While cluster mailboxes do offer many advantages for homeowners and the mail service, there are lots of people who find them quite inconvenient.
This is mainly due to the fact someone may have to walk a short distance to the cluster mailbox unit to gather their mail.
The use of cluster mailbox units is growing dramatically, with many townhouse communities using them or communities where homes are placed closely together.
They do offer great mail security and make it much easier on the mail delivery person because they require much fewer stops on their route.
The USPS supports the use of these boxes mostly because they offer a more efficient way for them to deliver the mail.
Depending on the size of the residential area, cluster mailboxes may be located in one general area or scattered throughout the development.
A small residential community might only need one cluster mailbox unit which might be located in a well accessed place.
However, a larger residential development community might have their cluster boxes placed in various spots throughout the community so residents can easily access their mail.
When cluster box units first began to arrive in this area in the 70s and 80s many people were against them because of the inconvenience.
Cluster Mail Box Units are Ideal for Residential and Commercial Applications
It meant they had to walk out to retrieve their mail, and for those with young children this was a struggle, or so they thought during the time.
They were used to getting their mail from an unlocked box on their building or at the curb and the idea of having to walk a few yards away to visit locked cluster box units seemed to be “laziness” for the mail carriers at that time.
Of course, things have changed dramatically and today residents aren’t as worried about the short walk to the cluster mail box units.
Many young people are so accustomed to seeing them in apartment or townhouse communities that they don’t even think twice about cluster mailboxes being used. They realize cluster mailboxes offer security and convenience for the overall population.
The best part of using cluster mailboxes is the security they offer residents. They are designed to lock, which automatically gives higher security than a traditional non locking mailbox on a curb.
In addition, they are in public (open) areas which make criminals less likely to try to penetrate them.
That said, the same people who once complained about cluster mailboxes being inconvenient are less likely to complain today because of the global switch to healthier living.
