A bipartisan proposal would give installation leaders and military families more protections against bad conditions in privatized military housing, according to Military Times.
“It is unacceptable that some military families around the country have little or no recourse when private contractors provide substandard housing,” said Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.), who introduced the legislation in the House.
The bill would seek actions against a landlord for substandard conditions, such as withholding rent pay, requiring them to pay moving costs, and blocking charges to end a lease early.
It would also create health and safety standards across the services, upgrade DOD to an electronic work order system and ask inspectors general to investigate allegations of retaliation against a service member who has reported a problem.
A similar bill has been introduced in the Senate.
The service chiefs are also working on what they call a “tenant bill of rights.”
 
Army family members at a Fort Bliss, Texas, town hall on housing last month. Army photo by David Poe