GSA Administrator Stephen Perry recently went before a US House subcommittee and said that the agency needs more freedom to pursue public-private partnerships to address nearly $4 billion maintenance backlog on an inventory of 1,800 buildings that GSA puts at more than $260 billion nationwide. Changes to existing laws would allow agencies to exchange and transfer property among themselves and private-sector entities, sublease assets on unexpired portions of government leases, and lease certain assets to the private sector. New laws would also allow the federal government to explore creative financing mechanisms to help finance a backlog of public building maintenance needs.

In the national capital region, which includes Washington and its suburbs, GSA said the government owns 171 buildings and leases space at 430 locations. Overall, GSA manages 40% of the space the government owns or leases.