Three Questions with Hillary Johnson
President, Federal Real Property Association
VP, Jones Lang LaSalle

Q: What does your job entail?

A: The Government Investor Services Group at Jones Lang LaSalle works with property owners who serve government tenants or who wish to attract government tenants to their building and with developers who design, construction and manage facilities for government use. As the Business Manager for this Group my responsibilities include both coordination with the other Jones Lang LaSalle in-house groups such as construction, property management, investment banking and project development services as well as external relationships with both government employees and private sector service providers.

In taking on the day-to-day responsibilities of my job, I became involved in the Federal Real Property Association (FRPA) because I found it to be an excellent networking and technical resource. As this year’s FRPA President, I am responsible for maintaining the original mission or the organization and enhancing our ability to serve our membership.

FRPA was established in 1985, by the Real Property Task Force of the President’s Cabinet Council on Management and Administration. The Task Force recommended the creation of an organization to promote professionalism, expertise and interaction among individuals involved and responsible for the effective and efficient management of real property.

FRPA’s goals and objectives are as follows:

• Treat federal real property as a national asset;
• Enhance the status of real property management as a profession;
• Develop cooperation, support, and friendship among members;
• Discuss mutual problems, exchange ideas, and experiences;
• Foster research and state-of-the-art methods for federal real property management;
• Apply economic principles in the acquisition, management and disposal of federal real property;
• Encourage good public relations;
• Establish high standards of practice and performance;
• Provide education and training in real estate and related fields;
• Provide comments and take positions on issues affecting federal real property management;
• Integrate teamwork and leadership to achieve association goals; and
• Undertake other steps that inure to the advantage of the membership.

We welcome new members. For more information, please visit the FPPA website at www.frpa.us.

Q: What is your view of the interaction between real property asset management and Federal fiscal responsibility?

A: The federal government has the obligation to serve as the steward of taxpayer resources while providing for the safety and productivity of the federal workforce.

By gaining an in-depth understanding of the federal real property inventory, its use and purpose, the federal government is better prepared to make strategic decisions that will save money and best position the federal workforce to serve the American public.

In many ways, true federal fiscal responsibility demands a balancing act between the competing interests of the government. For example, the cost of carrying unnecessary property, which could otherwise be sold to the benefit the federal treasury, must be balanced against the long-range best use of the property and its utility to the government. In another example, the propriety of the investment in expenses associated with the physical security of the federal workforce must be balanced against the threats facing the workforce.

Adopting private sector real property management techniques and increasing partnerships with the private sector, federal landholding agencies will improve their financial health and increase the quality of life for federal workers. Techniques including collocation of federal tenants, improved customer service and property management, and implantation of more relevant metrics to track performance all hold substantial promise restrict federal spending and maximize the productivity of the federal workforce.

Q:What are upcoming milestones for current legislative or regulatory initiatives with which you are concerned, and what role does real property play in these milestones?

A: In any Congressional year, there are numerous considerations and initiatives related either directly or indirectly to real property. The most interesting discussions revolve around the increasing need for public/private partnerships to assist the government in managing increasing demands on the Federal real property workforce and scarce funding for real estate projects.

The implementation of security standards and their impact on the marketplace is also an ongoing concern for many involved in Federal real property.