Social Security Administration

Came here on Wednesday 8:30AM to apply for a new SSN. Wednesday’s opening hours are from 9am-​12pm so there were a lot of people lining up before the doors were even open. It took around 15min to get inside and maybe another 15min of waiting after you get your number. Once my number was called, the whole process was quite fast. The security guard was quite friendly and informed me that appointments are usually reserved for certain procedures, which means the dates they assign you will be a month or more in the future. That is why walk-​ins are suitable for simple tasks such as getting a new SSN.
One thing I would change is allowing people to wait inside the building for checking-​in. Some people in line were complaining about it.

This place is a shame as well as what they represent. They would not give an appointment; they would not answer the phone. When I come AND wait in line for one hour OUTSIDE the building (YES you cannot even get in) they say in a «pre-​screening» window (after you wait again) they may not receive me because I do not have an appointment!
After finally (waiting again) being able to talk to one of these disrespectful civil servants I learn that they will not fulfill their duty, do nothing and I go home with nothing resolved. Just call or come again.
Written by a US citizen and taxpayer that gave thousands to SS and got nothing but insult when it was time for SS to provide.

Went here on a Friday at 2:30p with no appointment, done and out the door at 3:05p.
The security guard was very nice. He approached me when I first checked in to help me make sure I had all my necessary documents. I think that’s awesome customer service because I wouldn’t want to wait only to find out that I didn’t have everything I needed. When I got helped at the window, the lady who took care of my documents was really pleasant to talk with as well.
As far as government offices go, this social security office does great service to the community in my books.

My experiences with this office have been mixed:
On the plus side, when it was necessary to get a replacement Social Security card for an employer; they were very efficient about taking my documentation and about delivering the replacement. They even had informative videos in the lobby.
Also on the plus side, when my wife did enough work to improve her earnings record by two or three dollars per month, they automatically corrected her benefit and did it early during the year.
They do have a drop box. I have used it at times in the past. Just ask the guard if you may leave off a small envelope in the drop box.
On the other hand, … … .
I posted a photo of a redwood tree, at least 80 feet tall probably more, that was certainly a living tree during the 1930’s Great Depression quite a few years before many of today’s Social Security beneficiaries were even born.

Easy access for Unilocalers. Listing this here as it is not on Unilocal so here are their business hours:
Monday: 9am — 4pm
Tuesday: 9am — 4pm
Wednesday: 9am– 12pm
Thursday: 9am — 4pm
Friday: 9am — 4pm
I’m not sure why they close early on Wednesday’s but I have left work early a few times and never catch them open. I have also seen a lot of people show up only to find this office closed.
They definitely need a drop off box as well as providing business hours through several clicks away on their website.
Their service is also very slow. They definitely need more windows or some interns to general questions or concerns instead of a security guard behind a desk. A government office should be more helpful than offering a frustrating service. I’m pretty sure, I will be spending two hours in a wait line to get to a window — even if it is just dropping off some documents.
Thank goodness Unilocal exists.
SYOY!

This is the worst run government office I have ever visited. I had to update SS due to a citizenship change. You must show your naturalization certificate so this can’t be done online. Which queue you enter is not clear from the menu so I picked one. I waited an hour and the queue did not move even one digit! I went to WholeFoods for about 30 minutes and came back. The queue had moved one digit, with about 30 to go. Some simple math indicated I would not be served even if I waited til close and I had arrived shortly after opening.
A glance around the office revealed a set of some of the most hopeless and depressing lot of people in America. Looked a lot like Obama voters and paid protesters out of Oakland for the latest cause de jour. The workers were overwhelmed and underskilled. I began to hope that the artificial intelligence fad is real and this process can be further automated. It was complete inefficiency and incompetence from all participants. Truly pathetic. I went to the San Leandro office and was served and done within 35 minutes.