USPS says maintenance costs for cluster mailbox units now responsibility of neighborhoods

SAN ANTONIO – Cluster mailboxes within the Oakmont Downs community are wrapped in warning tape and coated in indicators that learn, “mailboxes broken into” and “pick up mail at the post office.”

“We’ve been here since 2004, and we’ve had these boxes vandalized 3-4 times before this time. There’s never been a fight, an argument, or a pushback on ‘no, we’re not going to do it this time, it’s your responsibility,’” stated Oakmont Downs resident Richard Martinez.

But that has modified. When the Oakmont Downs Homeowners Association reported their mailboxes had been damaged into closing October, the USPS stated it was once the neighborhood’s responsibility to get it repaired.

“That emblem indicated to them that these are owned by the United States Postal Service. When homeowners had to go get a new key, they didn’t talk to the HOA. They went up there,” stated Julia O’Meara, treasurer of Oakmont Downs HOA.

O’Meara contacted U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro’s place of work about the problem.

The congressman has since sent a letter to the USPS declaring partly, “I am concerned that as USPS updates policies to lower operating costs, these new policies negatively impact mail delivery.”

In reaction, the USPS despatched a letter again to the congressman’s place of work declaring partly, “Headquarters and Texas 3 District officials confirmed that in the past, local managers may have made exceptions to replace or maintain older or vandalized CBUs without authorization or with approval by Southern Area leadership because of unique, extenuating circumstances. However, the responsibility to provide a mail receptacle has always been with the customer (with some customers electing to organize through a Homeowners Association representing them).”

“The United States Postal Service is refusing to maintain those mailboxes — something that they have done in these neighborhoods, some of them for 20 or 30 years,” stated Castro.

For the ones affected, it’s greater than the inconvenience of having to visit the post place of work.

O’Meara stated a quote for maintenance began at $52,000 and that didn’t come with the associated fee for removing or set up. She hopes this may increasingly warn different neighborhoods.

“They’re going to get blindsided. I mean, how many of them have that much money?” stated O’Meara.

For now, the Oakmont Downs HOA stated it’s retaining out hope that the USPS will repair their mailboxes.

We requested the USPS when it put the responsibility of mailbox maintenance on communities, however they didn’t deal with that of their letter.