Drum housing needs assessed

Housing needs dominated a discussion Friday morning on Fort Drum's economic impact on the region.

"Fort Drum is the major economic engine," Donald C. Alexander, Jefferson County Job Development Corp. chief executive officer, said to open the JCJDC quarterly members' breakfast. "Without it, I hesitate to think where we would be."

Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization officials said Fort Drum injected about $1.68 billion into the region in 2008 through wages, construction, military contracts, health care and other investment.

The post also has dramatically increased the population. There are 36,772 soldiers, spouses and children in the region, an increase of about 7,000 soldiers, 2,800 spouses and 5,500 children since 2003. About an additional 2,500 will come in the next four years, bringing the number of soldiers and dependents in the area to 39,311.

"They've come with good-paying jobs, skilled employees and the desire to be educated in our schools," said Keith B. Caughlin, chairman of the organization.

The biggest question concerning continued growth raised Friday regarded housing needs.

One of the biggest factors on continued housing development is the accompaniment rate, whether spouses and families come to stay in the region while their soldiers are deployed. In recent years, the Army has expected a 53 percent accompaniment rate at Fort Drum, but in reality, it has been about 38 percent.

"We don't have a clear understanding for why it is lower than what our expectations are for," FDRLO Executive Director Carl A. McLaughlin said. "In the Army, they have a perception of Fort Drum being remote and cold."

But other factors may include a lack of jobs here or trouble selling homes at previous posts.

Kevin J. Jordan, director of project development for the Development Authority of the North Country, called the accompaniment rate "the biggest challenge." If the accompaniment rate does not increase, there's enough housing in the region, he said. But if the accompaniment rate increases to the expected 53 percent, the area would need about 2,800 additional housing units.

"If we overbuild, the whole market suffers," he said. "We need better information on the accompaniment rate."