Northeast Bexar County Residents Await Mail Delivery Relief

Homeowners in the Fields of Dover subdivision have gone over a year without mail delivery due to a damaged cluster mailbox.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Residents in the northeast Bexar County neighborhood of Fields of Dover have been without mail delivery for over a year after a car accident damaged a cluster mailbox. The homeowners' association president, Brian Jeffries, says he has obtained bids to replace the mailbox, but the $8,000-$9,000 cost is too high for the HOA to cover. Jeffries claims the U.S. Postal Service is denying responsibility for the repair, despite having replaced a damaged mailbox in the area just a year ago. The lack of mail delivery has been especially difficult for retired residents without transportation to the nearest post office, located 1.5 miles away.

Why it matters

This issue highlights the challenges faced by some communities when mailbox infrastructure is damaged, as well as the ongoing debate over who should be responsible for the costs of maintaining and replacing cluster mailboxes. It also underscores the importance of reliable mail delivery, especially for vulnerable populations like the elderly, and the need for clear policies and funding mechanisms to address these types of situations.

The details

The cluster mailbox in the Fields of Dover subdivision was damaged about a year ago when a car crashed into it. Since then, residents like Jo Ann Howe have had to make daily trips to the post office, located about 1.5 miles away, to pick up their mail. The HOA president, Brian Jeffries, says he has obtained bids to replace the mailbox, but the $8,000-$9,000 cost is too high for the association to cover. Jeffries claims the U.S. Postal Service is now denying responsibility for the repair, despite having replaced a damaged mailbox in the area just a year ago. This has left the residents caught in the middle of a dispute between the HOA and the USPS.

  • The cluster mailbox was damaged about a year ago.
  • The USPS replaced another damaged mailbox in the area just a year ago.

The players

Brian Jeffries

The president of the Fields of Dover subdivision homeowners' association.

Jo Ann Howe

A resident of the Fields of Dover subdivision who has been impacted by the lack of mail delivery.

U.S. Postal Service (USPS)

The federal agency responsible for mail delivery in the United States.

Joaquin Castro

A U.S. Representative who introduced legislation in 2025 to direct the Postal Service to cover the cost of maintaining cluster mailboxes.

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What they’re saying

“I got two bids. They're both eight, nine-thousand dollars. That's a lot of money, you know? We don't just have that money like that. We budget for the year.”

— Brian Jeffries, HOA President (KSAT)

“You have a lot of retired people and some of them don't have cars. I mean, it's just crazy.”

— Jo Ann Howe, Resident (KSAT)

“The post office has always (paid for repairs) and then now they're saying they're not going to do it. They're changing something in the middle of the game.”

— Brian Jeffries, HOA President (KSAT)

What’s next

Rep. Joaquin Castro's legislation, the Postal Service Clusterbox Responsibility Act, which would direct the USPS to cover the cost of maintaining cluster mailboxes, remains in a House committee as of April 2025.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the need for clear policies and funding mechanisms to address the maintenance and replacement of cluster mailboxes, especially when damage occurs through no fault of the homeowners. It also underscores the importance of reliable mail delivery for all residents, including vulnerable populations like the elderly.