Survey outlines Fort Carson housing issues: maintenance, filth, mold

Nearly two-thirds of military families living on Fort Carson say they’re dealing with maintenance issues, and almost a third say they have to deal with filth, structural concerns, and mold.

That’s according to a survey report released Wednesday by the Military Family Advisory Network.

MFAN surveyed more than 15,000 military families eligible for privatized housing who live at more than 160 military installations across the nation. ( Full report )

The non-profit group received 147 responses from Fort Carson. On a satisfaction scale of one to five, with one being very negative and five being very positive, the average for Fort Carson was 2.122.

Here’s a breakdown of the issues reported by military families at Fort Carson and the percentage of families dealing with that issue:

Maintenance, repairs, or remediation 63% Filth in homes 31% Poor quality materials 31% Structural concerns 29% Mold 28% Dilapidated and outdated 28% Plumbing and leaks 24% Pest infestation, rodents 22% Management 21% Basic Allowance for Housing 19% Appliance replacement 17% Fee disputes 17% Climate control 16% Landscaping 12% Praise 11% Weather damage 11% Environmental illness 9% Too small 9% Long waitlists 8% Pest infestation, insects 7% Rank issues 6% Disrespectful Management 5% Move out issues 5% Playgrounds unsafe 4% Fire hazards 4% Utility fee issues 4% Asbestos 3% Faulty wiring and outlets 3% Lead 3% Lied to by management 3% Paid out of pocket 3% Security 3% Unspecified poor experiences 3% Rules not enforced 2% Excessive power outages 1% Lack of management oversight 1% Management only cares about money 1% Management reprisals, evictions 1% Management reprisals, career repercussions 1% Natural gas leaks 1% No previous disclosure of home issues 1% ADA needs / EFMP 1

According to the survey, 93% of the survey respondents live in privatized housing managed by six companies. About 99% of all housing for families living on military installations is owned and operated by private companies.

Housing on Fort Carson is managed by Balfour Beatty Communities. Several months ago, the Mountain Post hosted a town hall meeting to discuss housing issues in the community.

Congress in 1996 passed the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, which led to the near-complete privatization of on-base military housing. It also enables the Department of Defense to provide military housing through direct loans, loan guarantees, and equity investments, according to a release from MFAN.

If you live on post at Fort Carson and have experienced those issues, send us a tip at krdonews@krdo.com.