Kalispell Social Security Office Lease Terminated, DOGE Says
The office has not been informed of any disruption of service at this point and will continue to meet with clients in person. The federal government also terminated the leases of the Missoula Social Security field office, Shelby border patrol facility, Bureau of Indian Affairs building in Pablo and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service building in Great Falls.
By Denali Sagner
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has terminated the lease of the Kalispell Social Security office in an effort to cut costs by selling and cancelling leases on government buildings.
According to the DOGE website, the Kalispell Social Security office is one of 10 federal buildings in Montana whose leases have been cancelled. Also on the list are the Missoula Social Security field office, the Shelby border patrol facility, the Bureau of Indian Affairs building in Pablo and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service building in Great Falls.
The Kalispell Social Security office is continuing to help individuals in person and has not yet been informed of any disruptions of service.
The DOGE website stated that cancelling the Kalispell lease will save the federal government $151,400. DOGE said that termination details are still being finalized, the lessor and customer have been notified, and the strategy is under development.
Per the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), GSA owns 41 federal buildings and leases space in 78 buildings in Montana. The majority of GSA-owned buildings in Montana are border patrol stations, and primary tenants in Montana’s federal buildings are the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Bureau of Reclamation.
In a statement on the Social Security Administration (SSA) website, the agency said it has terminated over 60 leases with assistance from GSA, amounting to $4 million in annual rent savings. SSA said, with the majority of its hearings being held virtually, it no longer needs as much in-person space.
The statement said SSA is continuing to “make good on President Trump’s promise to protect American taxpayers from unnecessary spending while continuing to ensure it delivers on its mission.”
The federal government on Tuesday also published a list of more than 440 federal buildings it intends to sell, which included one location in Montana, the Bozeman Federal Building/Post Office. The list has since been taken down.
Montana Sen. Tim Sheehy said via a spokesperson, “Senator Sheehy is in touch with the relevant federal agencies on this issue. As the administration works to rein in spending and deliver government services more efficiently, Senator Sheehy is committed to working with our federal partners to ensure cuts are targeted responsibly and the critical frontline resources Montanans rely on are protected.”
Sen. Steve Daines’s office said, “Daines is working closely with the appropriate agencies to ensure critical services for Montanans are uninterrupted as President Trump works to reduce waste within the federal government.”
A spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke said via email, “Paying for empty buildings is not in the best interest of Montana taxpayers. If a federal agency is renting a building that is larger than it needs, then finding more affordable office space that fits the public’s needs and still delivers the public service is a prudent cost-saving measure. We understand that the functions of the agencies will not shutter, they are just switching addresses.”