Sebille Manor units, built in the 1960s at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, were gutted down to their concrete shells for renovation. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)
KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa — Residents of 27 recently renovated homes at this air base must find new housing by the end of February due to “potential health risks” from leaky air conditioning systems, according to a base spokeswoman.
Families living in Sebille Manor units 5300 to 5354 received a memo recommending they relocate by Feb. 28 to address potential health risks, according to a statement posted Friday on the official Okinawa Military Family Housing Facebook page. The duplexes are on Kadena near Bob Hope Elementary School.
The issue is related to a flaw in the units’ air conditioning systems, which causes moisture buildup inside the homes, 18th Wing spokeswoman Maj. Alli Stormer wrote in an email Friday.
The 718th Civil Engineer Squadron discovered the issue in September and planned “in-depth visual inspections and air sampling of potentially impacted facilities,” the wing said at the time.
“Originally, there were no concerns for people with no underlying health issues,” Stormer wrote Friday. “However, now that we understand the timelines better, we are concerned about long-term exposure, which is influencing our requirement for residents to move.”
The wing said in September that no black mold had been discovered in the homes so far. Stormer did not elaborate on whether black mold had since been discovered.
The wing acknowledged follow-up questions emailed by Stars and Stripes on Monday but did not immediately provide responses.
Families were given the option to move on or off base at the government’s expense and are “strongly encouraged” to move out by Feb. 28, Stormer wrote.
However, extensions until June 20 will be considered “on a case-by-case basis” contingent upon reviews of families’ medical records by the 18th Medical Group “to determine if any member of the family is at increased risk due to existing conditions,” Stormer wrote.
On March 27, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Japanese contractors completed renovations at Sebille Manor on 50 duplexes, or 100 housing units, for junior enlisted airmen. Move-ins began in July and 27 homes are occupied. The renovation project took three years and cost $53 million.
Since the issue was discovered in September, “no families have moved into or been offered the affected homes,” Stormer wrote.
The wing is working with the Army Corps of Engineers on “solutions and timelines,” with an expected completion date between one and three years, Stormer said.
More than 43% of military family housing units on Okinawa “require major repair and or renovations to bring these units to current Air Force Standards,” the wing said in an Oct. 29 news release. This has led to a housing shortage for military families on the island and caused wait periods for housing to “exceed the normal 10-day window for assignment,” the release said.
Families relocating from Sebille Manor will receive top priority from the Kadena Housing Office, according to Stormer.
“The 18th Wing will do everything possible to help families through the transition,” she wrote.
Wing commander Brig. Gen. Nicholas Evans and Chief Master Sgt. Brandon Wolfgang will host a forum for families living in the affected homes at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Morrell Room at the Rocker Enlisted Club. Civil engineers and medical experts will also attend, Stormer wrote.
Residents should call DSN 634-4663 or email kadenahousing.customerservice@us.af.mil for more information.
The Sebille Manor units, built in the 1960s, were gutted down to their concrete shells for the renovation. They now feature modern flooring, countertops, tile, bathrooms and new appliances.
