- Enhanced use lease
In the
United States Enhanced Use Lease (EUL) is a method for fundingconstruction or renovations onmilitary property by allowing a private developer tolease underutilized property, with rent paid by the developer in the form of cash in-kind services. Currently, EULs are used by the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration. Temporary authority has also been granted to the General Services Agency and the National Aeronatics and Space Administration. EUL authority is derived from Congress and is specific to each agency (e.g. 10 USC 2667 for the DoD). The information below is specific to DoD EULs.Granted a fifty-year lease, the developer is able to make improvements to the property which can be leased at market rents to any interested tenants. Under EUL, federal control over the leased property is ceded to private developers, though the federal agency retains limited rights over the developers' actions.
Since the agency can issue enhanced use leases only on land that is excess to their needs, the improvements must not be directly tied to any programmatic requirements of the installation.
The advantages to the developer include prime secure convenient locations on military installations, and the opportunity to provide sole-source services and products in lieu of rent for the ground lease.
The advantages to the federal agency include the possibility of fast-tracking alterations, repairs or new construction so that the improved space becomes available for lease. Engineering, maintenance, or construction services are provided by the developer in lieu of rent, thus decreasing the federal payroll.
The enhanced use lease is becoming a very popular tool to accommodate realignment of military functions under
BRAC . Military installations are legally bound, but not necessarily funded, to accommodate BRAC-mandated realignments of functions. Though the intent of EUL is to fully utilize property which is excess to the installation's needs, EUL is now thought of as a way to provide new or renovated real property which can be used to accommodate realigned functions, while circumventing the traditional (sometimes lengthy) Congressional funding process.The use of EULs has mushroomed with the expanded authority of Title 10 USC, Section 2667, of the
National Defense Authorization Act . It remains to be seen whether this form of privatization will create increased financial, security or environmental risks. Legal complications that have emerged include how EUL-encumbered property will be treated when an installation is targeted for closure under BRAC (example, Building 40 at Walter Reed).External links
* [http://eul.army.mil/aboutEUL.htm About Enhanced Use Leasing] (U.S. Army)
* (U.S. General Services Administration)
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.