pers (ie Trenton, Kingston, etc) do not have the PLD. Even though Income Tax, gas rates, electricity rates, etc are the same as those found in Toronto or Ottawa. Both of which have the PLD. Even Kitchener/Waterloo has a PLD. I lived in KW for 4 years as a student, I didn‘t find the cost of living there any more expensive than I did when I lived in Trenton. It is my belief that the TB (Treasury Board) looks at where the PLD could go, realizes how much it would cost, and then nixes the idea. Just to make it look like they are helping the average CF pers, they give PLD to the one RegF shmoe that is living in the K/W region.

-- RANT OFF --

 

[klumanth]

Rates for rooms in the barracks depend on the base, what kind of room, and how much you make. I pay about $150 a month for a single room. Not the cheapest as far as barracks rooms go, but much cheaper than what most people pay.

 

[Armymedic]

Petawawa:

3 bdrm rowhouse $450
4 Bdrm row $550
3 Bdrm single house $545

No AAA here....civilian 2 bdrm apartments next to the PMQ‘s go around $600.

 

[riggah052]

My personal gripe with the CFHA is the attitude that if you don‘t like it, leave. It goes without saying, however, when a quarter of the MQ‘s in Kingston are vacant (a statistic that is growing) you really have to wonder wether these policies should be moderated.
(i.e. the raising of rent every pay raise, lack of major repairs)

 

[onecat]

"Rates for rooms in the barracks depend on the base, what kind of room, and how much you make. I pay about $150 a month for a single room. Not the cheapest as far as barracks rooms go, but much cheaper than what most people pay"

hey... what are the rooms like? how big are they and what is deal with then? I mean are you stuck with their bed or can you bring your own, can you have a coffee maker their. do they have cable. Can you have a guest stay over night?

Can a single guy actually get more then a room? I don‘t really want to live off base, but then I‘m use too having an apartment so being stuck in a room until a get married... if that happens...just doesn‘t woprk for me.

thanks.

 

[Long in the tooth]

The solution is simple. Except for areas that absolutely need PMQs such as Goose Bay or Wainwright, can all the PMQs and raise our pay and differential allowances so we can afford decent housing for our families. Having some pers receive subsidized housing is patently unfair to those of us who live on the economy, whether by necessity or choice.
The military would also save one h*ll of a pot of money.

 

[klumanth]

The rooms are in good shape and are about 10x12 plus lots of closet space. You can put all your own furniture in them but you are responsible to store the furniture that came with the room. You can have cable or even satellite if you prefer. The one thing they disallow is hot plates or anything with a heating element. Most people just microwave everything. You could probably get away with a coffee maker. To my knowledge, you cannot get more than one room but you can still have guests overnight if you so desire.
All in all, I would say the single quarters are good but it is only a matter of time before you tire of living there.

Keep in mind however, that all this applies after trade training. If you are doing MOC training in Kingston, you will probably be put in 4 person rooms and the standards are much stricter regarding guests, furniture etc.

 

[platinumfx]

Hey dose anybody know what the average cost for a PMQ is? I would be requesting a 3 Bedroom PMQ.  Hopefully it will be in Kingston or in Edmonton. I'm doing a component transfer from reserve infantry to reg Sig Op. So if anybody have any info for me that would be great. Thanks in advance!

 

[mike62]

PMQ's  cfha (Canadian forces housing agency) ...depends on your location.....and realestate values in that area...don't want to get into the logistic part of it..lol.......I'm in Petawawa..we pay  $510.(3 bedroom row house) .Kingston you are looking at $700+  for 3 bedroom. The rent seems to go up once in awhile ...lol  ...especially when there is a pay raise.....

 

[patt]

PMQ's   cfha (Canadian forces housing agency) ...depends on your location.....and realestate values in that area...don't want to get into the logistic part of it..lol.......I'm in Petawawa..we pay   $510.(3 bedroom row house) .Kingston you are looking at $700+   for 3 bedroom. The rent seems to go up once in awhile ...lol   ...especially when there is a pay raise.....

Here in Borden my parents will be paying about $900 a month within the next year its a single house with 3 bedrooms and alot of mistakes that the builders made!

 

[platinumfx]

Ok thanks for all the info guys, if anybody has anything to add to it, please do. Thanks again!

 

[carpediem]

If you go to this link:
http://www.cfha-alfc.forces.gc.ca/occupant/occupant_e.asp#locations
and then pick a location, once at a specific location page select the "Homes" link on the upper right.

You will now have a list of the types of PMQs and their cost for that location.
For example, the Valcartier PMQs are at http://www.cfha-alfc.forces.gc.ca/occupant/valcartier_homes_e.asp

 

[SHELLDRAKE!!]

"There really Is 'No Life Like It' if you live on base"
October 15, 2003
Imagine how you'd feel paying rent for a house or an apartment â “ your home â “ that was so poorly insulated your family's food froze in the cupboards in the winter.   Imagine the risks to you and your children's health arising from the black mould on the walls and water smelling of sewage or under a long-term boil water advisory.    

Imagine your outrage at living under these conditions as your landlord increased your rent every year by $100 a month â “ far higher than the rent hike limits protecting most Canadian tenants.   Then imagine your frustration at being able to do nothing about it because your landlord, who also happens to be your boss, had such power that health, safety and tenant protection laws in your province couldn't help you.

For thousands of families living in Canadian Forces housing, no imagination is required.   Welcome to their reality.    

It's a sad fact that many Canadian families are living in similarly intolerable conditions.   However, if they rent, they at least have some recourse available to them under provincial laws designed to protect tenants from irresponsible and exploitive landlords.   But what if your landlord is the Government of Canada?   The provinces have no jurisdiction over rental increases and maintenance levels of federal housing units.  

On November 1st, residents living in Canadian Forces housing will be hit with yet another rent increase for their Private Married Quarters.   Many tenants have seen their rents jump by as much as 25 percent.


The Canadian Forces Housing Authority (CFHA) says it simply wants to charge fair market rents that reflect the local real estate markets.   Yet it isn't equally prepared to match the living standards of local units.  

On-base housing provides military families with a valuable resource to address their specific needs.   The life of a soldier is no 9-to-5 job.   Most are on call 24-hours a day.   Proximity to their base is critical.   They must uproot their families every few years, to wherever they're asked to serve.   They're deployed for months at a time, leaving their spouses and children behind.   Often, the community on a military base is the only source of emotional and practical support for these families.  

True, the men and women of the armed forces chose this life, accepting there would be sacrifices.   But all of Canadians benefit from the personal sacrifices they make to be able to serve our country.   And far from some low-cost luxurious perk, the housing that facilitates their ability to do their job is often a substandard health and safety hazard.  

Soldiers and their spouses are reluctant to complain about their living conditions.   Yet, the military housing situation has gotten so bad that some have begun to speak out.   For those who continue to endure in silence, we must fight on their behalf.    

That's why I announced a petition campaign this week to demand the CFHA suspend any future rent increases at least until the Government of Canada makes substantive improvements to the living conditions of housing provided for military families.

If like me, you believe our soldiers deserve fair treatment and more respect, copies of the petition are available at: www.jayhillmp.com or www.canadianalliance.ca.