Coronavirus and Self Storage
Mike Blackett posted on 3/17/2020 11:36:00 AM
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Storage operators are doing their due diligence during this pandemic and national emergency to make sure their customers are taken care of while also ensuring the safety of their employees. The SSA reached out to facility executives across the country to see how they are responding during these difficult times.
Manhattan Mini Storage (NY)
Jon Dario, president
Are you altering your hours of operation? “Store hours are 7 am-10 pm for some buildings and 24 hours for others.”
How are you handling onsite staffing? “Onsite management staffing is as it has always been. No limits on staffing have been set. We have a contingency to go to resident managers being the only staff if NYC gets a shelter in place decision.”
How are you approaching access to units? “Our customers have access cards to enter the buildings and to use elevators. That has not changed.”
Are you cancelling or deferring auctions? “Yes, we deferred auctions until further notice.”
Are you deferring late fees for the time being? “We have not yet done anything with late fees, but we are discussing the possibility of deferring them as well.”
Devon Self Storage (national)
Ken Nitzberg, chairman and CEO
Are you altering your hours of operation? “As of Monday, March 16, Devon was planning to maintain regular hours at each facility but with no more than one employee on duty at any given time. Because Devon Self Storage operates in multiple, geographically diverse areas of the country, the company is prepared to adapt and modify operations as the situation varies by community.”
How are you handling onsite staffing? “Those who are ill or have family in their homes who are exhibiting symptoms of respiratory illness have been advised to not report to work.”
How are you approaching access to units? “Presently we are open our regular hours with access to units that are current with their rent as always. Should local rules change, that accessibility could change also.”
Are you cancelling or deferring auctions? “Devon has put off any auctions until the end of April at the soonest.”
Are you deferring late fees for the time being? “We will make that decision on a case-by-case basis.”
Sentry Self Storage (FL)
Scott McLaughlin, executive vice president
Are you altering your hours of operation? “Not at this time. We're watching federal, state, and local updates for news pertaining to small business hours of operations changes, or mandatory closures.”
How are you handling onsite staffing? “On-site staff have been directed to stay home if they feel sick.”
How are you approaching access to units? “Tenant access remains uninterrupted for the time being.”
Are you cancelling or deferring auctions? “Yes, we've placed a delay on any pending sales until further notice and are providing opportunities for folks to work with us on payment options.”
Are you deferring late fees for the time being? “Not at this time. However, if removal of fees helps a customer in lien status, we're certainly considering that as part of the solution.”
StorageMart (national, Canada)
Mike Burnam, CEO
Are you altering your hours of operation? “Not at this time. If/when we do, it will be based on how busy that store is and what the TPG is for the store.”
How are you handling onsite staffing? “Increasing hourly wage by $2.50/hour as additional incentive to come to work or offset increased child care or significant other not working.”
How are you approaching access to units? “Offices open for business, we are considering ourselves essentials due to supply chains being stored no our facilities.”
Are you cancelling or deferring auctions? “Deferring for 30 days.”
Are you deferring late fees for the time being? “Deferring all charges related to sellout, but not first late fee or lock cut charges.”
Five Star Storage (North Dakota)
Ben Hendricks, chief operating officer
Are you altering your hours of operation? “We’re monitoring daily changes and recommendations from local, state and national officials. Self storage is thankfully not a high-traffic business, so currently our hours haven’t been altered. We are strongly encouraging customers to limit their in-person contact with our staff; encouraging existing tenants to pay their monthly rent online; via a drop box or through the mail; and asking customers to call our managers vs. coming into the office. Signs have been posted on front doors of our stores, we’ve sent an email to all of our tenants, and we’re informing customers to refer to our Facebook pages for the most current updates on office hours/closures.”
How are you handling onsite staffing? “Those that work in our business that have the ability to work from home, remotely, are doing so. At one rental office that has a two-door system with a vestibule, we’ve elected to lock the second door and speak to customers thru an intercom prior to buzzing them in to enter the office.”
How are you approaching access to units? “Unit access hasn’t changed, because rarely do customers come into contact with one another. We have encouraged customers at facilities with hands-free access keypads to utilize that technology through the mobile app associated with those keypads. This was mentioned within the mass email to the current customers.”
Are you cancelling or deferring auctions? “Not at this time, but we are currently evaluating.”
Are you deferring late fees for the time being? “Not at this time, but we are currently evaluating.”
Personal Mini Storage (FL)
Marc Smith, president
Are you altering your hours of operation? “Not yet. The situation is obviously very fluid.”
How are you handling onsite staffing? “We are staggering coverage so that fewer people are in each office.”
How are you approaching access to units? “No changes yet.”
Are you cancelling or deferring auctions? “We are dealing with these on a case-by-case basis rather than a wholesale change.”
Are you deferring late fees for the time being? “We are not and are encouraging auto-pay signup.”
Anytime Storage (AZ)
Chris Delgado, VP of Operations
Are you altering your hours of operation? “We are not altering office hours much, just moving them earlier in the day.”
How are you handling onsite staffing? “We are limiting direct contact with customers. We have modified our interactions and transactions with customers to do so.”
How are you approaching access to units? “We are not changing access to units for customers.”
Are you cancelling or deferring auctions? “Yes, we have cancelled our March and April auctions.”
Are you deferring late fees for the time being? “We are not deferring late fees but are sensitive to late payments during this time.”
