The Postal Service leases nearly 23,000 of its 31,000 real properties nationwide at an annual cost of more than $1 billion, according to an audit by the USPS Office of Inspector General.
The auditors found that unreliable data in the agency's lease management puts costs at risk. Facility-related lease costs have risen since 2021 due to higher commercial rents, the audit said.
USPS manages leases and rent payments with help from a third-party contractor who negotiates terms and submits annual reports. The auditors made five recommendations to address the data reliability issues they identified.