WASHINGTON — The Military On-base Living Deficiencies (MOLD) Act, introduced in the 119th Congress in early 2026, would require the Department of Defense to establish mandatory mold inspection and remediation standards for all military family housing — both government-owned and privately managed — and impose financial penalties on private housing contractors who fail to meet those standards.
The legislation responds to years of documented mold problems in military housing that have affected the health of service members and their families. Congressional investigations and media reports have revealed widespread mold contamination in military family housing managed by private contractors under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI), which transferred management of most military family housing to private companies in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The MOLD Act would require annual mold inspections of all military family housing units by certified industrial hygienists, mandate remediation within 30 days of any confirmed mold finding, establish a hotline for service members and families to report mold problems without fear of retaliation, and require private housing contractors to disclose mold inspection results to current and prospective tenants.
The legislation has bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, reflecting the broad political consensus that the mold crisis in military housing is unacceptable. Several military family advocacy organizations, including the Military Family Advisory Network and the National Military Family Association, have endorsed the bill.
For restoration contractors who work in military housing, the MOLD Act would create significant new demand for mold inspection and remediation services. Contractors who are certified under the IICRC S520 standard and who have experience working in government facilities would be well-positioned to compete for contracts under the new requirements.
