ESPAÑOLA, N.M. (KRQE) – Chimayó has been without a post office for months now after a fire damaged the building in February. Residents still have mail service, but politicians are concerned about how far residents have to travel to get mail.
About 200 residents and 800 PO boxes have been impacted by the lack of a post office. Residents can still get their mail in Santa Cruz, but some residents are struggling, and New Mexico’s congressional delegation is calling on the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to get a plan together to fix the issue.
U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) recently sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy asking when Chimayó will get a new post office and what will happen if the landlord who owns the property is unable to rebuild.
“Letters and packages delivered by the USPS allow Americans to receive paychecks, manage finances, access prescription medications and essential supplies, communicate with the government, and vote. In rural communities such as Chimayó, New Mexico, the importance of these services is amplified, connecting residents with the vital services they need in the absence of reliable broadband internet,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter to USPS. “For seniors, those living with disabilities, and rural residents lacking reliable transportation, there is simply no substitute.”
Rod Spurgeon, the regional spokesperson for USPS, says the landlord for the property is planning on rebuilding. But as of now, USPS does not know how long that will take. But in the meantime, USPS does have two mobile units in Chimayó: one for retail operation and one for package storage.
