The federal government wasted millions of dollars in building a housing project for Border Patrol agents in Arizona near the Mexican border, spending nearly $700,000 per house in a small town where the average home costs less than $90,000, a watchdog report found. The analysis by the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general found that U.S. Customs and Border Protection overspent by about $4.6 million on new houses and mobile homes in the small town of Ajo southwest of Phoenix. The agency has spent about $17 million for land, 21 two- and three-bedroom houses and 20 mobile homes. Construction was completed in December 2012.
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Department of Homeland Security found U.S. Customs and Border Protection wasted millions spending $700,000 per home in an area where average costs are $90,000
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Agency spent roughly $17 million for land, 21 two- and three-bedroom houses, and 20 mobile homes completed in 2012
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About 5,000 border agents reside in Arizona
'CBP did not effectively plan and manage employee housing in Ajo, @placeholder, and made decisions that resulted in additional costs to the federal government,' the report states.