[ Save Sun City Center News ] Ellie’s Notes May 24, 2026

Ellie’s Notes May 24, 2026

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A Special Thank You

To say the last couple of weeks have been busy would be an understatement. And we are so grateful for all the support we received during the last month. Thank you for the great turn out at our recent events – the Informational Meeting on April 22 with the SaveSCC team and Adam Gormly and the Supporters Demonstration on La Jolla with Channel 28 on May 4.

Rick Johnson, Lorraine Mancuso and the entire SaveSCC team did a fabulous job covering for me at the April 22 meeting during an unexpected, recent hospital stay. Adam Gormly, Director of Development Services for Hillsborough County, also did a phenomenal job presenting an update from the County and addressing questions. Kudos to all, including all of you who attended!

We have some great videos from the public demonstration on La Jolla. Again, many thanks to all of you who participated and took pictures and videos. We really appreciate you sharing them.

The broadcast piece on Channel 28 finally aired on May 14, and is available by clicking here. Keely McCormick, ABC Channel 28 reporter, did an outstanding job. She  also got an important statement from Christine Miller, District 4 County Commissioner, for the Sun City Center area. Commissioner Miller stated: “Sun City Center residents have been clear: They value the character and intent of their community, and I share that commitment. I do not support development of golf course properties, and I have been consistent on that position.”

My  interview was captured by resident and Save SCC supporter Christine Rogers. That and other footage by bystanders is available by clicking here.

The article that was in the Observer last week is attached. (Reference the email distribution for the attachment.)

We also have the SaveSCC New Release regarding the April 22 and May 4 events attached. (Reference the email distribution for the attachment)

Reconstituting the SaveSCC Board

Protecting our golf courses for future recreational use only will take commitment and contribution from all  of us with our time, talent and treasure.

Previously, I wrote to you asking for help with the formation of a Legal Taskforce. We have had some high-caliber people step forward and look forward to meeting with them on June 9. The Call Out is available here for those still considering if this is a good fit for you.

We have had a good response to that ask, and today I am writing to you with a special purpose to address another immediate focus areas:

Reconstituting the SaveSCC Board

In the not-so-distant future, the leadership of SaveSCC must make some important decisions and set the agenda and game plan for our immediate future. To do that, it is essential we reconstitute the existing board that has led us since our founding four years ago. The demands of work, time and age have taken their toll on some of us, and we must prepare for the next few years of essential action.

SaveSCC needs a dedicated, structured, and energized leadership team to evaluate, plan and lead our course of action, direct outside legal counsel, manage community resources, guide our work and serve as our official voice. We are calling on passionate and dedicated residents to step forward and volunteer for potential positions on the Board of Directors.

So please think seriously about this request and whether and if you are willing and able to serve. I will be sending  Call-Out for volunteers in the near future seeking board volunteers.

A Memorial Day Message

As the nation honors the sacrifices of fallen service members this Memorial Day, thousands of active-duty military families continue to face hazardous, substandard conditions in housing managed by private corporate contractors. National advocacy surveys, independent investigations, and Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General audits have exposed severe, force-wide deficiencies in both on-base family housing and unaccompanied barracks.

Key Issues Plaguing Military Base Housing

  • Toxic Mold and Moisture Failures: A landmark survey by the Change the Air Foundation revealed that 97% of military residents reported major issues in their privatized homes, with toxic mold, mildew, and recurring water leaks cited as the most frequent and severe problems.

  • Severe Health Consequences: In that same force-wide survey, three-quarters of respondents reported that their family’s health had been negatively impacted by their housing, with nearly half receiving official medical confirmations linking their chronic illnesses (such as severe respiratory issues and neurological symptoms) directly to environmental hazards in their homes.

  • Negligent Oversight & Falsified Inspections: A comprehensive DoD Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit found that military housing offices routinely fail to properly complete mandatory Change-of-Occupancy Maintenance inspections, occasionally placing families directly into homes that possess active life, health, and safety hazards. Some private contractors have gone so far as to seal windows shut to mask aging lead-based paint, actively cutting off required ventilation.

  • The “Federal Enclave Doctrine” Loophole: Under an obscure legal loophole known as the Federal Enclave Doctrine, because military bases sit on federal land, private housing companies are largely shielded from modern state-level tenant rights, environmental regulations, and consumer protection laws. This leaves families with virtually no legal recourse or ability to sue for damages when corporate landlords refuse to fix dangerous structural issues.

  • Financial Extortion of Service Members: When homes become entirely unlivable due to contamination, military families are frequently forced to pay out-of-pocket for temporary hotel relocation, the replacement of mold-ruined personal property, and specialized medical treatments.

Legislative Action: The MOLD Act

In response to this ongoing crisis, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers introduced the Military Occupancy Living Defense (MOLD) Act.

The bill seeks to enforce independent, third-party environmental health inspections between every single tenant transition, mandate that all remediation contractors hold verified national certifications, and force private companies to pay for all relocation and property loss expenses.

However, advocates warn that without stricter statutory fines and mandatory Department of Justice intervention, private real estate empires will continue to bury families in corporate bureaucracy.

 

Contact Your Officials to Demand Accountability

The most effective way to protect these families is to pressure federal lawmakers to close the federal enclave loophole, pass the MOLD Act with aggressive enforcement penalties, and hold corporate military landlords legally accountable.

 

Federal officials for Sun City Center, Florida (ZIP code 33573) include U.S. Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, alongside U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan. Rather than direct public emails, you can contact all of them by submitting messages through their official contact web pages.

U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (Florida’s 14th Congressional District)

U.S. Senator Rick Scott

      • Contact: Send a message via his official portal at Senator Rick Scott.

      • Local Phone: (813) 225-7032

U.S. Senator Ashley Moody

Here is my email to assist you:

Urgent Accountability Request: Protect Our Military Families from Toxic Base Housing

Dear Representative Buchanan / Senator Scott / Senator Moody,

On this Memorial Day weekend, as our nation honors the sacrifices of those who served, I am writing to urge your immediate intervention regarding the deplorable and hazardous living conditions facing active-duty military families in privatized base housing.

Despite years of congressional scrutiny, recent independent investigations and Department of Defense Inspector General audits reveal that thousands of service members are still being forced to live in homes plagued by toxic mold, severe structural neglect, and environmental hazards. A recent force-wide survey by the Change the Air Foundation revealed that a staggering 97% of surveyed military residents reported major issues with privatized housing, with three-quarters stating that these hazardous conditions have directly harmed their family’s health.

Worse yet, private corporate landlords continue to exploit the “Federal Enclave Doctrine” loophole to shield themselves from state-level tenant protections and health regulations, leaving military families with virtually no legal recourse. Our service members cannot focus on defending our nation when they are constantly worried about the health and safety of their children at home.

As my federal official, I urge you to take the following actions:

      • Support and pass the MOLD Act to mandate certified, independent third-party environmental health inspections between tenant transitions.

      • Close the federal enclave loophole so private housing contractors can finally be held legally accountable under state tenant and consumer protection laws.

      • Enforce strict statutory fines against corporate landlords who falsify maintenance records or fail to provide safe housing.

Our military families deserve safe, dignified homes—not corporate neglect. I look forward to hearing about the specific steps your office is taking to address this critical readiness and humanitarian issue.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Sun City Center Address]

[Your Phone Number]

I know we have many military families here in Sun City Center.  We are thankful for you all and the contributions and sacrifices you have made. Thank You!  You are not forgotten!

Sincerely,

Ellie Anderson

312-282-7337