Introduction

Welcome to your new home at Fort Buchanan, located in the sprawling metropolitan area of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. You’ll find sandy white beaches, lush tropical forests, and green mountains on the Island of Enchantment, as it’s also known. Fort Buchanan itself sits on about 740 acres of land that includes the Las Colinas Army family housing. You’ll enjoy the community around Fort Buchanan, mostly located in and around San Juan. This community is friendly to its military neighbors, of which Fort Buchanan supports about 130,000 veterans, retirees, civilians, and military personnel along with their dependents. This article will go over your Fort Buchanan Housing options on-post and options in the local community.

Related read:

Fort Buchanan: In-Depth Welcome Center

Fort Buchanan BAH

To look up your Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for additional zip codes, please follow this link. This is a great tool to help you create a budget and guide you through your home search. To learn more about your military BAH rate, visit our in-depth guide here.

Fort Buchanan Barracks

At Fort Buchanan, unaccompanied housing is available to all single Soldiers. All single service members must report to their unit to be assigned barracks space. Any personnel arriving on post after service hours will be assigned temporary living quarters until the next duty day. All Soldiers requiring Unaccompanied Enlisted Personnel Housing must also have a current within 60 days end-of-month Leave and Earning Statement. To assist you in your move, since this is technically an overseas assignment, the Relocation Readiness Program provides assistance to the military and civilian employees, along with their families, during each stage of your trip. Once you arrive, you should receive a welcome packet and orientation on garrison programs. You’ll also receive additional information on the local culture and customs. You can get further information by contacting the Relocation Readiness Program at (787) 707-3682. Before your move, be sure to gather the following documents: birth, marriage and divorce certificates, medical records, education, travel orders, housing goods and shipping documents, the previous year’s tax returns, wills and estate titles, savings account documents, and spouse employment records. The Unaccompanied Housing facilities strive to provide a personal residence that creates a comfortable, functional, and well-maintained home with a mission to take pride in the community.

Fort Buchanan Unaccompanied Housing Office

Bldg. 82 Miles Loop Rd. Ft Buchanan, PR 00934

Phone

: 1 (787) 707-3433

Fort Buchanan Housing Office

The first thing you will be required to do once you arrive at Fort Buchanan, even if you plan to live off-post, is head to the Housing Division Office. There you will receive a warm welcome from a team of professionals looking to help take the stress out of relocating. You will get assistance here with all of your housing needs and any information you need on military relocation. The Housing Division Office provides services that will help you with referrals, relocation assistance, guidance for entering a lease agreement, and tenant-landlord disputes.

Fort Buchanan Housing Division Office

Building 34 Constitution Ave. Ft Buchanan, PR 00934

Phone

: 1 (787) 707-3256

Fort Buchanan Housing Options

Fort Buchanan Family Homes at Las Colinas

Housing at Fort Buchanan is government housing in the Las Colinas community around the post. Waiting time for government housing at Fort Buchanan can take up to 3 to 6 months. We advise you to contact the Housing Management Office as soon as you know that you are moving to Fort Buchanan. There, you will receive the latest information about housing and help with the application process from the government housing team. You will also be informed about post-specific policies. You must report to your military personnel department to complete DA Form 4787 for reassignment processing, requesting concurrent or deferred travel of dependents prior to departing for Fort Buchanan from your losing station. A copy of the form will be given to you, with an authenticated copy sent to the Fort Buchanan Family Housing Office. Once you visit your unit upon arrival, report to the Housing Referral Office so that your name can be placed on the waiting list for your government housing.

Fort Buchanan Family Housing Division

South Gate Road, Building # 34. Fort Buchanan, PR 009341

Phone

: 1 (787) 707-3367

Hours

:

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday

  : 07:00 - 16:00

• Wednesday and Friday

  : 07:00 - 12:00

• Saturday and Sunday

  : Closed

Fort Buchanan Housing Referral Services

The Housing Division also provides Housing Referral Services to those members looking to live off-post. Puerto Rico is considered “overseas,” and every active duty service member that lives off-post is entitled to the Overseas Housing Allowance. This process starts at the Housing Division that also offers services for a Temporary Lodging Allowance, counseling, and more.

Features of Fort Buchanan Family Homes at Las Colinas

The types of rental units available depend on rank. The residential community has two, three, and four-bedroom units that range from 1100 to 1600 square feet. Junior non-commissioned officers up to senior NCO have three-bedroom units available to them. These usually have no waiting time. There are 4 bedroom units available to junior NCOs to major with about a 4 month wait time. Field grade personnel have two-bedroom units available, and wait times can actually hit 6 months, depending on current status. Three-bedroom units are also available. Four bedroom units have also been designated for Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel with no wait times. In total, there are 119 units in the Las Colinas government housing community. Housing construction in Puerto Rico is mostly concrete with flat roofs that are built that way to better withstand storms. The housing at Fort Buchanan is no different, with 100% of the housing made out of concrete. All housing will be going through renovations for the next couple of years. Government housing comes with a refrigerator and electric range in all units. Central air conditioning is very rare, but utilities are typically included in the lease, even off-post.

Fort Buchanan Family Homes at Las Colinas Amenities

The community itself offers standard amenities such as a sports and fitness center, golf course, youth centers, library, Commissary, and more. Applying for government housing is similar to living in the local neighborhoods. You will sign a tenant lease agreement, typically for a one-year term. Your lease will include a military clause and a lease termination clause. Rent is paid by authorizing an allotment of your BAH that is paid directly to the Housing Division. If your family has school-aged children, there is schooling on-post. Schools include Antilles Elementary School, Antilles Middle School, and Antilles High School. For further education, there is also a location for Central Michigan University (CMU) Online Education.

Conclusion

We know that relocating can be a stressful endeavor, but we hope this guide has given you a place to start while planning your move to your new posting at Fort Buchanan. We hope you enjoy your new adventure in Puerto Rico in the housing offer at Fort Buchanan in the Las Colinas neighborhood. Always plan ahead and check availability based on rank and waiting lists through the Fort Buchanan Housing Service.