Junior enlisted sailors at Naval Air Station Key West are scrambling for housing after the Navy shut down barracks for repairs — and the “solutions” being offered are leaving many feeling like they’re being told to just figure it out.
The article you linked is a repost, but the core reporting says roughly 60 sailors were displaced when the base closed barracks to handle renovations and long-needed repairs. The Navy’s plan includes demolishing one unaccompanied housing building and doing about $11 million in maintenance work on the other, which houses junior sailors (E-1 to E-3 and some E-4s).
The “fix”: vacation trailers with a military price tag
One of the main options being offered is two-bedroom rental trailers that were originally meant to be used as MWR vacation rentals. Those trailers cost about $3,810–$3,937 per month (about $127/day) — and the rate is expected to jump to $142/day later in the year.
The Navy’s argument is that the cost becomes “manageable” if two sailors split the rent, bringing each person’s share to around the level of their Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). But sailors speaking to reporters described the arrangement as frustrating — especially because young service members often arrive without a network, and suddenly they’re expected to find roommates, secure transportation, and cover move-in costs like deposits if they try to rent off base.
Why off-base housing isn’t realistic for many
The Key West rental market is brutal. The reporting notes that BAH for an E-1 to E-4 without dependents is about $2,364, while typical one-bedroom rents can start around $3,000 — and availability can be scarce. Even when a sailor is willing to pay the difference, landlords often want first month, last month, and a security deposit up front, which can be a major barrier for younger troops.
The trailer option also comes with practical issues: the units are about 8 miles from where sailors work, which creates transportation headaches — especially for junior sailors who may not have reliable vehicles.
Political attention and the bigger picture
Rep. Carlos Giménez, whose district includes Key West, said his office has been in contact with base officials about the situation. The controversy also ties into a wider military housing problem that keeps resurfacing across the services — where basic living conditions and affordability clash with what junior troops actually earn and receive in allowances.