To support Hawaii residents who are struggling with changes in the local economy, including layoffs and an escalating cost of living, Hawaii Self Storage has launched a Transition Assistance Program (TAP) that will provide up to four months of free storage for individuals experiencing residential hardship. The company plans to provide up to five free units monthly at its sites in Kaimuki, Pearl City and Salt Lake, as well as at its two new facilities opening in Kapolei and Mililani this fall. This could amount to as many as 300 free units per year.
 
Business has improved by approximately 25 percent for Hawaii Self Storage as a result of people who need to store belongings due to downsizing or foreclosure, Hawaii Self Storage President Daniel Ho told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Small businesses facing higher rents and mortgages are also using storage for office and warehouse space, he said.
 
In addition to foreclosures resulting from the sub-prime mortgage crisis, Hawaii residents suffered mass layoffs from Aloha Airlines and Molokai Ranch this spring. Very recently, Maui Land and Pineapple Co. Inc. announced its intention to cut 274 jobs, and about three dozen workers lost their jobs at Kaanapali Beach Club.
 
People interested in applying for TAP must submit a letter along with proof of residential-financial hardship to a Hawaii Self Storage location. All requests will be reviewed by a board and approved on a first-come, first-served basis. The program will remain available as long as Oahu’s economy remains challenged, according to Marketing Vice President Shaun Salvador.
 
TAP is part of the company’s greater community-pride effort, which includes a number of other initiatives including scholarships for high school students, a “Lockers 4 Literacy” program, a “Rent 2 Charity” program, support for keiki team athletics and a partnership with the Lokahi Giving Project.
 
For more information, visit www.hawaiiselfstorage.com.