WA Congresswoman pushes for housing crisis solutions at Joint Base Lewis-McChord

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Washington Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland is calling on the Department of Defense (DOD) to address the housing crisis for soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM).

The base is among the largest military installations on the West Coast, with more than 45,000 service members and civilian workers, and an active population of more than 200,000 military personnel, family members and retired veterans—and it is only growing larger.

RELATED: State Patrol recognizes US Army soldiers with life-saving award at JBLM

The U.S. Army says JBLM supports military families struggling to afford mortgage and rent payments, but the area is in the midst of a housing crunch, with too few homes to go around that are far too expensive.

"With new missions continuing to be assigned to JBLM, now is the time to take the opportunity to do a complete reassessment of its urban core, its planning of neighborhoods, and overall land use," said Strickland. "Military leadership and the Committee on Armed Services must come together and pay attention to this important matter in order to support the servicemembers and families who call JBLM home."

Get breaking news alerts in the FREE FOX 13 Seattle app. Download for Apple iOS or Android. And sign up for BREAKING NEWS emails delivered straight to your inbox.

The South Sound is already weathering a housing supply shortage which affects civilians and service members alike. Stickland wants the DOD to "find new opportunities to address the housing shortage," like identifying nearby land for homes and other amenities.