Review of the Effect of HUD's Reorganization Plan on Kansas

To correct organizational deficiencies, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is modifying its field office structure and implementing management changes to increase the authority and responsibility of its Assistant Secretaries. The effect of this reorganization on HUD activities in Kansas was reviewed. Because each HUD regional office city also has an area office, the Kansas City, Kansas, area office and the Kansas City, Missouri, regional office will be colocated for common administrative services. HUD officials were not able to furnish details documenting the colocation decision, but the decision was believed to result in savings on office supplies, data processing, libraries, and personnel. Multifamily housing programs are being consolidated in Kansas City to concentrate the programs' workload and skilled staff and to reduce overhead costs. No detailed cost-benefit analysis was performed concerning consolidation of multifamily programs from Topeka to the Kansas City office. The Topeka Federal Office Building will be about 10 percent vacant after the HUD reorganization. The cost of moving functions from Topeka to Kansas City will depend upon the amount of material moved and employment decisions made by personnel affected by the transfer.