The U.S. Navy has released pictures that offer an unusually good look at a tethered communications buoy found on its Ohio class ballistic missile submarines. This is a critical piece of equipment that is designed specifically to help ensure these boats can receive nuclear strike orders. Communicating with submerged submarines, especially those that have gone very deep to avoid detection, can be a very challenging proposition.
The Trident Refit Facility (TRF) in Kings Bay, Georgia, posted the pictures of USS Tennessee undergoing a so-called "bouy fly" on its Facebook page.
A wider shot of the buoy being hoisted out of its compartment on the Ohio class ballistic missile submarine USS Tennessee during the recent post-repair test. The bay doors are also visible here. USN
"The 'Buoy Fly' is the final certification in a series of post repair testing for the AN/BRR-6/6B Communications Buoy Systems," according to a post on Facebook accompanying the pictures. "The ... testing protocol included a 3000-pound counter weight attached to a fly rig and crane that simulated water force pressure which allowed the system's electronic and hydraulic components to respond as if the buoy was being deployed while underway."
A picture of the recent "buoy fly" at the Trident Refit Facility. The counterweight mentioned in the TRF's Facebook post is visible above to the right of the buoy itself. USN
The TRF is a central hub for major maintenance and upgrade work on the Navy's 14 Ohio class ballistic missile submarines, or SSBNs, of which Tennessee is one. The facility also services the four additional Ohios that have been converted into guided missile submarines, or SSGNs, which have conventional-only strike capabilities and a host of other highly specialized features as The War Zone has explored in detail in this past feature.
VTDigger is an investigative online newspaper that reports on the state of Vermont in the United States. Founded in September 2009 by Anne Galloway, the newspaper has grown to have an average monthly audience of 730,000.
“It allows for the voucher program to be more competitive in a very strong rental market,”said Kathleen Berk, executive director of the Vermont State Housing Authority.
A sign solicits renters on Colchester Avenue in Burlington in July 2022. Updated federal data reflects rising rents across Vermont, including in Chittenden County. Photo by Anna Ste. Marie/Vermont Public
This story, by Report for America corps member Carly Berlin, was produced through a partnership between VTDigger and Vermont Public.
As the federal government takes note of Vermont’s rising rental prices, housing voucher recipients in Vermont could get more aid as they compete for apartments on the private market. “Fair market” rent for a two-bedroom apartment — as calculated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development earlier this fall — increased by more than 10% for every Vermont county over the last federal fiscal year, which ended in September. The Burlington metro area, which includes Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties, saw the largest single-year increase for a two-bedroom unit in the state: 16.84%.
The increases are an indication that rents are on the rise across Vermont. The government’s recognition of these higher costs also means that housing voucher recipients could see greater subsidies, giving them more buying power as they seek places to rent.
“It allows for the voucher program to be more competitive in a very strong rental market,”said Kathleen Berk, executive director of the Vermont State Housing Authority.
How rent in Vermont has changed post-pandemic
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development surveys counties and metro areas to find the "40th percentile rent," or the point where 40% of apartments are less expensive and 60% are more expensive, in order to calculate the Fair Market Rent.
We compared the rate set for federal fiscal year 2024, which runs from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024, with those set for fiscal year 2023 and fiscal year 2019. For context, the national inflation rate from FY 2019 to FY 2023 was about 20%.
The Burlington metro area, which includes Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties, had the highest rent in fiscal year 2024. Burlington and Windham county had the highest increase in fair market rent from 2023 to 2024.
MISSING: summary MISSING: current-rows.
Addison County
$1,332
$1,332
$1,332
12%
12%
12%
32%
32%
32%
Bennington County
$1,241
$1,241
$1,241
11%
11%
11%
36%
36%
36%
Burlington metro (Chittenden, Franklin, Grand Isle counties)
$1,887
$1,887
$1,887
17%
17%
17%
22%
22%
22%
Caledonia County
$1,068
$1,068
$1,068
12%
12%
12%
21%
21%
21%
Essex County
$936
$936
$936
11%
11%
11%
23%
23%
23%
Lamoille County
$1,291
$1,291
$1,291
11%
11%
11%
31%
31%
31%
Orange County
$1,244
$1,244
$1,244
11%
11%
11%
30%
30%
30%
Orleans County
$1,081
$1,081
$1,081
13%
13%
13%
42%
42%
42%
Rutland County
$1,224
$1,224
$1,224
13%
13%
13%
30%
30%
30%
Washington County
$1,453
$1,453
$1,453
16%
16%
16%
40%
40%
40%
Windham County
$1,340
$1,340
$1,340
17%
17%
17%
35%
35%
35%
Windsor County
$1,300
$1,300
$1,300
15%
15%
15%
32%
32%
32%
HUD releases new fair market rent figures each fall. Incorporating both public data and private sector data from sites such as Zillow and Apartment List, the figures are an estimate of 40th percentile gross rents in a given area, or the point at which 40% of apartments are less expensive and 60% are more expensive. Gross rent includes both rent and utility costs.
The federal housing choice voucher program provides households with subsidies to pay for rental housing on the private market. Local housing authorities get funding from HUD and administer the vouchers to renters.
They also have the power to set their own voucher payment standards, which can range from 90% to 110% of the fair market rent figure.
Over the last few years, HUD has given local housing authorities the ability to set that payment standard even higher: at 120% of the fair market rent.
When HUD increases fair market rents, public housing authorities can increase the amount of subsidy they’re able provide a household, Berk said.
Berk hopes the increased fair market rent could help more Vermont renters secure housing — because for many, finding a place to rent with a voucher in hand has proven challenging.
Only about a quarter of VSHA’s voucher recipients are able to find an apartment at the appropriate rental cost and quality, Berk said. When households aren’t able to find a place to use their voucher, they eventually have to turn it back to the housing authority, she said.
Stephanie Bixby, director of rental assistance for the Burlington Housing Authority, said the issue isn’t simply the cost of housing: the housing authority can find units that meet its payment standards for vouchers. The problem is that there aren’t enough of them.
“Lack of inventory is a huge issue,” she said.
Bixby said larger families — those seeking 4-6 bedroom homes — have had a particularly hard time finding suitable rentals to use their vouchers.
The Burlington Housing Authority, which covers Burlington and other parts of Chittenden County, has a 900 to 1,000 household-long waitlist, she said.
It typically takes years to get off the list, she added.
Bixby said she thinks the fair market rent increase could open up more options for renters.
“Our hope is that it will have a positive impact on our participants being able to procure housing,”she said.
