USPS Shifts Mailbox Maintenance Responsibility to Some San Antonio Neighborhoods

San Antonio Residents Face a New Challenge

In a surprising turn of events, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has shifted the responsibility for mailbox maintenance over to certain San Antonio neighborhoods. At least 16 neighborhoods in this Texas city have been affected by ongoing problems with their cluster mailboxes, often falling prey to burglaries and damages.

According to Kermit Bryant, a resident of the Westover Elms neighborhood, the cost of maintaining and fixing the mailboxes due to vandalism could easily exceed $30,000. Bryant expressed disappointment at the USPS’s hands-off policy regarding the security of the said mailboxes. “They don’t put any type of security on the box, yet we’re responsible for it,” Bryant said.

Shifting Responsibility

Previous guidelines from USPS stated clearly that the “purchase, installation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of mail receptacles are the responsibility of the customer”. This includes property management companies, apartment owners, and homeowners associations, where applicable. This rule has been in place for an unspecified period of time, according to the Postal Operations Manual available online.

Residents, such as Maria Vinton from the Westover Elms neighborhood, question this policy. “That’s their property right there; it says the United States post office property, so why are we having to do that?” argued Vinton, expressing a sentiment common among her fellow residents.

Impending Political Intervention

Politics has entered the picture, with Congressman Joaquin Castro and four other officials penning a letter to the USPS demanding a response to the crisis. The politicians highlighted the hardships experienced by the elderly and disabled residents, who are now forced to make uncomfortable and lengthy trips to the local post office to collect essential mail, including vital documents like Social Security checks and medications.

They vehemently oppose the sudden shift in responsibility to manage cluster boxes, labeling it “poor practice and poor governance.” The USPS is being urged to collaborate with the identified neighborhoods to install and maintain newer, more secure cluster mailboxes.

When questioned regarding the Congress members’ letter, USPS stated that they intend to reply directly to the said members, in accordance with their established protocol.

Stay tuned for more updates on this matter as the story unfolds. In the meantime, residents are looking forward to the USPS implementing changes that ensure the safety of their mail, their peace of mind and the restoration of a great and necessary public service.

Article by John Paul Barajas. Copyright 2024 – All rights reserved.