“I came home to find my entire ceiling in the living room and the entryway collapsed.” “We slept in our living room because we feared our ceilings would collapse.”
“The mold was so bad I had joint pain, swelling in my glands and would randomly bleed from my mouth and nose.”
“When I gave birth to my daughter, it was nonstop doctor visits while we lived in military housing. I thought I was just being a paranoid first-time mother, but then she was diagnosed with pneumonia. We suffered from daily headaches, rashes and general illness. All of our issues disappeared when we moved out of military housing and back in with family.”
These are just a few of the comments the Keys Weekly has received from current and former residents of the Sigsbee Neighborhood, a military housing community in Key West. Many have chosen to remain anonymous due to perceived and/or potential blowback from either NAS Key West or Balfour Beatty, the private company that manages military housing at Sigsbee, all of NAS Key West and other military installations all over the world.
For at least the past seven years, military families in the Sigsbee Neighborhood have reported numerous issues with their housing, ranging from mold and asbestos exposure to collapsing ceilings, waterlogged floors and severe health impacts.
Some cases are more severe than others. Jackie Talarico claims the mold found in her home directly affected her child’s cognitive development and her family’s overall health.
“My son was showing severe cognitive delays; he was nonverbal and we thought he might have autism. But when we were moved into a Patriot Home (a fully furnished home Balfour Beatty provides to families while they repair unsafe housing), my son suddenly started speaking in full sentences. We were in complete shock. My daughter also suffered from nausea spells, nose bleeds and respiratory issues, which all subsided within 30 days of us being removed from the home.”
Talarico says Balfour Beatty dismissed her concerns about mold, assuring her the black substance she saw on the wall was dirt or debris. It wasn’t until she hired her own professional mold inspector that her claims were taken seriously. She said the situation has taken a toll on her family. She described the experience as “hell,” saying, “I feel depleted. I’ve had to put all my energy into keeping my family safe just to make a company follow basic laws and regulations.”
Another former resident, Astrid Trotter, claims the exposure to mold and asbestos in her home led to her diagnosis of Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS).
“My family was in and out of the hospital due to rashes, respiratory issues and general sickness that occurred in our time at Sigsbee,” Trotter said. “There was a time when we came back from vacation to find the ceiling had collapsed in our daughter’s room. We decided we’d all be sleeping in the living room until my husband’s orders were up.”
These issues are widely known among Sigsbee residents, thanks in part to a private Facebook group called “Sigsbee Housing Issues/Health Issues,” created by Trotter to provide a space for families and military members to discuss their housing concerns. The page is filled with firsthand accounts including pictures of collapsed ceilings and mold covering walls and residents’ belongings.
Balfour Beatty, a U.K.-based construction conglomerate, manages the Sigsbee Neighborhood and all military housing at NAS Key West. As the largest providers of privatized military housing in the U.S., the company has long-standing contracts with the military and acquired all military housing in Key West in 2007 through a public-private venture agreement. According to the company’s 2023 financial reports, Balfour Beatty generated some $12.6 billion in revenue, including $4.8 billion from the U.S.
Balfour Beatty is aware of the housing issues at NAS Key West and maintains that residents’ health and safety are the “top priority.”
A spokesperson from Balfour Beatty Communities stated, “The health, safety, and wellbeing of our residents is our top priority. NAS Key West is situated in a hot, humid climate which makes all housing in the area highly susceptible to mold-growth year-round. We take reports of mold seriously and have high standards related to mold inspection, identification and remediation, all of which exceed federal and state laws. We also rely on the cooperation of residents to help prevent the risk of moisture building up by running air conditioning systems at moderate temperature settings, wiping down any condensation or moisture in the home, and immediately reporting any leaks or other water-related issues to the property maintenance team.”
Balfour Beatty has already had to tear down and rebuild homes in NAS Key West. The officer housing on Trumbo Point was flooded in Hurricane Wilma in 2005 and eventually demolished and rebuilt.
When asked if similar action might be necessary for the Sigsbee Neighborhood, the spokesperson said, “The damage caused by Hurricane Wilma was extensive and demolition and rebuilding, which was determined to be the appropriate course of action in the circumstances, was largely funded by insurance proceeds. The same circumstances do not exist at Sigsbee and our joint venture with the Navy does not currently have the funding needed to undertake such a project. However, as funding becomes available, we are committed to working with the Navy to improve aging housing.”
With 521 housing units on Sigsbee, the housing shortage in the rest of Key West presents a significant logistical challenge for relocating military families during these proposed renovations.
Danette Silvers, public affairs officer for NAS Key West, said, “Per Balfour Beatty Communities, 86% of the homes at NAS Key West are occupied, while 9% of the inventory is awaiting repairs and is therefore not available for use.”
If more military families are displaced due to unfit living conditions in military housing, that has a direct effect on local, civilian residents who are struggling to find affordable housing in Key West.
This isn’t the first time Balfour Beatty has been accused of negligence. The company previously paid over $65 million in fines and restitution for a fraud scheme involving U.S. mIlitary housing repairs back in 2021.
Balfour Beatty has implemented a 20-month plan, devised in August 2024, to address issues with ceiling, insulation material, HVAC systems and overall home sealing.
The company spokesperson said, “We have shared with residents that we are currently undertaking a project to install new HVAC systems and ductwork in attic areas as well as making improvements to vapor barriers and window, door, and roof weather sealants, in certain homes. Because of the extensive nature of the work, the homes undergoing these renovations need to be vacant, which means we have to temporarily relocate the residents while the work is being performed. The challenge is there is very limited housing available on base. If we had more available housing, it would be possible to complete the work more quickly. Unfortunately, that is not the case.”
Before residents move into Sigsbee, the Navy requires Balfour Beatty to provide a maintenance history for the past seven years, ensuring transparency between tenant and landlord. There are also mold and asbestos addendums that tenants must sign before they move into the Sigsbee Neighborhood. The mold addendum outlines preventive measures tenants must follow, with a compliance clause holding tenants responsible for mold damage if they don’t comply. The asbestos addendum warns tenants that the premises may contain asbestos and advises against drilling holes greater than a quarter inch in diameter.
If residents find mold or other hazardous materials in their home, Silvers said, “Residents should start by discussing their issues with the Balfour Beatty Communities office. If the issue persists, they should contact the Military Housing Office to assist in resolving the issue through the informal resolution process. The Military Housing Office team can also assist the tenant with filing a formal dispute resolution. The universal lease provides a framework for initiating both informal issue resolution and formal dispute resolution processes. For additional support, residents can contact Navy Regional Legal Assistance, which can guide them through these procedures and advocate on their behalf.”
In response to nationwide military housing issues, the military is creating new ways for families to seek transparency and accountability.
“The Department of Defense announced Aug. 12 the launch of the DoD Housing Feedback System, an initiative designed to enhance transparency and accountability in DoD privatized military housing,” Silvers said. “The new system allows active-duty service members and their authorized dependents to submit feedback on their current leased unit, ensuring that their voices are heard and their concerns are addressed in a timely manner. The launch of this initiative is part of the department’s ongoing commitment to improving the quality of life for our service members and their families.”
