Lawsuit Filed By Ft. Meade Families Claim Base Houses Have Mold

FORT MEADE, MD — The company that manages all on-base housing at Fort Meade is being sued by 10 families residing there who accuse Corvias Management of gross negligence, fraud and breach of contract in the lawsuit. According to the suit filed in federal court this week, the families claim the company has exposed service members and their families to “rampant mold infestation,” which resulted in “serious health issues” and damage to and loss of personal property.

Corvias Management currently has a 50-year contract to manage more than 500 homes at Fort Meade, according to WUSA9. The lawsuit also claims that Corvias was aware that there is a "pervasive problem with mold" in the home because multiple requests for maintenance were made, but predominately ignored.

“Repair efforts, when made, have been substandard and slipshod attempts at cosmetic fixes that have not resolved the problems. All the while, defendants have collected the full amount of the service members’ housing allowances, preventing them from moving off-base," documents stated.

Congressman Anthony G. Brown (MD-04) commented on the living conditions brought to light by the lawsuit in a statement.

“The living conditions described by these military families are outrageous and completely unacceptable. For months, families have been sounding the alarm on health and safety hazards in private base housing. These problems persist today due to negligence, no sense of urgency and a lack of oversight. Our troops and their families deserve better," he said. "We task the men and women in our armed services with missions critical to the safety and security of this country. The last thing they should have to worry about is whether their children and spouses are getting sick from mold in rundown homes."

In Congress, I continue to seek the establishment of a tenants’ bill of rights which would require assessments of home safety and prohibit the use of non-disclosure agreements. Additionally, I’ve sought to empower base commanders to conduct inspections on behalf of their service members and require the Inspector General to fully audit private military housing.
We can and must do better - it is our duty to do so.”