After not receiving mail in a timely manner for many months, some Grant Park residents are filing complaints, contacting representatives or going down to the post office themselves.
They say mail is delivered late into the evening, or some days, simply doesn’t come at all.
The problem has been going on since last summer. In July, a United States Postal Service statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said that mail was coming later in the afternoon due to a "route realignment" that had recently taken place, and the new delivery pattern was designed to provide a "measure of regularity in daily service."
But according to neighbors, there’s been no regularity to be had.
Rob Smith told Channel 2 Actions News this week that he received an overwhelming response from neighbors after he posted about the issue on Facebook.
“When people don’t get their medications, when people don’t get the things they need to live on from day to day that are all in the U.S. Postal Service, and depending upon that service to deliver them to their houses, that’s pretty dire,” Smith said.
Area resident Alyssa Kopp showed the television station a birthday card that was postmarked as arriving in Atlanta on Jan. 11, but not delivered until Jan. 23.
Jay Botwinick, Larry Keller, Rachel Eisaman: All neighbors who also told Channel 2 they’re exasperated over the mail issue.
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Resident Eric Schneider was concerned enough to file a complaint in August, and contact his congressman, Rep. John Lewis. A response from a USPS district manager pointed again to the “route realignments,” but Schneider told Channel 2 the problem has only intensified in recent months.
In a recent statement to the television station, Lewis said he’d do “everything in (his) power to see that proper mail service is restored.”
“It is a shame and a disgrace that the people of my district cannot get the mail service they are entitled,” Lewis said. “I’m diligently working to see that this problem gets resolved.”
Rick Badie, Strategic Communications Specialist for the USPS, told Channel 2 recently that the organization is “aware of delivery concerns in the Grant Park area and we have put processes and personnel in place to identify and correct deficiencies in city delivery operations."
Omar R. Coleman was installed as Postmaster of Atlanta in May 2016, but he is no longer working in that capacity. In December, Badie confirmed to the AJC that Ashlea Meyer was serving as "acting postmaster," but declined to discuss administrative decisions "as a matter of policy."
To reach a postal representative, call 800-275-8777.
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