Homeowners in a Granger, Indiana, subdivision say they have gone without mail delivery to their individual home mailboxes since June 1 because of an ongoing dispute with the United States Postal Service.
The issue affects Woodford Trails, a 109-lot neighborhood where most residents are now picking up mail at the post office instead of receiving it at home, according to WNDU.
USPS is still driving through the subdivision, but only four homes considered grandfathered in remain on the route, the station reported.
Resident Ryan Foreman told WNDU he noticed on his Ring doorbell camera that the mail truck kept passing his house. He said a package tracking update later claimed he had requested the item be held at the post office, which he said he did not request.
The Dispute Centers On Cluster Mailboxes
A Cluster Box Unit, or CBU, is a centralized mailbox station that serves multiple addresses from one location.
David Eckrich, president of Adams Road Development, which created Woodford Trails, told WNDU the subdivision was not designed around that kind of delivery system.
Eckrich said the neighborhood has no front common area where a cluster box could easily sit. A unit near the entrance would likely end up in front of someone’s home, creating a placement and curb-appeal problem after residents had already moved in.
USPS Says New Developments Need Centralized Delivery
The Granger postmaster pointed to a USPS policy created in 2012, according to WNDU. USPS told the station that new developments or new phases of development are required to use centralized delivery.
USPS also said the customer or developer is responsible for buying, installing, and maintaining the mail receptacles, and that the location must be approved in advance by the Postal Service.
The USPS Postal Operations Manual says centralized delivery is the preferred mode for new residential and commercial developments. It says curbside, sidewalk, and door delivery are generally unavailable for new delivery points except in rare cases decided by the Postal Service.
The Developer Says The Timing Created The Problem
Eckrich told WNDU that USPS did not tell his team about the cluster-box requirement until years after construction began at Woodford Trails. He also said other Granger neighborhoods developed around the same time have not been treated the same way.
Congressman Rudy Yakym’s office told WNDU it is in communication with USPS and wants parity in the enforcement of postal guidelines.
USPS said it looks forward to a speedy resolution from the developer so centralized delivery can be established for Woodford Trails customers.
Until that happens, affected homeowners are picking up mail at the post office instead of at their homes.