S. 896, Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009

Coburn 2nd degree amendment to Reed’s Amendment 1040

• This second degree amendment establishes a five year pilot program which would give the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) temporary authority to sell or demolish property that the federal government owns but no longer needs.

• The current process in place for disposing of unneeded federal buildings is inefficient and cumbersome. The amendment would both expedite the process and create a financial incentive for agencies to sell the property they no longer need.

• The amendment would also allow for those who can use the property to assist the homeless. Representatives of the homeless would be allowed to apply for certain properties if they believe that it might be useful to assist the homeless. Currently, under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, federal property is made available for use to assist the homeless. This amendment would incorporate features from that process to ensure similar treatment of the properties for this purpose.

• Finally, the amendment would allow agencies to recoup the cost of selling the building, plus an additional 20%, as an incentive for disposing of the properties. Retention of proceeds has proven to be an effective tool for federal agencies to dispose of their unneeded properties.

Click here to read the entire amendment background.

Click here to read the amendment text.