The Department of Housing and Urban Development will move its employees out of D.C. to Alexandria, Virginia, booting the National Science Foundation from its headquarters, officials announced Wednesday.
Government officials said it’s the first major agency to relocate its headquarters as part of the Trump administration’s effort to reduce federal real estate.
HUD plans to move from its office on 7th Street in Southwest D.C. to 2415 Eisenhower Ave., Alexandria — a building currently occupied by 1,800 employees of the National Science Foundation.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner announced the move during a news conference Wednesday morning alongside Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Michael Peters, the commissioner of the General Service Administration’s Public Building Service.
About 2,700 employees of HUD are expected to be relocated from the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building to Alexandria, Turner said.
It’s unclear where displaced employees of the National Science Foundation will be moved. Peters said GSA is “committed to helping them continue to fulfill their mission.”
“We will work with our friends at GSA to coordinate a staggered and a thoughtful relocation process which takes into account the current team and employees of this building and the work they do on a daily basis.” Turner said. “We are all on the same team who all focus on taking these next steps together as we continue our service to the American people.”
Youngkin said some of the potential headquarters’ sites in Virginia originally offered to HUD would be proposed to the foundation.
Why is HUD moving?
Wednesday’s announcement comes about a month after FBI Director Kash Patel shared plans to move the bureau out of D.C., without naming a future headquarters’ site. HUD’s move seems to be tied to efforts by the Trump administration, which has asked agencies to propose less costly areas to relocate.
“This announcement really aligns with the vision that Acting Administrator (Stephen) Ehikian and I share with the Trump administration to drive efficiency, right size the federal real estate portfolio, but also improve the quality of the space,” Peters said.
Nina Albert, D.C.’s deputy mayor for planning and economic development, asked for the HUD move to be put on hold.
“We call on our federal partners to engage with us on a comprehensive strategy that pauses the relocation of agencies and plans for moves that maximize the benefit to both the federal government and the District. The District is ready to work with the GSA on the Weaver building to ensure we deliver a project that creates a thriving new neighborhood.”
Peters said the aging infrastructure at the Weaver building required costly repairs, and was a “burden” on taxpayers. He said the relocation will save taxpayers $500 million in deferred maintenance and an additional $56 million in annual operating and maintenance expenses.
According to a news release from HUD, the Weaver building would require nearly half a billion dollars over the next four years to meet minimum federal standards.
“HUD will be reducing its space substantially from what you occupy in Weaver to what you occupy here, thereby reducing costs and expense, but at the same time really going undergoing a metamorphosis in terms of the quality of space you occupy,” Peters said.
There’s no word on when HUD may begin moving employees. While announcing the plans to move, Turner described poor conditions at the agency’s current headquarters.
“This move also signifies a prioritization of health, safety and well-being for our HUD workforce, who were previously working in unsafe conditions to this day,” Turner said.
“And I would hope that no leader in government or otherwise, would expect staff to work every day in an atmosphere where the air quality is questionable, leaks are nearly unstoppable and the HVAC is almost unworkable.”
Union pushes back on plan to takeover Alexandria HQ
A union representing employees of the National Science Foundation released a statement criticizing the move and Turner’s leadership.
“While Secretary Turner and his staff are busy enjoying private dining and a custom gym, NSF employees are being displaced with no plan, no communication, and no respect,” The American Federation of Government Employees Local 3403 wrote in a statement. “This callous disregard for taxpayer dollars and NSF employees comes after the Administration already cut NSF’s budget, staff and science grants and forced NSF employees back into the office.”
Turner didn’t detail plans to make any changes to the Alexandria building, but the union claimed it was told renovations would include an executive dining room, reserved parking spaces for Turner’s five vehicles and a suite dedicated to the secretary’s office on the 19th floor.
Youngkin praises HUD relocation
Youngkin praised the decision to move HUD to Alexandria, pointing out the convenience of the Eisenhower Metro station and nearby restaurants and businesses.
“This location, one, has a state-of-the art facility,” Youngkin said. “This building is world class. We have great transportation infrastructure.”
Youngkin was critical of Democratic politicians: “Plenty of ink has been spilled with declarations about how the sky is falling here in Virginia, but let me be perfectly clear that these politicians who seemingly want Virginia to fail have not only been wrong, they have been flat out wrong.”
The Republican governor thanked the GSA for carrying forward Trump’s “vision” by saving taxpayer dollars with the move.
“We believe Virginia is the best place in America to live and work and raise a family and to put the HUD headquarters,” he said. “What we’ve seen, of course, over the last three and a half years, is headquarters in the private sector and in the public sector, choose Virginia.”
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