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House lawmakers from both parties called on the Defense Department and its private landlords to move faster and improve at implementing congressional reforms for military family housing after noting there’s not been enough progress made since efforts began three years ago to address the crisis. ....
When she’s not fronting US Congress house committees, Carolyn Tregarthen is in charge of housing some 40,000 US military personnel from Alaska to Florida. ....
“I want to make sure the base commanders are held responsible for the well-being of all the personnel on their base,” said Mr. Garamendi, adding that the issue will feature prominently in the annual defense authorization bill now being written on Capitol Hill. Reflecting long-standing concerns and frustrations, the 2020 Pentagon budget contained a substantial housing reform package, including a “tenant’s bill of rights.” After complaints and lawsuits over degraded conditions in military housing, the bill of rights was intended to serve as “the foundation of enhanced accountability” for the quality of privatized military family housing, Mr. Garamendi said. “We’re going to see if we can find some teeth and how we might find it to be enforced,” Mr. Garamendi said. “I don’t know any other way to enforce the bill of rights than to hold the base commander responsible.” ....
By COREY DICKSTEIN | STARS AND STRIPES Published: March 10, 2021 Lawmakers continue to hear of unacceptable living conditions in privately run, on-base military housing more than one year after passing major reforms meant to address those issues, they told executives running some of the largest companies in charge of maintaining the residences. “We have heard and seen firsthand horror stories in these houses, from mold, to water leaks to incorrect lead abatement that has directly affected the health and safety of these families,” said Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., who is the chairwoman of the House Armed Services Committee’s subpanel on military personnel. “I have visited Fort Hood [in Texas] and met military families who have been living in these unacceptable housing conditions, who have seen their children suffer health problems after mold consumed their homes and belongings even a baby’s crib. You are solely responsible for the correction of these defects ....
Base commanders should be held responsible for enforcing tenants’ rights, lawmaker says March 10 Sgt. 1st Class Jesus Joseph Brown dons a hazmat suit to look at his house at Fort Hood after it was opened up for mold repairs. (Photo courtesy of Emilee Brown) With most of the tenant bill of rights available for military housing residents, and more to come soon, some lawmakers are concerned there’s no teeth to those rights, and want to hold installation commanders responsible. “It seems there are some base commanders who don’t understand their responsibilities,” said Rep. John Garamendi, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s readiness subcommittee, during a hearing Wednesday. He said he’d heard from military family housing advocates that the tenant bill of rights is good, “but it lacks teeth.” ....