The federal government has long struggled with deferred maintenance in its facilities nationwide, and the efforts by the current administration to identify and sell unused or underused federal facilities is shedding even more light on the issue.
Deferred maintenance and repairs at federally owned buildings increased by more than 35 percent in 2024 to more than $6.1 billion, and over the last five years it has increased at an average of 27 percent, according to FEDweek. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) says the maintenance backlog could exceed $20 billion within five years if it continues to receive annual repair and alterations appropriation of $620 million, with no significant portfolio changes.
The issue arose as the administration is budgeting for the next fiscal year and focusing on “the reinvestment of (funding) needed for those properties that continue to generate the rent needed to sustain GSA’s federally owned inventory, and for which there is a long-term need, and to divest of underperforming, underutilized assets to shed assets with significant liabilities.”
The GSA points to years-long issue of underfunding for building repair and upkeep, which has been the subject of numerous government reports in recent years. The GSA says to prevent further growth of the backlog, annual appropriations would require more than $1.6 billion annually.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor for the facilities market. He has more than 30 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.?
