The Guam military buildup is more than halfway complete, but housing shortage concerns remain. Department of Defense officials say the military population is expected to grow to more than 35,000 even beyond the buildup timeline.  And this increase is expected to further stress the housing inventory both on- and off-base. 

Randal Sablan said, "We’re over halfway there to completing the buildup", as DOD officials testified in an informational briefing before senators on Monday.  But housing shortage concerns remain both inside and outside the fence. 

Sablan, the senior political-military affairs advisor for Joint Region Marianas and Joint Task Force Micronesia, said, "Recognizing that projected DOD population increases will continue to stress the on and off base housing inventory, DOD is in the process of compiling a Guam housing masterplan in order to fully outline future requirements and identify prioritized investment solutions to construct additional family and unaccompanied housing."

The briefing revealed the military population is expected to grow to 35,062 in the next 12 years."The projected increase of military personnel to be stationed on Guam between 2025 and 2037 is 13,325," noted Sablan.

He says this includes active-duty, dependents and DOD civilians beyond the buildup completion year of 2029, as it accounts for mission capabilities and the relocation of US Marines.  Currently, about 60% of active-duty military personnel live off-base. 

He contunued, "At this time, approximately 40% of the active duty DOD population resides in on-base housing. The current occupancy rate for on-installation housing is 84%."

It’s why the DOD is compiling a housing master plan to potentially identify development locations outside of their current housing footprints. To meet the growing demand, they’re exploring a range of housing options. 

"Of particular interest are alternative construction methods that would save money and deliver product faster than traditional military construction, densification to  locate housing on minimally available land on installations, public-private partnerships among other methods to deliver new housing inventory," Sablan said.