The U.S. General Services Administration is looking to dispose of hundreds of federal properties.
The only problem is much of the nearly 78,000,000 square feet is still occupied.
The list that has now been taken down included the Health and Human Services headquarters in Washington D.C. also boasts properties with vital work being done by judges, federal attorneys, Border Patrol personnel, IRS workers and members of Congress.
The effort seems to be spearheaded by the controversial, Elon Musk-run Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Of the 443 buildings, two dozen Texas properties are on the list — ranging from a Veterans Affairs financing center in Austin to multiple large scale federal buildings in major cities that are filled with unsuspecting employees.
Those who work in the federal public defenders office in Fort Worth’s Fritz Lanham building didn’t know the building was going up for sale. The staff of Democratic Congressman Sylvester Turner’s office in the George Thomas Mickey Leland building were also unaware their building could get new owners.
“Selling ensures that taxpayer dollars are no longer spent on vacant or underutilized federal spaces,” reads the GSA website.
But the 22-story George Thomas Mickey Leland building boasts more than 370,000 square feet and 15 federal agencies at a 95% occupancy rate.
Sen. Ted Cruz’s office — which is also in the historic building named after Leland, the first congressman from the historically African American district — didn’t respond to TPR's calls.
This list of often actively used public buildings includes historic facilities and have been upgraded in recent years.
The Center Phase 5 in Farmers Branch was recently modernized to the tune of about $500,000. The Austin Finance Center built in 1969 just recently underwent a $38 million modernization effort that included a new roof, air conditioning and ventilation.
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