Thousands of families living in military-provided housing in Connecticut and other parts of the country suffer from unsafe living conditions, according to Sen. Richard Blumenthal.
Blumenthal is co-sponsor of the bipartisan Military Occupancy Living Defense (MOLD) Act.
It would establish new, enforceable health standards for military housing. The bill mandates independent inspections, and requires transparency in reporting health and safety threats, such as mold.
“Our men and women in uniform, when they're deployed, can't be effective if they are constantly worried about their families at home getting sick, missing school, even going to the hospital because of the respiratory illness, the rashes, the developmental delays, all of the effects of water damage, mold, insects, asbestos,” Blumenthal said. “This kind of basic protection is long overdue.”
Blumenthal said he’s witnessed moldy housing conditions for military families in Groton, where there is a naval submarine base. He wants to prevent it from happening again. The MOLD Act would impact the 1,500 housing units at Connecticut’s sub base, according to Blumenthal’s office.
Nationwide, about 700,000 servicemembers and their families are affected by hazardous conditions in military-provided housing, Blumenthal said.
While the military isn’t running the housing, it still has a responsibility, Blumenthal said.
“It has an obligation, as well as an interest in making sure our service men and women and their families are respected by private landlords,” Blumenthal said. “They're under contract. They're making money. They're not providing the service that they have an obligation to provide.”
The MOLD Act would require Department of Defense (DOD) requirements for acceptable levels of humidity, a dedicated DOD oversight office and third party inspections when new tenants move in or when complaints are filed. A 24/7 hotline would also become available for resident concerns and reporting.
Contracted landlords would face penalties for noncompliance, including withholding fees and allowing tenants to retain their Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), which provides uniformed service members equitable housing compensation.
The bill has bipartisan support, including from MOLD Act co-sponsor
Republican Rep. James Moylan, representing Guam, where the conditions are especially conducive to mold.
“For too long, military families have been forced to live with mold, moisture, and unresolved health hazards in housing they were promised would be safe,” Moylan said. “The MOLD Act finally establishes enforceable standards, independent inspections, and real accountability for contractors who fail our servicemembers. Living in a Pacific region where extreme weather and humidity are a constant reality, I know these risks cannot be ignored.”
