Warren Sounds the Alarm on DoD Privatization of Military Barracks, Warns of Substandard Housing Conditions for Servicemembers

Warren Sounds the Alarm on DoD Privatization of Military Barracks, Warns of Substandard Housing Conditions for Servicemembers

Servicemembers in privatized housing have experienced housing problems from black mold to rodent infestations to damaged plumbing.

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pressed Secretary of the Department of Defense (DoD) Pete Hegseth for answers about the potential privatization of military barracks, given the long history of substandard conditions and exploitative practices by providers of privatized military family housing.

For decades, private military housing providers have imposed rising housing costs, and failed to address complaints about maintenance increased health hazards by military families. Now, reports indicate that the Army is considering a significant expansion of privatized barracks.

"DoD should move cautiously with this initiative and ensure that servicemembers are protected from the abusive practices of private military housing providers," wrote Senator Warren.

Detailed investigations by Senator Warren have revealed how the privatization of military housing has "failed." It was supposed to cut costs and increase housing quality. Instead, military families in privatized housing have reported troubling conditions, including black mold, rodents, insect infestations, lead paint, damaged plumbing, and ineffective HVAC units. Additionally, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that privatization "is ultimately more expensive than traditional military construction and management."

One major cause of these ongoing problems is that DoD is locked into restrictive, decades-long agreements with private housing providers. These agreements often include 50-year leases that the DoD claims it cannotchange despite ongoing housing problems facing servicemembers and their families. Even more troubling, privatized barracks may result in commanders relinquishing their authority to fulfill a critical command responsibility: protecting the well-being of their troops through health and welfare inspections.

"This is not a partisan issue. Members on both sides of the aisle continue to share concerns about the state of privatized military housing," concluded Senator Warren. "If DoD moves forward with a plan to fully privatize barracks, it must not repeat the same mistakes made when privatizing military family housing."

Senator Warren pressed for answers by October 14 on the privatization pilot program in Fort Irwin, CA, the expansion of privatized housing to other military services, and DoD's plans for tenant protection and oversight.

Senator Warren has consistently fought for better living standards for military families.

• On April 8, 2025, Senator Warren pressured Trump's nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment, Dale Marks, to commit to holding private military landlords accountable for housing violations.
• On February 4, 2025, Senators Warren and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.)urged the Department of Defense to investigate whether landlords were utilizing RealPage's software to artificially raise rents for military families.
• On December 12, 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) reintroduced the Military Housing Oversight and Service Member Protection Act that would overhaul our privatized military housing system.
• On September 27, 2024, Senators Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced the Restore Military Families' Voice Act, which would prevent private military housing companies from forcing non-disclosure agreements on military families.
• On April 19, 2024, Senator Warren questioned Army Secretary Christine Wormuth over military housing availability and the impact of non-disclosure agreements between private military housing companies and military families.
• On May 1, 2019, Senator Warren released the findings of a 3-month investigation into the housing conditions of privatized military residences.

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