Order Code RS22281
Updated May 9, 2006
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
General Services Administration Federal
Facilities Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Stephanie Smith
Analyst in American National Government
Government and Finance Division
Summary
Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, causing widespread
flooding and significant infrastructure damage to 83 federal facilities in Louisiana,
Mississippi, and Alabama. The General Services Administration (GSA) is the federal
government’s primary real property agency, with 11 regional offices that oversee GSA
owned and leased federal buildings and courthouses. As of April 6, 2006, two leased
buildings remained closed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in GSA’s Southeast
Region 4, which includes Alabama and Mississippi. In GSA’s Greater Southwest
Region 7, one GSA facility and eight leased facilities remained closed in Louisiana.
GSA courthouse facilities in New Orleans, LA, which were temporarily relocated1 to
Houston, TX, reopened in New Orleans on January 9, 2006. The 109th Congress
authorized $38 million to GSA’s Federal Buildings Fund for repairs to damaged federal
facilities (119 Stat. 2782). Two bills (S. 1708 and H.R. 4125) have been introduced
authorizing 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.
Introduction and Background
Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, causing significant
infrastructure damage to 83 GSA owned and leased federal buildings and courthouses in
Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, necessitating the eventual relocation of 2,600
federal employees from 28 federal agencies. Sixteen of the damaged federal buildings
owned by GSA provided 1.7 million sq. ft. of office space, and the remaining 67 GSA-
1 P.L. 109-63 (119 Stat. 1993), the Judiciary Emergency Special Sessions Act of 2005, authorizes
any federal court of appeals, or district or bankruptcy court to hold special sessions outside its
judicial circuit at any place within the United States in the event of emergency conditions when
no location within the circuit is reasonably available.
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress
CRS-2
leased facilities totaled 1.3 million sq. ft. in rented space.2 GSA, through its Public
Buildings Service (PBS), is the primary federal real property and asset management
agency, with 11 regional offices that oversee GSA owned and leased federal buildings and
courthouses. GSA is also responsible for the design and construction of federal
courthouses within GSA’s 11 regional districts. GSA’s Southeast Region 4 includes
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mississippi, and
Tennessee. As of April 6, 2006, two leased facilities remained closed (see Table 1). The
states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas comprise GSA’s
Greater Southwest Region 7, with one GSA-owned facility and eight leased buildings
remaining closed to the public (see Table 2).
Federal Buildings. GSA field personnel began advanced preparations to secure
GSA buildings as soon as weather predictions indicated that Hurricane Katrina would
make landfall. Preparations included fueling generators, shutting down electrical systems,
placing sand bags, and boarding up the lower levels of multi-storied buildings. Although
not all GSA owned and leased facilities suffered major structural damage in the affected
areas, there was no supporting critical infrastructure, such as water, electricity, sewage
systems, or even accessible roads to reach the federal facilities. There were also related
environmental concerns that might affect the health and safety of federal employees in the
affected areas. More than 30 GSA technical and building specialists conducted building
inspections to assess when federal facilities might be reopened. GSA used trailers and
obtained emergency 180-day leases in surrounding areas to provide temporary office
space.3 A related problem was that many federal employees were forced to evacuate to
areas located away from federal facilities when their homes were destroyed by Hurricane
Katrina.
In order to accommodate workers who formerly resided and worked in New Orleans
and relocated to Baton Rouge, GSA leased temporary office space in this general area.
According to GSA regional specialists, it was a difficult task to find suitable office space
for all of its federal tenants, and the administration was forced to use leasing and
relocation priorities. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, GSA first leased all available
office space in Baton Rouge, which was urgently needed by the Department of Homeland
Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Leased office space
in Baton Rouge was obtained by GSA for the Social Security Administration, and the
Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement
Administration.4 GSA signed a lease in the Baton Rouge area to house Department of the
2 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Emergency Lease
Requirements Act of 2005, report to accompany S. 1708, 109th Congress, 2nd sess., S.Rept. 109-
214 (Washington: GPO, 2006), p. 1.
3 40 U.S.C. § 3307(e) authorizes the GSA Administrator to enter into an emergency lease
agreement for not more than 180 days, without prior congressional approval of a lease
prospectus. 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 during a major disaster, without prior congressional approval of a lease prospectus.
H.R. 4125 would authorize the GSA Administrator to repair hurricane-damaged federal buildings
and to enter into emergency lease agreements.
4 GSA leases office space to several law enforcement agencies in New Orleans. According to
(continued...)
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Treasury Internal Revenue Service employees formerly located in New Orleans. GSA
officials also leased available office space in Lafayette, LA; Shreveport, LA; and Jackson,
MS, to accommodate other federal tenants. GSA completed inspections of administration-
leased facilities as soon as possible to determine the extent of structural damage. When
GSA specialists determined that the leased properties were not fully habitable, the agency
notified landlords that existing leases would be terminated within 15 days after
notification. GSA officials also stated that, in many instances, it was difficult for the
agency to locate landlords who had relocated elsewhere.
Courthouses. According to the Administrative Office of the Courts, the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit returned the court’s operations to its New Orleans
headquarters at the John Minor Wisdom Court of Appeals on January 9, 2006. Regular
panel hearings of the court began in February 2006.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, two GSA-owned federal courthouses, the John
Minor Wisdom U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Hale Boggs Federal
Building and U.S. Federal Courthouse for the Fifth Circuit, were closed in New Orleans.
Both courthouses suffered wind damage, broken windows, and roof leaks, but the
buildings’ structures are intact.5 On December 12, 2005, GSA reported that both the Hale
Boggs and the John Minor Wisdom courthouses had reopened to the public. The U.S.
Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit relocated to the U.S. Federal Courthouse in
Houston, TX, for a three-month period, with court business resuming on September 21,
2005.6 Many judges and court employees lost their homes in the New Orleans area, and
temporary housing was obtained for them in Gonzalez, LA, centrally located between
Baton Rouge and New Orleans. GSA-leased court space in Houma, LA, was also acquired
for district court judges and court staff who were formerly located in the Hale Boggs U.S.
Federal Courthouse.
The Dan M. Russell, Jr. U.S. Federal Courthouse for the Fifth Circuit, Gulfport, MS,
was also closed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Preliminary reports indicated that
the building was intact, but had sustained severe water and wind damage. Court
operations were initially suspended for 30 days and relocated to Jackson, MS. Housing
was sought for judges and staff throughout the district who lost their homes because of
Hurricane Katrina. On December 12, 2005, GSA reported that the courthouse had
resumed partial operations. A fourth GSA-owned courthouse, the John A. Campbell U.S.
Federal Courthouse for the Eleventh Circuit, Mobile, AL, was closed due to damaged
mechanical systems; however, both the Southern District of Alabama district and
bankruptcy courts resumed operations in the courthouse.
4 (...continued)
GSA, the names and locations of this leased office space was not included in GSA’s public listing
of closed facilities for reasons of security.
5 Information on the status of the courts was obtained from the Administrative Office of the
Courts, Office of Legislative Affairs, on Sept. 16, 2005, and from GSA regional specialists on
Sept. 15, 2005.
6 119 Stat. 1993.
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Congressional Initiatives in the 109th Congress
Hurricane Katrina was responsible for significant infrastructure damage to 83 GSA
owned and leased federal buildings and courthouses. The 109th Congress authorized $38
million to GSA’s Federal Buildings Fund for repairs to the damaged federal facilities.7
In order to accommodate nearly 2,600 displaced federal tenants from 28 federal
agencies, GSA leased temporary office space in Baton Rouge, LA; Lafayette, LA; and
Jackson, MS. Current law8 authorizes the GSA Administrator to enter into an emergency
lease agreement during any period declared by the President to require emergency leasing
authority. An emergency lease may not be for more than 180 days, without prior
congressional approval of a lease prospectus.9
S. 1708. In the Senate, S. 1708, the Emergency Lease Requirements Act of 2005,
was introduced by Senator James Inhofe and 11 bipartisan cosponsors on September 15,
2005. The proposed legislation would amend current law to authorize the GSA
Administrator to enter into emergency lease agreements during a major disaster or other
emergency declared by the President or the head of a federal agency under applicable
federal law. The term of an emergency lease could not exceed five years without
congressional approval of a lease prospectus. The GSA Administrator would be required
to submit an annual report describing any emergency lease to the House Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public
Works by April 1 of each year. On September 15, 2005, S. 1708 was referred to the
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. The bill was reported without
amendment on January 26, 2006, and placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar.10
H.R. 4125. On October 25, 2005, H.R. 4125 was introduced in the House by
Representative Bill Shuster and two bipartisan cosponsors. House bill H.R. 4125 would
authorize the GSA Administrator to make repairs on federal buildings that were damaged
by Gulf Coast hurricanes without prior congressional approval of a prospectus. The
proposed legislation would also authorize the GSA Administrator to enter into emergency
lease agreements for up to five years. The GSA Administrator’s emergency authorities
would be valid for one year following enactment of H.R. 4125. At least five days before
making any building repairs, the GSA Administrator would be required to submit reports
to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Environment
and Public Works Committee detailing costs and completion estimates. No later than 15
days after completion, the GSA Administrator would be required to submit a final report
7 119 Stat. 2782.
8 40 U.S.C. § 3307(e).
9 As part of the funding authorization process for new construction or leasing proposals, GSA is
required to submit a prospectus containing project and cost specifications to the Office of
Management and Budget, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and the
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for approval. For a detailed discussion,
see CRS Report RS22287, General Services Administration Prospectus Thresholds for Owned
and Leased Federal Facilities, by Stephanie Smith
10 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Emergency Lease
Requirements Act of 2005, report to accompany S. 1708, 109th Congress, 2nd sess., S.Rept. 109-
214.
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stating total repair costs. The proposed legislation would also require the GSA
Administrator to submit a detailed report to the House and Senate Committees no later
than 10 days after entering into an emergency lease agreement. H.R. 4125 was reported
favorably by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on October 26,
2005, by voice vote.
Table 1 indicates the two federal facilities that remain closed in GSA Region 4, as
of April 6, 2006.
Table 1. Hurricane-Damaged Federal Facilities in GSA Region 4,
as of April 6, 2006
Leased or
Current
Size
Name Location
Owned
Status
(in sq. ft.)
Social Security
Administration (SSA)
Gulfport, MS
Leased
Closed
16,388
Building
Hancock Bank Plaza
Gulfport, MS
Leased
Closed
2,555
Source: U.S. General Services Administration, Government Facilities Status and Information, May 8,
2006, 2 p.
Table 2 indicates the federal facilities that remain closed in GSA Region 7, as of
April 6, 2006.
Table 2. Hurricane-Damaged Federal Facilities in GSA Region 7,
as of April 6, 2006
Leased or
Size
Name
Location
Current Status
Owned
(in sq. ft.)
New Orleans Customs
New Orleans, LA
Owned
Closed
304,893
House
New Orleans Post Office
New Orleans, LA
Leased
Closed
Not available
3615 Tulane Avenue
New Orleans, LA
Leased
Closed
21,000
4277 Poche Court West
New Orleans, LA
Leased
Closed
121,909
Bartholomew Building
New Orleans, LA
Leased
Closed
10,805
Textron Marine
New Orleans, LA
Leased
Closed
32,045
Elmwood Oaks
Metairie, LA
Leased
Closed
2,629
1201 Elmwood Park
Metairie, LA
Leased
Closed
177,399
Heritage Plaza
Metairie, LA
Leased
Closed
22,048
Source: U.S. General Services Administration, Government Facilities Status and Information, May 8,
2006, 2 p.