Unused Facilities and Capacity at Social Security Administration Headquarters

In May 2012, President Obama implemented a “Freeze the Footprint” (FTF) policy, which states that in each year, an agency shall not increase the size of its domestic real estate inventory.

In response to FTF, SSA is examining its rent costs and outlying building leases to develop strategies to reduce its footprint. In January 2012, SSA embarked on a plan to “. . . create a flexible, secure, and sustainable campus environment for SSA.” Specifically, the plan’s goal was to (1) reduce SSA’s real estate footprint, rent, and operating costs; (2) respond to future organizational and operational changes; (3) promote the best use of Headquarters space and land; (4) provide a safe and secure environment; (5) meet sustainability and energy reduction goals; and (6) create a beautiful campus.