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TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Military families at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base are getting major home upgrades through a $16 million reinvestment in Soaring Heights Communities.
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Military families move every two to four years on average, according to the Department of Defense. The renovation project aims to make new bases feel like home as quickly as possible.
Soaring Heights Communities is home to nearly 3,500 residents and more than 1,100 homes across three neighborhoods. Many of those homes date back to the 1950s.
Centinel Public Partnerships, the Air Force’s privatized housing partner at Davis-Monthan, is working to bring them up to speed through a multi-year renovation plan.
New HVAC units, stainless steel appliances, paint and flooring are among the upgrades. Crews are also replacing roofs and upgrading electrical systems to make service more reliable.
No families are being forced out of their homes. Families can request to move into renovated units, and older homes are renovated as people move out.
“No families are displaced and when new families are coming in off the waitlist, the house is renovated and ready for them to move in,” said Daniel Krunglevich, Soaring Heights Communities Project Director.
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Chief Master Sgt. Rex Panting of the U.S. Air Force said the goal is to create a sense of home for residents.
“You want to feel normalized, you want this to be your slice of heaven when you come home and take pride in it,” Panting said. “They try to keep it comparable, if not slightly better than what you can get outside the gates.”
The project also includes accessibility improvements and upgrades to shared spaces in the community. A new maintenance facility is being built to help crews respond to resident requests faster.
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