Federal workers displaced to cramped building plagued by mice and a broken ceiling

Approximately 1,600 employees of the General Services Administration were forced to vacate their F Street headquarters and relocate to the Theodore Roosevelt Federal Building, only two blocks away. The new premises, which also house Office of Personnel Management staff, suffer from a mouse problem, a caved-in bathroom ceiling and tap water that requires a brief flush before it runs clear. These conditions emerged after the Department of Government Efficiency, created by Elon Musk, instituted massive workforce reductions and a return to mandatory office attendance.

GSA leadership, including administrator Ed Forst, has told workers they will remain in the OPM building—scheduled for rapid sale—until the original site’s extensive renovations are finished in December 2028. Employees expressed frustration, questioning the safety of the water and the stability of the facilities. The agency has announced plans to hire about 400 new staff a year after the cuts, as part of a broader effort to streamline federal real-estate holdings.