§623 Establishment of a Federal Real Property Council

Summary

Creates a Federal Real Property Council to make how the government manages buildings and land more efficient and less costly. The Council must develop guidance, find ways to better manage federal property, and cut costs for operations, maintenance, and security. Members are the senior real property officer from each agency, the OMB Deputy Director for Management (who is the Chair), the OMB Controller, the GSA Administrator, and any other federal officials the Chair thinks are needed. The Chair must pick an Executive Director with strong commercial real estate, property management, and federal operations experience who has no outside jobs that would cause a conflict. The Council meets when the Chair calls it and at least 4 times each year. The Council must, within 1 year of enactment, create a real property management plan template (updated every year) with performance measures, milestones, measurable savings, strategies, and government-wide goals based on section 524(a)(7) to reduce surplus property and better use underused property. It must also set consistent space-use rates, plan to cut long-term leasing when buying is cheaper, fix leasing inefficiencies, list field offices that can be co-located, study public‑private partnership best practices and make guidelines, and report progress. The Council must give the Director a report not later than 1 year after enactment and then each year for the 4-year period that starts 1 year after enactment and ends 5 years after enactment. Those reports must list excess, surplus, and underused real property by agency, show progress on guidance and goals, offer legislative recommendations if needed, and list who was consulted. The Council must consult state, local, and tribal officials and private experts in areas like commercial real estate, space planning, community development, historic preservation, and homeless housing. OMB and GSA must provide staff and support. Each year the Council must give the template and reports to the named Senate and House committees and to the Comptroller General. Surplus property does not include items such as military installations; properties excluded under section 102; Indian trust property; TVA property; property excluded for national security; certain public lands managed by Interior or Agriculture agencies; or Postal Service property.