For three years now, Niland resident Juanita Wofford said she has been paying $84 each year for a P.O. box that no longer exists.
In February 2022, a fire struck the post office in Niland, where Wofford’s P.O. box was housed. The flames destroyed the building and cut off daily access to the mail for the tiny northern Imperial Valley town, along with the neighboring communities of Bombay Beach and Slab City.
Now, on the third anniversary of the fire, the U.S. Postal Service has made little progress toward restoring permanent service, despite questions from two U.S. senators and ongoing protests by Niland community leaders.
The delays have left residents like Wofford feeling frustrated. “It devastated a lot of people,” she said.
A Postal Service spokesperson did not immediately provide answers to questions Friday about how many Niland residents are still paying for P.O. boxes
