I don't believe they are allowed to refuse to release your mail to you. If you don't have a curbside mailbox, explain that you need some time to erect a mailbox to their specifications and that you will pick up your mail at the post office until that time. If you don't want to put up a mailbox curbside, you can opt to rent a postoffice box and forward your mail to that location. If you need help putting up a mailbox, ask a neighbor, friend or hire a handyman.

No, they should not refuse to give you your mail. However, your mail may have already been returned because you have no mail receptacle. Usually, they will hold the mail at the post office for 10 days to see if you erect a box. The post office can determine what type of box you should have - curbside box, apartment style locking box (called NDCBU), door slot, box on house or no delivery at all. Have they refused to give you your mail?

Congressman, David Dreier: My name is David Reed and my wife’s name is Marcela Reed. We are the owners of a triplex on 886 Sycamore Court units A, B, and C in Upland. We are writing to address issues of the Post Office’s refusal to deliver mail for a period of approximately 6 months. This conduct is a violation of federal laws under Title Eighteen USC section 1703 - delay or destruction of mail, UCS Section 1700 - desertion of mail and, USC Section 1712 - falsification of postal return to increase compensation. The Upland Post Office is in violation of these federal laws and should be investigated. These problems started with the property next to ours which is 876 Sycamore Court which has A, B and C units and between the two properties we share a common front fence. The resident of Unit B had a dog which was only out of the house when walked by his owner and never posed a threat to any one. The postal carrier stopped delivering mail to all six units because we shared a common front fence. The post office never gave noticed as required to anyone and the residents found out by inquiring to the post office. The owner of the dog gave his best friend away and he completed required paper work to resume mail service. Finally, after three more weeks and six visits to the post office, mail resumed. Two weeks later, at 886 Sycamore Court Unit A, the resident of the unit had a mini Chihuahua which is half the size of a normal Chihuahua. This dog was kept inside the unit and no reasonable person could feel threatened by this small and delicate dog. Again mail delivery stopped and no one was notified as required by postal regulation under the Vicious Attack Dog Policy. Unit A resident gave her Chihuahua away approximately three months ago and again completed appropriate paperwork to resume mail. In the mean time, the residents would go to pick up mail and they were told they did not have any mail and if they spoke limited English they were given junk mail and laughed at. This problem is extremely wide spread throughout this community as we contacted neighbors who experienced the same treatment. We were told that if the postal carrier heard a dog in a house she would refuse to deliver mail until the residents were forced to place their mail box by the sides walk away from the property even if they gave the dog away. Often mail would be returned as undeliverable, when that was not the case. As a result of the returned mail as undeliverable, the resident in Unit B, Mary Watson had her gas turned off and is having problems with HUD. These are problems which a 90 year old does not need. When there was a substitute mail carrier, the mail would be delivered and no problems with dogs were reported. This has happened throughout the neighborhood as you see mail boxes are scattered with no uniformity or order and this devalues the neighborhood greatly. We have chosen not to place the mail boxes out front for a number of reasons. First, we have a 90 year old tenant, Mary Watson who has been a resident in Unit B for the past 30 years. It would be very difficult for her to walk out with her walker to get mail everyday. She does have a care taker but leaves before three o’clock and mail arrives after that time. Other reasons include the devaluation of the property and we refuse to be bullied by United States Postal Service who commits felonies. Congressman Dreier, these problems are wide spread in Upland. They are not mistakes or oversights. They are blatant attempts to get what they want. Federal moneys for return of mail and mail boxes placed out front. We where never asked if we would put mail boxes out front. Instead, they abuse postal policy made to protect letter carriers for legitimate reasons; however, it is unreasonable to think that 90 % of a carrier’s route has a dog problem until mail boxes are put out front. And, how is it that when people go to pick up their mail, they are told they have no mail and then it is returned as undeliverable for federal monies. We have been very patient and tried to work thing out with the post office, we have been at the Upland Post Office over eighteen times with only empty promises, rudeness and the refusal of Post Master Gloria Collins to discuss solutions with us. We recently went to the Upland City Counsel and Mayor to address this issue. They were very professional and responsive to our concerns and are working hard to resolve this issue. However, your attention to this matter would be greatly appreciated. Please feel free to contact myself directly if you have any further questions. We are hoping that your influence along with the mayor and city counsel will resolve these matters not just for us but for the community. Respectfully, David L. Reed Marcela M. Reed