I-TEAM: Problems at Fort Gordon's military housing has Rep. Rick Allen's attention

Friday, Nov. 8, 2019

News 12 at 6 O’Clock/NBC at 7

AUGUSTA, GA (WRDW/WAGT) -- An I-Team investigation into military housing has the attention of a U.S. congressman.

Rep. Rick Allen spent some time at Fort Gordon this week, and he asked leaders there about some of the issues.

Congressman Allen said he's impressed with how Fort Gordon responded, and it seems the timing of this was not lost on him.

Cyber-security is an ever-changing landscape that continues to change Augusta's skyline, but the boom isn't just downtown.

"I have great news,” Allen said, “We think in June, we're going to move General Fogherty down -- who's head of cyber command, along with about 900 people. The Whitelaw building will be occupied at that point in time."

Those 900 people are going to need a place to live.

"Looking back, I wish that we would have lived anywhere else,” said Adrienne Yakuboff.

For months, our I-Team looked at complaints of mold, bugs and other safety issues. The Garrison Commander himself addressed it, taking us on a driving tour of all eight neighborhoods and encouraging soldiers with problems to speak up.

Three months after our interview, sources tell us things are much better. Congressman Allen also asked about it this week.

"Right now, they're doing an amazing job of addressing any issue any family has on this base, as far as far as the current housing situation,” Allen said.

But he admits the homes themselves need improvement and more funding. But as the owner of a local construction company, the Congressman knows families should be able to find somewhere outside the gate.

Still, he says, he hopes things will get better inside the gate, too.

"With our quality of living here, and with the housing that we have available, we're in great shape from that standpoint, but obviously we're working on it."

A big key to all this, of course, is money. The fiscal year ended in October, but Congress couldn't come to an agreement, so leaders passed a short-term spending bill. That expires Nov. 21.