DOGE targets hundreds of federal agency buildings across the country, 10 in Oregon – KATU

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KATU) — Hundreds of federal agencies across the United States are set to have their lease terminated this year as part of an initiative by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency under the Trump administration.

State agencies are grappling with the possibility of relocating as lease deadlines approach. While this does not necessarily mean that all locations will close by those dates, agencies will need to either negotiate new leases or move to different locations if they choose to remain open. The agencies are currently in the process of determining their next steps.

Musk said the effort aims to significantly reduce the size of the federal government.

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DOGE has released a list of 657 federal real estate leases targeted for termination. Oregon appears on the list ten times:

1. Bureau of Land Management in Baker, Ore.
2. Mine Safety Health Administration in Albany, Ore.
3. Natural Resources Conservation Service in Portland, Ore.
4. Geological Survey in Klamath Falls, Ore.
5. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration in Salem, Ore.
6. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in Salem, Ore.
7. Federal Highway Administration in Salem, Ore.
8. Bureau of Reclamation in Bend, Ore.
9. Agricultural Marketing Service in Portland, Ore.
10. Geological Survey in Corvallis, Ore.

Some agencies, such as NOAA in Salem, are expected to have their leases canceled by June 30. The Bureau of Land Management in Baker City will see its lease terminated on September 30, while the remaining Oregon agencies will have their leases canceled on August 31.

Social Security Administration offices are closing across the nation. These closures are proceeding despite a new mandate for stricter identity-proofing measures designed to prevent fraud and abuse. The measures will require millions of recipients and applicants to visit agency field offices in person, rather than interacting with agency employees over the phone.

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The federal government’s real estate portfolio is under scrutiny as DOGE and the General Services Administration (GSA) have accelerated efforts to cancel leases for underused or unused federal offices and buildings.

This initiative, aimed at downsizing the government’s real estate holdings, has been in progress for the past decade. However, recent actions have intensified, with DOGE claiming potential savings of approximately $300 million over the terms of the leases, though this figure remains unverified.

The move coincides with the Trump administration’s directive for remote federal workers to return to the office and the implementation of mass layoffs at several agencies, including the GSA.

Government and non-government sources say at least some cancellations on DOGE’s list have been rescinded, but are not yet reflected on the public list, according to the Associated Press.