Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 9/28/2005

Question
Does the navy pay for your rent  if you live in an apartment?  

Answer
Dear Paul --

The answer to your question is "It all depends."

If you are assigned to a ship, and unmarried, the anwer is generally no.  You are berthed on the ship and do not get money for housing.  

If you are an officer, and married, you might get on base housing or you would get a housing allowance for off base housing.  

If you are an NCO and married, the same rules as an officer would apply.  

When you rent off base housing, the military rarely pays your rent, it provides you a regionally varied housing allowance with which to pay all of your housing bills: rent, heat, water, electric, gas, sewer, trash collection, etc.  Despite Congress's efforts to raise housing allowances to cover all housing needs, it still only covers about 80% of housing costs.  With the rapid rise of house values in many areas, housing rental costs are rising faster than pay increases can cover.  Fossil fuel prices are doing the same to utilities.

Sometimes, in remote overseas regions and high-cost overseas regions, the military reimburses the Sailor, Airman, Soldier or Marine the full cost of their rental property to ensure they can rent in a safe neighborhood.  This provision is rare.  First priority is always to house military members and their families on post.

I know this is a long answer to a simple question, but I wanted you to have the full information.

Write back if you have more questions.  Best of luck to you.