Concern letter to mil.housing’s BBC

Air Force assistant secretary for installations, environment, and energy, John Henderson, raised concerns about military housing provider Balfour Beatty Communities (BBC) in a Sept. 30 letter to the company, saying Tinker AFB, Okla., is suffering from newly discovered issues in on-base homes. The AF “recently discovered” an issue at Tinker caused by a flooring subcontractor failing to test for asbestos, Henderson wrote to BBC. This follows a July discovery at Tinker that BBC failed to construct firewalls as required in certain duplex housing units. All 292 units built by Balfour at Tinker need repairs, including 77 units that don’t meet fire safety code, according to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Inhofe’s (R-Okla.) office. Homes also suffer from mold, rodents, pests, radon gas, and other structural deficits, Inhofe’s office said in an Oct. 2 release. (Source: AF Magazine 10/03/19) BBC oversees 21 AF housing sites, plus Gulf Coast units at NAS Meridian and NCBC Gulfport, Miss.; NAS Pensacola, NAS Whiting Field, NSA Panama City, and Tyndall AFB, Fla. http://www.airforcemag.com/Features/Pages/2019/October%202019/USAF-Balfour-Beatty-Must-Do-More-to-Improve-Military-Housing-at-Tinker-Others.aspx The AF is working on numerous initiatives to address the health, safety and quality concerns of service members and their families living in privatized housing. https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1978142/air-force-joins-other-services-to-address-military-privatized-housing/