U.S. OFFICIAL STATES THAT HEGSETH DIDN'T REQUEST $137,000 FOR MILITARY HOUSING UPGRADES
It has been confirmed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not request more than $137,000 in repairs and upgrades to military housing at Fort McNair. This has been confirmed by a U.S. official who is familiar with the work order. According to this official, the Army undertook the repairs on its own. This is because the home is over 100 years old, was vacant for a year, and needed significant security upgrades. The cost of the repairs surfaced in a Jan. 30 notification to Congress from the Army.
Hegseth Didn't Request the $137,000 in Repairs for Military Family Housing
The cost of the repairs, including the $50,000 "emergency" paint job, caused several politicians to ask for more clarity on why so much funding was needed.
In a letter, Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), both members of the House Appropriations Committee, wrote the following:
"We know that many service members and their families currently live in unacceptable housing conditions including houses with mold, lead paint, and other hazards. What commitment will you make to provide service members with a similarly high quality of housing for themselves and their families?"
Laws and Procedures
Defense Secretaries have lived in military housing before, although most do so through private housing options.
However, there are precedents set, and even regulations to help guide such decisions.
This includes legislation requiring Congress to receive notification on maintenance and repairs for certain people involved with the military if it’s going to cost over $35,000—§2831. military family housing management account.
Longstanding Problems for Service Members
The Army chose the home on Fort McNair for Hegseth based on availability. It has been confirmed that Hegseth didn't seek the repairs, but many were necessary for security purposes. This is not a new finding, as service members have complained about deplorable housing conditions for years.
Not only have many politicians, service members, groups, and news outlets advocated for a quicker, more effective manner of improving military housing, but the shift to more privatized options hasn’t helped.
There remain issues in private military housing options with harmful mold, and infestations, and even when repairs are made, they aren’t quality.
Service members living in barracks face similar issues, creating unsafe conditions for warfighters and their families.
Hegseth's predecessor, Lloyd Austin instead elected to live in a private residence that he purchased.
Related to the housing concerns, the Army released the following statement saying it, "performs routine maintenance and repairs to all residences between tenants to meet occupancy standards, regardless of rank and position. Historic homes typically have higher costs due to their size and the intricate details associated with the era they were constructed."
Hegseth is Not the First Defense Secretary to Live in Military Housing
The first Defense Secretary to live in military housing was Bob Gates. While calling a Navy residence his home in D.C., Gates was paying over $6,500 in rent.
This is a stark figure and much more than what officers were paying while making use of their basic allowance for housing (BAH).
Still, not everyone goes that route, with Hegseth’s successor, Lloyd Austin, living in a multimillion-dollar home in Virginia.
Regardless, lawmakers are questioning the circumstances surrounding where Hegseth will live, how much he’ll pay, and what repairs are needed.
There is legislation mandating that if a defense secretary lives in military housing, rent must be 105% of a Four-Star General’s BAH. A law was created in an effort to cut security costs and reduce public disruptions.
This housing development shines a light on a greater issue related to deteriorated military on-base housing across the U.S. base housing constituents to be plagued by mold, lack of timely repairs, and aged infrastructure hindering service members' quality of life. This incident places greater pressure on Hegseth to tackle the housing issues plaguing several bases.
On a related note, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz released a statement stating, "We look forward to the Secretary's answers to all our housing and rental cost questions and welcome a firm commitment to help service members who live with mold and rodents to get the same, swift housing treatment that he did."
Suggested reads:
SHARE:
TAGS:
JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
Get the latest news and military discounts
