1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

The General Services Administration (GSA) should reconsider its current approach of hastily terminating federal office leases nationwide. Terminating nearly 1,000 leases last week, many of which were for public-facing facilities that directly impact services to citizens, has created significant disruption. GSA failed to properly consult with regional offices and tenant agencies beforehand, resulting in the agency now needing to rescind terminations for about 300 leases. This rushed process risks abandoning government property and furniture in place when leases end, leaving lessors - including small businesses - to absorb those costs. It could force agencies to relocate employees to higher-priced office space when the real estate market tightens. There appears to be a disconnect between GSA's efforts to downsize office space and the administration's requirements for more employees to return to offices full-time. GSA should take a more measured approach that accounts for agency space needs, relocation timelines and costs, and the continued delivery of public services. A pause on new lease terminations would allow time to properly plan consolidations while mitigating negative impacts. Strategic reductions in the federal footprint are reasonable, but GSA's current tactics are creating an avoidable mess that ultimately wastes taxpayer dollars through poor planning and coordination. A course correction focusing on smart execution rather than arbitrary deadlines is warranted.