California Self Storage Association Urges Members to Support Proposition 36

The California Self Storage Association (CSSA) is urging facility operators in the state to support Proposition (Prop) 36—The Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act—at the polls in November. The Californians for Safer Communities coalition, of which the CSSA Legislative & Legal Committee is a member, qualified and placed it on the ballot, according to an Aug. 13 newsletter sent from the association to its members.

The bipartisan measure targets reforms to Prop 47, which was passed in 2014 to address serial retail theft and the fentanyl crisis as well as to prioritize mental health and drug treatment. CSSA members can support Prop 36 by making donations, posting information about it at their facilities and distributing printed collateral to their customers.

Since the passage of Prop 47, theft and homelessness in the state have increased and drug addiction has become a humanitarian crisis. The consequences are impacting public safety, businesses and the quality of life for all Californians, according to the coalition.

If passed, Prop 36 will hold repeat theft offenders accountable by introducing stricter penalties. It defines fentanyl as a hard drug and creates stricter penalties for drug traffickers. In addressing homelessness, it supports mental-health and substance-abuse treatment for people suffering from drug addiction, and introduces a treatment-mandated felony for possession of hard drugs with two prior hard-drug convictions. Upon completion of treatment, it allows for dismissal and expungement of an individual’s criminal record.

Californians for Safer Community is a bipartisan coalition of small businesses, public-safety organizations, elected officials, victim-advocacy groups and residents. It’s sponsored by Golden State Communities, with top funders including Home Depot, Target and Walmart.

CSSA is a nonprofit trade association dedicated to supporting the self-storage industry in California. The group offers educational events, networking opportunities, legislative advocacy and more.