As self-storage professionals, we should be aware of how the industry is presented to the public. Media Watchdog is devoted to policing and summarizing general news coverage across the nation.

Subway Ads Put in Cold Storage 
New York Daily News, 9.27.06 

Public Storage, which riled some New York City subway riders with ads that seemingly mocked the citys boroughs outside Manhattan, has pulled its posters. The ads were meant to poke fun at the excessive prices of self-storage in Manhattan, and were not a cultural critique of the outer boroughs, a Public Storage executive wrote in response to a stern letter from the city council. The Glendale, Calif.-based company ran print ads on the No. 7 train that declared: Finally a good reason to leave Manhattan, which then listed discounted rates for its facilities in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens.

Housing Lag Nixes Plans 
The Benton County Daily Record, 11.20.06 

After meeting with Bentonville, Ark., city planners, Pleasant Grove Self Storage withdrew a petition to rezone a significant portion of its residential development, citing a lag in the housing market. The group had intended to rezone its property to multifamily and commercial and provide a 100-foot landscape buffer between the existing subdivision and the new development.

Storage Developer Builds Center in Waco 
Tribune-Herald, 11.15.06 

A new self-storage center may be the largest in Waco, Texas, says owner Gordon Swanson. He plans to build a 105,000-square-foot facility to house 615 storage units. About 170 units will have climate control, while another 90 will have dust control. Hes investing $1.8 million in the 5.8-acre site, including the purchase price of the land. The first building to go up will serve as an office. Swanson owns three other self-storage locations totaling about 1,000 units. 

Lien Filed Against Hawaii Storage Facility 
Pacific Business News, 11.17.06 

A Honolulu general contractor, who built a waterfront self-storage building in Hawaii, has filed a mechanics lien against the owner of the building, claiming its owed $898,850. The claim by contractor Keko Investments is for the so-called retention amount set in the contract with Stor Secure Self-Storage at Hawaii Kai, according to the attorney for the contractor.

BBB Offers Advice to Storage Customers 
The Miami Herald, 11.07.06 

The Better Business Bureau across the United States advises self-storage consumers to shop carefully before signing a contract and offers several tips on choosing a facility. Consumers should obtain written cost estimates from at least three facilities. They should also check unit size, consider climate control, insure stored items, evaluate security, access hours and get everything in writing.

Dangerous and Grisly Items Found in Storage 
The News-Herald, 10.28.06 

Law enforcement agencies are stunned at how often illegal and contraband items are found in storage facilities. A few examples: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms unearthed 200 pounds of explosives, enough to injure 300 students at a nearby elementary school, 100 kids at a day-care center and a thousand motorists passing daily. A woman killed her husband and then stuffed his body into a freezer at Planet Self Storage in Massachusetts. The bodies of three slain women were found in barrels locked up inside a unit at a facility in Missouri. In New York City, police found almost $10 million worth of the drug ecstasy in a storage unit in Brooklyn. In almost every case, such discoveries were made by alert self-storage unit managers.

Burst Pipe Floods Units 
KFMB, 11.16.06 

Customers thought their stuff would be safe at the Store Safe self-storage in Miramar, Calif., but a huge water main break changed all that. According to San Diego Water Department officials, an underground water pipeline burst, sending water flooding downhill toward the storage facility. Water flow to the pipeline was shut off within two hours, but some storage units likely sustained water damage.

Stolen Liquor Sold on eBay 
The Patriot-News, 9.22.06 

Lewisberry, Pa., police accused a man of stealing alcohol from storage units and selling it on eBay. Search warrants were served on a storage space at Storage Center in Hampden Township. The suspect also faces charges related to two other break-ins at the same storage facility and one at S&K Self Storage in Fairview Township.

Fire Destroys Storage Units 
KXAN, 11.20.06 

Flames destroyed nearly an entire row of storage units at the Access Self Storage in Austin, Texas. Smoke from the fire could be seen for miles. As firefighters worked to control the blaze, police detoured traffic to nearby streets. The fires cause is under investigation.