The Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Department of the Navy announced on Wednesday that it has signed an agreement with Hunt Military Communities to construct or renovate 8,098 beds in downtown Newport News, Virginia.
The agreement, spanning five years and totaling $1.7 billion, will “reshape unaccompanied housing for thousands of sailors across the Hampton Roads region,” according to a Navy release.
The development will replace the aging Huntington Hall facility and modernize housing and retail amenities in the area.
“This historic contract addresses critical quality-of-life and readiness needs, providing clean, comfortable, and safe housing that supports our hardworking sailors,” said Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment Brendan Rogers. “It means less financial strain on junior sailors, a significantly improved quality-of-life for them during maintenance and recovery periods, and significant savings for the taxpayer. This partnership is proof that we can invest smartly while profoundly improving the daily lives of our sailors.”
Calling the project the “cornerstone” of the Navy’s “commitment to Quality of Service, a strategic priority linking sailor well-being directly to military readiness,” the five-year project will address the growing unaccompanied housing needs for sailors within the fleet.
According to the release, the agreement saves taxpayers over $325 million by leveraging private capital and boosting sustainment funding by 400%.
In October 2025, the military created the Barracks Task Force to address unaccompanied housing requirements and improve living conditions across all services. Less than two months later, the Navy announced that it was directing $375 million it received through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act toward barracks improvements at 56 installations.
In addition, Chief of Naval Operations Daryl Caudle laid out his “No Sailor Lives Afloat” initiative in April 2026, which aims to move unaccompanied sailors living on ships into shore-based housing.
Caudle told reporters on Aug. 26 that the Navy had successfully moved more than 6,000 sailors off ships and was in the process of investing more than $375 million across 95 different construction projects for barracks and housing, chow facilities and gyms.
Claire Barrett is an editor and military history correspondent for Military Times. She is also a World War II researcher with an unparalleled affinity for Sir Winston Churchill and Michigan football.