The nonpartisan Military Family Advisory Network has found that more than half of military members are unsatisfied with their on-base housing. Families reported unsafe housing conditions, including lead-based paint, mold, vermin, gas leaks, and faulty electrical wiring. Some families even report being exposed to asbestos.
The survey included respondents from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. Respondents lived in 46 different states. Roughly 15,000 families were surveyed. Just 16 percent of respondents reported that they had a positive view of their on-base housing.
In contrast to the survey, the Department of Defense has been trying to paint a rosy picture. One survey, for example, claimed that 90 percent of on-base tenants would recommend privatized military housing. Currently, one-third of military families live in privatized military housing. That’s good for 700,000 people in total.
While the Department of Defense has been quick to heap praise on privatization, investigations have found that privatized housing often fails to pass muster. An in-depth Reuters investigation last year reported similar problems as the survey. Military families frequently struggled to deal with vermin, mold, and shoddy workmanship. So while America’s military personnel are tasked with defending the United States and may find themselves in harm’s way in overseas conflicts, they are now at risk of being ambushed quite literally at home.
Despite the government investing millions of dollars into privatized military housing, the investigation found that housing units were quickly degrading. One company had to replace every foot of all water lines just six years after construction.
The survey was released ahead of testimonies before the Senate Armed Service Committee. Senators will hear from the Department of Defense, the CEOs of military housing companies, and military families.
