HUD Moving to NSF Building in Virginia Due to ‘Unsafe Conditions’ at D.C. HQ
Alexandria, Virginie – Federal workers protested Tuesday at the current headquarters of the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) at the current National Science Foundation (NSF) headquarters in Virginia, forcing the press conference planned by Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) and Hud Sec. Scott Turner will be moved to a secure room.
NSF employees, represented by the American Federation of Local Government employees 3403, claimed These plans for the relocation of HUD in their Alexandria building involved “the construction of an executive dining room” for Turner and “parking spaces reserved for the secretary’s 5 cars”.
The union also said that a new potential gymnasium was in preparation for Turner “and his family” to use, and the imminent takeover of the building by Hud was hidden until earlier this week.
Turner, who repeatedly criticized the current headquarters of his agency within the federal building of Robert C. Weaver in Washington, DC, denied the claims that he pleaded for the decision to satisfy any personal desire for a more luxurious office.
However, before he, Youngkin or the General Services Administration (GSA) could explain the decision or answer all questions, their press conference was crushed by angry workers from the NSF:
Dozens of employees have poured into the east wing of the second floor to huer and sing: “NSF! NSF! ” – Incitted the security personnel to inaugurate the governor, the secretary, the GSA public services commissioner, Michael Peters, their respective employees and journalists in another room.
Once the press briefing could start without interruption, Turner stressed that HUD’s decision is to prioritize “health, security and well-being for [the] Hud Workforce “, which, according to him,” works in dangerous conditions to date “.
“I hope that no leader of the government or otherwise would expect that the staff work every day in an atmosphere where the air quality is questionable, the leaks are almost unstoppable and that the CVC is almost unrealizable, to name a few examples,” said the secretary, “in addition to the broken elevator banks that have been broken for years.”
The Weaver building has had major repair problems for years, with a March Fox News report from Bret Baier showing the unfinished state of the long -standing headquarters of HUD:
The building, which opened in 1968, is currently facing more than $ 500 million in deferred maintenance and modernization needs, and it costs taxpayers more than $ 56 million each year in rent and operating expenses.
In addition, with each member of HUD staff at its head office, the Weaver building is only half of its total occupation.
In April, GSA and HUD announcement that the building had been transferred to the list of accelerated provisions.
“So it’s time to change,” said Turner. “And as you see here today, this announcement underlines a partnership between the government.
Youngkini seemed delighted to share the news with the Virginians, praising the economic advantage of having 2,700 employees based on Hud’s head office in her state.
“Thank you for your leadership behind the transformation of the workspace,” he told Turner. “In addition, I want to thank you for choosing Virginia. You know, it’s not every day – In fact, I don’t think it is never – that a federal agency at the office has moved its head office to Virginia. »»
He also thanked Peters for having “directed the president’s vision for a more effective government which understands that money belongs to taxpayers and that it does not belong to the federal government, and it does not belong to the government of the State”.
Peters also underlined the savings of taxpayers’ money:
For too long, the Weaver building fought with aging infrastructure and continuous maintenance problems which continue to load the American taxpayer while not delivering the work places that our civil servants deserve and need to serve the public. The status quo is no longer sustainable. We will turn the page by moving HUD in a modern and dynamic installation here in Alexandria, and taxpayers will save more than $ 500 million in delayed interviews, as well as $ 56 million in annual operating and maintenance costs. It is a victory for all the people involved here.
The commissioner also promised to “continue to support” the NSF, and Youngkin expressed his enthusiasm to keep the local agency in Virginia.
“We had several sites that we presented to the GSA for Hud, and we are only going beyond and we will present them for the NSF,” said the governor. “And there are sites here in Alexandria, and there are sites and other places in the north of Virginia, so I consider it an excellent opportunity for us to provide another big house for an excellent labor – people who are used to living and working and being in Virginia.”
When a journalist asked if rumors shared by NSF workers were true, Turner said: “It’s ridiculous.”
“And, that’s not true. It’s not about Scott Turner. It’s never about Scott Turner,” he said. “I did not come to the government to get beautiful things, you understand? … These are Hud employees to have a safe space, to have a good place to work, to represent the people we serve in America.”
Rumors have “no merit” and “no truth,” he added.
Olivia Rondeau is a Breitbart News political journalist based in Washington, DC. Find it X / Twitter And Instagram.
