Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, including Maine Sen. Angus King, are criticizing the oversight of private housing on military bases, which they say is poorly maintained.
King said contractors must be held accountable for failing to supply adequate housing to military families. "I can’t believe the basic requirement of that contract wasn’t safe and healthy habitable units.”
King says contractors need to uphold certain standards for safe housing. “Assign somebody who is in charge of this and hold them accountable," he said. "I don’t know whether it can be one person at every base or somebody in the department.”
Military families say they do not have the support of base commanders or other higher officials to get problems fixed. They say even when repairs are made, they are often shoddy and fail to address the issues that, in some cases, have created health risks.
