Last week, Congressman Matt Gaetz announced the final passage of resolutions supporting an increase in the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rate for military service members in Florida’s First District.
- The resolutions were introduced and passed in Okaloosa County, Santa Rosa County, Walton County, and Escambia County.
In 2021, it was identified that the BAH rate, due to rising inflation and other factors, was insufficient to cover the cost of housing for service members in our district.
According to Congressman Gaetz’s office, he coordinated with area leaders to signal to the Department of Defense that the BAH rate increase is unanimously supported by the people of Northwest Florida.
Those involved included:
- Emerald Coast Association of Realtors
- Pensacola Association of Realtors
- Navarre Board of Realtors
- Commissioner Mel Ponder (District 5, Okaloosa County)
- Commissioner Jeff Bergosh (District 1, Escambia County)
- Commissioner Bob Cole (District 2, Santa Rosa County)
- Commissioner Danny Glidewell (District 2, Walton County)
“The deficiency also prompted our office to add a provision in the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act requiring the DOD to produce a report on housing and BAH rates in Northwest Florida due by Spring 2022,” wrote Congressman Gaetz in a press release.
Aside from those individuals mentioned above, Rep. Gaetz thanked the following individuals and organizations for their contributions:
- Melissa Allegretto, Emerald Coast Association of Realtors
- Keith Dean, Emerald Coast Association of Realtors
- Grey Burge, Pensacola Association of Realtors
- Mike Dollen, Pensacola Association of Realtors
- Dan Gullahorn, Pensacola Association of Realtors
- Chuck Michaels, Pensacola Association of Realtors
- John Waas, Pensacola Association of Realtors
- Bart Pullum, Navarre Area Board of Realtors
Full text of the resolutions passed in Escambia County, Okaloosa County, Santa Rosa County, and Walton County can be found below:
