Trump Moves To Sell Pelosi Federal Building, Democrats Defend Waste
President Donald Trump’s administration is taking steps to sell the Nancy Pelosi Federal Building in San Francisco, citing rising maintenance costs, increasing crime in the area and the fact that the building sits largely empty as federal employees continue to work remotely.
A GSA report categorized both the Pelosi-named building and the nearby 50 United Nations Plaza federal building as “non-core” assets that could be auctioned off. The administration is looking to reduce wasteful spending by selling off underutilized federal properties rather than forcing taxpayers to continue paying for their upkeep.
The Pelosi Federal Building, located at Mission and 7th Street, has become a symbol of the dysfunction in San Francisco. The area is notorious for open-air drug markets, rampant crime and illegal street vending. The situation became so bad in 2023 that federal employees working there were told to stay home due to safety concerns. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) called for the building’s shutdown, pointing to the drug activity right outside its doors.
Despite these clear problems, California Democrats are whining about the sale, calling it “political payback.” Former Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) claimed selling the buildings would result in higher costs for the government due to rising rents, ignoring the fact that federal workers in these buildings have barely used them in recent years. The idea that taxpayers should keep funding empty office space while the government struggles with debt and budget constraints is nonsensical.
Developer Andy Ball, who was involved in constructing the Pelosi Federal Building, said it was a waste of taxpayer money from the start. He estimated that the project cost “50% more” than if it had been done by the private sector. Yet rather than supporting the effort to offload wasteful properties, Pelosi and her allies would rather taxpayers continue footing the bill for vacant buildings.
The move to sell federal properties is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to reduce bureaucracy. Trump’s recent executive order also targets the Presidio Trust, which manages San Francisco’s Presidio Park. Pelosi, who secured $200 million in federal funding for the park in 2023, has voiced strong opposition, but the administration remains committed to streamlining federal spending.
Meanwhile, San Francisco’s commercial real estate market continues to flounder. Downtown office vacancies reached 37% last year, and the Mid-Market district — where the Pelosi Federal Building is located — reported a staggering 55% vacancy rate. Rather than leaving these buildings to rot under government control, the administration is looking to put them to better use.
