SAN ANTONIO — A host of mailbox issues reported by San Antonio residents has prompted Congressman Joaquin Castro to investigate the matter of determining who is responsible for replacing broken units.
The Democratic congressman hosted a virtual press conference Wednesday morning to discuss the "apparent changes" to United States Postal Service policy related to cluster box repair that’s impacting hundreds of homeowners in Bexar County.
Castro referenced a letter sent by his office to the San Antonio USPS postmaster in September that addressed constituent complaints regarding disputes over cluster mailbox repairs and replacements.
“For years, my constituents have been able to count on USPS to maintain and replace neighborhood cluster boxes. However, in recent months, USPS has newly claimed that box maintenance is a neighborhood responsibility and refused to provide longstanding repair services,” Castro said.
The Oakmont Downs HOA requested USPS repair a cluster box unit after it was vandalized in December 2022, the letter said. The letter noted the Cedar Elm post office said the HOA is responsible for “maintaining and replacing their cluster boxes.” The letter also points out USPS policies on requirements for newly built neighborhoods as it relates to HOAs needing approval from the local postmaster for setting up a centralized delivery location and mode of delivery of mail.
According to the letter, Oakmont Downs, a neighborhood created in 1993, does not have a record of an agreement and the government liaison for USPS indicated the could not find the agreement either.
“I am concerned that as USPS updates policies to lower operating costs, these new policies negatively impact mail delivery. I understand that USPS must update its operating procedures from time to time, but I am worried these shifts in policy implementation are placing un undue burden on my constituents,” Castro said.
The Levy Townhouse Owners Association is among the other HOAs in San Antonio going through similar problems.
Bill Renton has lived in the Townhome neighborhood since 2004. The neighborhood was established in 1984. The retired educator is now a former member of the HOA’s board but Renton remains heavily involved with bookkeeping and in recent months, documenting issues with the community mailboxes.
“Up until August, we had a few break-ins on the backs of our CBU’s (cluster box unit) and the post office would come out and repair them,” Renton said.
Renton explained how the end of September sparked a change in protocol once the USPS sent HOA a letter.
“We get a letter that we’re now responsible and we need to replace the boxes,” Renton said. “We were predicting it’d be somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000."
The letter cited the USPS Postal-Operational Manual (POM), which stated in part: “Appropriate mail receptacles must be provided for the receipt of mail…Purchase, installation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of mail receptacles are the responsibility of the apartment owners and property managers.”
Renton said until about week ago, residents had to retrieve their mail at the local post office as indicated on the mailboxes September 23. The mailboxes in question have since repaired, but the HOA maintains its position that CBU’s future responsibility belongs to USPS. Renton cited the POM which states the "Postal Service may elect, under certain conditions, to purchase, install, and maintain curb-mounted mail receptacles or cluster box units."
Like Oakmont Downs, Levy Townhouse Owners Association does not have documentation of any agreement between USPS and the HOA.
“One of our neighbors is legally blind, he doesn’t drive, he can’t get to the post office. A lot of them working during the week and they have limited time and resources to be able to go to the post office.”
Meanwhile, Congressman Castro is working with his team to setup times to speak with San Antonio post office officials about the mailbox concerns.
“There are people right now in San Antonio who are not getting their mail because of this, they’re not getting important notices, bills that need to be paid,” Castro said. “If this is their new policy, then you either have to produce that agreement that says the home owner’s association is supposed to do it or you should essentially grandfather in the associations that you have helped maintain for decades.”
The USPS affirmed through a statement provided Wednesday the agency's position on the maintaining of cluster box units.
“The Postal Service is proud to continue its vital role in today’s changing mail environment. We are directed by statute to provide reliable and efficient service. We appreciate the opportunity to confirm that Postal Service guidelines specify that postal customers are responsible for ensuring appropriate mail receptacles are provided for the receipt of mail, to include door, curbside and centralized delivery via a CBU. Further, the purchase, installation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of mail receptacles are the customer’s responsibility, or apartment property management companies and homeowners associations (HOA), where applicable.”