The letter asks for information on “the steps GSA is taking to comply with relevant federal laws and regulations when disposing of federal real property." Image: Katherine Welles/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffTop Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee have pressed GSA for information on sales of federal buildings and other property already carried out or planned during the Trump administration, out of concern that it is being done “without regard for federal agencies’ ability to carry out their missions or consideration for proper stewardship of federal assets.”
“The management and disposal of federal property is subject to a variety of federal laws and regulations to ensure that agencies have the resources necessary to achieve their statutory missions while maximizing taxpayer resources,” a letter to GSA says. Those include that the GSA must first circulate a notice of availability to other federal agencies and make the property available for public benefit conveyance for homelessness assistance, and then may dispose of the property via a competitive sale to the public, it says.
It noted that after posting and then quickly redacting a list of some 440 buildings considered candidates for sale—including the headquarters buildings of several major departments and of GSA itself—the GSA has released a smaller list for a process termed “accelerated disposition.”
However, it says the GSA “has failed to communicate any information about (1) the extent to which the “accelerated disposition” process adheres to relevant laws and regulations, (2) the process by which the buildings currently listed for disposition were identified, or (3) the process through which GSA intends to solicit and evaluate offers to purchase these properties.”
“Confusion and uncertainty about the status of agency facilities will only make the important work of these agencies more challenging,” the letter added.
It also points out that DOGE last week said that 13 buildings have been sold since the start of the Trump administration but “did not provide the American public with information on how these sales were organized or the extent to which their interests were considered.”
One, involving a former Forest Service building in Utah, had been announced in December and “thus likely underwent the standard process for disposal,” it said. “However, given the carelessness with which the DOGE team has approached other government transactions, it is reasonable for members of the public to question whether these property disposals were conducted in accordance with applicable law.”
The letter asks for information on “the steps GSA is taking to comply with relevant federal laws and regulations when disposing of federal real property”; any guidance it has provided to agencies “regarding proposed property disposal, consolidation, tenant relocation, and agency rights regarding those processes”; all such guidance sent to agencies occupying buildings on the original list of 440; and more.
Large Share of Federal Workforce about to Experience a Payless Pay Period
OPM Details Coverage Changes, Plan Dropouts for FEHB/PSHB in 2026
OMB Says Federal Workforce RIFs are Starting as Shutdown Drags On
Financial Impact of Shutdown Starts to Hit Home; WH Threatens No Back Pay
Surge of Retirement Applications Is in the Pipeline, Says OPM
See also,
TSP Takes Step toward Upcoming In-Plan Roth Conversions
5 Steps to Protect Your Federal Job During the Shutdown
Over 30K TSP Accounts Have Crossed the Million Mark in 2025
The Best Ages for Federal Employees to Retire
