GSA Fleet: Information on the Effect of Donating Cars to YouthBuild USA and Potential Benefits to Rural Youthbuild Participants

To assist youth who live in high poverty rural areas obtain and retain jobs, YouthBuild USA, a national nonprofit organization, has proposed providing donated used cars to selected low-income youth in rural communities. YouthBuild USA's proposed program hinges on receiving donations of used cars from the federal government's General Services Administration (GSA). This report discusses (1) the effect of donating 1 to 5 percent of selected GSA used cars on GSA's fleet vehicle sales operations, (2) what studies have shown with respect to the benefits that car ownership or access may hold for low-income individuals, and (3) what studies of selected low income car ownership programs and experiences of these programs have shown with respect to the benefits of participant car ownership. In conducting this study, GAO examined auction data from GSA, reviewed academic studies on the benefits of car access in gaining employment, and interviewed officials of six existing low income car ownership programs.