Senators urge closer eye on military housing

[unhappycamper]

Senators urge closer eye on military housing
By Ben Evans - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Nov 29, 2007 19:39:02 EST

Two U.S. senators want the Pentagon to tighten its oversight of private housing construction on military bases, citing delays at four Air Force projects that could keep thousands of military families out of new homes for years.

Sens. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and Mark Pryor, D-Ark., said they plan to introduce legislation next month aimed at holding contractors more accountable for the kind of problems that have plagued bases in their states and in Florida and Massachusetts.

“We are simply not in a position to provide quality housing,” Chambliss said Wednesday in a conference call with reporters after visiting Moody Air Force Base, Ga. “That’s simply wrong and it should never have happened.”

Carabetta Enterprises of Meriden, Conn., is behind the stalled projects at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.; Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.; Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.; and Georgia’s Moody. The company partnered with Shaw Group Inc., a large development firm based in Baton Rouge, La., for most of the work.

The companies were awarded contracts to build and renovate thousands of houses. But after repeated delays and cost overruns, only a fraction of the units have been completed. The Air Force said the contracts are in default and is trying to find another developer to finish the projects.

The Senate already has passed legislation calling for an investigation into the contracts.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/11/ap_housing_071129/

[saigon68]

1. Repuke insider Thieves swilling at the public trough

Amazing this has been going on for decades.

I can't wait to see what the net turns up.

Ie who negotiated the contacts-- who gave the campaign contributions?