FORT HOOD, Texas — Fort Hood families met with post leadership in a town hall focused on housing issues on August 29, 2019. Lt. Gen. Pat White told families unequivocally that Fort Hood was going to get to work on the issue.
“There are seven villages with the same complaint. This has been eight months. I'm a new commander here and have been here 60 days, but I own this. We are going to get after it," Lt. Gen White said.
White also spoke to families about how to get issues dealt with and said the best option was to take the issue to their chain of command.
"If you are a private, you have a squadron. That squad leader has a sergeant, that sergeant has a platoon leader," White said.
But ten months after that meeting a lawsuit against Fort Hood Family Housing, the private company that leases homes on post, has proven two things. Fort Hood does not "own" the issues with it's housing, and the chain of command has proven ineffective for some families.
Fort Hood's housing was privatized in 2001 under the Residential Communities Initiative (RCI) program. It is handled by Fort Hood Family Housing LP, FHFH, Inc., its general partner, and their parent company Lend Lease US Public Partnerships LLC.
According to the Fort Hood press office, Lend Lease is the "majority" partner and there has control of Fort Hood Family Housing as a private business. The Army is a "minority" partner with Fort Hood Family Housing and does not.
Fort Hood has no control over this arraignment.
Military spouse Emilee Smith told 6 News she took her housing issues up the chain of command after her family was displaced from their original home due to mold and then found mold in the units Fort Hood Family Housing moved them too as well.
Smith got her complaints all the way to Deputy Commander Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt and asked that Fort Hood Family Housing pay for the furniture, clothing, and health issues caused by the mold. She said they couldn't help her.
"We escalated all the way up to the deputy commanding general," Smith said. "As a 49 percent partner their hands are tied and they cannot force a resolution."
Smith was able to show 6 News a letter from Efflant that stated, "Although the Army has a partnership with Lendlease, it remains a private company and the Army lacks the authority to direct them to settle your claims."
Smith is now suing Fort Hood Family Housing.
Sarah Kiernan found out their was mold in her housing unit when one of boys fell though a soggy wall in 2019, according to the lawsuit. Kiernan said Fort Hood Family Housing had the home tested for mold and it was difficult to get a copy of the report afterwards. She said she took the issue as far as possible up the chain of command as well.
"We met with General White, a three star at III Corps," Kiernan said. "We herd a lot of the same stuff. There wasn't a lot they could do. Their hands were tied. They were asking me if I had copies of my mold report. They couldn't get it from housing. If a three star general can't make a change, who do we go to?"
Kiernan said her family was eventually transferred to another Army base in Tennessee because there was no safe home for her family to move into. The Kiernan family is now also suing Fort Hood Family Housing.
6 News has asked Fort Hood's press office to clarify what authority Fort Hood leadership has over housing conditions since Monday afternoon. As of Tuesday night, 6 News has only received the following statement:
"Fort Hood officials are aware of the lawsuit against Fort Hood Family Housing LP, FHFH, Inc., its general partner, and their parent company Lend Lease US Public Partnerships LLC. Fort Hood Family Housing (FHFH) is an LLC registered in the state of Texas, with Lend Lease as the majority (controlling) partner and the Army as the minority. Privatization of Fort Hood's family housing was approved by the Army in 2001 under the Residential Communities Initiative (RCI) program. - Tom Rheinlander, Director, Fort Hood Public Affairs."
6 News spoke to several military spouses who have joined the lawsuit against Fort Hood Family Housing Monday. The spouses said the meetings held at Fort Hood concerning housing gave them a false sense of hope, and the lack of housing oversight on Fort Hood is frightening.
"It's scary that there is not more accountability and authority to insure that leadership has the power to insure the safety of their service members," Smith said.
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