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References
NAR Library & Archives has already done the research for you. References (formerly Field Guides) offer links to articles, eBooks, websites, statistics, and more to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives. EBSCO articles (E) are available only to NAR members and require the member's nar.realtor login.
BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) Updates
Speaker McCarthy: We Need a BRAC Commission, but Not to Tackle Federal Spending (Brookings, Jun. 6, 2023)
“House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced plans to convene a bipartisan commission to tackle federal spending more broadly once the debt-ceiling fight settles down. McCarthy likened it to the commission used to identify unneeded military bases as part of the Department of Defense’s Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC, process. The Speaker’s proposal to convene a BRAC commission makes sense but not for the reason he suggests… there may be value in convening a bipartisan panel of outside experts to help identify potential budget cuts as well as tax increases that Congress and the Executive Branch could consider. This is different from the “appellate” role served by the BRAC commission, which reviews and tweaks judgments made by DOD, and the panel’s recommendations would be non-binding. But such a panel may respond to a need for expertise in finding deficit-reduction opportunities.”
Record Budget Helps Air Force Tackle Environmental Issues (Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Apr. 22, 2023)
“For fiscal year 2023, Congress allocated $749 million for Department of the Air Force environmental restoration actions. Within AFIMSC’s Air Force Civil Engineer Center, the environmental directorate is putting $574 million to work at active installations while the Base Realignment and Closure program spends $175 million for restoration at closed installations. We are grateful for the continued support which has allowed us to fund critical environmental projects across the enterprise," said Kenny Johnson, AFCEC environmental restoration program management chief. "With these funds, we can continue to invest in sustainable practices that benefit both our mission and our planet."
DoD Base Realignment and Closure Program Year 2023 (Department of Defense, Apr. 2022)
A summary of the budget and budget estimates for the Base Realignment and Closure implantation in fiscal year 2023. Includes background on all BRAC prior to 2023 and a discussion of the DoD’s effort to “continue to cleanup properties to support disposal as quickly as available resources allow and remain committed to protecting both human health and the environment.”
Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC): Background Issues for Congress (Congressional Research Service, Apr. 25, 2019)A backgrounder on the history of BRAC, how it has played out since its inception in 1988 and detailed information about the five rounds of base closures. The report goes on to “outline issues frequently cited in the context of new rounds, such as potential savings.”
BRAC Community Impacts and Real Estate Opportunities
Surplus Property and Military Base Conversions for Airport Purposes (Federal Aviation Administration, Apr. 11, 2023)An explaination of the FAA’s initiative to use military surplus property for airport purposes. “The federal government can transfer surplus real and personal property to eligible airport sponsors for airport purposes. This includes military bases that are closed under the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC). The property is generally transferred at no cost if it is used for airport purposes. This may include nonaeronautical-use property that generates revenue for airport operations, maintenance, and development.”
US Department of Defense Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (Department of Defense, 2021)
“When a base is closed or realigned, the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation assigns a project manager to work with the impacted communities to help them organize and coalesce around a single local redevelopment authority that can speak with one voice on behalf of the community… Once officially recognized by the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, the local redevelopment authority solicits input from a broad range of stakeholders, including homeless assistance providers, to prepare and submit a base redevelopment plan and a homeless assistance application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development… If the base has been a significant employer in the region, the local redevelopment authority will concurrently develop a community adjustment strategy for displaced workers and businesses.”
Former Military Bases Find New Purpose Through E-Commerce (The New York Times, Jun. 18, 2019)
“Real estate developers are looking at abandoned bases for large projects like warehouse and logistics centers, which are needed to sustain the growth in e-commerce.” A look into several military bases that have closed and been repurposed for commercial growth opportunities that benefit the local economy.
The Regional Economic Effects of Military Base Realignments and Closures (Defence and Peace Economics, May 2018) E
“This paper empirically investigates the impact of military base realignments and closures on regional economic activity in light of the 2005 round of Base Realignment and Closure actions. Baseline regressions with county-level data show employment regressions indicating more tenuous results for spillover effects from the military to the private sector. Only the contractor type of base employment generated economically and statistically meaningful impacts on local employment.”
Military Base Reuse: As Closures and Realignments March on, so do Real Estate Opportunities (Certified Commercial Investment Member)
“As the list of bases nationwide being closed or realigned has expanded-with more anticipated-commercial real estate opportunities from their redevelopment should increase as well. The lengthy process is challenging, but offers opportunities for commercial real estate professionals near military installations… "Anybody who has a military base in their marketplace right now is in one of the four stages" of development or possible redevelopment: anticipation, announcement, closure, and reuse. Commercial real estate professionals should "identify which of the four stages they're currently in and have not only a survival plan, but an opportunity plan.””
Potential Dangers on Former Military Base Land
Decades Later, Closed Military Bases Remain a Toxic Menace (The New York Times, Oct. 2, 2023)
“When it became clear with the end of the Cold War that the colossal military infrastructure built up to fight the Soviet Union would no longer be necessary, Fort Ord was one of 800 U.S. military bases, large and small, that were shuttered between 1988 and 2005…Across the country, communities were promised that closed bases would be restored, cleaned up and turned over for civilian use — creating jobs, spurring business growth and providing space for new housing…In most cases, fixing up the bases is costing far more than expected and taking longer, federal reports show. The Government Accountability Office found last year that the projected costs for closing the bases had escalated to $65 billion from $43 billion. And while the Pentagon officially reports that it is saving $12 billion a year as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure process, the G.A.O. said that Pentagon officials did not have complete records of how those estimates were calculated.”
Emerging Contaminants and Federal Facility Contaminants of Concern (United States Environmental Protection Agency)
“EPA published the following technical fact sheets, which provide brief summaries of contaminants of concern that present unique issues and challenges to the environmental community and EPA at contaminated federal facility sites. Each fact sheet provides a brief summary of the contaminant, including physical and chemical properties, environmental and health impacts, existing federal and state guidelines, and detection and treatment methods. These fact sheets are intended for project managers and field personnel to use when addressing specific contaminants at cleanup sites and are updated annually to include timely information.”
Federal Agency Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket (United States Environmental Protection Agency)
“Section 120(c) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) requires EPA to establish a listing, known as the Federal Facility Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket (Docket), of Federal facilities which are managing or have managed hazardous waste; or have had a release of hazardous waste.”
Military Munitions/Unexplode Ordnance (United States Environmental Protection Agency)
“Historically, millions of acres of former munitions ranges were transferred from the military to be used for other purposes. These properties are formerly used defense sites (FUDS) or property transferred by the past five rounds of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) (i.e., 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2005). The Department of Defense (DoD) is currently working to further define the inventory of sites and acreage that are potentially contaminated with military munitions and to prioritize these sites for cleanup. Environmental regulators overseeing response actions dealing with military munitions have an independent authority and/or responsibility to evaluate the public safety and environmental aspects of these response actions.”
Useful Websites
Association of Defense Communities — ADC is the connection point for leaders from communities, states, the military and industry on community-military issues and installation management to enhance knowledge, information sharing and best practices.
GAO U.S. Government Accountability Office — The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. Often called the "congressional watchdog," GAO investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars.
U.S. Department of Defense — Federal website with updates on the latest news about base closures.
Base Realignment and Closure Program (HUD Exchange, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) — Information about HUD’s role in BRAC, specifically to “balance the need for economic and other redevelopment while addressing the needs of people experiencing homelessness at base closure and realignment sites.”
Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Sites by State (United States Environmental Protection Agency) — “EPA assists in the transfer of properties and provides regulatory oversight at many types of Department of Defense (DoD) sites, including Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) sites. Because these facilities often encompass hundreds of acres with buildings, roads and other infrastructure, their effective and efficient cleanup and reuse can play a pivotal role in communities’ economic development.”
eBooks & Other Resources
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
As a member benefit, the following resources and more are available for loan through the NAR Library. Items will be mailed directly to you or made available for pickup at the REALTOR® Building in Chicago.
Military Base Closure: A Reference Handbook (Westport, CT: Praeger, 2007) HC 79 So6
Military Base Closures (Chicago, IL: Novinka Books, 2003) HC 79 L81
Sustainable Regeneration of Former Military Sites (London: Routledge, 2016) HC79.D4
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