Avalon Park residents upset with what they call unacceptable U.S. Postal deliveries
CHICAGO (CBS) – No one wants to hear a crunch while backing out of their garage signaling precious packages were flattened.
Residents in one Chicago neighborhood blame bad delivery by the U.S. Postal Service. Morning Insider Lauren Victory explained why the government's solution to the problem made neighbors even more mad.
Tucked away behind gates off 83rd Street, homeowners in a quiet Avalon Park community are sounding off.
"If we back in or even pull in, you may not see it," said resident Javondlynn Dunagan.
They feel the door, not the driveway, should be the drop-off spot for bundles too big for their mailboxes.
Dunagan and her neighbors say the problem is the U.S. Postal Service. One of their cameras caught a nonchalant USPS delivery in action.
"When we saw that, everybody's upset," Dunagan said. "Because who knows what was in that package?"
They shared other examples of what they said are unacceptable Postal Service deliveries.
"They were thrown under our stairs, at the very base of our stairs, just thrown in the bushes and so we started complaining," Dunagan said.
The neighbors were complaining and comparing. CBS 2 watched a UPS driver go up the stairs with a package. Dunagan said FedEx workers hit the steps too.
So what's up with the U.S. Postal Service?
"The postal union is very powerful," Dunagan said. "That's the answer that we continue to receive. The postal union told them they do not have to walk up the stairs."
USPS would not comment on that comment, but did say heading up steps is generally expected of its union members.
CBS 2 research also shows the National Association of Letter Carriers considers stair climbing as a physical demand of the job. So was the no stair climbing excuse meant to make the frustrated residents go away?
Well, it didn't work, thanks to a USPS delivery change in March.
Victory: "Effectively, what does this notice mean?"
Dunagan: "Basically, it's saying if the package can't fit in that mailbox slot, they are not going to bring it out on the truck."
Residents were told they need to pick up packages themselves at the Grand Crossing Post Office after a neighbor apparently confronted a carrier.
"We feel like our hands are tied," Dunagan said. "Like who can help us resolve the situation?"
There aren't any more delivery issues here, because there aren't anymore deliveries.
Curiously, after CBS 2 pressed the USPS, package delivery magically started again. No explanation was given as to why.
A postal spokesperson also confirmed that packages should never be delivered to driveways and that yes, carriers are expected to climb stairs.
