Three of California’s top lawmakers in Washington D.C. are urging U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to reopen the post office in Niland, a small town in rural northern Imperial County.
Earlier this month, KPBS reported that residents of Niland and several surrounding communities have been cut off from daily access to the mail since the post office burned down in February 2022.
In a letter to DeJoy, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif), Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif) and Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Palm Desert) called the ongoing closure “unacceptable.”
“This has presented a significant burden to these residents, many of whom are elderly, disabled, low-income, or lack transportation,” the letter stated. “Our constituents in rural areas rely on the Postal Service for their daily correspondence, bills, lifesaving medication, mail-in ballots, and so much more.”
Niland community leaders said they were moved by news of the letter.
“I thought, ‘Finally, they're stepping up to the plate for us,’” said Anna Garcia, a former postal worker and member of the community advocacy organization NorthEnd Alliance 111. “We do know that they're on our side, but seeing it in writing has helped us.”
In an email Monday, Postal Service spokesperson David Rupert declined an interview request and said USPS would be responding directly to the members of Congress.
Niland sits on the north edge of Imperial County at a bend in the road along state Route 111. The post office was located in the heart of town and served most of the region, including residents of Niland and the surrounding communities of Bombay Beach and Slab City.
The fire torched the post office building and caused heavy damage to the walls and ceiling. USPS officials said they were closing the post office temporarily, but that they would reopen it “as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Two years later, residents have received no concrete updates on the situation. Instead, community leaders said the closure has forced some residents to drive as far as 50 miles to pick up their mail and delayed deliveries of medication and groceries.
The Postal Service has provided intermittent service by sending a mail truck from the neighboring town of Calipatria three days a week. But the lawmakers pointed out that the vehicle often experiences mechanical issues. Community leaders said it has broken down two or three times just this month.
“This cannot be a long-term substitute for a permanent post office,” the lawmakers wrote.
Community members said they were grateful for the letter, but want to see those same lawmakers follow up by taking a closer hand in the Postal Service’s efforts to secure a new post office location.
USPS has been trying unsuccessfully for months to agree on a lease or license for a vacant building owned by the local school district, Calipatria Unified School District.
The lawmakers noted those delays in their letter and encouraged USPS to begin looking for other potential properties in case they are unable to reach a final agreement with the district.
Garcia said her hope is that either Padilla, Butler or Ruiz – or members of their staff — would visit Niland and facilitate talks between the Postal Service and the district or other property owners.
“We need them to come to an actual table and speak to one another,” she said. “So we can come to an agreement.”
