Eastvale tries to get own ZIP code

Congressional bill would allow city to have its own number, not share with Corona, Jurupa Valley

The city of Eastvale again is introducing legislation to establish its own ZIP code.

Legislation proposed in 2016 and 2019 was unsuccessful, and requests from the city to change its ZIP code also have been denied by the U.S. Postal Service.

Reps. Ken Calvert, R-corona, and Norma Torres, D-pomona, introduced the legislation to the House of Representatives on Feb. 1. The bill, HR 696, would “direct the United States Postal Service to designate a single, unique ZIP code” for Eastvale.

“ZIP code assignments are closely linked to factors such as mail volume, delivery area size, geographic and topography location, but not necessarily to municipal or community boundaries,” Postal Service spokesperson Kristina Uppal said in an email. “However, in some instances delivery growth and changing demographics can necessitate adjustment to ZIP code boundaries in order to achieve Postal Service objectives.”

Eastvale Mayor Todd Rigby said one reason the Postal Service gave for the denial was the cost associated with transitioning to a new ZIP code.

“But they never mentioned what the costs were,” he said. “It kind of makes it difficult for us to understand.”

Uppal said that “ZIP codes must ensure savings to the Postal Service” and explained that ZIP codes are used to improve efficiency. She said additional mileage and adjusted delivery routes would both be effects of assigning Eastvale a single ZIP code.

Eastvale was incorporated in 2010 and now has an estimated 71,375 residents.

Right now, residents of Eastvale use one of two ZIP codes: 92880, which it shares with Corona; and 91752, which it shares with Jurupa Valley.

Uppal said that it is not unusual for multiple cities to share a ZIP code, nor for one city to have multiple ZIP codes and that the agency had approved residents listing “Eastvale, CA” before their respective ZIP codes rather than use the other cities’ names.

“I can go on all day,” Alexander Fung, Eastvale’s senior management analyst, said when asked why Eastvale should have its own ZIP code. Fung is project manager for the city’s ZIP code endeavor.

“First and foremost, it’s about community identity,” Fung said, adding that sharing ZIP codes “impacts our ability to help our residents and businesses embrace being a part of Eastvale.”

Beyond considerations about identity, Fung listed issues with emergency management, public safety and other services.

He gave the example of a magnitude 3 earthquake that hit Eastvale. Fung said that the United States Geological Survey instead said the earthquake hit Mira Loma.

“In the event that we actually have major disaster on our hands,” he said, “they’re gonna need to take some time to figure out which part of Mira Loma belongs in Eastvale and

which parts belong in Jurupa Valley.”

Fung described other confusion caused by sharing a ZIP code with neighboring cities, including discrepancies in sales tax and homeowner’s insurance rates.

In one case, Rigby said, a commercial truck tried to deliver to a residence in Eastvale because its address was very similar to that of a business in Corona.

Even some residents are confused, Fung said.

“A couple of months ago, we had a resident come up to us asking if they should vote in the Corona election.”

Uppal said the primary use of ZIP codes are “to assist in sorting the mail,” and that purposes like municipal maps, community identification and tax collections “are not considered reasons to change existing ZIP codes.”

Neighboring Jurupa Valley, which was incorporated in 2011, had similar complaints about shared ZIP codes and eventually was listed as the primary city for 92509, but its case differs from Eastvale’s because there was no creation of a new ZIP code.

Calvert’s spokesman Jason Gagnon said they are “currently engaging” with both the House Committee on Oversight staff and the USPS about a solution.

If Congress does not approve the bill, Eastvale isn’t giving up. The city is currently allowing people to submit letters of support and Fung said they would continue to advocate for a ZIP code with the Postal Service.

“Everybody is throwing support behind what we’re trying to do here,” he said.