Military families and a national nonprofit group are sounding the alarm about unhealthy conditions in U.S. military housing.
A Nov. 20 report by Change the Air Foundation, a nonprofit group dedicated to addressing poor indoor air quality, reveals that 97% of military housing residents “could list at least one significant and dangerous issue with their military-provided housing.”
The foundation surveyed 3,400 residents of military housing, including 76 from Key West Naval Air Station.
Change the Air Foundation focuses on public education, policy advocacy and small-scale research aimed at addressing the nationwide crisis of poor indoor air quality, especially for military families. The foundation’s 23-page report is called “Unsafe and Unheard: Military Service Members and Their Families Sound Off on Dangerous Living Conditions.” The group developed a questionnaire and fielded an online survey in October, directed at individuals who had currently or previously lived in military housing.
Survey respondents lived in 57 military installations in 30 states and Washington, D.C.
“Mold, mildew or microbial growth were the most commonly cited issues (74%), followed by water damage (54%), temperature or humidity problems (56%), pest infestations (53%), and HVAC failures (51%),” states a press release from Change the Air Foundation.
Seventy-four percent of respondents stated their family’s health was harmed by these housing conditions, with 48% saying a medical provider had confirmed a connection between the two.
“Housing-related health impacts,” the press release states, “were reported most by military families in Florida (84%), Hawaii (83%), and North Carolina (83%), and among those serving in the Marines (85%).”
Change the Air also released a 10-minute documentary called “The Hidden Enemy” detailing the stories of three military families, including the Talarico family, whose members have previously spoken with the Keys Weekly about their experiences with health issues in their local military housing.
The short documentary focuses on military families and their children from three different military bases. From seizures to pneumonia to brain fog and rage, each family shared the one common similarity: mold.
The documentary argues that the root of these widespread issues in military housing dates back to Congress’ 1996 decision to “get the military out of the real estate business,” which handed over more than 200,000 military homes to 14 private companies.
Brandon Chappo, director of public policy and co-founder of Change the Air Foundation, said in the press release, “Taken together, these findings highlight a military housing system that is struggling to meet the needs of the families it was designed to support. With more than 99% of housing now managed by private companies under 50-year contracts, both this survey and ‘The Hidden Enemy’ documentary echo what families have been expressing for years. 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.”
Change the Air Foundation also met with more than 60 congressional offices and shared many of their own policy recommendations, including:
• Enforcing mold remediation standards so substandard repairs do not endanger families.
• Banning Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) that silence families and hide accountability.
• Creating a legal carve-out to federal enclave law, to restore the same protections civilian renters already have.
• Requiring independent inspections and oversight to ensure transparency.
The report comes as lawsuits around the country are being filed against private military housing companies, including a mass tort filing by Key West military housing residents against military housing giant Balfour Beatty Communities. It is unclear what the future holds for these military families across the country, but their experiences and complaints are gaining national momentum. To see the full report and documentary, visit Changetheairfoundation.org.
