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Q&A
City real estate leasing practices amid workforce changes and remote work
1:28:56
ยท
118 sec
Council Member Restler questions Commissioner Molina about the city's real estate leasing practices, given the shrinking workforce and increased remote work.
- MMR showed an increase in leased space to 2.8 million square feet, up from 2.5 million in FY 2023
- Questions raised about why leased space is increasing despite workforce shrinkage and remote work policies
- Commissioner Molina explains that some increases are due to prior leases from the previous administration and additional space needed for the asylum crisis
- A citywide space savings task force is close to finalizing its recommendations
Lincoln Restler
1:28:56
Wonderful.
1:28:58
Everyone around me is saying that I'm taking too much time.
1:29:01
So I will try to go faster.
1:29:04
Let's shift gears to real estate even though I had a lot more questions for you, deputy commissioner Kermann.
1:29:08
It's always good to see you.
1:29:12
Can I just ask, I think I see every deputy commissioner here except for the deputy commissioner for real Is deputy commissioner Hamilton not available today?
1:29:19
Okay.
1:29:20
I hope he's okay.
1:29:21
I'm sorry to hear that.
1:29:24
So the MMR showed there was an increase in leases, 2,800,000 square feet, up from 2,500,000 in FY twenty three.
1:29:33
With the announcement of an extension of the DC Thirty Seven remote work pilot, and of course, as I've noted, the shrinkage in the city workforce, has the citywide space savings task force finalized its recommendations?
Louis Molina
1:29:47
Yeah.
1:29:47
So we're close to having a finalized draft that's being reviewed right now and look forward to releasing that soon.
Lincoln Restler
1:29:53
Okay.
1:29:54
In October, had mentioned that you had expected it by the end of the year, so we we certainly look forward to reviewing it.
1:30:02
Could you my understanding is that the total number of leases and the total square footage leased by the city has increased in the Adams administration despite the citywide remote worker pilot and despite the shrinkage in the city government workforce.
1:30:18
Can you explain or can somebody help explain for me why we would be leasing more spaces and leasing more square footage when the workforce is shrinking and the workforce has shrunk dramatically and more people are working from home?
Louis Molina
1:30:29
Yeah.
1:30:29
So I think there's a there's a couple issues, and I'll turn it over to executive deputy commissioner Overton.
1:30:34
We had prior leases that were not reflected yet from the prior administration that were added to that.
1:30:41
I believe during the asylum crisis that would have added square footage of space that might have been leased or licensed to the city to deal with that issue where you see those increases.
1:30:51
EDC Overton?
UNKNOWN
1:30:52
That is that's accurate.
Louis Molina
1:30:53
That's it?
1:30:54
Okay.