U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta is calling for federal oversight of the U.S. Postal Service over prolonged closures and delays affecting the Brookdale and Almaden Valley post offices following separate fires.
In a May 19 letter sent from Washington, D.C., Panetta asked the Office of Inspector General for the USPS to review the agency’s handling of repairs, communication and decision-making related to the facilities, which have remained closed for months.
The Brookdale Post Office has been closed since December 2024, while the Almaden Valley Post Office has been shut down since July 2025.
“Given both the extended disruption of postal services and the continued absence of a clear path forward, independent review from the Office of Inspector General is warranted to ensure accountability from USPS and access to essential mail services for my constituents,” Panetta wrote.
According to Panetta’s office, the Brookdale property owner only recently began basic permitting steps and failed to appear for a required site inspection. Panetta said repairs and soft-demolition work do not appear to have started nearly 18 months after the fire damaged both residential and commercial areas around the post office.
Panetta also criticized USPS for what he described as limited transparency and vague responses to repeated inquiries about the status of the Brookdale facility. The office’s reopening has reportedly been delayed beyond a previously promised May 1 date.
Mail services for Brookdale residents have been relocated to the Boulder Creek Post Office, which Panetta said is not a practical long-term solution because of the area’s mountainous terrain, limited infrastructure and lack of home mail delivery.
“The impact of this closure has not only been a facilities issue, but a human one. In response to the fire, postal retail services for Brookdale residents were relocated to the nearby Boulder Creek Post Office,” Panetta wrote. “… Travel out of town simply to collect basic mail is unsustainable for many of these constituents, particularly those with limited mobility. I have repeatedly reached out to USPS leadership to request updates and offer solutions, including seeking clarity on the status of repairs, next steps with the property owner, anticipated timelines, and the possibility of relocating the Brookdale Post Office within the community if progress at the existing site continues to stall. Despite this repeated engagement, meaningful progress has been limited, and responses have frequently lacked specificity or actionable information.”
Panetta also raised concerns about the delayed reopening of the Almaden Valley Post Office. USPS recently informed his office that the postal-owned facility is not expected to reopen until spring 2027.
“Assuming this schedule is maintained, it will mean my constituents will be expected to wait nearly two years for restored service at a postal-owned facility in a major metropolitan area,” Panetta added. “In the meantime, I consistently hear from constituents forced to go out of their way to access postal services at a nearby location, a burden that is felt acutely by those with limited transportation options, the elderly, and the disabled. As with Brookdale, updates and explanations regarding Almaden Valley have been few and far between.”
Panetta asked the inspector general to review USPS management and communication practices surrounding the Brookdale closure, examine how repair timelines are established for the Almaden Valley office, determine whether delays stemmed from USPS actions or coordination issues with the Brookdale property owner, and evaluate whether interim service plans adequately meet community needs.
He also requested an assessment of whether broader oversight or intervention is needed to ensure timely restoration of postal services and improved responsiveness in California’s District 2.
Following the Almaden Valley fire last year, Panetta previously wrote to Postmaster General David Steiner requesting prompt repairs, a clear reopening timeline and updates on continued mail service for affected residents.
