PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A local woman says she has not been able to get into her mailbox for the past six months.
Deborah Moore from Portsmouth told News 3 she was not given a mailbox key from her leasing office when she first moved into her apartment. Instead, she was told the postal service could resolve the issue for her.
But when Moore told the United States Postal Service about the problem, her family says they processed a work order and never followed up.
Moore's daughter, Unique Reid, said her mom was “at her breaking point” when they reached out to News 3 Problem Solvers.
“They keep saying they are short of staff; they do not have anyone to get a mailbox key. It is getting to the point where her mail is getting lost, mail going to a residence - it's just going on and on and on,” Reid said.
Data from the Pew Research Center shows the number of Americans who view the USPS favorably has decreased in recent years - from 91% in 2020 to 77% in March 2023.
USPS routinely points at staff retention problems along with higher package volumes as major factors in service delays.
For Reid, those delays led to in-person post office visits and weekly phone calls to no avail.
“I can't cuss on the news, but I've been cussing with them in that post office and people have been hearing [complaints] and then telling me, 'don't feel bad you're not the only one,'” she said.
In fact, it took Artura Cunningham, who lives just down the road in Portsmouth, two years to get her mailbox key.
"I kept asking about my key. I kept asking [USPS] when would I get access to my mailbox key [and] to my mailbox and they always told me, 'I do not know, we do not know, we are trying,'” she said. “I [must] have access to my mail. I had checks in that mail [and] W-2s in the mail.”
She says the lockout put her behind on rent and other bills.
“This problem is bigger than just me. There are other people that do not have a key, so it is an ongoing issue about Portsmouth, and they have to change,” she said.
On days Moore could not find a ride, Reid says her mom would walk close to a two-mile round trip from her house to the post office on Broad Street.
She says when News 3 Problem Solvers reached out to USPS to share this information and more about her situation, things started to change.
"When I called Channel 3 and got it involved, that's when things started happening,” said Reid.
Moore says her neighbor knocked on the door, telling her that the mail carrier had her key.
“The mailman told me, 'Ms. Moore, we have your keys,'” said Moore. “I couldn't believe that I had my keys for the first time [in six months].”
Reid echoes her mother’s excitement, saying, “Thank you Channel 3. If you are dealing with this same situation, contact Channel 3 because you are going to get help from the start."
In addition to reaching out to USPS, News 3 called the American Postal Workers Union. They cited several reasons for the mailbox key issues including short staffing, a higher volume of mail and packages, and in some cases, a toxic work environment.
The APWU says the aforementioned issues contribute to the near 60% turnover rates, despite USPS trying to make changes.
News 3 also reached out to Senator Tim Kaine about the backlog for mailbox keys.
In a statement, he said:
““I am deeply troubled to hear about more Virginians who cannot get the mail they need. I wrote [kaine.senate.gov] to USPS in May to press the agency to address mail delivery problems, and it's clear that USPS is far from delivering the reliable service every Virginian deserves. I will continue to be in touch with USPS to identify why mail delivery issues are persisting so we can make sure those problems are addressed. And I’m monitoring USPS to make sure they are upholding the Postal Service Reform Act [kaine.senate.gov] that we passed to strengthen transparency and accountability for USPS performance. I encourage Virginians experiencing issues with USPS to reach out to my office at https://www.kaine.senate.gov/services/help [kaine.senate.gov].”
If you have had trouble getting your mailbox key, or any other mail issues, reach out to News 3 Problem Solvers using the contact form below.
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