Murray has pressed DoD Secretary Austin on fixing pervasive housing issues affecting military families in Washington state, oversight of Balfour Beatty
Washington, D.C. – On Monday evening, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-05), sent a letter to Balfour Beatty Communities expressing their concerns with the state of housing for servicemembers and their families at Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) in Spokane. The members referenced troubling reports about the status of the privatized housing—which is maintained by Balfour Beatty Communities—including reports of mold on the exteriors of some homes, cracks in the foundations, housing siding falling off, chipping paint, roofs in need of replacement, and more. Noting that “previous plans have been repeatedly changed or postponed,” the Members requested an update on the timeline for a long-term recapitalization plan to fix the housing issues, as well as a short-term sustainment plan, to ensure that the housing Balfour Beatty Communities is responsible for maintaining for servicemembers and their families at Fairchild Air Force Base remains livable.
“Our servicemembers and their families sacrifice so much for our country, and we need to ensure that they have access to dependable housing,” the Members wrote. “According to the Air Force, Fairchild AFB hosts 641 Balfour Beatty maintained homes, 539 of which were constructed in the 1950s… We are concerned that these aging homes are rapidly approaching a point where they will not be fit for families living on base.”
“According to the Military Housing Office, 205 homes are currently rated below average in several areas, and without the necessary renovations, this number will undoubtedly increase,” the Members continued. “Despite these issues, Fairchild AFB has still not received a comprehensive sustainment and recapitalization plans with detailed timelines… It is our understanding that previous plans have been repeatedly changed or postponed. Without consistent and predictable investment in these communities, we are starting down a path to inadequate housing conditions. As such, we request that you provide us with a projected timeline for when Fairchild AFB should expect a comprehensive long-term recapitalization plan and short-term sustainment plan.”
“Our priority is ensuring that our servicemembers and their families have housing that they are proud to call their home,” the Members concluded.
The full text of the letter is available below and HERE.
Dear Mr. McPhillips:
We write today with great concern regarding troubling reports describing the status of the privatized housing for servicemembers at Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) in Spokane, Washington, and to request an update on the timeline for a long-term recapitalization plan and short-term sustainment plan.
Our servicemembers and their families sacrifice so much for our country, and we need to ensure that they have access to dependable housing. According to the Air Force, Fairchild AFB hosts 641 Balfour Beatty maintained homes, 539 of which were constructed in the 1950s. In the 1990s, 21 houses were added, and in the early 2000s, 81 additional houses were built. Over 10 years ago between 2008 and 2014, 546 homes on Fairchild AFB were renovated, and 14 homes have not been renovated at all since the 1990s.
We are concerned that these aging homes are rapidly approaching a point where they will not be fit for families living on base. Construction of new homes to meet the increasing needs at Fairchild AFB is slated to begin no earlier than 2029 and will only produce 200 new homes. This will leave 339 1950s-era homes in use by our servicemembers and their families. According to the Military Housing Office, 205 homes are currently rated below average in several areas, and without the necessary renovations, this number will undoubtedly increase. Despite these issues, Fairchild AFB has still not received a comprehensive sustainment and recapitalization plans with detailed timelines. We are concerned that without proactive plans, housing conditions will become unsuitable for servicemembers and their families.
We were glad to hear that Fairchild AFB and the local Balfour Beatty office have cultivated a great relationship over the duration of the partnership. Servicemembers have reported timely responses to minor maintenance repairs; however, it is crucial to address long-term housing needs before they become detrimental to servicemembers and their families. It is our understanding that previous plans have been repeatedly changed or postponed. Without consistent and predictable investment in these communities, we are starting down a path to inadequate housing conditions. As such, we request that you provide us with a projected timeline for when Fairchild AFB should expect a comprehensive long-term recapitalization plan and short-term sustainment plan.
Our priority is ensuring that our servicemembers and their families have housing that they are proud to call their home. A thorough long-term recapitalization plan and short-term sustainment plan must be done as expeditiously as possible to ensure we are supporting our servicemembers to the best of our ability. Please direct communications regarding this letter to Olivia Elkins on Senator Murray’s staff (Olivia_Elkins@murray.senate.gov) and Jackson Smith on Representative McMorris Rodgers’ staff (Jackson.Smith@mail.house.gov). Thank you again for your time and attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
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