§403a — Title 37 Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary of Defense must write rules that let some service members request special housing help when they move to a new duty station inside the United States. The request is for members who, at the start of the move period, have a spouse who works or is in school, have school-age children, have a dependent in the Exceptional Family Member Program, or are caring for an immediate family member with a long-term illness. If the request is approved, a spouse or other dependent who already lives in government housing can stay there for a time set by the rules. A spouse or dependent who becomes eligible for government housing can move in anytime during the move period. If the spouse or dependent moves at a different time than the member, the member can be put in unaccompanied housing temporarily only if it does not bump another single member out of their housing. The housing allowance (BAH) paid may be based on the new duty area, the area where the spouse or dependent lives, or the old duty area, whichever the secretary decides is most fair. The rules must also make sure relocation help programs teach people about these housing options. This law does not reduce any BAH payments allowed under section 403(d)(3)(A). Definitions: Covered relocation period — normally starts 180 days before the permanent move and ends 180 days after, though the rules can shorten or extend it. Dependent — as defined in section 401. Permanent change of station — as defined in section 452(b)(2).

Title 37, §403a

Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations that permit a member of the armed forces described in paragraph (2) who is undergoing a permanent change of station within the United States to request the housing treatment described in subsection (b) during the covered relocation period of the member.

(2)A member described in this paragraph is any member who—

(A)has a spouse who is gainfully employed or enrolled in a degree, certificate or license granting program at the beginning of the covered relocation period;

(B)has one or more dependents attending an elementary or secondary school at the beginning of the covered relocation period;

(C)has one or more dependents enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program; or

(D)is caring for an immediate family member with a chronic or long-term illness at the beginning of the covered relocation period.

(b)(1)If a spouse or other dependent of a member whose request under subsection (a) is approved resides in Government-owned or Government-leased housing at the beginning of the covered relocation period, the spouse or other dependent may continue to reside in such housing during a period determined in accordance with the regulations prescribed pursuant to this section.

(2)If a spouse or other dependent of a member whose request under subsection (a) is approved is eligible to reside in Government-owned or Government-leased housing following the member’s permanent change of station within the United States, the spouse or other dependent may commence residing in such housing at any time during the covered relocation period.

(3)If a spouse or other dependent of a member relocates at a time different from the member in accordance with a request approved under subsection (a), the member may be assigned to Government-owned or Government-leased housing intended for the permanent housing of members without a spouse or dependent until the member’s detachment date or the spouse or other dependent’s arrival date, but only if such Government-owned or Government-leased housing is available without displacing a member without a spouse or dependent at such housing.

(4)If a spouse or other dependent of a member relocates at a time different from the member in accordance with a request approved under subsection (a), the amount of basic allowance for housing payable may be based on whichever of the following areas the Secretary concerned determines to be the most equitable:

(A)The area of the duty station to which the member is reassigned.

(B)The area in which the spouse or other dependent resides, but only if the spouse or other dependent resides in that area when the member departs for the duty station to which the member is reassigned, and only for the period during which the spouse or other dependent resides in that area.

(C)The area of the former duty station of the member, but only if that area is different from the area in which the spouse or other dependent resides.

(c)Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the payment or the amount of basic allowance for housing payable under section 403(d)(3)(A) of this title to a member whose request under subsection (a) is approved.

(d)The regulations prescribed pursuant to this section shall ensure the relocation assistance programs under section 1056 of title 10 include, as part of the assistance normally provided under such section, education about the housing treatment available under this section.

(e)In this section:

(1)(A)Subject to subparagraph (B), the term “covered relocation period”, when used with respect to a permanent change of station of a member of the armed forces, means the period that—

(i)begins 180 days before the date of the permanent change of station; and

(ii)ends 180 days after the date of the permanent change of station.

(B)The regulations prescribed pursuant to this section may provide for a shortening or lengthening of the covered relocation period of a member for purposes of this section.

(2)The term “dependent” has the meaning given that term in section 401 of this title.

(3)The term “permanent change of station” means a permanent change of station described in section 452(b)(2) of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 403a, added Pub. L. 98–525, title VI, § 602(d)(1), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2534; amended Pub. L. 99–145, title VI, §§ 602(a)–(d), 604(b), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 636–638; Pub. L. 100–26, § 8(e)(8), Apr. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 286; Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title VI, § 602(a), Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1445; Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title VI, § 602, Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1575; Pub. L. 102–25, title VII, § 702(b)(1), (2), (c), Apr. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 117; Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title VI, §§ 603, 604(b), 633, Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1373, 1374, 1381; Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title VI, § 604, Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1679; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title VI, § 605(a)(1), (b), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 358; Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title VI, §§ 604(d), 606(a)–(d), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2541, 2542, related to variable housing allowances, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title VI, § 603(c)(1), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1781.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title VI, § 604(b), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1420, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [enacting this section] shall take effect on October 1, 2018.”

§403a Housing Treatment for Certain Members of the Armed Forces, and Their Spouses and Other Dependents, Undergoing a Permanent Change of Station Within the United States