Residential Housing Units -Updated CFHA Policy Dec 2024

[MJP]

Changes to how CFHA manages priority lists for RHUs effective 01 Dec 24.

Priority 1 – CAF member moving at public expense

• New entrant to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) posted off the Basic Training list (BTL) to their first place of duty or to a different place of duty, within their first five years of service;
• A CAF member posted to the BTL, but who has requested and has been approved to move at public expense;
• CAF member posted to the Subsidized University Training list (SUTL);
• CAF member on a compassionate posting;
• CAF member returning from OUTCAN;
• CAF member posted for a course or series of courses;
• New entrant to the CAF enrolled as a Skilled Military Foreign Applicant (SMFA).

Priority 2 – CAF member moving at public expense

• All other CAF members;
• A foreign military member occupying an approved exchange or liaison position.

Priority 3 – moving at own expense

Regular Force member and Reserve Force member with a minimum of three-year period of employment currently residing at the place of duty

Priority 4 – moving at own expense

Any other Reserve Force member with less than three-year period of employment and Non-CAF members, who would like to move into military housing

Eligibility and Priority – Residential Housing Units

DAOD 5024-1, Residential Housing Units and Furnished Quarters​

 

[Jarnhamar]

It seems strange someone posted to a base for a course would be prioritized over a family being posted to a base as a posting.

Or am I reading that wrong?

 

[MJP]

It seems strange someone posted to a base for a course would be prioritized over a family being posted to a base as a posting.

Or am I reading that wrong?

No you are reading that right. Pri 1 is weighted towards new to CAF or moving due to training needs if already a CAF member

 

[Ludoc]

Your first link is broken. It directs to: https://www.canada.ca/en/departmen

 

[MJP]

Your first link is broken. It directs to: https://www.canada.ca/en/departmen

Good catch, fixed

 

[PuckChaser]

Single members moving to a base for course should never be in a RHU. The only reason we're doing this is the absolute travesty of both numbers and condition of the singles quarters on each Base. If they're moving to the base for a course with a family absolutely should be at the top of the list.

 

[Ludoc]

Good catch, fixed

Thanks for the quick fix. Service second to none

 

[Quirky]

It seems strange someone posted to a base for a course would be prioritized over a family being posted to a base as a posting.

They're probably expecting the family to live on the economy rather than a RHU.

I'm wondering how many bases would have conflicts such as this, where Pri1's force families to be on Pri2, especially in areas of high COL.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Single members moving to a base for course should never be in a RHU.

I found that priority position odd as well.

 

[MJP]

Single members moving to a base for course should never be in a RHU. The only reason we're doing this is the absolute travesty of both numbers and condition of the singles quarters on each Base. If they're moving to the base for a course with a family absolutely should be at the top of the list.

I found that priority position odd as well.

Pretty sure they have it in there to avoid a challenge under the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) of discrimination due to marital/family status.

 

[PuckChaser]

Pretty sure they have it in there to avoid a challenge under the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) of discrimination due to marital/family status.

Of all things that someone could challenge the CAF on for discrimination, that's the lowest hanging fruit. If we're going to let single members into 3 Bedroom RHUs, they get to pick 2 roommates or 2 roommates will be assigned to them. Single dude in a 3 bedroom PMQ while a married member with kids is on IR because they cannot find housing does not pass the CBC test.

 

[MJP]

Of all things that someone could challenge the CAF on for discrimination, that's the lowest hanging fruit. If we're going to let single members into 3 Bedroom RHUs, they get to pick 2 roommates or 2 roommates will be assigned to them. Single dude in a 3 bedroom PMQ while a married member with kids is on IR because they cannot find housing does not pass the CBC test.

I don't disagree, but neither of us get a say in the policy or get to wish away the assumed risks if they put in a potential breach of the Human Rights Act into policy. That's why it was changed before this policy even came down to be pretty much anyone could get a RHU.

 

[McG]

The DAOD still explicitly states that size of a member’s household is still a factor in allocating RHUs.

Where the institution has failed is in having prioritized building transient quarters at a time when it had many facilities meeting the minimum standards for transient singles quarters but few (maybe no) facilities that met department standards form permanent singles quarters.

 

[dimsum]

No you are reading that right. Pri 1 is weighted towards new to CAF or moving due to training needs if already a CAF member

I can sort of see the reason for that.

If you’re posted on a year-long course and want to bring your family, would you bother trying to buy for one year? Also, since courses start at fixed times, it’s harder to negotiate 30 days earlier/later to accommodate moves, etc.

 

[NavyHopeful]

I can sort of see the reason for that.

If you’re posted on a year-long course and want to bring your family, would you bother trying to buy for one year? Also, since courses start at fixed times, it’s harder to negotiate 30 days earlier/later to accommodate moves, etc.

So... I'm sorry if this sounds insensitive, as it is not my intention, but aren't personnel posted to a training facility (like NFS(A), as an example) for a RQS3 course that lasts almost a year on RESTRICTED posting status? Meaning they have to live in barracks, on base (unless they have family in the area, however they would be ineligible for CFHD), because they could be posted again at the end of their course to wherever the CAF deems them useful...

I mean, I know a lot of the CSE folks go to Halifax for a year before they could potentially be posted again to BC; I also know that the purples go to Borden (but I'm not sure how long they are there before they get blasted to wherever they land). In reality, the only way I could see "Course or a series of courses lasting over a year" could fall into play would be for specialist training.

Is there anyone out there that could offer some clarification on this?

 

[dimsum]

So... I'm sorry if this sounds insensitive, as it is not my intention, but aren't personnel posted to a training facility (like NFS(A), as an example) for a RQS3 course that lasts almost a year on RESTRICTED posting status? Meaning they have to live in barracks, on base (unless they have family in the area, however they would be ineligible for CFHD), because they could be posted again at the end of their course to wherever the CAF deems them useful...

I mean, I know a lot of the CSE folks go to Halifax for a year before they could potentially be posted again to BC; I also know that the purples go to Borden (but I'm not sure how long they are there before they get blasted to wherever they land). In reality, the only way I could see "Course or a series of courses lasting over a year" could fall into play would be for specialist training.

Is there anyone out there that could offer some clarification on this?

That’s my point. There aren’t that many.

The ACSO course is at least a year, for example. Pilot courses generally aren’t planned for a year but sometimes go past it due to weather, maintenance, etc.