GSA Buildings Safety

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on: (1) the condition of General Services Administration (GSA)-controlled federal buildings; and (2) GSA stewardship over its buildings. GAO found that: (1) GSA is responsible for providing federal agencies and their employees with a quality work environment; (2) GSA has neglected some federal buildings primarily due to funding limitations and ineffective management and oversight over identified repair, safety and health standard, and modernization requirements; (3) to help improve existing building conditions and prevent further problems, GAO has made numerous recommendations to improve GSA management and oversight of building repair and modernization requirements, target the most unsafe buildings, and promote more informed congressional decisionmaking regarding needed funding levels; and (4) although GSA agreed to take corrective actions to improve federal building safety, it took exception to GAO findings regarding ineffective oversight and the severity, cause, and adverse effects of federal building conditions.