Fla. reps condemn Belfour-Tyndall

PANAMA CITY – After touring hurricane-damaged housing aboard Tyndall AFB, Fla., on Jan. 23, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) called the situation “catastrophic.” An effort to rebuild more than 600 single-family units is being paralyzed by a dispute between defense contractor Balfour Beatty Communities and one of its biggest creditors. Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis condemned the developer, in a media release, for their actions and for providing unclear answers to his staff. “I have reached out to company executives and they have refused to provide any written explanation as to why they have catastrophically failed this community,” Patronis is quoted in the media release. He drew a line in the sand telling Balfour to begin repairs immediately “or be held in breach of contract.” Balfour is one of the nation’s largest residential housing managers with more than 50,000 units in its portfolio; and developed Tyndall’s housing under a lease with the Air Force. A Balfour representative has said the firm has arranged a meeting with Sen. Rubio to discuss Tyndall. (Source: News Herald 01/24/19) Balfour also has privatized military housing at 55 AF, Army, and Navy bases through the Military Housing Privatization Initiative. Among some Gulf Coast bases using Balfour housing include NAS Pensacola and Whiting Field, Fla.; and NAS Meridian, Miss.