From Preservation Action:

Over the last few weeks most historic preservation staff at the General Services Administration (GSA) has been laid off. The GSA manages and preserves hundreds of historic government buildings. This also includes historic artwork that is under the care of the GSA. Lack of historic preservation staff at GSA jeopardizes the agency's significant historic resources. 

Mass layoffs of federal employees, including at GSA, are being challenged in court. A federal judge recently ruled against the firing of many federal workers and ordered most workers to be reinstated as the appeals process plays out. This is a evolving situation but continued layoffs are expected.

Lack of historic preservation staff also raises the question of what the government intends to do with many of these historic buildings and resources. Earlier this month, GSA briefly published a list of 443 "non-core" buildings that the agency intended to put up for sale. This represents about 50% of it's portfolio and includes numerous historic and cultural resources. The list was deleted soon after being posted, but another list is expected to be published again soon. A map of sites included in the initial list is available here.

Preservation Action is deeply concerned by the mass layoffs of historic preservation staff at GSA, and the impact these indiscriminate firings will have on the hundreds of historic and cultural resources the agency manages.