NAPLES, Italy — Consistently low occupancy rates coupled with a costly rental agreement on the support site in Gricignano mean the Navy continues to pay monthly rents on hundreds of base apartments whether they are occupied or not.

In 2008, U.S. taxpayers forked over some $3.7 million in rent on "approximately 237 vacant units at any given time," according to Lt. Paul Macapagal, base public affairs officer.

The Navy leases the support site, including the housing units, from a local company, Mirabella. The Navy pays $1,300 a month for its two-bedroom apartments and $1,900 a month for its four-bedroom units, according to base officials.

At the same time, personnel who could otherwise occupy the vacant units are receiving housing allowances to rent off-base homes at much higher rates. Monthly housing and utility allowances for personnel stationed in Naples range from about $2,200 to $3,900, according to the Department of Defense Per Diem, Travel and Transportation Allowance committee Web site.

The Navy could force sailors to live in the base housing units in order to reach higher occupancy levels, but officials have made no indication they will do so — even though problems with off-base housing include crime and contaminated water.

"Residing in the local community gives (personnel and their families) the opportunity to take advantage of the experience of living in a foreign country," said Capt. Robert Rabuse, base commanding officer. "NSA Naples is committed to provide the best housing needs to accommodate its personnel accordingly."

Occupancy rates on the support site have consistently remained low over the past several years despite efforts to fill the units. Most problematic are the two-bedroom apartments which, for example, only had an occupancy rate of 53 percent (102 vacancies) during the month of September. Many consider these units too small for family housing.

"That’s ridiculous," said Annie Collins, who along with her husband, Robert, are currently looking for off-base housing.

"Why would they pay rent for apartments no one wants?" she asked.

"We came here to live in Italy, not on base," Robert Collins.

Other recent arrivals agree.

"We want to experience Italy," said Charlene and Ken Foos, who are in temporary lodging waiting to move into an off-base house.

"That’s an inefficient use of money," said Ken Foos. "That comes out of our taxes. It could be better used elsewhere — like an increase in our pay. Why are we flooding the local economy with all this money?"

In 2005, the Navy offered to pay moving costs if servicemembers wanted to move from economy to base housing. And last year, the Navy transferred 24 two-bedroom family housing apartments to the Navy Lodge for transient billeting.

The Navy also temporarily diverted 48 two-bedroom apartments from family to bachelor housing to in order to attract single servicemembers to live on base.

For the past two months officials say they have been drafting a request to Navy Installations Command to divert more of the two-bedroom units from family to bachelor housing. The request also includes single civilians who are not currently eligible to occupy family housing units. Officials did not indicate when the request would be sent.