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Posting Bills on mailbox cluster

Started by RussellB5 • 19 replies • 529 views

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RussellB5 (Montana)
Posts: 23
Posted:
We have people posting bills on the sides of our mailbox clusters.

I don’t want to be the HOA Gestapo and disallow everything. I have no problem with the Boy Scouts fundraising by posting solicitations for Christmas Tree disposal or Lost Pet posters.
However, I noticed someone posted a page on the mailboxes for a new pet grooming business which made me think we need a policy.

Has anyone come up with a policy that allows some things to be posted within reason?

One of my pet peeves with this issue comes from past experiences where people post bills on boxes and either leave them forever or do not clean the strong tape they used.
Eventually, the boxes begin looking dirty and unsightly from all the tape and such.

DavidG45 (Delaware)
Posts: 994
Posted:
We put a bulletin board by the mailboxes. This obviously works best if your area is protected from the election.
MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836
Posted:
Put up a bulletin board. State must have date posted on it. After 30 days will be removed unless otherwise there is an approved reason.
Former HOA President
MarkM19 (Texas)
Posts: 1,459
Posted:
Russell,
I my old California HOA we had a bulletin board that was behind a mail room that was accessed by Key Fob. The only rule we had was it had to have a date on the posted item, and it would be removed after 30 days by a volunteer.

In my Texas HOA currently, we have a locked massage board that is used for community notes. We have 9 cluster in our HOA. If someone wants to have something special posted it goes to our Social Coordinator, we make the decision if it is of benefit to the HOA to post. Missing pets would not qualify, or new business adds.
RussellB5 (Montana)
Posts: 23
Posted:
Our mailboxes are outside in the weather snow and such.

I suppose we could buy something to attach to the side with posting rules. Not sure how to attach and if the Post Office would approve it.

https://www.newhomesource.com/learn/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/cluster-mailbox.jpg
MarkM19 (Texas)
Posts: 1,459
Posted:
Russell,
I would not consider putting anything on the boxes. I am pretty sure they are government property. Thanks for the picture of your boxes. What is the Pole next to the fire hydrant? The message boxes come in all shapes and sizes and are easily searchable.
RussellB5 (Montana)
Posts: 23
Posted:
Mark,

I'm sorry, those are not OUR boxes. I grabbed a random image from the web to illustrate.
Ours are similar and we have several of these box sites throughout our subdivision.

I think the developer installed them. However, they are probably now USPS property and the case could be made that nothing should be posted on them.

We have folks with lost pets etc. post on these sites. Today I saw the Boy Scouts soliciting for Christmas tree disposal as a fundraiser.
We could be jerks and say no posting, government property. But we try to be a friendly HOA and support folks trying to do good.

DouglasK1 (Florida)
Posts: 2,046
Posted:
Our mail carrier has ripped down flyers taped to the mailboxes so I don't think posting on them is allowed.
Escaped former treasurer and director of a self managed association.
TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,062
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By DouglasK1 on 12/19/2023 1:09 PM
Our mail carrier has ripped down flyers taped to the mailboxes so I don't think posting on them is allowed.

Technically, it is a violation of postal regulations.
MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836
Posted:
It is illegal to put anything in a mailbox that does not have a stamp on it. The mail person can and will remove such items. Also not surprised they would rip off the mailboxes or mailbox clusters.

Our HOA has a "house/shelter" built over the mailbox cluster. You could drive up to it and have some shelter. There was a glass case that was locked and a box for putting dues payments in. Both were locked. The board had the key to the glass case. The Accountant/Treasurer had the dues box keys. There was a small "open" board to post personal announcements. Which we would monitor and remove as needed. We didn't touch the boxes themelves.
Former HOA President
RussellB5 (Montana)
Posts: 23
Posted:
Tim wrote "Technically, it is a violation of postal regulations."

Yes, I believe that is true.

My last HOA had a sheltered central mail box location outdoors and we had a place in that shelter for posts.

Here we have multiple standalone mail clusters throughout the subdivision. Folks are posting on them and the PO doesn't care or remove them.

My thought is not to make it our problem and simply suggest in a newsletter that people be respectful of those PO cluster boxes.
KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550
Posted:
I think you want to know for sure if the clusters are the responsiblity the HOA or of USPS. My urban high rise HOA also has an unsheltered cluster on the public sidewalk of our commercial owner's lessees and nothing is ever posted on them. Truth is--I don't know. Our custodians police that area early in the AM and I'm certain remove anything stuck to them. It belongs to our commercial owner and is on its reserve study.

So check your reserve study. Are you on the Board?

(We have 200+ interior mailroom clusters in two mailrooms that are the responsibility of the HOA to repair & replace. Individual owners are obligated to replace the locks)
RussellB5 (Montana)
Posts: 23
Posted:
Tim, thanks for the info. That is what I suspected.

The clusters are USPS property and that probably simplifies it much.

We (the board) are in the process of revising CCRs and my thought was to include something in them. With this info it seems best not to get involved in USPS property at all.

What we CAN do is speak to it in our quarterly newsletter.
MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836
Posted:
I would do this to your by laws instead of CC&Rs. It is easier to change by laws as they are HOA documents that do not require being filed in many states. They are exclusive to the HOA. The CC&R and Articles are public documents. Require more approvals and filing.
Former HOA President
JamesB37 (California)
Posts: 351
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By RussellB5 on 12/20/2023 5:58 AM
Tim, thanks for the info. That is what I suspected.

The clusters are USPS property and that probably simplifies it much.

We (the board) are in the process of revising CCRs and my thought was to include something in them. With this info it seems best not to get involved in USPS property at all.

What we CAN do is speak to it in our quarterly newsletter.

Are you sure the USPS owns the boxes? Ours are owned by the HOA, are part of the reserve study with an estimated life of 20 years and $155k to replace all of them
KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550
Posted:
I forgot to mention above: Like James, our 200+ mailboxes in 2 interior clusters are in our reserves study.
DavidG45 (Delaware)
Posts: 994
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By RussellB5 on 12/20/2023 5:58 AM
Tim, thanks for the info. That is what I suspected.

The clusters are USPS property and that probably simplifies it much.

We (the board) are in the process of revising CCRs and my thought was to include something in them. With this info it seems best not to get involved in USPS property at all.

What we CAN do is speak to it in our quarterly newsletter.


The mailboxes are owned by the HOA. However, they must adhere to rules and regulations of the USPS.

I actually can’t find any rules specific to affixing flyers to the boxes.
RussellB5 (Montana)
Posts: 23
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By JamesB37 on 12/20/2023 8:22 AM
Posted By RussellB5 on 12/20/2023 5:58 AM
Tim, thanks for the info. That is what I suspected.

The clusters are USPS property and that probably simplifies it much.

We (the board) are in the process of revising CCRs and my thought was to include something in them. With this info it seems best not to get involved in USPS property at all.

What we CAN do is speak to it in our quarterly newsletter.


Are you sure the USPS owns the boxes? Ours are owned by the HOA, are part of the reserve study with an estimated life of 20 years and $155k to replace all of them

The boxes are probably owned by the HOA. The developer is on our board and I can ask her if they paid for them.

The Mail Carrier doesn't seem to care about the stuff posted on the boxes. Of course our Post Office is a mess and can't even get carriers. Some parts of town haven't seen mail in a week.

Side note: My last house, we had similar mail clusters like the one pictured. If a package wouldn't fit or the parcel lockers were full, we'd get a pink slip to come to the PO to pick it up.
When I complained to the Post Office, they installed 2 new parcel lockers next to the existing clusters. Our HOA didn't buy them.
MichaelS56 (Minnesota)
Posts: 859
Posted:
Our association has communication boxes attached to both side of the cluster mailboxes. These are used to communicate social functions available to the residents. No outside advertisements or flyers are allowed.

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