Housing Process
Active-Duty
USAG Stuttgart has a 100% Mandatory assignment to base (on-post) housing for all active-duty personnel.
The USAG Stuttgart website's housing page only recently (August 2020) received a new updated look and now provides the policy and relevant information more concisely.
Before the update, finding information regarding the policy was as easy as finding a needle in a haystack. The mandatory base housing policy blindsided us. Our sponsor was not aware of the policy and did not know anyone that involuntarily lived in base housing, so he never mentioned it. I am not employed by the base or by the government. My goal is to highlight the essential information and answer the questions I see asked so often before moving to Stuttgart. Hopefully, this provides you with the highlights, so you can have less stress regarding the housing situation than we did.
Now that you know the policy is in effect, what do you need to know?
Important Information Regarding the Housing Policy
ALL military ranks are subject to the mandatory assignment to base housing
Unaccompanied Personnel
E6 and below will be assigned to the barracks regardless of branch of service.
E7 and above, if they would like to live in housing on base (post), should contact housing regarding the availability of the one-bedroom furnished apartments (BEQ/BOQ) that may have a kitchenette or a shared main floor kitchen if available.
Unfortunately, pets are not allowed in the barracks. I STRONGLY recommend members speak with their Senior Enlisted Leaders about possible options before making other arrangements for your pets.
Accompanied Personnel with Command Sponsored Dependents
A pilot program signed in June 2020 addressed the housing assignment priority. After a town hall, the new plan was put in place after community members voiced concerns with the previous policy assigning members to base housing only based on the arrival date, regardless of rank or family situation.
O4-O6, CW3-CW5 & E7-E9 (Who are not Key & Essential)
May choose to reside off base or request base housing
Prioritization for Family Housing
1. Personnel identified as Key & Essential
2. E1-E6, CW1-CW2, O1-O3
(Based on housing grade & bedroom availability)
3. Personnel requesting base housing
Waitlist
Your eligibility date for housing is determined by the date you departed your last permanent duty station.
You can move up or down the waitlist based on priority. Priority factors include the number of family members, rank, and time in service. Once you are in the top 10% of the list, you will be in the “freeze zone.” This means your place is frozen on the list, no one can jump you, and you can not be moved down.
Exclusions
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Family size requiring housing with more than 5 bedrooms
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Service members working on Kelly CAN refuse available housing on Panzer due to the commute time.
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Medical exception (EFMP)
The EFMP family member will need to be assessed by a physician. Only after the physician recommends living off-base will the recommendation be submitted to the EFMP coordinator and then to the Commander.
The Commander is the only person who can authorize an exception to the policy.
On-Post Housing
Information regarding what the base housing looks like, the apartments' size, etc... can be found on the USAG Stuttgart Website.
Certificate of Non-Availability (CNA)
To seek off-base housing, you must have a CNA issued by the Housing office. CNAs are given when Housing projects there will be no available base housing within 60 days of arrival.
Do not sign any off-post leases until you receive your CNA!
Unfortunately, the housing department may not make your determination immediately, leaving you in a time crunch to find housing before your TLA runs out.
Engaging with the Housing office early and often is highly recommended!
Off-Base House Hunting
Ok, you have your CNA. Now what?
Grab a copy of the non-referral list from housing (only available in hard copy - located on the wall by the door). This is the list of realtors, apartment complexes, etc... that have been banned; for numerous reasons.
You must check in with Pervin Estates, who can help you contact landlords who advertise on homes.mil. However, using Pervin or homes.mil is only encouraged, not required.
When we were house hunting, we found the selection of homes.mil lacking, with most homes well outside the city of Stuttgart or too large for us. Searching for a place to live off-base can be challenging. If you don't have the patience to navigate a new system or time to search for a house, Pervin Estates is probably the way to go.
Base Rental Lease for Off-Post Properties
The base encourages you to use their lease, which the base legal department wrote with your best interests in mind. The base lease is written in German and English and contains military-friendly wording, i.e., the 30-day notice clause, only two months of rent for the deposit vs. three months. However, you are not obligated to use this lease.
In our experience, many real estate agents would not show us places if we insisted on using the base lease.
If you use a German lease, the legal office must review the lease before you officially accept the property. The legal office gives you their professional opinion of the lease and will inform you that they are not obligated to help you with any disputes between you and your landlord.
If you choose to use a German lease, ensure you receive the document from the legal office stating they reviewed it.
Military One Source offers free translation for your executed lease.
We chose to use a German lease and had no problems, but every situation is different.
Advice
Accompanied O-3/E-6 and below and unaccompanied E-6 and below, be prepared to live on base.
I encourage you to begin researching the different areas to live in before arriving in Stuttgart but do not make a final decision until you get a feel for the area. But, do not agree to any housing before obtaining your CNA. Always remember that a verbal contract is binding in Germany.
If you say to a potential landlord or real estate agent, “I love this place and want to move in, but I’m still looking,” it may be considered binding.
Disclaimer: I am not employed by the USA Government. All statements contained within are compiled from public information and/or are my own opinions and experiences. The appearance of external links on this site doesn’t constitute an official endorsement on behalf of the U.S. Military or the Department of Defense. The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent U.S. Military's positions, strategies or opinions.