All About the NJSSA

We just attended the NJSSA Annual Convention and Educational Seminars in Iselin, NJ. Overall it was a great day. We met a lot of self storage facility owners and had the opportunity to give a talk on the State of the Self Storage industry.

If you are thinking about joining the NJSSA, we would strongly urge you to. Here is a little history about them.

The New Jersey Self Storage Association was started in 1993 after a legislative proposal was introduced that would have adversely affected the rights of self storage operators to sell tenants’ goods after default. A group of individuals banded together to fight this legislation and actually won. This achievement led to the realization of how teamwork could make a difference in the industry and thus the NJSSA was born.

NJSSA’s victories have impacted every self storage facility’s operations. Their legislative efforts defeated the above referendum, stopped the attempt to require interest on self storage security deposits and blocked the arduous environmental testing of individual self-storage units. The NJSSA’s membership and influence has built up throughout the years.

Here are a few of their noble purposes:

• Promote a Code of Ethics that encourages good business practices and customer service.
• Protect the existing lien and tax law status that has fostered industry growth in New Jersey.
• Sponsor regional “grassroots” seminars periodically to educate those in the industry about legal issues and other topical concerns.
• Conduct an Annual Educational Seminar/ Convention that brings together New Jersey self storage owner/operators to share common experiences and learn from the industry’s top experts.
• Publish a periodic newsletter to keep members and their staffs current on industry issues and to promote thought and discussion on subjects of interest.
• Promulgate recommended procedures such as the Model Occupancy Agreement, Auction, Decedents’ Estate and Bankruptcy procedures, Late Fees and Delinquent Payment Plans.
• Function as the industry’s VOICE to promote self storage, to defend your rights as independent business persons and to represent the interests of the NJSSA whenever we can!
• Support, communicate and cooperate with the National Self Storage Association (SSA) and other state Self Storage Associations.

Please visit their website to get more info on them and how they can help you.