The problem is that, believe it or not, GF Housing actually does have some value!!!! Their contracts are well written and lock the rent for two years - which is why some landlords will not deal with them anymore.
If you want to leave during that time just inform GF and off you go - much more difficult if you sign a lease yourself.
If they simplified it so that everyone got the 650/600 per month and got rid of the fancy calculation regarding taxes etc they could save half the staff.
Finally, if GF is not going to build housing then they should use their size and influence, negotiate with one or two big landlords and rent in bulk at good rates. Pilots could then just contact the landlords agency, choose a house and off they'd go.
The fact is 650 gets you very little right now. My house was 640/month and the new tenants will be paying 850!!!!!!!! And it certainly isn't anything special. It is riduculous.
SO unless GF wants to keep increasing its housing allowance or it plans to let pilots pay out of pocket again they should begin getting creative and finding solutions.