Every day, millions of Americans look forward to getting mail. Whether it be a postcard, a social security check, or even bills. It’s something many people assume to be a given.
But there’s one complex in Pasadena where residents say they haven’t gotten mail in over a month because the mailboxes have been broken into and haven’t been repaired.
Residents at the Pointe Apartments in Pasadena say every month they pay hundreds in rent, but something as simple as getting the mail is now a thing of the past. Almost every single mailbox has been broken, some hanging off the hinge. The problem was so bad the post office wouldn’t even deliver there anymore.
“I mean even this part is broken and that’s the part that the mailman uses,” said Eva Mosqueda pointing to the mailbox where she used to get her mail.
Mosqueda is one of countless residents who live at the Pointe Apartments who haven’t received mail in weeks.
“Can’t get my insurance cards or anything like that, the only thing I can rely on is when I come and get my prescriptions and they knock on my door,” Mosqueda said.
It’s part of a problem she says has been going on for two years since moving there. One that seems to only have gotten worse this past holiday season.
“Other people breaking into stuff,” she said.
Instead of attempts to fix the problem, residents say the leasing office has only made broken promises.
“They had a certain amount of time to fix the problem, the post office held it for a little bit, and they can’t, it’s not their responsibility to hold on to our mail, so they had to put return sender,” said another resident, Steven Gobel.
Even though Gobel took it upon himself to buy his own lock to secure his mail, the box remains empty.
“Nobody’s getting their mail right now,” he said.
In response to the issue, the United States Postal Service sent us the following statement.
“The security and sanctity of the mail are of paramount importance to the U.S. Postal Service. This includes ensuring mail receptacles are secured and in good condition at all times. When mail service issues occur, we take steps to quickly resolve customer concerns. In this instance, mail delivery service has been temporarily interrupted at the Pointe Apartments because the Postal Service could not provide safe and secure delivery of items due to the condition of the boxes. However, postal officials are communicating with the property managers regarding the condition of mail receptacles. As information, the maintenance and repair of mailboxes are the responsibility of the property owner. In the interim, customers may continue to pick up their mail at the Pasadena Main Post Office. We apologize for any inconvenience that may have been caused.”
KPRC 2 is working to reach out to the apartment complex staff.