Thousands of military families living in privatized housing communities say they continue to face health hazards and unsafe living conditions, including reports of mold and pest infestations, according to a new survey released Thursday.
The survey — “Unsafe and Unheard: Military Service Members and Their Families Sound Off on Dangerous Living Conditions” — included responses from 3,401 service members and families at 57 military installations in 30 states and Washington. It was commissioned by the nonprofit Change the Air Foundation.
According to the 23-page survey, 97% of service members reported at least one significant problem in their military-provided home. The most commonly cited issues were mold, mildew or microbial growth at 74%, followed by water damage at 54%. temperature or humidity problems at 56%, pest infestations at 53% and HVAC failures at 51%.
The survey found that more than half of all requests to address the dangerous conditions go unresolved, with 47% saying housing-related issues have compromised their readiness.
“These findings highlight a military housing system that is struggling to meet the needs of the families it was designed to support,” Brandon Chappo, co-founder of the Change the Air Foundation, said in a statement. “The serious impacts of these systemic challenges are far-reaching: This is not only a housing concern. It affects readiness, recruitment, health, and ultimately our national security.”
Congress authorized the Military Housing Privatization Initiative in 1996, giving the Defense Department authority to transfer military family housing operations to private developers under long-term business agreements. The deal replaced most government-run housing management offices with private companies responsible for daily operations.
While the Defense Department retained monitoring and compliance responsibilities under the agreement, military families in the survey reported difficulties getting their concerns resolved. Nearly 9 in 10 families say they reported the same issues multiple times before receiving a service call, which often resulted in the issue being marked as “resolved” despite no satisfactory action being taken.
“Families also report being ignored by housing companies or pressured to sign non-disclosure agreements to secure basic repair or temporary relocation,” the survey stated. “Unlike civilian renters, military tenants have limited legal protections under federal law, even when their homes pose verified health risks.”
Hundreds of military families reported fear or retaliation, or experienced it, after complaining about their living conditions. The survey said that was especially true at military installations in Texas.
“Our work with Congress and the Pentagon continues. Many agree that systemic problems with military housing have gone on for far too long,” said Erica Thompson, a military spouse whose family was adversely affected by housing issues and a volunteer with the Change the Air Foundation.
Officials with the foundation said they met with more than 60 congressional offices earlier this year. They said lawmakers told them they needed independent data to understand better the dangers military families face in privatized housing. In addition to the survey, the group released a documentary chronicling the medical, financial, and emotional toll on military families from unsafe housing.
“Lawmakers said they needed independent data to fully understand the dangers families face in privatized housing,” according to the report. “The national survey and documentary released today provide that evidence.”
The documentary is available at changetheairfoundation.org.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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