FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (KMOX) — The Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing last week to investigate growing problems in the military housing privatization program, which includes more than 200,000 homes managed by private contractors on military bases across the country.
CBS' Chip Reid spoke to Shannon Raszadin, a Navy wife who collected complaints from 7,000 tenants across the nation through her group, ''military family advisory network." She says they shared stories of black mold, lead paint, rats, roaches and bats.
Following the hearing, a town hall meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday night on Fort Leonard Wood to get feedback on the experience of Army families and soldiers in base housing there.
The housing on the post was privatized in 2005 with more than 500 renovated homes including single family and duplex units with three and four bedrooms and two car garages.
Pennslyvania-based Balfour Beatty, according to its website, is the nation's largest provider of military family housing with properties on 55 Army, Navy and Air Force installations across the county.
Senior members of the company will attend the town hall along with the base senior commander. A spokeswoman says they want to make sure residents understand their rights as tenants in privatized housing, how to report concerns and receive prompt action and what to do if they feel a complaint is unresolved.