General Services Administration Federal Facilities Affected by Hurricane Katrina

Publication Date: September 2005

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Economics

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Abstract:

Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf coast on August 29, 2005, causing widespread flooding and significant property and infrastructure damage to federal facilities in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The General Services Administration (GSA) is the federal government's primary federal real property and asset management agency, with 11 regional offices that oversee GSA owned and leased federal buildings and courthouses. Twelve federal facilities have been closed because of Hurricane Katrina in GSA's Southeast Region 4, which includes Alabama and Mississippi. In GSA's Greater Southwest Region 7, all federal facilities in the New Orleans, Louisiana, area are closed until further notice. While not all GSA owned and leased facilities suffered major structural damage, there is no supporting critical infrastructure, such as water supply, electricity, or accessible roads. More than 30 GSA technical and building specialists are conducting building inspections to assess when or if federal facilities in these areas may be reopened. GSA is using trailers and obtaining emergency 180 day leases in surrounding areas to relocate federal tenants. GSA owned courthouse facilities in New Orleans, LA, and Gulfport, MS, have temporarily relocated to Houston, TX, Houma, LA, and Jackson, MS. Senate bill S. 1708, the Emergency Lease Requirements Act of 2005, would amend current law to authorize the GSA Administrator to enter into emergency lease agreements for up to five years following a major disaster. This report will be updated as additional information is received.