U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda Condemns USPS for Denying Mail Delivery to Lahaina Wildfire Survivors, Demands Restoration of Service
U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii) has labeled the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) decision to deny home mail delivery to Lahaina wildfire survivors who have rebuilt their homes as 'absolutely unacceptable.' Following the devastating August 2023 wildfires, residents returning to rebuilt homes in Lahaina are finding that USPS is treating their area as a 'new development,' thereby refusing door-to-door service. Instead, mail carriers are reportedly driving past these homes to deliver mail to unaffected areas just blocks away. Residents, including Pam Reader, Calvin Cox, and Kesa Ferguson, have expressed confusion and anger, with some experiencing lapsed insurance policies, missed medical prescriptions, and unreceived voting ballots due to the lack of mail service. The downtown Lahaina post office, which burned in the fire, is also slated for permanent closure. Tokuda and her staff are actively engaging with USPS Hawaii leadership to rectify the situation, emphasizing that Lahaina has 'already lost enough.' 
