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ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. – With increased tourism forecasted, along with several large community events, and a housing crunch, base housing officials are encouraging inbound Airmen to plan ahead and be prepared.
For those who are traveling to South Dakota in upcoming months, arranging for lodging early is more important than ever, according to Laura Frink, the Ellsworth Air Force Base Military Housing Office (MHO) housing program manager. To help with the transition, the program is dedicated to make sure everyone making a permanent change of station (PCS) to Ellsworth has a plan.
“Our key point for inbound personnel is to ensure that they are prepared in advance for the housing situation,” says Frink. “As soon as you have orders for Ellsworth AFB, and you are interested in living on base, put in your application and get on the waitlist and then have a back-up plan.”
Monthly rentals or extended stays in hotels are two of the most recommended lodging routes for incoming personnel as it may take time to acquire keys to their new home. A member’s chance of moving into a home on base right upon their arrival in South Dakota are almost slim to none. Ellsworth base housing is always in high demand, holding steady at 96% occupancy on a consistent basis, so having a back-up plan is a must.
“We do our best to educate in advance and ensure that we clearly communicate reasonable and realistic expectations for their move to Ellsworth,” said Frink, adding that members should do their homework beforehand.
For those who wish to live out in the community, the current real estate climate in the Black Hills is that of a seller’s market. Houses are usually sold within 15 days of being put on the market. The trend, lately, is that even off-base properties are filling up rapidly, so incoming Airmen must remain vigilant with their upcoming move to better prepare themselves and their families.
“The housing market in the Rapid City area, for both sales and rentals, is very competitive and fast moving with low inventory. We recommend you be proactive in researching your off base housing options prior to arrival in the area,” said Frink.
For more information, or to start the base housing application process, call the Ellsworth MHO at 605-385-2570.
| Date Taken: | 05.19.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 05.27.2021 15:16 |
| Story ID: | 397604 |
| Location: | ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, SD, US |
| Web Views: | 39 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Housing office encourages inbound Airmen to plan ahead, by SSgt Michael Ward, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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