On Feb. 10 and 11, representatives from the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) hosted a meeting with military families and civilians living in housing at Sigsbee Park and Trumbo Point to discuss ongoing mold concerns in base housing.
“The objective of this evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of DoD actions to address mold concerns in privatized military housing using the authorities defined in Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI) business agreements,” states the flyer announcing the meeting. “The purpose of this meeting will be to gather resident input on experiences with the management of mold concerns in privatized housing.”
Held at the Sigsbee Community Center, residents voiced their frustrations with a range of housing issues — including displacement, unresolved work orders, health concerns and an overall lack of response from Balfour Beatty, the private company that manages military housing in Key West and around the world.
“We had mold in our ceilings that was brushed off as condensation,” one resident said. “We had to uninstall our fire detectors because the conditions kept triggering the alarm. There were termites in the house that they never addressed.”
Another resident described similar conditions:
“There was mold throughout the house — inside the door chime, in the bathroom, behind tiles, and in the HVAC system. We were also infested with termites that fell onto our beds and into our kids’ rooms.”
The impact extended beyond the physical condition of the homes. One family even considered leaving the area entirely.
“We were trying to decide if our family should move back home while I finished out my time here. We had mold everywhere and had to replace everything that came into contact with it. Our child had pneumonia. There wasn’t any peace of mind. Most people might just shrug it off because they’re about to leave anyway. It’s unacceptable what Balfour Beatty is allowing.”
Many families who attended the meeting said they opted to move off-base rather than risk their health. But in the Keys — where affordable housing is already scarce — this influx of displaced military families only adds pressure to the local housing market, making it even harder for civilians to find housing.
According to DoD OIG representatives, surveys like those conducted in Key West are a response to a surge of complaints submitted through dedicated hotlines. Whether Balfour Beatty will retain its contract with the military remains uncertain. Officials said the company must develop a plan of action to address these issues and demonstrate that its remediation efforts comply with federal law.
The representatives also conducted housing inspections with willing volunteers to document their findings.
There are already rumors of an alleged lawsuit happening with Balfour Beatty and housing victims. Just Well Law & the McKee Law Group have been hosting informational meetings with residents who have had health and legal claims against Balfour Beatty.
While most want to remain anonymous due to fear of perceived backlash from military leadership, many military families are speaking up and using social media to voice their concerns.
Jenn Telfer, military spouse and resident of Trumbo Point, takes to Facebook to share her concerns and raise awareness to other military families, writing:
“We have reluctantly returned to our home after being told it is now ‘safe’ — a claim backed by a falsified air quality test conducted by an unlicensed mold assessor hired by Balfour Beatty. Originally, Balfour Beatty agreed to replace our upholstered items, at our request, due to the extensive mold contamination. This was a recommended action to us by medical personnel as well as our licensed mold assessor, who originally found our cause of illness (excessive mold) and started this debacle. However, after we spent $6K+ replacing our upholstered belongings, they refused to uphold their initial agreement unless we signed away all future property liability and agreed to a non-disclosure agreement pertaining to this nightmare.”
The residents’ frustration with Balfour Beatty comes when Key West city officials are hoping to work with the U.S. Navy to replace 166 units of housing at Sigsbee Park. The townhomes were damaged by Hurricane Wilma in 2005, then ignored and abandoned for 16 years until they were demolished in 2021, leaving 18 vacant acres at Sigsbee Park. City Commissioner Donie Lee is pursuing a partnership with the Navy to replace that housing, and is awaiting a report from military consultants about potential uses for that land. That report is expected around May.
