Housing organizations' partnership proven effective Published July 22, 2010 By Caitlin Fairchild Nellis Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- Roughly 6,000 people call Nellis Air Force Base their home, and housing on base has a 97% occupancy, one of the highest for Air Force bases in the United States. In the last six months alone, an estimated 700 to 800 people new to the area came through the Housing Management Office, which briefed the new residents on all available housing options. "We're very proud of our ability to fill our housing," said Dawn Davis-Spector, the asset element branch chief of the HMO. She attributes the ability to work effectively to the HMO's partnership with the private ownership, Hunt Development Group. While privatization in military housing has caused conflicts elsewhere, the quality of the partnership between the two organizations will be highlighted in an upcoming issue of National Defense Magazine. When Ms. Davis-Spector began in her position at the HMO in February of 2009, she says the quality of communication between the two offices were not as open as they should be, and both offices have taken steps toward improvement. "We've taken the relationship and changed it," Ms. Davis-Spector said. "Now we do everything as a team, as one." One of the most significant changes is that the departments now hold bi-weekly partnering meetings to ensure they have the opportunity to tackle any issues that arise. "We helped integrate the PO into the way the military operates," Ms. Davis-Spector said. "Open lines of communication help and ensure the leadership is kept within the loop when making decisions." Recently the HMO hosted a two-day management workshop taught by Professor Jack Gaffney of the Air Force Institute of Technology. Employees of both offices attended the course, which focused on ways to improve conflict management and team building. The PO plans to host a similar workshop in the future, focusing on annual budgeting issues. "We would really want to drill in the details of how we put together our financial budget," said Gina Slater, the director of operations for the PO. Ultimately, two organizations work together for the benefit of those who will live in Nellis community. "The partnership is important simply because of the nature of what we do in providing housing," said Ms. Davis-Spector. "So we always ask each other what's best for the residents."
