Public record
USPS Mt Vernon Plaza: pro-rata share error case study
A public-record strip-center case study showing how a 4.50% statement share versus a 4.24% lease share produced a $2,340.15 apparent overcharge.
What happened
The USPS lease at Mt Vernon Plaza fixed the tenant share at 4.24%, based on 11,392 square feet out of 268,729 square feet total. The 2020 reconciliation used 4.50% instead. That small percentage-point difference translated into a real annual overcharge on a roughly $900,056 CAM pool and eventually became part of a federal litigation record.
Findings from the pipeline
Rule 4
Pro-Rata Share Error
$2,340
Statement applies 4.5000% pro-rata share but lease specifies 4.2400%, resulting in an estimated overcharge of $2,340.15. Statement uses GLA denominator. Lease specifies a fixed share with no adjustment language.
Lease evidence
Tenant's proportionate share is 4.24%
5.1
Math proof
lease_share=0.0424, stmt_share=0.045, difference=0.0026, total_opex=900056.00, overcharge=2340.15, denominator_type=GLA
Lease evidence
- Tenant proportionate share fixed at 4.24%.
- The lease ties that share to 11,392 square feet over 268,729 square feet total.
- No lease language authorizes the landlord to substitute a higher share later.
- The dispute turned on denominator math, not a disputed service category.
Why this matters for your firm
Pro-rata share errors look tiny on paper. They are not. A quarter-point change applied across a full CAM pool can cost tenants thousands each year, and the mistake often survives because reviewers focus on the expense line items instead of the percentage doing the multiplying.
Dispute letter draft excerpt
Request for Review - CAM Reconciliation Statement, 2020, USPS Alexandria Community Branch at Mt Vernon Plaza. The review flagged a confirmed pro-rata share variance worth about $2,340.15.
Pro-rata share calculation guide
Lease languageWhat pro-rata share means in a lease
Industry guideRetail CAM overcharges guide
Frequently asked questions
What findings did CAMAudit surface in the United States Postal Service case?
CAMAudit flagged 1 finding with an apparent overcharge of $2,340. Each finding cites the specific detection rule, dollar amount, and the lease provision that grounds the dispute.
Can my firm reproduce these findings on a live client engagement?
Yes. Your firm uploads the lease and CAM bill. CAMAudit checks them against the same rule set. Your firm reviews the findings. Then your firm sends the branded report to the client.
Is Retail strip center a common property type for CAM audit engagements?
CAMAudit handles all commercial property types: retail, office, industrial, mixed-use, and specialty. The detection rules apply wherever a tenant pays CAM or operating expenses under a lease with specific definitions, caps, or exclusion lists.
What is a dispute letter draft and does CAMAudit generate one?
A dispute letter draft is a factual starting point that specifies each overcharge by rule, dollar amount, and lease provision. CAMAudit generates a draft grounded in the specific audit findings for advisor and counsel review.
Next engagement
Run these same detection rules on your client engagements
Upload a client lease and CAM bill. CAMAudit applies the same rule set used in this case study. Your firm reviews the findings and sends the branded report to the client.
Public-record note
This page summarizes public-record documents and CAMAudit output for educational and marketing purposes. It does not imply endorsement by United States Postal Service or any third party. Readers should review the underlying lease, statement, and dispute timeline for their own facts.