A week after it was discovered the Franklin Social Security office faced closure per the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), local elected officials say the office will remain.
“Problem is resolved. The Franklin Social Security office will not be closing,” Sen. Kevin Corbin told The Franklin Press on Friday, March 7. “I just got that word from Congressman [Chuck] Edwards. They have heard our voice! I thank Congressman Edwards and Senators [Thom] Tillis and [Ted] Budd for listening.”
On Monday, March 10, Edwards said, “My office has received assurance that the Social Security Administration office in Franklin will not be closing and all of the space being used by the public and staff will remain in use.”
Corbin said DOGE flagged the Franklin office for closure due to its high rent. According to DOGE and confirmed by Corbin, the annual lease cost for the Franklin building is $276,309, coming out to $23,025.75 per month. DOGE estimated savings from closing the office would be $1,059,184.
However, Corbin said after hearing from Edwards, Tillis and Burr, it was agreed the office needs to stay open.
The lease for the Social Security Administration building which runs to August will be renegotiated, Corbin said. The office has 12 employees, Corbin confirmed, complimenting their work for helping locals receive Medicare and Social Security benefits.
“I understand they will be negotiating the lease for a new term or certainly have the option to move the office to a new location,” Corbin said. “Either way, I’ve been told the office will remain open and will remain in Franklin.”
The Franklin Social Security Administration office is the westernmost in North Carolina and the only one west of Asheville. Corbin said the office serves his district of Macon, Clay, Swain, Graham, Cherokee, Jackson and Haywood and that the Asheville office is too busy. The Asheville Social Security office is not on the DOGE list. However, three other Social Security offices in North Carolina are on the list – Elizabeth City, Greenville and Roanoke Rapids.
The Franklin Social Security Administration office located at 213 Lakeside Drive is in an 8,895-square-foot building 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 per year.
When first reached on March 5, Edwards said he understood DOGE’s efforts, citing “our nation’s unsustainable debt” and saying it’s prudent to make sure tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively.”
“Understanding how the federal government can more effectively utilize existing personnel and funds will allow us to be better stewards of taxpayer money and responsibly deliver services to the American people,” Edwards stated. “My office has been in regular contact with the Social Security Administration and is awaiting an update on the status of the Franklin office, which has been vital to our community.”
On March 10, Edwards added that “responsibly reducing the federal government’s real estate footprint will help keep taxpayers from footing the bill for unused office space, which is why I introduced the FULL Act that was signed into law last Congress.” The act requires federal agencies to submit annual reports on the occupancy and use of office spaces.
In a statement provided to The Franklin Press on March 6, a Social Security Administration (SSA) press office spokesperson said they are working with the General Services Administration to review its leases and ensure they are used efficiently.
“Most of the leases we are not renewing are for small remote hearing sites that are co-located with other federal space,” the SSA press office spokesperson said. “As the majority of our hearings are held virtually, we no longer need as many in-person hearings locations. In fact, in [fiscal year 2023-24], 20% of these offices held no in-person hearings. Other offices are non-public facing, being consolidated into nearby locations, or we had planned to close. Social Security continuously monitors and evaluates the use of our office space to maximize efficiency for the American taxpayer.”
On March 10, in response to an inquiry regarding the news given by Corbin and Edwards, the Social Security Administration sent The Franklin Press a link to an “efficiencies” webpage, where it has a link to a spreadsheet with 64 leases they plan on terminating, stating it will result in $4 million in annual rent savings.
The Franklin office is still listed on the lease termination list. According to the SSA, that is due to it being a “small hearings permanent remote site, which is a room within another SSA office. As most of our hearings are held virtually, we no longer need as many in-person hearings sites.” The SSA gave the same reasoning for all permanent remote sites.
Standing outside of a Franklin Social Security Administration office on Friday, March 7, The Franklin Press saw multiple people go in and out of the office for various reasons.
Wayne Arnold of Franklin said it’s very hard to get stuff done on the Social Security online portal and over the telephone. Arnold said phone calls with national Social Security offices have had a 90-minute wait. Last Friday, Arnold was making sure his social security was ready for him.
One family stopping by who did not want to be identified said they’ve been using the Franklin office for four years to report earnings to continue to receive disability.
A Swain County woman who did not want to speak on the record arrived at the office in a Swain County Transit vehicle, leaving after 15-20 minutes. Already a 45-minute trip each way, the drive would be longer if they had to go to Asheville, the next-nearest Social Security office. Other WNC county transit services told The Franklin Press they would take people to Franklin’s Social Security office.
A woman who introduced herself as Renee walking out of the office says she would root for the office’s closure, claiming she’s waited up to three hours for an appointment.
A woman who declined to give her name, arriving by a Macon County Transit shuttle, hopes to start her social security soon but says she can’t do it online as she doesn’t have internet at home.