East Greenwich, RI (February 19, 2019) - Corvias, a partner to the U.S. military in the construction and management of housing for active duty service members, today expressed its support for a military housing “Resident Bill of Rights” that would empower residents dealing with service, repair or other home condition issues.
Service members who live in our homes must have a voice,” said John Picerne, Founder and CEO of Corvias. “Yet when faced with service or household issues not resolved to their satisfaction, they may feel powerless.”
“A ‘Resident Bill of Rights,’ written by, for and reflecting the perspectives of the service members and families will ensure that residents’ priorities and satisfaction comes first,” Picerne remarked.
Early Lease Termination for Health, Safety Concerns
While Corvias supports the development of a “Resident Bill of Rights,” the company is not waiting to ensure residents have a more powerful voice in dealing with home service issues. Effective immediately, Corvias is implementing a lease early-termination policy to enable residents to end their lease, without any additional charges, should they have home-related health or safety concerns.
In appearing before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee’s Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee and Personnel Subcommittee, John Picerne, Founder and CEO of Corvias, pledged that the organization will work closely with its military partners and Congress to improve the military housing experience for residents. Today’s announcement follows up on that pledge.
Renewed Efforts to Put Residents First
Corvias’ public support for a “Resident Bill of Rights” comes as the company implements a number of efforts to improve resident satisfaction in the military housing communities it manages nationwide.
In addition, Corvias is undertaking the following:
- Launched a “service surge,” to reduce the backlog of work orders and improve our response time to service requests.
- Hiring 25+ resident service specialists for support across Fort Polk, Fort Bragg and Fort Meade, focused 100% on meeting resident needs.
- Moving its resident call centers back to the local installations and out of a third-party call center. During business hours, residents will once again speak to a local Corvias team member when they have a problem.
- Eliminated annual rent increases on lower demand homes and eliminated fees that may be common in the civilian real estate market but are not appropriate for military families.
- Hired a world-renowned specialist to review our mold and mildew procedures.
- Strengthening coordination with installation command through in-person meetings and weekly work order reports.
- Getting closer to residents through regular town halls, focus groups and the formation of resident advocacy groups.
- Starting a major construction push with the Army and Air Force, by tapping more than $140 million in a formerly trapped reserve account and a new investment of $323 million, to improve more than 2,600 homes in its communities.
“We’re ready to work with residents, our military partners, Congress and other developers to finalize and implement a clear, strong ‘Resident Bill of Rights,” as quickly as possible,” Picerne further commented. “In the meantime, we’re moving ahead and doing what’s right for our residents.”
About Corvias
As a privately-owned company headquartered in East Greenwich, RI, Corvias currently partners with 35 higher education and government institutions nationwide to solve their most essential systemic problems and create long-term, sustainable value through our unique approach to partnership. Corvias pursues the kinds of partnerships that materially and sustainably improve the quality of life for the people who call our communities home, purposefully choosing to partner with organizations who share our values and whose mission is to serve as the foundational blocks, or pillars, of our nation. Corvias Foundation is committed to inspiring students, college and university campuses, and military families to reach higher, and it has awarded more than $14 million in scholarships since 2006.