SAN ANTONIO — Today—a federal trial begins as military families sued to hold a property management company accountable for the mold, water damage, and pest infestations that weren’t addressed.
US Army Lt. Col. Shane Vinales and his wife Becky, along with several other families, are suing the AETC II Privatized Housing, also known as Hunt Military Communities. The company managed housing at JBSA-Randolph and Laughlin Air Force Base.
In 2019, KENS 5 shared what families were experiencing, including mold, water damage, and health hazards they dealt with for years. Attorneys for the plaintiff allege those problems were “exacerbated by substandard service,” said attorney Ryan Reid.
“The landlord responded to each and every maintenance complaint with diligent effort,” defense attorneys argued before the jury.
Plaintiffs said the Vinales family noted they had a moldy-smelling carpet “from day one” but defense attorneys say Hunt maintenance staff were not notified of the issue until 18 months later.
“We can’t fix what the Vinales’ haven’t told us about," defense attorney Walter Boone told the jury.
Families who live there say it has left their children’s health at risk. Hunt has previously stated they believe the lawsuit is without merit.
On Monday, a jury of seven women and eight men were selected while opening arguments began.
The charges brought against Hunt are specifically related to a breach of contract, but don’t discuss any of the health issues that families say they’ve experienced. A judge told the jury they expect it to take 10 to 12 days to resolve the case.
A statement from a Hunt Military Communities spokesperson says: Hunt Military Communities is committed to providing affordable and well-maintained housing to active military members and their families. We have a rigorous process to address maintenance-related concerns and provide ongoing training for our staff to quickly assess and remediate any issues. We intend to vigorously defend the company against these claims.