Town of Severance Press Release: Town of Severance Joins National Effort in Washington, D.C. to Urge Congressional Action on ZIP Code Boundary Updates
November 2025
Severance, CO – The Town of Severance joined municipal leaders from 24 communities across the nation in Washington, D.C., earlier this month to call on Congress to help resolve long-standing ZIP code boundary issues that continue to affect millions of residents nationwide. These outdated boundaries often cause delays in mail delivery, confusion in first responder dispatching, increased insurance premiums, and lost internet sales tax revenue, all of which directly affect growing communities like Severance.
Mayor Matthew Fries and Town Manager Nicholas Wharton represented Severance during the visit, meeting with the offices of Colorado’s U.S. Senators to discuss how the lack of a dedicated Severance ZIP code has impacted residents, businesses, and future economic development. “Every community in the United States deserves to have its own identity with its own unique zip code,” stated Mayor Fries.
Several bipartisan bills have been introduced in the U.S. Senate to address problematic ZIP code boundaries nationwide. In July 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two complementary bills to provide ZIP code relief, both of which have now been referred to the Senate for consideration.
As a rapidly growing northern Colorado community, the Town of Severance has repeatedly requested assistance from the United States Postal Service (USPS) regarding the alignment of its ZIP codes. Still, it has yet to receive an actionable resolution. It has been 19 years since Congress last mandated USPS to update ZIP code boundaries.
Local Impacts of Multiple ZIP Codes on Severance:
- Emergency services hesitation or confusion during dispatch due to ZIP-based system mapping
- Delayed or misrouted packages and postal inconsistencies
- Lost municipal sales tax revenue from online purchases incorrectly assigned to other jurisdictions
- Higher homeowner insurance premiums due to misidentified risk zones
- Community confusion regarding voter precincts, school district boundaries, and municipal services
- Negative impacts to economic development as commercial vendors struggle to correctly identify Severance addresses
Benefits of ZIP Code Consolidation for Severance:
- Improved emergency response accuracy
- More reliable mail and package delivery
- Correct allocation of internet sales tax to the Town of Severance
- Reduced insurance premiums for residents
- Clearer community identity and reduced address confusion
- Greater attractiveness for commercial and retail development
- Improved accuracy in public infrastructure planning and service delivery
Coalition Support and Congressional Engagement: The Town of Severance received positive feedback and strong engagement from Senate staff and legislative teams while discussing the national need for ZIP code modernization. Many acknowledged the widespread nature of the issue and expressed appreciation for the coalition’s unified approach.
Next Steps: The Town of Severance and coalition partners will continue working with leadership in the 119th Congress to advance ZIP code correction legislation before the current session adjourns in late 2026. By coordinating efforts, the coalition aims to increase national awareness and support meaningful federal action.
More information about the National ZIP Code Advocacy Coalition is available at: https://www.eastvaleca.gov/community/national-zip-code-advocacy-coalition/-fsiteid-1#!/.