Contact information for key programs and services at this installation.
When planning for a move with the military, you might consider moving into government housing. Government housing is owned and maintained by the Department of Defense and is typically on the installation. Eligibility and availability for this type of housing may vary by service member, family size and installation. Learn more about the different options, benefits and discounts that may be available to you through government housing.
All accompanied housing on Okinawa is managed by the Housing Office on Kadena Air Base. Satellite offices are located at Camp Courtney and Camp Kinser. For unaccompanied Service Members, housing is available at Torii Station. For more information, please call 011-98-911-5111/5112 then dial the DSN number or DSN 315-652-4685/4294.
Application
Eligible personnel can obtain an Advance Application Date for the housing waiting list provided an Advance Application DD Form 1746, is received by the Kadena Housing Office prior to arrival. Once the Kadena Housing Office receives the DD Form 1746, they assign the Advance Application Date for the waiting list based on the first day of the month prior to the month departed CONUS (stateside). In addition to submitting the DD Form 1746 prior to arrival, all personnel applying for housing must report to the housing office, "after checking in with their new command". If an Advance Application DD Form 1746 is not received by the Kadena Housing Office prior to arrival, newly arrived personnel will be assigned an Advance Application Date based on the date of walk-in. The DD Form 1746 is available at your current base housing office.
Availability
For many families, living in government housing provides easy access to a wealth of community services and amenities such as schools, youth programs, Commissary/Exhange, and food services. This is especially true in overseas locations where you will find yourself dependent on the support facilities and services on the installation much more than those in the U.S. Living within government housing provides a safe and secure place to reside and provides a mentoring and supportive environment for families.
Government housing is provided to military members and DOD Civilians who meet the appropriate criteria.
This includes:
Contact the Housing Management Office if you have any questions about the housing eligibility criteria at this location.
DOD Housing Office
Government housing is available in 7 different locations:
Effective 1 Aug 2009, all inbound accompanied military personnel are required to reside on base. Civilians will be assigned on an excess inventory basis only. Newly-assigned military members will be given a Family Housing Overview during the Newcomers briefing.
There are more than 8,300 on-base housing units, located on seven bases and camps throughout the island of Okinawa. Camps Courtney and McTureous comprise 12 percent of the housing inventory. Camp Kinser makes up another 12 percent. Camp Foster and Camp Lester has 28 percent, and Kadena Air Base has 48 percent of the inventory, which incorporates the Camp Shields and Chibana Housing areas.
Military Family Housing on Okinawa has a "Live Where You Work Policy," which means that every effort is made to offer members a unit closest to their duty stations. The DOD standard for commute time between home and work is 60 minutes or less depending on time of day and traffic conditions.
Housing amenities include Stove, dishwasher, refrigerator, washer and dryer. The Furnishing Management Office will also provide an array of furniture items (beds, sofa, table, chairs, etc) until household goods arrive.
Pets
Okinawa has a Joint Service Pet Policy for the ownership and control of pets in all Military Family Housing areas. Certain dog breeds are prohibited in all MFH (i.e, Pit Bull/Bull Terrier, Doberman Pinscher, Rottweiler, Chow, Canid-Wolf Hybrids, etc). Exotic animals such as, but not limited to, reptiles, rodents (other than hamsters and guinea pigs), ferrets, hedgehogs, skunks, rats, raccoons, squirrels, pot bellied pigs, monkeys, arachnids, or any farm animals are not permitted in government housing.
All pet owners must ensure their dogs and cats are properly registered with the Base Veterinary Facility within three days (72 hours) of arrival. All MFH residents will be required to complete the Pet Registration Form prior to assignment to MFH. Two domestic pets per household, defined as a cat, dog or a combination, are allowed in single dwelling units, duplexes, multiplex units and towers. In tower buildings, cats are allowed on all floors; however, dogs are only allowed on the first and second floors. For more information regarding the Pet Policy, please refer to the link provided under Featured Documents. Please remember that having a pet does not guarantee you placement in a particular housing unit. Placement is based on availability and the member's entitlement. The non-availability of pet friendly housing is not a justification to turn down a housing offer.
Applying for Government Housing
Once you receive your orders, please submit an advance application for assignment (DD Form 1746) and the Sex Offender dissclosure and Acknowledgement (AF Form 4422) through the HMO at your losing installation with a complete copy of your PCS orders. The effective date of the application is the date you depart your prior installation (including members with TDY enroute) or the date ordered to active duty.
Applications can also be submitted upon arrival during your first visit to the HMO. HMO staff will be able to assist in the completion of the application and will review PCS orders and housing options with you. For walk-in applications, as long as you apply for government housing within 30 days of arrival, you will be placed on the waiting list effective the date you departed from your previous installation. After 30 days, the application date will be the date of the walk-in.
All incoming personnel must report to the HMO within 2-3 days of arrival on island. Housing In-processing Session is held Monday through Friday at 8:30 local time (JST).
Please be sure your application identifies and includes supporting documentation for an impending promotion or gain of dependents so that you can be placed on the appropriate waiting list.
Community Amenities
Personal Property Insurance
You need to obtain legal liability and personal property insurance for your possessions and should choose the options and amounts that best fit your needs and lifestyle.Estimated vacancies and waiting times for housing are based on information available at the present time. Vacancies are affected by many variables, such as transfers, extensions, curtailments and refusals of quarters, all of which are beyond the control of the Housing Office.
The average waiting times are as follows:
Residing Off Base
Newcomers who plan to live off base can expect to pay a number of upfront costs prior to moving in to their house or apartment. Standard practice by housing agencies on Okinawa is to charge an agency fee usually equal to 25-50% of one month's rent, a security deposit equal to one month's rent, and first/last month's rent, all due at lease signing.
Though these types of charges are familiar to many newcomers, the rather high cost of housing on Okinawa (as of March 2010, overseas housing allowance for an E-5 with no dependents is 162,000 yen, roughly $1,800) can make these move-in costs a particular burden - it's not uncommon for members to have to fork over upwards of several thousand dollars.
To mitigate these expenses, the Department of Defense does provide several moving allowances (Move-In-Housing Allowance, Dislocation Allowance, etc.) to its PCSing members, but these are rarely enough to cover all of the move-in expenses. Check allowance rates here.
Many members opt to take out a pay advance in order to cover these costs - a quick and easy process that can be accomplished after arriving on Okinawa - but members are reminded that the advanced monies will be taken out of their pay in the ensuing months (usually a 12-month payback period) and are encouraged to plan for these costs prior to arriving on Okinawa.
Release 2024.03.06.1