Mailboxes in HPP

[olin137]

I'm suspicious all the mumblings about why USPS "can't" deliver really comes down to doesn't "want" to. Isn't this a topic to be brought up with Senators and Representatives since this is supposed to be a Federal responsibility. I also wonder if there might be a little worry about the vandalism problem. I don't about mail boxes, but certainly any tampering/dishandling of mail is a Federal offense - could they be worrying about hassles if mail turn up missing from home boxes and/or mailboxes vandalized?

However, even if you grant them the point about not delivering on "uninproved" roads (which I don't buy) what possible excuse is there for not at a minimum having sufficient boxes at an appropriate Post Office?

Olin

[Bob Orts]

Oh goodie, a topic I can offer some assistance. On the mainland, I handle citizen advocacy. I help our citizens get things resolved or at least get them an answer. Although the USPS is not an agency we have control over, throughout the years I've gotten enough calls to know where to direct people and in the process learned quite a bit.

First let's dispel some myths:
1. Nothing in postal regulation prohibits them from delivering mail on unimproved roads. If the thoroughfare is a public road, they can't deny delivery because it' not paved. Of course, if the road is a danger, that's another story. Mail is delivered on dirt roads all the time on the mainland.
2. Nothing in postal regulations prohibits them from traveling on private thoroughfares to deliver mail. There are thousands of private roads with postal door-to-door service. Just look at Beverly Hills, do you think those people want a P.O. Box or want a real fancy street address? Yet many of those roads are private. Now, nothing says they must, deliver on private roads it's a call by the local Postmaster and Regional Director based on a totality of the situation.
3. It does not matter in the slightest if it's "City", "Rural" or "Contracted" carrier service, if postal regulations require delivery to an address or location, they can't refuse because they don't want to hurt their vehicle. They are paid to deliver a route and if that route has unimproved roads, they either accept the complete route or do something else.

Now, from what I'm hearing, the issue really seems to be that of private and unimproved roads along with mail deliver development standards. Here on the mainland, developments with private roads (paved or unimproved) can get area delivery if they install CMB's at their expense and are responsible for the maintenance of the units. I'm not sure when, but the USPS started requiring CMB's instead of individual roadside boxes in developments especially if the roads are private.

What I would recommend to everyone, this is not a fight for a few or many going off on their own trying to get solutions or answers. You need to solicit the assistance of your Congressional Representative to assist. First, you need to organize under a single umbrella. Be it a HOA or a Special Postal Committee, or whatever. Next write a letter to your local Postmaster asking for the specifics of why this area can't get mail delivery service and what does the USPS require to start mail delivery service? It does not matter what the USPS tells anyone of you. It only matters what they put in writing. If they have to put it in writing, you'll be surprised what answers they send back and I bet it won't be the 'whatever they felt like saying' line anymore. With your Representative involved, I bet they will agree to some form of pilot program. It may require the installation of CMB's along a paved main arterial thoroughfares through the subdivision with many grouped together to cover the current and future needs of the residents.

Someone asked how much these boxes cost, the cost of a typical 18 CMB on pedestal delivered to CA is around $1,200 with all keys and postal paperwork for the Postmaster. You can figure out how many you need from there. There are also rules on the specific location, pull outs, road-side markings, lighting, etc.

There are several other successful options but the above seemed to work in most cases.

You can also have everyone in the development petition their federal elected representatives for more Post Office Boxes. Explain that its not like on the mainland where you CAN get individual delivery but CHOOSE a PO Box, here you CAN’T get individual delivery and are FORCED to use a PO Box, but there aren’t any available. I bet your federally elected representatives haven’t a clue that this is going on.

[Carey]

Bob, see my comment at the top of the page...the private road subdivision HPP does has CMB's on the artial roads (in agreement with your post). It seems these are currently mainatained (& most likely were installed) by the Post Office. The Post Office seems to have told HPP that to acquire more would be the responsibility of the Homeowners (this agrees with your post) HPP does not have the ability to collect monies for anything but road improvements...Hence the article in "The Conch" that should have alerted the residents to this. Stan started this thread, If he is a landowner in HPP, he should be receiving the newletter.

[ef9]

Hello,

I didn't think my question would create a small stir on this forum.

I am very new to Puna, as I was born and raised in Hilo.

I did not know about the mailbox issue until asking my question here. I am now a homeowner in the HPP subdivision! I will be getting the keys to the house tomorrow!

Thank you all for your responses,

Stan

[Carey]

Stan, congratulations on your new home (& I guess that is why you didn't know about the May "The Conch" article & all.
It will take some time to get a box, go to the Keaau Post Office - We signed up for a box when we rented in HPP, we were notified that we got one - near our rental - almost a year later & after we bought our house in downtown Keaau (with residential mail delivery!)

[Les C]

Just wanted to share what our situation in the Bay Area was; it probably has no bearing on the HPP scenario or your situation, but what the heck. We lived in a non-contiguous part of Palo Alto, about 6 miles from the nearest residence that had home delivery within that city and about 18 miles from the nearest PO substation. Although we lived within the city limits, our mail was delivered via another town, La Honda, whose PO was about 16 mi. from us. Curiously, if you lived within La Honda town limits, you didn't have home delivery. Our mail was delivered by a contractor, apparently, not in an official USPS vehicle. (off topic: La Honda held an "Aloha Weekend" each summer that featured Hawaiian talent, like Ledward Ka'apana.)

Here in upper Puna, we have no home delivery, but it doesn't feel like a bother or a problem. Granted, we are only a mile from the PO; it's great exercise to walk it or it's a quick drive. We've just woven our mail runs into our routine. Our road is not paved (one neighbor said it's private, but there are no signs indicating that and our realtor saw nothing that stated that) and we are 50' from a paved road.

Curiously, there is an Hawaii Trib box at the corner of the paved road that's meant for our house. Perhaps, most importantly, the delivery services can find us. I'd hate to have to drive down to Hilo to fetch those packages.

[HiloHaole]

Here's a quote from a GAO report: "USPS local officials select the delivery option that provides service in the most efficient and cost-effective manner, and they consider numerous cost and customer service factors when making these decisions."

Here's a quote from the Consumer Answer Book that USPS gives its employees on how to answer customers: "Cluster box units provide unique advantages to Postal Service ustomers.
The Postal Service bears the entire expense of purchasing, installing, and maintaining them. These lockable, watertight units provide far more security than regular mailboxes. Also, CBUs can be compatible with the aesthetic design of the community. We appreciate this opportunity to share additionalinformation with you."

From these quotes, it appears that the local postmaster has the power to determine if there will be cluster or personal delivery.

[jade]

This was taken from the USPS financial report:
The Postal Service moved further into record territory as we closed 2006
with an unprecedented seventh straight year of increased productivity and
a third consecutive year of positive retained earnings. Guided by our new
Strategic Transformation Plan 2006-2010, the Postal Service achieved
a net income of $900 million, while keeping service and customer
satisfaction near all-time highs.
Tell me why they are not willing to pay for the cluster box units? I don't think the real problems is whether they will deliver to you door we just want to be able to pickup mail without driving to pahoa,keaau or hilo. I don't think that is unresonable request.

[HiloHaole]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Here's a quote from the Consumer Answer Book that USPS gives its employees on how to answer customers: "Cluster box units provide unique advantages to Postal Service customers. The Postal Service bears the entire expense of purchasing, installing, and maintaining them. These lockable, watertight units provide far more security than regular mailboxes. Also, CBUs can be compatible with the aesthetic design of the community. We appreciate this opportunity to share additional information with you."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Upon closer inspection of the quote I picked out from the USPS Customer Answer Book, it says, "The Postal Service bears the entire expense of purchasing, installing, and maintaining them." It's interesting that the postmaster in Keaau is wanting HPP to foot the bill on part of the cluster. Maybe the HPP Association should quote the postmaster this part of the USPS-produced manual that USPS uses to respond to customer questions and comments.

[macuu222]

Probably because of the expense. There are over 8000 individual 1 acre lots in HPP. And even if they did put 8000 boxes along the three main roadways in HPP (that would be a site to see), the boxs are so small that anything large would have to be picked up in Keaau post office anyway.