Property management: 60% of Portsmouth municipal buildings need $50K–$100K repairs; department understaffed

Mister Garcia, presenting for the Department of Property Management, told the Portsmouth City Council that the city currently maintains 123 buildings and facilities and that a preliminary review finds more than 60% require between $50,000 and $100,000 each to address code‑compliance and structural repairs.

Garcia said the department divides assets into service buildings (public access for city business and rentals) and operational buildings (employee work sites) and that inventory figures came from multiple departments and may vary by one to two percent. He listed 123 total buildings, seven vacant properties, four leased properties not maintained by his office and eight buildings earmarked for demolition; he said the department recently added the Hampton Roads Regional Jail to its portfolio.

Staffing and contracting were central points. Garcia and Property Manager Mister Stevens said Property Management currently has 33 trades employees (three plumbers, one HVAC technician, two electricians, two carpenters, two painters and other trades). Stevens said that staffing historically was higher (roughly 50 tradespeople in the early 2000s) and that a single HVAC technician now covers more than 20 facilities. Garcia said full in‑house staffing “should be 30 to 37,” and recommended a long‑term target of about 50 staff to properly service the inventory.

Garcia and Stevens described common deferred items: HVAC systems at libraries and museums, antiquated elevator equipment with hard‑to‑source parts (City Hall and Port Norfolk rec center were cited), roof and structural work and ongoing plumbing repairs. Garcia said recent repairs and upgrades included work at four recreation centers, two libraries, four fire stations, the city museum and the property‑management building, and he noted that Social Services has active leak repairs in its building.

On contracting and inspection procedures, Garcia said there is currently “no uniform system within the city to officially inspect different phases of work during construction by vendors that requires permits,” creating quality‑control and oversight challenges; he recommended improvements to inspection and contract management.

For planning, Garcia presented a timeline: a one‑year in‑house assessment of all city buildings for structural integrity and ongoing issues; a three‑year program to upgrade and restructure operations; a five‑year recommendation list for demolition and replacement where appropriate; and a 10‑year goal to bring every building to state and federal code standards.

Council members raised budget and consolidation questions. Councilman Hugel asked whether the assessment would also evaluate whether the city still needs particular buildings and whether consolidation of staff and facilities could reduce maintenance demands; Garcia confirmed that consolidation and right‑sizing would be part of the review. Vice Mayor Moody and others asked whether the city outsources repairs because of staffing shortages; Stevens said major repairs are contracted but the staffing shortfall increases reliance on outside contractors and raises cost.

Garcia closed by asking for council support to proceed with an in‑house assessment that will inform FY‑budget requests and potential staffing adjustments. City Manager Mister Carter said staff will “right size” both staffing and building portfolios as budget requests are developed.

“This is a planning tool so we can properly scope repairs, prioritize safety items and develop realistic CIP and operating budgets,” Garcia said during the presentation.