Defending the Families Who Defend Us
Every military family deserves a safe home. Together, we can make it happen.
The Safe Military Housing Survey Report
Between October 6–27, 2025, Change the Air Foundation conducted The Safe Military Housing Survey—one of the most comprehensive independent assessments of living conditions on U.S. military bases. Our goal was straightforward: to gather trusted, unbiased data showing how today’s military housing conditions affect mission readiness, influence retention, and—most importantly—impact the health and safety of service members and their families. We set out to capture the true scope of the housing crisis so we could deliver these findings directly to lawmakers and government officials.
A total of 3,401 service members and families from 57 military installations across 30 states and the District of Columbia completed the survey. Untold Research provided an independent analysis and authored the final report, “Unsafe and Unheard: Military Service Members and Their Families Sound Off on Dangerous Living Conditions”
The results reveal a force-wide crisis affecting both the health of military families and the readiness of the U.S. Armed Forces. The widespread presence of hazardous conditions combined with unresolved maintenance issues, declining physical, mental, and cognitive health of our service members and their families demonstrates that the current systems and policies in place are neither effective nor acceptable.
"The Hidden Enemy"
For thousands of military families, the problem isn’t overseas.
It’s hiding in their homes.
Change the Air For
Military Housing
Stay In the Fight For Military Families
The Issue: Unsafe Homes for Our Defenders
Across the country, military families are living in homes that are falling apart around them. Mold grows in children’s bedrooms. Water is contaminated. Ceilings contain asbestos and walls hide lead. Families experience rashes, headaches, vision loss, respiratory disease, seizures, and even lifelong diagnoses, all because they chose to live on a military installation.
Most Americans don’t realize military housing is no longer government-run. More than 99% is privatized and controlled by third-party companies in a 50-year contract with the government, yet often fail to meet even basic standards of safety. When families get sick or raise concerns, they are too often ignored, or forced to sign non-disclosure agreements just to receive help. Unlike civilian renters, outdated federal laws block military families from having the same legal protections as the neighbors they serve beside.
This is not just a housing issue. It is a readiness issue, a recruitment issue, and a national security issue.
Source: Leyenaar, J., Lanning, J., Romano, C., Goodman, D., Schaefer, A., Taylor, J., Bukowinski, A., Gumbs, G., Perkins, E., Lutgendorf, M., O'Maelly, J., Conlin, A. M., & Hall, C. (2025). Incidence of Medical Complexity in Military-Connected Children. Pediatrics, 155(5), e2024069653. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2024-069653
How Change the Air Foundation Is Advocating for Change
Change the Air Foundation is standing with military families to ensure their voices are heard and their rights are restored. We are:
This is a historic, bipartisan moment. Leaders from both parties are coming together to defend the families who defend us—and Change the Air Foundation is here to make sure those reforms deliver real change.
Change the Air Foundation staff and volunteers took six trips in 2025 to Washington D.C., meeting with both Republican and Democrat offices.
Military spouses Erica Thompson and Jackie Talarico, joined by their children, met with lawmakers to advocate for safer housing conditions for military families.
In Washington, D.C., we met with more than 75 offices to educate officials on toxic exposures in military housing and advocate for NDAA amendments.
Our Policy Work In Action
Bill Proposal Overview
In January 2026, a historic bipartisan bill was introduced to address long-standing mold and water damage issues in privatized military housing. Known as the Military Occupancy Living Defense, or MOLD Act, this legislation directly confronts systemic failures that have left military families living in unhealthy and sometimes dangerous indoor environments.
For years, families have reported recurring leaks, visible mold growth, poor inspections, failed remediation attempts, and a lack of transparency or accountability from housing providers. The MOLD Act represents a long-overdue shift toward enforceable standards, independent oversight, and meaningful protections for those who serve our nation.
Our Leadership In Advancing This Bill
The MOLD Act did not happen by chance.
The tireless efforts of our staff, volunteers, and supporters helped bring this bill to life. After collecting extensive military housing survey data and documenting firsthand accounts from affected families, we worked directly with congressional offices to help draft and shape the legislation.
Over countless hours and repeated trips to Washington, D.C., we provided data, technical expertise in mold and water damage, and policy recommendations grounded in best practices for public health. Our goal was clear: ensure that military families are protected by independent inspections, transparent reporting, and nationally recognized remediation standards.
This legislation reflects the voices of families who refused to stay silent and the persistence of advocates committed to systemic reform.
What the Bill Does
The MOLD Act establishes critical protections designed to prevent families from being trapped in unhealthy housing conditions and to create real accountability within the system.
Key Protections In the MOLD Act:
Mandatory independent inspections—not by housing companies, but by certified third-party professionals
Full transparency of inspection results and housing history for every military family
30-day timeframe for mandatory relocation or remediation when a home fails inspection
Certified mold professionals only—using nationally recognized ANSI/IICRC S520 standard
Public annual reporting on mold complaints, failed inspections, remediation timelines & relocations
Press Conference
Watch the full press conference
The introduction of the MOLD Act was marked by a powerful press conference featuring leaders and families who helped bring this issue to light. We are especially proud that representatives from Change the Air Foundation took the podium: Erica Thompson and Brandon Chappo.
We also extend our deepest gratitude to the Thompson family, Talarico family, and Cato family. Your courage in standing publicly, sharing your stories, and supporting this effort made it clear that this legislation is not about politics, but about protecting families.
Next Steps: In Committee
The MOLD Act has been introduced in both the House and Senate, but it has not yet become law. As it moves through Armed Services Committee review, Change the Air Foundation will stay fully engaged every step of the way. This is just the beginning, and we are committed to seeing the MOLD Act become law so that every military family can finally have a home free of microbial growth and water damage.
Your support makes this work possible. Every action, every share, every voice helps ensure that families are heard and protected. Thank you for standing with us and with the families who deserve safe, healthy homes.
Amendment Overview:
In December 2025, a landmark provision was passed into law as part of the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) — the Bergman Amendment — setting a historic precedent for safe indoor air in all military housing, facilities and Department of Defense real property. For the first time, all branches of the military are now required to follow uniform mold remediation guidelines aligned with the ANSI/IICRC S520 industry standard of care.
This law formally recognizes what military families have long known: mold is a public health issue, not a maintenance or cosmetic problem. The Bergman Amendment changes that, creating a consistent, science-based approach to mold remediation across all military housing and facilities.
Our Leadership In Advancing This Bill:
The Bergman Amendment represents one of Change the Air Foundation’s greatest federal policy victories to date. Early in the process, members of Congress acknowledged the lack of reliable, independent, and in-depth data on the scope of mold and moisture in military housing. To fill that gap, we launched our landmark national survey, “Unsafe and Unheard: Military Service Members and Their Families Sound Off on Dangerous Living Conditions,” collecting thousands of firsthand accounts from military families across the country.
Armed with this data, along with our technical expertise in inspections, mold remediation and indoor air quality, our staff and volunteers spent many months working with congressional offices to shape and advocate for the amendment. Our goal was clear: ensure every branch of the military follows a uniform, science-based standard for mold remediation — something that had never existed before — and give families the protections they deserve.
What the Amendment Does
The Bergman Amendment ensures that military families can finally expect consistent protections and accountability when it comes to remediating mold and water damage. The Bergman Amendment applies not only to privatized family housing, but to all DoD real property, including barracks, schools, child development centers, medical clinics, administrative buildings, and operational facilities, requiring uniform mold remediation standards across every branch. Given that DoD oversees roughly 200,000 housing units and approximately 280,000 to 300,000 additional buildings worldwide, this amendment potentially impacts close to half a million structures and standardizes how mold is addressed across the entire military.
adopting a national standard of care for mold remediation
ensuring consistent protections for all families in military housing and DoD facilities requiring mold remediation
raising the bar for safe indoor air quality and healthier homes nationwide
Next Steps: into law on December 18th, 2025
The Bergman Amendment requires the Department of Defense to develop and implement uniform mold remediation guidelines within 180 days of enactment of the NDAA. Our Policy team at Change the Air Foundation will continue to monitor the amendment’s implementation, advocate for compliance, and push for stronger protections where gaps still remain in the current system.
Your support makes this work possible. Every voice, every share, every action helps ensure military families are heard, protected, and empowered. Thank you for standing with us.
