JBLM families file lawsuit over toxic mold

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — Melissa Godoy and a total of 51 Joint Base Lewis-McChord family members have filed a lawsuit in Pierce County Superior Court.

It’s against the private company, Lincoln Military Housing, that manages the housing on the base.

Godoy said all of their lives have been disrupted. She had to move to a house off base for the health of her and her children.

“This is a serious injustice for our service members. To the point that they’re suing,” she said.

Filed in Pierce County Court, the lawsuit alleges that the defendants “acted or failed to act” and take care of “microbial and mycological contaminations.”

“My life was disrupted for an entire year, sick in bed with chronic infections.”

Army Spouse Chelsea Johnson is also part of the lawsuit.

Two years ago, she told us her daughter suffered rashes from the mold.

“I’m disgusted. My husband’s out fighting for our country, spending months upon end away from his family, and he comes home to a home that’s not even livable,” Johnson said.

Since then, Lincoln Military Housing has posted a video of its newly remodeled JBLM Homes.

“In the summer of 2020, Lincoln Military Housing commenced an extensive multiyear program to renovate the interiors of our homes,” the narration says.

The company didn’t respond to an email seeking comment.

Godoy isn’t having it. “If all their homes were like that, then none of us would be suing. So that’s a lie.”

She showed us pictures another JBLM spouse sent her just today showing mold in the attic of a house.

“That’s what they did to us. And they’re going to pay for that,” Godoy said.

The lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in May of next year.

Cox Media Group