The Franklin office for the Social Security Administration is slated to be closed, according to the Department of Government Efficiency website (doge.gov).
The Franklin office of the Social Security Administration, which serves Western North Carolina, handles several federal programs including Social Security, Retirement, SSI, Medicine, and Disability Benefits. It’s the only federal Social Security office west of Asheville.
According to March 3 statements from the Social Security Administration, the agency has found over $800 million in cost savings for this fiscal year. This includes 60 lease terminations, which they state will save $4 million annually.
According to DOGE, the annual lease cost for the Franklin building is $276,309 and the estimated savings from closing the office is $1,059,184.
The 8,895-square-foot building is owned by UIRC-GSA FRANKLIN NC, LLC, according to the Macon County GIS and the tax bill goes to UIRC (Urban Investment Research Corporation) in Lemont, Illinois. The taxes on the property are $4,636.06. According to the North Carolina LLC directory, UIRC-GSA FRANKLIN NC, LLC, was incorporated in Delaware, with addresses in Raleigh and Illinois.
Questions directed to the Franklin SSA office about the lease contract and how many employees worked there were directed to the SSA Regional office in Atlanta. The Atlanta press office for the SSA has not responded to any request for comment in recent weeks and did not on Tuesday.