Make Your Voice Heard: Why Voting Matters to California's Self-Storage Industry

As self-storage owners and operators, we spend a great deal of time focused on our businesses, employees, customers, and communities. But every election shapes the environment in which we operate. Decisions made by voters affect taxes, development, housing, insurance, permitting, and the overall business climate throughout California.

That is why I encourage every CSSA member, company employee, family member, and eligible voter to plan to vote in the November election. Not only is this a patriotic privilege and responsibility, but our livelihood depends upon us participating by voting.

This year's CSSA voter guide reviews eight statewide ballot propositions and recommends support for six measures and opposition to two. The recommendations focus on issues that affect business certainty, housing production, tax policy, local government finance, and regulatory reform. Among the measures supported by CSSA are propositions related to housing development, tax accountability, protections against retroactive and personal property taxes, local tax approval requirements, and CEQA reform. CSSA recommends opposing measures that would permanently extend certain high-earner income taxes and create a new one-time wealth tax.

Proposition 43 is particularly important. If passed, this proposition will require that all local taxes and fees need a 2/3rds vote of the public to pass, rather than the current 50% +1. This returns to the original law for local increases to the original statue, that has been watered down over the years and will curtail or stop the proliferation of these local taxes and fees. CSSA and many of our members, including some REITs have helped raise approximately $500K to support this effort. Please vote YES on Prop. 43!

These recommendations were developed to help members better understand how the measures may affect our industry and the broader business environment. Please take a few minutes to review the complete voter guide and make your own informed decisions. Link to 2026 Propositions CSSA Voter Recommendations

Why the Insurance Commissioner Race Matters?

The Insurance Commissioner race may be one of the most consequential contests on the ballot for self-storage owners. California businesses continue to face rising premiums, limited carrier availability, FAIR Plan growth, and increasing catastrophe risk. The candidates have offered differing views on how aggressively the state should regulate insurers and how California can restore a competitive insurance marketplace. Because insurance is a significant operating expense for many self-storage facilities, the outcome of this race could influence both the availability and cost of commercial property coverage for years to come. The race has largely focused on how California can encourage more insurers to participate in the market while ensuring policyholders receive fair treatment.

• Candidate Ben Allen has been endorsed by organizations and leaders including the California Democratic Party, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, numerous newspapers, business groups, housing advocates, and environmental organizations. 
• Candidate Jane Kim, has received support from the California Federation of Labor, the Working Families Party, and other progressive organizations.

Regardless of where an individual member stands politically, the outcome of this race could have a significant impact on California's insurance marketplace and, by extension, the costs and availability of coverage for self-storage facilities throughout the state.

Get Out and Vote!

The future of our industry depends not only on how we operate our businesses, but also on whether we participate in the democratic process. Please take the time to learn about the candidates and propositions, review the CSSA voter recommendations, and most importantly, cast your ballot.

An informed vote is one of the most effective ways to protect and strengthen California's self-storage industry for years to come.

Steve Mirabito, CSSA Legislative Committee Chair