ISS News Desk: California Cities Seek to Limit Self-Storage Operator Rights During COVID-19

Self-storage operators have been extremely compassionate with customers during the coronavirus pandemic, particularly tenants who face financial hardship due to the virus. Though practices like waiving late fees, offering payment plans and suspending the lien-sale process have been common these past few months, it hasn’t stopped three California cities from trying to legally bind the rights of industry operators in their areas. This ISS News Desk examines recent moves in Livermore, Los Angeles and Pasadena to ban the charging of late fees, prevent auctions, and preserve the rights of delinquent tenants to retain and access their units. As we’ve seen with self-storage development moratoriums these past couple of years, legislation has a way of seeping into other states, so operators everywhere should be aware of this disturbing trend as the crisis endures.