Chair of the Board Message: 2026 Q3
Howdy CSSA members! We hope that Summer 2026 has been a great one, filled with family fun and perhaps some time off from the grind. Hard to believe, but we are approaching the end of the 3rd quarter, with the back half of the year well underway. Amidst the changes that brings, now feels like an appropriate point to reflect on the year to date and what lies ahead.
Beginning with our marquis events, I’m pleased to report that the Napa Self Storage Owners Conference and the 21st Annual Self Storage Owners Summit in Newport Beach both saw, yet again, record-breaking attendance and Sponsor participation. These gatherings draw national attention and, for many of you, have become an annual tradition not to be missed. If you’ve never been, I strongly encourage you to put both on your calendar for 2027.
Launched at the Newport event last summer, the Young Leaders Group is now in its second year and has seen a tremendous response. We are thrilled to watch these 40 and under professionals growing the group at an amazing pace and taking the reins on their careers, while having a blast doing it. It is encouraging to know that the future of storage is in great hands. Continuing on the outreach front, we are very excited to debut the newly-christened CSSA Women In Storage program. The name says it all and, given that women are by far the leading decision makers on if, when and where to use storage, this organization is long overdue. The initial response has been fantastic and we’re looking forward to the leadership and fresh ideas this much-needed voice will provide for our membership base.
On the legislative front, we trust you’ve all witnessed the momentum which has been building over the past couple of years. During that span, CSSA has revamped and empowered our Legislative Committee, strengthened engagement with coalition partners such as the CA Business Round Table and the national Self Storage Association, established an Industry Advocacy Fund, hired a CA-specific lobbyist firm, and – most recently – formed a Political Action Committee to give us a seat at the table in Sacramento and beyond. We are leading an active campaign to educate lawmakers on why self storage is good for their constituents and have taken the lead nationally in encouraging the industry to reclaim our voice to the consumer about the benefits of our product.
Looking ahead, the holidays will be upon us before we know it (Home Depot already has its Halloween section up and scaring kids far and wide). Mark your calendar for our December networking events in NorCal, LA, Orange County and San Diego – registration is already open on our Events page. We hope to see you there or sooner.
Onward!
Nathan McElmurry
2026 CSSA Chair of the Board