TAMPA, Fla. — A deadline of March 1 approaches to find out the full extent of mold problems at MacDill Air Force Base’s military housing.
- Military housing mold problems under scrutiny
- AFB family spoke to Bay News 9 about living conditions
- Congressman Gus Bilirakis: "It's unacceptable"
While lawmakers are pushing for protections and housing management reached out to military families.
All are in the works as more families come forward to voice their complaints of unacceptable living conditions on Tampa’s military base.
The president of Michael’s Military Housing, which holds a contract to manage units at MacDill, met with families on Thursday.
They let him know about the mold and other issues which make living on the military base a threat to their health.
Amie Norquist, the wife of a MacDill Air Force Major, spoke to Bay News 9 to describe her family’s living conditions when they first moved in.
They had moldy air vents, moldy floors and mold on walls which led to their 3-year-old daughter to get pneumonia.
The family moved out of MacDill housing in December.
Norquist says her other children have been sick and miserable because of the move into the military base housing and have had other challenges.
"The kids have had to change schools in the middle of the school year,” Norquist said. “We lost all of our furniture; we’ve lost all of our belongings. We’ve had ongoing health issues."
Another family sent us pictures of a bathroom floor caving in.
They said the management company painted over the moldy floor boards.
Tampa Bay area lawmakers are not happy.
“It's unacceptable if you ask me," said Congressman Gus Bilirakis who is the House Veterans Affairs Committee Vice Chairman.
Congressman Bilirakis wanted answers from officers on base and had a briefing with them on Thursday.
"They got an order from the Secretary of the Air Force to contact every resident, every single resident to ask the question if there is mold in their homes,” said Bilirakis. “I'd like for him to go further."
Colonel Steve Snelson told the congressman a decade’s old contract with the management company is part of the problem.
Families and officers can't look for restitution like a civilian tenant.
Norquist wants lawmakers and the management company to do more.
“Do your really feel like my family’s issues have been resolved. Do you feel like the health issues that we’ve experienced, the debt that we incurred, throwing our belongings away, would that be considered a successful resolution?” Norquist asked to housing management.
The issues at MacDill are affecting everyone regardless of rank.
Another family told Bay News 9 even the commander of CentCom, General Joseph L. Votel’s home also had mold issues.
Bilirakis said he'll push for an independent evaluation of military homes as well as legislation to protect military families who are tenants in the housing.
A recent survey of military families nationwide found more than 55% said their living conditions are causing health issues.
In that survey, the housing management company responsible for MacDill was not even part of worst three.