By Jon Chown
BROOKDALE — U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta is calling on the U.S. Postal Service to halt a study that could lead to the permanent closure of the Brookdale Post Office, which has been closed since a fire nearly two years ago.
In a Sept. 30 letter to Postmaster General David Steiner, Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, called on the agency to find a new location for the post office and consider expanding mail services in the rural mountain community.
The post office has been closed since December 2024, when a fire severely damaged the building. The blaze started in an apartment above the post office and injured two children and an adult.
Residents were initially told the facility would reopen after repairs were completed. However, repairs have not been made, and the building remains boarded up. In September, USPS announced it was conducting a feasibility study on permanently closing the location.
“Since the Brookdale Post Office burned down, the people of that community have waited for nearly two years in good faith while the USPS sat on its hands saying that they would reopen the facility,” Panetta said. “Then, out of the blue, the USPS made the haphazard decision to study whether it should shut down the post office without providing any postal service in Brookdale.”
Kristina Uppal, a USPS spokesperson, said the study was prompted by the condition of the building and the loss of the lease. She emphasized that no decision has been made to permanently close the post office.
“This study is still in process, and no final decision has been made,” Uppal said.
She said affected customers were notified of the study and invited to provide input through a questionnaire and a public meeting. The agency held a virtual meeting Sept. 11 to answer questions and hear concerns from residents.
“The Postal Service is required to invite and consider customer input as a part of the study, and all public meeting and written feedback will be considered before any final determination is made,” Uppal said.
Unlike residents of neighboring communities, Brookdale residents do not receive home mail delivery. Instead, they have traditionally relied on post office boxes at the local post office. Since the fire, residents have been forced to travel to Boulder Creek or Ben Lomond to collect and send their mail.
Uppal said affected customers can get services at the Boulder Creek Post Office, 200 Lorenzo St., about 1.46 miles away, or the Ben Lomond Post Office, 250 Main St., about 1.59 miles away.
Panetta said the situation has been especially difficult for seniors, people with disabilities and residents without reliable transportation. Severe weather and road closures in the San Lorenzo Valley can make those trips more challenging.
In his letter, Panetta criticized USPS officials for failing to consider alternatives while waiting for the property owner to repair the damaged building.
“For years, these services were housed in a rented facility,” Panetta wrote. “When that facility suffered a catastrophic fire, the USPS spent years assuring residents and my office that they were waiting for the property owner to conduct necessary repairs.”
Panetta said the agency continued to rely on that explanation even after the property owner missed repair deadlines. Rather than pursue another location or provide temporary service in Brookdale, Panetta said, USPS officials began considering permanent closure.
Asked about alternative locations, Uppal said USPS evaluates its options when a lease ends or a facility change is under consideration.
“When a lease ends or a facility change is being studied, USPS evaluates all available options to continue serving the community without interruption,” she said.
Panetta is asking the agency to immediately halt its closure study, investigate alternative permanent locations in Brookdale and explore providing home mail delivery. Until home delivery becomes available, he wants USPS to install cluster mailboxes or establish another location where residents can pick up their mail. He also requested a meeting with Steiner to discuss restoring service.
The September letter is the latest in a series of efforts by Panetta to get the post office reopened. In February, Panetta wrote to USPS officials asking for a clear timeline for repairs and reopening. He also requested temporary postal services within Brookdale while work continued. The agency had previously indicated the post office would reopen by May 1, but that deadline passed without service being restored.
On May 19, Panetta requested an investigation by the USPS Office of Inspector General into the agency’s handling of the Brookdale closure. That request called for a review of the agency’s management, communication and decision-making, as well as the adequacy of temporary services and whether a replacement facility could be established.
“Restoring dependable postal operations is vital for my constituents, and these steps will help ensure the residents of Brookdale can rely on the United States Postal Service for years to come,” Panetta wrote.
USPS has not announced an alternative location or plans to establish home mail delivery in Brookdale. All questions to the USPS Office of Inspector General’s office were referred back to the Postmaster General’s office.
Uppal said the agency will consider public comments and follow federal regulations governing post office closure studies before reaching a final decision.