Coast Guard’s Housing Case

Two and a half years ago, the Coast Guard requested 274 of the 1,537 homes to be transferred at Tustin Marine Corps Air Station. Recently, our request has been contested in the press. I’d like to take this opportunity to get the Coast Guard side of the story out.

Housing Coast Guard personnel and their families at Tustin will save the taxpayer millions over the life cycle of these homes. In a service as small as the Coast Guard, that counts. Like other federal agencies, the Coast Guard has been directed to cut unnecessary spending. Coast Guard men and women do difficult, often dangerous work that requires lengthy separation from their families. Providing the best possible housing for them is one of the best ways I have to attract strong performers to the area, and to the Coast Guard.

The city of Tustin’s proposal to house Coast Guard families in San Pedro is a generous one, which I appreciate. Although these housing areas are closer to our San Pedro base, they are too costly, they don’t meet minimum standards for floor space, and there are simply more homes there than we can use.

Unfortunately, at San Pedro I would have to come up with several million dollars to convert two-bedroom homes to four-bedroom homes for families with more than one child. I’d also have to force some of my people to live there against their will and despite their personal needs. I do not intend to do that.

There are other solutions to this problem that would allow the Coast Guard to occupy Tustin housing, a move that can bring stability to the neighborhood. I hope the city of Tustin joins me in considering all the options.

This is not a debate about the quality of one community over another; it’s a matter of spending your tax dollars wisely, and living up to our commitment to the nation’s military families. The Coast Guard request, for only 4% of the property available, is a reasonable one which has been known by city planners for over two years. Coast Guard families are good neighbors; they will complement an outstanding reuse plan. I urge the city of Tustin to keep lines of communication open, and I look forward to working with city officials to find a win-win solution.

ROGER T. RUFE JR.

Vice Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard

Commander,

11th Coast Guard District

Alameda