Leaders of the major military branches are about to go public with details of a plan for a joint tenant “bill of rights” for military service members and their families to address widespread complaints.
The military has faced sharp criticism from families of service members who have complained of mold, unsafe drinking water, electrical problems, heating issues and overpriced units in privately-run military housing complexes.
According to an Air Force spokesperson, the bill of rights, to be detailed in a congressional hearing Thursday “is intended to increase the accountability of privatized housing companies by putting more oversight authority in the hands of local military leaders.”
The military established privatized housing over two decades ago in an attempt to improve living conditions.
“All three service secretaries have seen first-hand and reviewed problems in housing units, and the Tenant Bill of Rights is intended to help remedy them by both protecting and empowering service members and their families,” the Defense Department said in a statement Wednesday.
Secretaries of the Army, Air Force, and Navy will field questions before the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday, nearly a month after military families told the panel of sub-par conditions and health problems linked to living in privatized military housing. They say the bill of rights will be implemented in the coming weeks.
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