Redstone housing residents give high satisfaction marks

The latest Tenant Satisfaction Survey among Redstone family housing residents shows that for 28 of the 48 questions asked – on issues like security, landscaping, responsiveness and quality of maintenance work and ease of leasing – the score was higher or remained the same as the previous survey.

Brittany Morrison, community director of Redstone family housing for Hunt Military Communities, said that the score was outstanding on 37 questions; very good on seven questions; and good on four questions.

Last year, Redstone housing received very good and outstanding scores in all categories in the resident survey and improved over the previous year in each category, earning it a No. 1 ranking among 44 Army installations across the U.S.

Although Redstone housing hasn’t received the current rankings this year, “I do fully anticipate that we’ll get No. 1 again this year,” Morrison said.

The surveys were distributed to 353 single-family homes and duplexes/townhomes at the installation, with 155 responding, for a 45.2% response rate. The deadline for responses was Dec. 16.

The response rate for last year’s Tenant Satisfaction Survey, conducted at the beginning of 2022, increased by 5.7%, from 46.6% for 2021 to 52.3% for 2022.

Another survey, this one by SatisFacts, measures residents’ satisfaction with the move-in and work order processes.

“For 2022, our average score for move-ins was 4.56 out of 5, and for our work orders, it was 4.83 out of 5, which both ranked as exceptional,” Morrison said.

“We’ve already submitted the 2023 budget,” she said, and “we’re waiting on official approval from the Army” on funding for some major projects like tree removal, roof replacement and plumbing work.

“Funding was requested for additional tree removal and for the remainder of the roofs that need to be replaced,” in addition to sidewalk and other concrete repairs as needed on properties, Morrison said. “We also have a plumbing project to replace some of the plumbing lines in Freedom Landing due to tree roots growing in them.”

Morrison said there are plans this year to demolish a playground in Columbia Center, which will still leave one small playground in that neighborhood.

In addressing maintenance for housing communities, Morrison said, “We have five maintenance technicians that are running work orders and turns on our homes.

“It’s been our goal to keep less than 20 work orders open in any given day, and we’re continuing to do so despite the lack of manpower,” she said. “We’re going to do our best to continue that high level of satisfaction with the residents.”

Morrison said the current wait list for housing for nonactive-duty service members is about 12 to 18 months, depending on the size of home needed.

“If they’re wanting a four- or five-bedroom home, you’re looking at least 18 months,” she said. “If they’re wanting a smaller two or three (bedroom), we could probably have that in about 12 months.”

For active-duty military, “we’re getting them in homes,” she said.

Morrison anticipates an earlier permanent change of station than normal.

“We are already feeling it,” she said. “It usually doesn’t hit us until May, but we’ve already started to have a lot of applications come in and movement.

“Unfortunately, our wait list for nonactive duty is longer because we’re trying to get these active duty into homes,” she said.

Morrison also reminded residents that no more than two pets are allowed in each home and must be on leashes when outside of fencing and their waste must be picked up. All pets must be registered with the installation and the housing office, she said.

A resident portal has been set up to make rent payments and submit work orders, Morrison said. If residents need assistance signing up, they can contact the housing office to set up an appointment.

A community yard sale throughout Redstone housing communities will be April 29 from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Residents who plan to participate are asked to sign up for the event, which is open to the public.