Affordable Housing for Our Troops Act

This bill, the Affordable Housing for Our Troops Act, would require the Secretary of Defense to brief Congress on plans to expand access to affordable housing for members of the Armed Forces through partnerships with local governments and housing providers. The briefing would cover locations with the greatest housing affordability challenges (including high-cost and rural areas near remote installations), current and planned efforts with municipalities or housing providers for rental relief or flexible leases (including MOUs), and existing partnerships or initiatives that could be leveraged for off-installation housing. It would also evaluate potential incentives for landlords or cities (such as waived security deposits, below-BAH lease rates, discounted application fees, and flexible lease terms), outline efforts to encourage construction of affordable off-installation housing tailored to service members, and offer recommendations for legislative or policy changes to strengthen partnerships and reduce housing insecurity. In short, the bill seeks to inform Congress about how the Defense Department could expand affordable off-base housing for service members through local partnerships, without creating new funding or a specific program by itself. It focuses on identifying where housing is most scarce, already-existing or potential partnerships, and policy changes that could improve housing access for troops and their families.