Housing

Housing Referral Office-(HRO) -- The HRO provides orientation and assistance to Service members, DoD personnel and their Family members locate acceptable, affordable housing in the local community. Also, it is your point of contact (POC) for any problems you may encounter (discrimination complaints, tenant/landlord disputes, or any questions/problems) about off-post housing.

Staff are available to assist you on a person-to-person basis in any way possible to make your move to this installation an easy and pleasant one. They can provide a list of rentals with corresponding locator maps and give you information regarding the area in which the facilities are located.

To maximize off-post housing support in meeting needs, the installation HRO offers as a minimum the following services:

• Nondiscriminatory listings of rental and for-sale housing
• Assistance in resolving property owner and tenant disputes
• Preliminary inquiries to validate housing discrimination complaints
• Government transportation for newly arrived personnel where possible to inspect community housing listings when public or private transportation is not available or convenient.
• Assistance with rental negotiations, review of leases, and language interpretation in dealing with property owner and utility companies.
• Rental agreements in English and Spanish language
• Pre, move in, and move out inspections.

Unaccompanied Housing and Transient Barracks are not available at Fort Buchanan.

Government housing is not available for dependents whose sponsors are not assigned to Puerto Rico.

Fort Buchanan Army Family Housing Office is in Building 34 on Constitution Avenue. They can be reached by calling 787-707-3153/33367/3256 or DSN 312-740-3256/3367/3256.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS)

Prior to departing from your losing station, you must report to your Military Personnel Division (MPD) to request concurrent or deferred travel of dependents to Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico. The MPD will contact Fort Buchanan Family Housing Office to request a Family Travel Message. Required documentation for Family Travel request is:

• DA Form 4787 - Reassignment Processing
• DD Form 1746 - Application for Assignment to Housing
• DA Form 5888 - Family Member Deployment Screening 
• DA Form 5121 - Overseas Tour Election Statement (if applicable)
• Family Travel Declaration Memorandum

In processing steps check-in:

• Your Command
• Finance
• Housing
• Tricare

Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA)

TLA is authorized upon initial arrival (reporting for duty). You are required to check into your command to begin entitlement. TLA is not reimbursable if you are on ordinary leave.  TLA will be submitted in (10) night increments.

Thirty (30) days of TLA are authorized unless SM is pending assignment of Government Housing.  Sixty (60) days TLA are authorized if purchasing a home. There are no extensions after the 60-days. TLA is driven by aggressively seeking housing. It will be validated through a Housing Referral Record that will be provided upon your in-processing or receipt of your first TLA whichever comes first.  Be advised if you are not aggressively seeking off-post housing, TLA will be discontinued.

Note: TLA and OHA entitlements cannot overlap.

Required documents are:

• Copy of Orders
• Form 2066-R-E: Temporary Lodging Allowance
• DA Form 1351-2: Travel Voucher
• DA Form 31: Request and Authority for Leave
• Copy of Flight Itinerary
• Itemized Lodging receipt with zero balance

Resort fees, parking, personal purchases, and surcharges are not covered under the JTR. Please email roomtaxpr@tourism.pr.gov for further guidance on how to request Tax Exemption before processing TLA.

Unaccompanied Housing and Transient Barracks are not available at Fort Buchanan.

Government housing is not available for dependents whose sponsors are not assigned to Puerto Rico.

Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) Off Post. The OHA program provides Uniformed Service Members assigned to a location outside of the Continental United States (OCONUS), an allowance to defray housing costs when residing off-post. The following documents are required:

1. Contract must be in English.  If in Spanish, certification is required by the JAG. Physical address, email, and contact information is required from both, the Service Member (SM) and Landlord, within the lease contract.  If address for landlord and SM are the same but one lives topside, certification must be provided from the JAG.
2. If Landlord is a relative or friend, a historical payment will be requested. Contract must be initialed and dated on each page by landlord and SM.  No addendums to Housing contract will be accepted if the changes are related to existing contractual language.
3. Utilities must be under SM’s name
4. DD Form 2367, Individual Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) Report (front and back) 
5. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders
6. DA Form 5960 (Jan 2022), Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) Authorization and Dependency Declaration
7. Copy of marriage certificate
8. Copy of birth certificate
9. HRO Condition Report