BRAC - Off-Site Housing
Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) is the process for the Department of Defense to transform its infrastructure to meet the future needs of the military. There have been several previous rounds of BRAC. Most notably in this region was the closure of the former Naval Air Warfare Center located in Bucks County. All branches of the military will dispose of surplus property, as a result of closures and realignments, by way of very specific methods and processes mandated by law. The methodology of BRAC as well as other valuable information is available on the Office of Economic Adjustment website at www.OEA.gov.
BRAC 2005 closes the military housing for Willow Grove consisting of approximately 50 acres in Bucks County named Shenandoah Woods Housing and Jacksonville Road Housing. The property was declared surplus on January 2, 2009. In April, 2009, the HLRA held a public workshop to provide an overview of the BRAC process and publicize the potential availability of the surplus property to homeless providers and organizations via public benefit conveyances.
In July, 2009 the HLRA hired BBP Associates to assist in the preparation of the redevelopment plan. Also, in July, four Notices of Interest (NOI) were received. During the remainder of 2009 and through mid-2010, HLRA held several public meetings to review the NOI's and to finalize the redevelopment plan for the off-site housing areas. The HLRA received an extension of time from Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) until August 31, 2010 to submit the Redevelopment Plan. The Redevelopment Plan and Homeless Assistance Submission was submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of the Navy in August, 2010.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) review letter of November 12, 2010 recommend several changes to the Redevelopment Plan and Homeless Assistance submission so that the plan is fully compliant with applicable law.
The HLRA revised the Redevelopment Plan and Homeless Assistance Submission for the off-site housing areas. The committee worked with Warminster Township and Ivyland Borough officials to address comments in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) letter of November 12, 2010. The HLRA submitted the revised Redevelopment Plan and Homeless Assistance Submission to HUD and the Navy in May, 2011.
The revised Redevelopment Plan and Homeless Assistance Submission was submitted by the HLRA to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of the Navy on May 18, 2011.
HUD advised the HLRA in a letter dated July 21, 2011 that it is HUD's final determination that the revised Redevelopment Plan for NAS-JRB Willow Grove for Off-site Housing at Shenandoah Woods and Jacksonville Road meets the requirements of the Base Community Redevelopment and Homeless Assistance Act of 1994.