Accessible Mailboxes: Complying With FHA and ADA
Both the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) work to prevent individuals with disabilities from experiencing the added difficulties of discrimination. The FHA addresses this in two ways. First, it ensures zoning doesn’t exclude individuals with disabilities from their choices of residence and protects residences such as group homes from restrictions. Second, it ensures accessibility for those with disabilities.
Similarly, the ADA doesn’t allow discrimination based on disability regarding access to public accommodations, transportation options, and the like. The FHA and ADA cover a lot of ground, and mailbox accessibility is no exception. Here’s a breakdown of accessible mailboxes and compliance with the FHA and ADA.
Getting the Mail
Landlords are already obligated under federal law to provide tenants with the means to receive and retrieve their mail. Most apartment complexes, condominiums, commercial buildings, and similar structures with multiple tenants have central areas where mail carriers can drop off the mail and where residents can access it.
Group mailboxes such as cluster and wall-mounted models are often stationed inside or near the building. Such mailboxes must meet the United States Postal Service’s requirements of height and position from the curb or wall, making it easy for the carrier drop off mail on foot or from their vehicle. Likewise, the box should be positioned in a clean, well-lit spot. The boxes should be secure and constructed of material that resists vandalism, bad weather, and more. Fortunately, most group mailboxes are already built to meet USPS regulations but confirm this with the manufacturer or seek information from the post office.
USPS Rules and Regulations
For starters, the USPS has its own rules and regulations about making mail accessible to the differently abled. Cluster mailboxes must provide compartments set fewer than 48 inches above the floor or curb, with no lock higher than 67 inches. Compartments and lockers for packages must be fewer than 15 inches and 28 inches from the floor, respectively. All these measurements correspond with the average reach of a person in a wheelchair. Mailboxes also cannot be placed on the street or on a sidewalk where they might interfere with the safe passage of wheelchair-users and other people who require more room to maneuver on a public thoroughfare.
The USPS can also require the use of keys that allow an easier grip to help someone open the box. Notably, the United States Postal Service allows for the direct door delivery of mail to people with medical issues that make it difficult for them to retrieve their mail from a box. The individual must provide a letter to the local post office requesting such delivery as well as a doctor’s note outlining the circumstances. But there are other laws covering mail and accessibility for individuals with handicaps.
ADA Accommodations
Most of the USPS’s rules on accessibility, particularly in terms of heights and positioning, carry over to the ADA. The ADA further declares that in most interior mailrooms, 5 percent of the mailboxes must be accessible. However, this may change depending on the community, with some areas designating 100 percent accessibility. Interestingly, while apartment group mailboxes were once marked with individual names, nowadays most mailboxes have numbers that are assigned to individual tenants. This allows for lower boxes to be assigned to people using wheelchairs. This applies to outdoor mailbox units as well.
FHA Arrangements
The FHA came before the ADA, and the ADA has made several adjustments to the FHA since its enactment in 1990. As we mentioned, the FHA is largely concerned with housing, and it addresses the design of residences so that they can assist persons with disabilities. Two regulations stand out. The first states that a building must provide an accessible building entrance as well as accessible public and common-use areas, such as laundry rooms, drinking fountains, swimming pools, play areas, and group mailboxes. Therefore, buildings must be designed with unimpeded ramps and other conveyances to permit wheelchair-users to reach their mailboxes and retrieve their mail. This also applies to outdoor cluster and other group mailboxes. This allows access for all, especially those who need it most.
The Letter (and Numbers) of the Law
It’s worth mentioning that not every rule in the FHA and the ADA overlaps. In cases where rules and regulations don’t agree, the architect, designer, or owner of a building must bow to the stricter of the two rulings. It’s always better to be cautious and stick to the letter of the stronger law. If you’re uncertain about how to proceed, contact your local post office or consult with your attorney. They can provide more specific insight into the interpretation of the law.
Installation Questions
That’s the gist of accessible mailboxes and complying with FHA and ADA rules and regulations.Landlords, building-owners, and others involved in the creation and management of residences that must accommodate individuals with disabilities can ask their local post offices if they need more information. Indeed, the local post office will have a say on the installation of mailboxes for all residents. If a mailbox fails to meet USPS regulations, the carrier can refuse to deliver the mail there. Fines may also occur until the mailbox is replaced or repaired.
We’re the Mailbox Experts!
Running a commercial building or apartment with numerous tenants isn’t always easy, but landlords and building-owners are required by law to look after their clients’ needs. Happy tenants are long-term tenants, and potential tenants will find your facilities that much more attractive when you have a deserved reputation of looking out for your customers. Ensure word of mouth is your best form of advertising.
If you have any questions or concerns about your facility or complex’s mailboxes and how they can better accommodate your tenants with disabilities, contact Postal Supply today. We have years of experience in ensuring that all residents can access their mail while looking out for their mail carriers’ safety and convenience. Give us a call today for a consultation on what we can do for you and which mailbox system will be ideal for your purposes. We look forward to hearing from you!
