Letter to the Hon. Ryan McCarthy, Acting Secretary of The Army - with Quality & Health Questions Plaguing Private Housing at Ny Bases Like West Point, Schumer Launches Multi-Tiered Effort to Clean up Conditions for Our Troops & Their Families and Immediately Increase Oversight & Regulations; Senator Says Nation's Heroes Deserve Best Housing Possible

Letter

Dear Acting Secretary McCarthy:

I write to request that you take immediate action in response to the ongoing housing crisis, which currently impacts hundreds of New York military families throughout the state. I am confident that ensuring the safety and health of service members and their families remains your top priority, and I strongly urge you to take steps to rebuild trust within our communities.

First, I request that you publicly support the provisions in the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that directly address the ongoing military housing crisis. Both the Senate and House of Representatives have put forth numerous proposals that would strengthen oversight and accountability of privatized housing partners, including a tenant bill of rights and a dispute resolution process. Furthermore, the bill would authorize additional funding for the Army to hire new housing staff across all of its installations. Despite the urgent need for these reforms, the Department of Defense has appealed and opposed the vast majority of Congressional proposals. Nonetheless, I hope that the Army will voice its strong support for these provisions as the NDAA advances through the legislative process.

Second, I request that you expedite the release of the Army Inspector General report on privatized housing so that Congress can properly and effectively conduct its oversight responsibilities. I have been made aware that the Inspector General has completed its investigation, but that the report still requires your approval before its release. Furthermore, it has come to my attention that the Army plans to publish this report "For Official Use Only" (FOUO), which means that it will not be releasable to the public. I urge you to reassess the Army's position on this matter and, if appropriate, submit the Army IG report in a publicly-releasable format. Military families have a right to know the extent of the problems they are facing in their own homes and communities.

Finally, I request that you provide a briefing to Congress on the Army's plan to address allegations of fraudulent practices in the military housing program, which have recently emerged indicating that privatized housing partners may have falsified work orders for financial gain. This practice is unacceptable and must be thoroughly investigated. I urge you to look into this issue across all 34 Army privatized housing projects and take appropriate actions, including the suspension of paying incentive fees to privatized housing partners, if deemed necessary.

Our service members deployed abroad deserve to know that their families are safe at home. I encourage you act swiftly to address these problems with the Army housing program before they get worse.

Thank you for your consideration of my requests. I look forward to your timely response.

Sincerely,

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