These "non-core" properties spanned 47 states, Washington and Puerto Rico, covering nearly 80 million square feet.

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Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

U.S.

Trump admin seeking to sell nearly 450 vacant, underused federal spaces

9 hrs ago

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Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Joey Nunez (Video Editor)

The Trump administration has identified 443 federal properties for potential sale on Tuesday morning. By Wednesday morning, the General Services Administration put out a notice saying a formal list of buildings would be “coming soon.”
The GSA stated that selling underutilized properties would save taxpayer money and allow for reinvestment in better workspaces.
It’s unclear how many buildings and which federal buildings are on the chopping block at this time.

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The Trump administration has announced a plan to downsize the federal government by selling off hundreds of federal properties.

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Early reports indicated that 443 federal buildings had been identified for potential sale, according to the General Services Administration (GSA) website. These “non-core” properties spanned 47 states, Washington and Puerto Rico, covering nearly 80 million square feet.

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High-profile buildings potentially included

Among the buildings initially listed were the headquarters of the FBI and the Departments of Labor and Justice. Also included were Washington headquarters for the Departments of Energy and Agriculture, the American Red Cross and major office buildings in Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland and Los Angeles.

However, by the end of the day, the list was reduced to 320 properties, with Washington-based buildings removed, including the FBI and DOJ headquarters.

GSA to release final list later

By Wednesday morning, the GSA stated on its website that a full list of properties slated for sale would be published at a later time.

“We are identifying buildings and facilities that are not core to government operations, or non-core properties, for disposal,” The GSA website memo said. “Selling ensures that taxpayer dollars are no longer spent on vacant or underutilized federal spaces. Disposing of these assets helps eliminate costly maintenance and allows us to reinvest in high-quality work environments that support agency missions.”

Bipartisan interest in downsizing

This initiative aligns with President Donald Trump’s broader effort to reduce the size of the federal government. While Trump’s plan is on a larger scale, the Biden administration has also shown interest in selling underutilized properties. In December, Biden officials proposed selling eight federal buildings.

Some Democratic lawmakers acknowledged that certain buildings may no longer be necessary but expressed concerns that downsizing could harm local economies.

Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., told the Washington Post that the federal government is the largest customer of the Washington Metro system.

“Metro’s largest customer every day is the federal government, and it’s a mutually beneficial relationship,” Connolly said. “If you jeopardize those patterns of work and commute, you could upend the entire Metro system that we started over 50 years ago.”

Uncertain timeline for sales

The timeline for these sales remains unclear. Federal law requires that excess properties be offered first to other federal agencies, state and local governments, homeless shelters, and nonprofits before they can be sold to private buyers.

Tags: Donald Trump, FBI, federal employees, General Services Administration, Government funding, Puerto Rico, Red Cross, U.S. Department of Agriculture, United States, Washington

[Karah Rucker]

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS ANNOUNCED ITS LATEST EFFORT TO DOWNIZE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT –

SELLING OFF FEDERAL PROPERTIES – POTENTIALLY TO THE TUNE OF HUNDREDS OF FEDERAL BUILDINGS.

EARLY REPORTS TUESDAY INDICIATED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAD IDENTIFIED 443 FEDERAL PROPERTIES FOR POTENTIAL SALE.

THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, OR GSA, HAD LISTED 443 “NON-CORE” PROPERTIES—SPANNING 47 STATES, WASHINGTON, D.C., AND PUERTO RICO—TOTALING NEARLY 80 MILLION SQUARE FEET.

SOME OF THE NOTABLE BUILDINGS ON THAT EARLY LIST?

THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE FBI.

THE DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR AND JUSTICE.

WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS FOR DEPARTMENTS OF ENERGY, AGRICULTURE, AND THE AMERICAN RED CROSS.

MAJOR OFFICE BUILDINGS IN CITIES LIKE CHICAGO, ATLANTA, CLEVELAND AND LOS ANGELES WERE ALSO LISTED.

WHILE REPORTS INDICATED THAT LIST WAS POSTED ON GSA’S WEBSITE –

LATER THAT DAY – THE LIST WAS REDUCED FROM 443 BUILDINGS –

TO 320 – EXCLUDING DC-BASED PROPERTIES – LIKE FBI AND DOJ HEADQUARTERS.

BUT BY WEDNESDAY MORNING – GSA’S WEBSITE –

INDICATED THEY’LL BE PUBLISHING A FULL LIST OF BUILDINGS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK AT A LATER TIME.

ON GSA’S WEBSITE – THEY WROTE –

“We are identifying buildings and facilities that are not core to government operations, or non-core properties, for disposal. Selling ensures that taxpayer dollars are no longer spent on vacant or underutilized federal spaces. Disposing of these assets helps eliminate costly maintenance and allows us to reinvest in high-quality work environments that support agency missions.”

THIS MOVE FALLS IN LINE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP’S BROADER EFFORT TO SHRINK THE SIZE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

WHILE HIS EFFORTS COME ON A MUCH LARGER SCALE –

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAD ALSO EXPRESSED INTEREST IN SELLING OFF UNDERUTILIZED PROPERTIES –

PROPOSING IN DECEMBER THE SALE OF EIGHT FEDERAL BUILDINGS.

SOME DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS ACKNOWLEDGED SOME BUILDINGS MAY NO LONGER BE NECESSARY – BUT EXPRESSED CAUTION OVER THE DOWNSIZE –

SAYING IT COULD HURT CITIES.

DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN GERRY CONNOLLY OF VIRGINIA SAID “Metro’s largest customer every day is the federal government, and it’s a mutually beneficial relationship. If you jeopardize those patterns of work and commute, you could upend the entire Metro system that we started over 50 years ago.”

HOW SOON COULD THESE SALES HAPPEN?

THAT REMAINS UNCLEAR.

UNDER FEDERAL LAW, EXCESS PROPERTIES MUST FIRST BE OFFERED TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, HOMELESS SHELTERS, AND NONPROFITS BEFORE THEY CAN BE SOLD TO PRIVATE BUYERS.

WE’LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UPDATES TO THIS STORY –

AND YOU CAN TOO.

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