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Following speculation about whether it would actively seek a new home base, an announcement made Thursday by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has made it official.
HUD is coordinating with the General Services Administration (GSA) to add the current HUD headquarters “to the accelerated disposition list in order to engage the market and explore HUD’s relocation options.”
The move is part of a broader effort to make federal buildings more cost-effective, which stems from a recent executive order. This will “allow the GSA to more effectively right size the federal real estate portfolio to reduce the burden on the American taxpayer while also delivering space that enables HUD to achieve its mission,” the department stated.
The Robert C. Weaver Federal Building was constructed by the GSA and opened in 1968, shortly after HUD was established under the administration of President Lyndon Johnson. But it has been a source of criticism for years, and the department said there are multiple reasons to find a new location for its headquarters.
The building “currently faces over $500 million in deferred maintenance and modernization needs and costs the American taxpayer more than $56 million in yearly rent and operations expenditures,” HUD said. “In addition, with every member of HUD staff at its headquarters, the Weaver Building is at half of its total occupancy.”
HUD Secretary Scott Turner said the relocation effort will help to better serve the department’s ongoing mission.
“HUD’s focus is on creating a workplace that reflects the values of efficiency, accountability, and purpose,” Turner said. “We’re committed to rightsizing government operations and ensuring our facilities support a culture of optimal performance and exceptional service as we collaborate with our partners at GSA to deliver results for the American people.”
A timeline for how long the full process will take remains under evaluation, the department said. But HUD officials “confirmed that the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area remains a top priority,” according to the announcement.
The GSA has also backed the move.
“I fully support Secretary Turner’s desire to exit a building with significant deferred liabilities in favor of a more appropriately sized, better equipped, and maintained space that will enable the HUD workforce to fulfill its important mission,” said Michael Peters, commissioner of GSA’s Public Buildings Service.
“GSA is committed to working with HUD to provide them with a facility that meets their needs.”
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