DOGE to terminate lease of federal offices in Chattanooga

From Local 3 News: The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is looking to save money throughout the country, including in the Tennessee Valley.

According to DOGE's website, they plan to keep the Social Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of Homeland Security from renewing leases for several of its sites in Tennessee and Georgia.

The National IRS Office in Chattanooga, alongside a DHS operations building, are listed under the real estate savings section of DOGE's website.

DOGE expects to save the following annual lease by closing the two offices:

• DHS-CBP Field Operations Facilities - $19,938
• Internal Revenue Service National Office - $353,845

When asked to confirm reports if a local Social Security office would close, a spokesperson for the SSA stated:

"We are working with GSA to review our leases and ensure they are used efficiently. Most of the leases we are not renewing are for small remote hearing sites that are co-located with other Federal space. As the majority of our hearings are held virtually, we no longer need as many in-person hearings locations."

The spokesperson said 20% of their offices held no in-person hearings, and instead held virtual meetings.

Similar federal offices in Georgia also appear on the list for lease terminations.

Atlanta NBC affiliate station 11Alive reports the following SSA offices will close in their state:

• Columbus, Georgia Social Security Office: Located on 7263 N Lake Dr, Columbus, GA 31909
• Gainesville, Georgia Social Security Office: Located on 2565 Thompson Bridge Rd #210, Gainesville, GA 30501
• Vidalia, Georgia Social Security Office: Located on 104 W 3rd St, Vidalia, GA 30474
• Brunswick, Georgia Social Security Office: Located on 134 Juniper Ct, Brunswick, GA 31520
• Thomasville, Georgia Social Security Office: Located on 1916 Smith Ave, Thomasville, GA 31792

SSA said it expects to terminate over 60 leases with help from the General Services Administration.

Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff responded to the announcement, saying seniors in his state rely on these offices to access their benefits, get a new Social Security card, and apply for Medicare eligibility.

"We already face a crisis of access to social security benefits for Georgia seniors," Ossoff stated. "This isn't a handout. These are benefits that seniors have paid for throughout their careers, and when you cut access to Social Security, you directly hurt seniors in Georgia."