Letter to Michael Grochowski, Commissioner of Region 4 of Regional Public Affairs Office - Regarding West Palm Beach Field Office Closure

Letter

Mr. Michael W. Grochowski
Region 4 Commissioner
Regional Public Affairs Office
Social Security Administration
61 Forsyth St. SW Suite 23T29
Atlanta, GA 30303-8907

Dear Commissioner Grochowski:

We write to reiterate our concerns regarding the situation at the Social Security Administration (SSA) office in West Palm Beach. We understand that you plan to vacate the current West Palm Beach office location effective Friday, August 15, 2014, and strongly urge you to prioritize the establishment of a replacement office that offers the full range of SSA services to recipients.

While we recognize the importance of having office space that meets both the needs of the SSA and those with appointments at the office, the temporary closure of the West Palm Beach office is particularly alarming. This current location's closure will have a considerable impact on our constituents already enrolled in the SSA, and will result in significant burden for many attempting to enroll in or navigate the Social Security system.

Given the large population of elderly and disabled persons in our districts, appointments carried out over the phone or via the internet are not readily viable options. It is paramount that we continue to ensure full access to the invaluable resources of the SSA through a physical office location in West Palm Beach.

Therefore, we respectfully request that you keep us informed of the bidding process and the timeline for establishing a new full-service SSA office location in West Palm Beach. Please do not hesitate to contact our offices if we can be of assistance in expediting this process.

We appreciate your prompt reply and your consideration in regards to this matter. We look forward to working with you to find a solution that addresses the needs of our communities and maintains full-service for our constituents.

Sincerely,