The General Services Administration is warning lawmakers that federal office buildings are falling into disrepair, as the agency deals with a multi-billion-dollar backlog of maintenance and repair projects.

GSA Administrator Edward Forst told members of the Senate Appropriations Committee last week that half of GSA’s real portfolio of buildings is in “fair” or “poor” condition.

“No private-sector landlord could survive this,” Forst told members of the financial services subcommittee. “We, as a tenant in 7,000 leased properties, would not tolerate this.”

GSA faces a $50 billion backlog in maintenance and repair projects — more than double the agency’s previous highest estimate — according to a report released in March by the Public Buildings Reform Board. Congress created the board to help GSA identify underutilized federal buildings that it should sell or offload.