Service members are seeking for help in finding affordable housing

Associated Press (AP) – Housing has long been a major benefit for service members, a subsidy to salaries that trail the private sector.

But, amid record-breaking spikes in rent, service members and housing activists say the Department of Defense has neglected its commitment to help military families find affordable homes.

That’s forced many to settle for substandard homes, deal with extremely long commutes or pay thousands they hadn’t budgeted for.

Military housing activist Kate Needham argues that the discrepancy between lagging housing allowances and the current market should alarm officials who are already struggling to recruit the next generation.

In a statement, defense officials said they’re committed to helping families secure “suitable, affordable housing, whether on or off-base.”