SMHI/EHD Pilot Project

Safe Military Housing Initiative (SMHI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was established by military spouses advocating for SAFE AND HABITABLE MILITARY HOMES. Our military families deserve no less. With years of data, documents, and research we brought attention to the uninhabitable, substandard living conditions affecting military families. Reuters captured our data in a Pulitzer Winning Series, “Ambushed At Home”. This same data convinced the Government Accounting Office, (GAO) that the Military Housing Privatized Initiative (MHPI) legislation was failing our families. Finally, the first of several congressional hearings took place on February 13, 2019, and for the first time triggered broad changes to the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) and the MHPI (Military Housing Privatized Initiative). Annual GAO inspections and hearings, Tenant Bill of Rights, Universal Lease, military advocate programs, infusions of funding both government and private, pathways for grievances, increased oversight, authorities and specialized personnel have all been executed. Grassroots success has been limited and even encumbered by more layers of bureaucracy, ineffective oversight due to limited authority and the failure to use diagnostic science for identifying chronic environmental conditions.

THE SMHI/EHD PILOT PROJECT

SMHI has partnered with Environmental Health Diagnostics (EHD), an independent company which includes its team of licensed certified, professional environmental scientists, industrial hygienists, physicians, and consultants (which may include biologists, toxicologists, neurologists, allergists, and analysts), to conduct assessments/diagnostics of home environments and assess environmental exposures' potential correlations to the symptoms reported by the residents. The design and scope of this project was customized specifically for our Military Families residing in Military Homes.

SMHI/EHD will produce reports on all relevant data with professional recommendations. These reports will empower participating families with the critical science-based evidence they need to determine the habitability and safety of their homes. The ultimate objective of this data is to educate and to initiate steps towards comprehensive changes to policies, procedures, practices, regulations, and legislation that will benefit the military families.