The US Navy needs to find thousands of temporary beds. Houseboats are on the table.
The US Navy is exploring unconventional temporary housing solutions, including houseboats and 'man-camps,' to accommodate thousands of sailors during a multi-year barracks renovation project. The initiative is driven by a combination of aging infrastructure and increased recruitment needs.
Why it matters
The search for creative housing solutions underscores the logistical challenges the military faces in maintaining operational readiness while upgrading dilapidated facilities.
Naval Base San Diego, Jan. 7, 2021. Specialist 2nd Class Austin Haist/US Navy The Navy may need almost 12,000 temporary beds during peak periods. Officials are considering hotels, RVs, "man-camps," and houseboats. Recruiting growth and barracks renovations are straining housing capacity. The US Navy is looking for temporary housing options for sailors that could put thousands of them in hotels, RVs, prefabricated units, temporary "man-camps" or even houseboats as it searches for places to house troops during a yearslong effort to overhaul aging barracks . The service announced its search for "practical and flexible" housing options "that can be deployed quickly" on Monday. The scale of the search reflects the daunting challenge of repairing and renovating service member housing. Entire barracks must first be emptied out before renovations can begin.
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