Sweeping layoffs at the federal agency leave key government buildings without oversight
The Trump administration’s latest wave of job cuts has gutted the team responsible for managing federally owned buildings across Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, leaving uncertainty over who will oversee real estate operations in the region.
The General Services Administration (GSA) laid off nearly all employees in its Public Buildings Service (PBS) division this week, part of a broader federal workforce reduction under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a restructuring effort led by Elon Musk under Donald Trump’s directive.
DOGE has eliminated positions across 17 federal agencies as part of a cost-cutting measure aimed at reducing government spending and centralizing operations.
In February alone, employers announced 172,017 job cuts, a 245% increase from January, marking the highest February layoff total since 2009, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
A significant portion (62,242 positions) were federal workforce reductions, including cuts at Ginnie Mae, the $2.7 trillion agency that backs US mortgage securities. Nearly a quarter of Ginnie Mae’s workforce has been dismissed or resigned, raising concerns about the agency’s ability to handle potential disruptions in the financial and housing markets.
Government payrolls have shrunk, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting 151,000 job gains in February, but a rise in the national unemployment rate to 4.1%.
Mass layoffs
While the GSA declined to specify how many employees were affected, two longtime PBS employees told The Oregonian/OregonLive that approximately 165 workers across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska were laid off, while another 75 employees had already taken voluntary retirement offers. These reductions have eliminated nearly all of the 245 full-time positions in the division, including around three dozen in Oregon.
According to an agency statement, employees were “separated from federal service” as part of the layoffs and reorganization plan.
“I don’t know who is managing these buildings now,” one affected employee told The Oregonian. “We have projects in progress. Who is making service calls and overseeing the contracts? No one has the answers.”
“It’s such a great organization, and they just gutted it,” Another employee said. “They’re breaking a lot of stuff and hurting a lot of people in the process.”
The layoffs affect the management of four dozen federal properties across the four states, including 10 in Oregon. Staff had been responsible for overseeing service contracts, managing repair projects, and ensuring operational maintenance of these government buildings.
Federal properties for possible sale
Earlier this week, the GSA published a list of federal properties online, labeling them as “not core to government operations,” indicating that they might be sold. The list included the 10 Oregon properties affected by the layoffs, but by Wednesday, it had been removed from the agency’s website.
The GSA stated that it is centralizing services and ensuring continued facility operations through external partners.
“The GSA will not only maintain facility services, including repairs, maintenance, janitorial and security through our existing partners, but we will exceed the quality of service to enable our agency customers to fulfill their missions,” the agency said.
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However, with so many employees dismissed, former staff members have expressed concerns over how effectively these properties will be managed.
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