“Waste Of Taxpayer Money”: Trump Admin Looks To Sell Nancy Pelosi Federal Building In San Francisco

The Trump administration plans to sell two major federal buildings in San Francisco, including the recently renamed Nancy Pelosi Federal Building, according to Fox News.

Formerly the San Francisco Federal Building, the 18-story tower sits in a crime-ridden area plagued by drug dealing and illegal markets.

How apropos for a building named after a woman who helped oversee the decline of San Francisco. 

Also up for potential sale is the 1930s-era federal building at 50 United Nations Plaza, home to the GSA’s regional headquarters.

Local reports, citing a GSA document, list both properties as “non-core” assets.

Federal employees at the Nancy Pelosi Federal Building were ordered to work from home in 2023 due to worsening safety concerns, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, had called for its closure over rampant drug dealing at its doorstep.

Former Rep. Jackie Speier accused Trump of political retaliation, telling KGO, “It’s another example of how he is coming after Democrats. He’s coming after California, and it’s all about payback.” She warned that leasing the building could become more costly, as taxpayers would cover property taxes instead of benefiting from federal ownership.

Originally opened in 2007 as a $144 million energy-efficient “green” project, the 7th Street federal building was labeled by Trump in a 2020 executive order as “one of the ugliest structures in their city.” Developer Andy Ball, who worked on the project, called it a “waste of taxpayer money from day one,” estimating costs were “50% greater” than if privately funded. “No investor would have built this building,” he added.

The Fox News report wrote that the potential sale aligns with the Trump administration’s broader effort to shrink government bureaucracy through Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Meanwhile, San Francisco faces a commercial real estate crisis, with downtown vacancy rates hitting 37% last year, including 55% in the Mid-Market area.

Security at the Pelosi building was increased after its December renaming, yet locals told KGO-TV that crime simply shifted a block away, leaving federal employees protected while ordinary citizens remained vulnerable. The 2,000-worker-capacity building houses offices for Pelosi, HHS, Social Security, Transportation, Labor, Agriculture, and HUD.