Congress members say investigators are checking whether mold repair records at Harbor Bay were faked. Meanwhile CENTCOM is taking its Iran blockade onto land, run from Tampa.
By Joseph Jackson | TAMPA (Nov. 9, 2026)
The short version
Reps. Kathy Castor and Gus Bilirakis say a criminal investigation is examining whether mold-related work orders at MacDill's privatized housing were falsified. The contractor has failed seven straight quarterly reviews.
CENTCOM created Task Force Iron Gate on Nov. 7: about 20 people at its Tampa headquarters working to stop Iranian weapons from moving over land and across the Caspian Sea.
Veterans Day: modified gate hours Nov. 11–12.
Base housing: a criminal investigation
The families who said their homes at MacDill were making them sick now have federal investigators involved.
Reps. Kathy Castor, a Tampa Democrat, and Gus Bilirakis, a Palm Harbor Republican, confirmed to Tampa Bay 28's I-Team that a criminal investigation is underway. It is examining whether work orders for mold problems were falsified. Castor said the Defense Department and the Air Force opened it; FMNN has not independently confirmed which agency is leading it.
The contractor is The Michaels Organization, which runs Harbor Bay at MacDill. It has failed its last seven quarterly performance reviews and is on a performance improvement plan.
The backlog as of Oct. 15:
About 450 open work orders
An average of 217 days to close one
38 emergency or urgent orders, which should be handled within 72 hours, open for more than 90 days
"Failed for seven quarters in a row," Bilirakis said, calling it "enough." He said the company has breached its contract and should be replaced. Castor said the possible criminal violations involve fraudulent work orders. Both lawmakers say they will write legislation and push for higher housing allowances. Families are suing Michaels over mold, and the I-Team reports that suit is expected to grow to nearly 100 families.
Michaels did not answer the falsification or performance claims. It said it has invested $9 million in 2026. The Air Force Civil Engineer Center said it learned of the concerns in July 2025 and declined further comment.
Task Force Iron Gate: the Iran fight moves onto land, run from Tampa
On Nov. 7, CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper ordered the creation of Task Force Iron Gate, "an internal staff of approximately 20 civilian and military personnel based in Tampa." It will work with other federal agencies to stop advanced weapons, dual-use technology, sanctioned materials and illegal money from moving across Iran's land borders and the Caspian Sea.
"The establishment of Task Force Iron Gate reinforces the success of our ironclad blockade against Iran at sea," Cooper said. CENTCOM says the naval blockade, in place since April 13, has kept Iran from exporting more than $25 billion in crude oil.
Why it matters here: CENTCOM headquarters is at MacDill. Every expansion of the Iran campaign is planned and run from South Tampa.
Veterans Day at the base
MacDill gates run modified hours Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 11–12. The ID card office and fitness centers are closed both days, and the commissary is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Veterans Day.
Sources
Tampa Bay 28 I-Team, Feds open a criminal investigation as MacDill AFB housing contractor fails performance reviews, Nov. 9, 2026
U.S. Central Command, statement on Task Force Iron Gate, Nov. 7, 2026
UPI via Yahoo, CENTCOM creates task force to disrupt Iran's weapons ground routes, Nov. 7, 2026
CENTCOM, US blockade of Iran reaches milestone of redirecting 100 ships, May 23, 2026
MacDill AFB, Weekly Bulletin
Photo: KC-135 Stratotanker at MacDill Air Force Base. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Shannon Bowman, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped.
