Outcry over the potential sale of post offices in Berkeley and the Bronx has prompted those areas’ respective Congressional representatives to seek federal legislation to put the brakes on the Postal Service’s rush to sell historic properties.
The recent federal omnibus spending bill included a moratorium on the sale of historic post offices, sponsored by Reps. José E. Serrano (D-NY) and Barbara Lee (D-CA), reports Anna Hiatt. The two represent the Bronx and Berkeley, respectively, where the United State Postal Service has announced intentions to sell historic post offices.
From a statement by Rep. Serrano: “The USPS needs to put sales of historic post offices on hold while we wait to see what the inspector general’s report and the [Advisory Council on Historic Preservation] reports say.”
Also from Rep. Serrano’s statement: “I understand the USPS has a serious revenue problem . . .but selling off historic properties to the highest bidder without following the appropriate procedures is completely unacceptable.”
Currently, the Postal Service is required to hold a public meeting and a comment period for feedback after announcing intentions to sell a building. “But the USPS is pushing a proposal to change federal regulation and eliminate the environmental impact report, which would mean cutting the public hearing process,” reports Hiatt.
Another post by Kaid Benfield puts the USPS’s efforts to sell properties in broader context: “According to multiple reports, the Postal Service is moving to shutter over 4,000 post office buildings around the country.” Benfield also notes that past attempts by federal legislators to add requirements for public input regarding the real estate dealings of the USPS have been largely unsuccessful.
FULL STORY: Congress wants delay in selling of historic post offices until federal report is completed
Preserve or Perish: What Happens When Our Community Hubs Become Obsolete?
The post office and the church are just two of the many building types which once occupied central places in our communities, but have become obsolete due to cultural, economic, and demographic shifts. To what lengths should we go to preserve them?
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
Congress Introduces Bill to Limit Size of SUVs and Trucks
Lawmakers want the federal government to set standards for vehicle height and visibility to combat the sharp rise in pedestrian deaths over the past decade.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie