In 1996, Congress established the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI), which is often referred to as PPV, an abbreviation for Private Public Venture housing. MHPI or PPV acts as tool to help the military improve the quality of life for its service members by improving their housing conditions.

Designed and developed to attract private sector financing, expertise and innovation, the MHPI provides necessary housing faster and more efficiently than the traditional military construction processes. The Office of the Secretary of Defense delegated the MHPI to the Military Services, giving them the authority to enter into agreements with private developers to own, maintain and operate family housing over a period of 50 years.

One of the great aspects of the initiative is that it addresses two significant concerns about housing for military service members and their families. First, is the poor condition of DoD-owned housing, and second, the shortage of quality affordable private housing. Under the MHPI authorities, DoD works with the private sector to revitalize Navy, Marine, Army and Airforce family housing through a variety of financial tools-direct loans, loan guarantees, equity investments, conveyance or leasing of land, housing, and other facilities. With the basic allowance military service members receive, they can choose to live in private sector housing, or privatized housing.

Please note: Content for this section is based on information from the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense – Installations and Environment Web site.