USPS does go into specifics on what types of OBCs are required to have a CMRA, you can find them here: 508 Recipient Services | Postal Explorer
I think the section below is most telling (emphasis is mine), although still convoluted. If you want to not worry about this at all, just reach out anytime.
1.8.4 Office Business Center Acting as a CMRA
The procedures for an office business center (OBC) or part of its operation acting as a CMRA for postal purposes are as follows:
a.An OBC is a business that operates primarily to provide private office facilities and other business support services to individuals or firms (customers). OBCs receive single-point delivery. OBC customers that receive mail at the OBC address will be considered CMRA customers for postal purposes under the standards set forth in 1.8.4b. Parties considered CMRA customers under this provision must comply with the standards set forth in 1.8.1 through 1.8.3. An OBC must register as a CMRA on Form 1583-A and comply with all other CMRA standards if one or more customers receiving mail through its address is considered a CMRA customer.
b.An OBC customer is considered to be a CMRA customer for postal purposes if its written agreement with the OBC provides for mail service only or mail and other business support services (without regard for occupancy or other services that the OBC might provide). Additionally, an OBC customer receiving mail at the OBC address is considered to be a CMRA customer for postal purposes if each of the following is true:
1.The customer’s written agreement with the OBC does not provide for thefull-time use of one or more of the private offices within the OBC facility.
2.The customer’s written agreement with the OBC does not provide all of the following: (a) the use of one or more of the private offices within the facility for at least 16 hours per month at market price for the location; (b) full-time receptionist service and live personal telephone answering service during normal business hours and voicemail service after hours; (c) a listing in the office directory in the building in which the OBC is located; (d) use of conference rooms and other business services on demand, such as secretarial services, word processing, administrative services, meeting planning, travel arrangements, and video conferencing.
c.Notwithstanding any other standards, a customer whose written agreementprovides for mail services only or mail and other business support services will not be considered an OBC customer (without regard for occupancy or other services that an OBC may provide and bill for on demand).
d.The USPS may request from the OBC copies of written agreements or anyother documents or information needed to determine compliance with these standards. Failure to provide requested documents or information might be basis for suspending delivery service to the OBC under the procedures set forth in 1.8.2.
···
On Thursday, December 10, 2015 at 1:09:34 PM UTC-6, Jeannine van der Linden wrote:
Hi, Oren,
I think the King has the answer for you my friend:
Aanyway.
Whether you are a CMRA depends on the A it seems to me. That is to say, whether you are an agent and handle your coworkers’ mail. There was a dustup about thisover Regus and similar at the USPS some years ago, and my recollection is that they published some amendments to the regs defining how you know whether youa are a CMRA (which is a mail drop) or an OBC. And it amounted to whether you are or are not the agent of your coworkers, whch then amounts to, do they actually have space or are they primarily receiving business services. See the Postal Service Mail Manual, on this link you can start at page 10 to get to the meat of it.
The Global Workspace Association reccommends becoming one, they explan it and give their reasons here.
I had a big (I mean big, large, like in, Texas size) ol’ rubber stamp made which says (in Dutch obviously), “No Longer Coworking in Kamer52”. It was big enough to cover the bar code at the bottom becuse all these things are automated now and (here) if you do not cover the bar code the damn thing turns up again like a bad penny.
I think the very best thing to do is to wander on down to your local Post Office and have a chat with the Postmaster. OR send them an email if they don;t have those any more.
Cheers
Jeannine
On Thursday, December 10, 2015 at 6:51:25 PM UTC+1, [email protected] wrote:
Hi Megan,
Thanks for raising the question and thanks for the colorful responses everyone, especially Jeanine’s photo-narrated reply.
There’s one point Megan raised that we face a lot of as well, which is, what to do with mail for past/non-members.
So far our solution has been to end up stashing it, but it’s beginning to pile up and some people have moved or are unreachable with current contact info.
Does anyone have a good solution for that?
Thanks!
Oren
On Tuesday, December 8, 2015 at 1:55:11 PM UTC-6, Megan Holcomb wrote:
Hi All,
I am exploring options for a flexible mail delivery system. Currently we have small, square, stacked mailboxes with member names on labels (alphabetized). We sort the mail ourselves into the member’s mailbox and they (members) are responsible for checking their box. But every time we get a new member the labels have to be shifted. Some members have overflowing mail or rarely check their box. Often mail arrives for past/non-members. For reference we have between 100-200 members.
Maybe there are some creative mail management solutions out there?! New to this google group so thought Id ask. Haven’t seen it in previous topic threads.
Thanks!
At some point it goes into the box by tthe Community Manger