Refugees at a Des Moines apartment complex are getting their mail after months of waiting

Tenants at a Des Moines apartment complex are starting to receive their mail keys after months of a stalemate between apartment management and the United States Postal Service.

Deborah Timmons, a volunteer with the Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center (EMBARC), the tenant she was working with received their mail key in mid-November after not having access to the mailbox since they moved in on Aug. 25.

Around 20 tenants at Legacy Apartments were having this issue, according to EMBARC, and the language barrier was making it difficult for them to resolve the issue. Many of the residents rely on the mail to pay bills and maintain correspondence with the Department of Human Services for food assistance or Medicaid, Timmons said.

Apartment management and USPS disputed who was responsible for providing keys to tenants.

According to Timmons, EMBARC contacted state Rep. Sean Bagniewski, D-Des Moines, to help resolve the issue.

"After talking with the property management company and the postal service, I’m pleased to hear that the tenants are getting access to their mailboxes at Legacy Apartments," Bagniewski said in an email to the Register. "Figuring out the changing federal policies on the mail can be a challenge, but we’re all responsible for making sure everyone in our community has the access they need. I’m thankful to all the volunteers and advocates who helped bring a good resolution to this situation."

Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@dmreg.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines tenants are getting their mail after stalemate with USPS