Baltimore County residents wonder what's next as Fort Howard post office prepares to close

FORT HOWARD -- Time may be running out for a Baltimore County post office.

The location in Fort Howard is set to close this Saturday after getting a lease extension last month. However, there's been no official word on what happens after that.

Neighbors in the community continue to be frustrated over the situation.

WJZ first met Bob Levine in July when the U.S. Postal Service said the location would close because of the building's lease expiring.

While he lives about 100 yards away from the post office, he still drives because of a back injury. But since he's heard of the potential closure, he's dreaded possibly having to drive further.

"It's tough because [I heard] they knew about this last year...we didn't know anything until back in July," Levine said. "We could've pushed it otherwise."

On the post office's front door is the same notice from September, saying a lease extension is putting off the closure until Oct. 14.

That is the last anyone has heard from USPS and neighbors like Jessica Hammonds say they need answers on what happens after Saturday.

"We are over it. Unfortunately [elected leaders] can't even get a response from the post office, which is absurd," Hammonds said. "This is long overdue, it seems like they definitely took this extension to go on a vacation and completely ghost us."

While USPS didn't respond to WJZ for this story, in the past the agency has said they're exploring options.

U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, who sent a letter asking for a solution back in July, told WJZ last month his office has been trying to get an answer as well.

"We are working on several solutions, trying to look at what is possible. There are a number of things before us that I feel good about and I'm hoping that at the end of the day will be the solution to this problem," he said.

Neighbors have proposed getting mailboxes or a cluster mailbox unit installed. But overall, they just want an answer soon.

"We just want to know what's happening, how it's going to work for us and when will it happen," Hammonds said. "Because, again, Saturday they're gone. Our post office is gone."