Business Details
11 Years
experience
Washington Self-Storage Association
The Washington Self-Storage Association (WA-SSA) has dedicated itself to representing and supporting the self-storage industry across Washington state since its inception. Our organization focuses on four core pillars: advocacy, education, legislation, and litigation to protect property rights for storage operators. With decades of collective experience across our membership, we serve as the authoritative voice for self-storage professionals, offering resources like model rental agreements, emergency preparedness manuals, and state-specific legal guidance. Our advocacy efforts include monitoring legislative developments such as the Climate Commitment Act and opposing restrictive measures like HB 1589 that threaten natural gas access for heated storage facilities. Through annual conferences, educational webinars, and networking opportunities, we equip members with industry insights and operational best practices.Our team maintains active partnerships with legal experts to provide up-to-date compliance resources and legal protections. As a trusted resource, we offer 24/7 access to critical documents while maintaining transparent communication through regular legislative updates and action alerts. Our leadership consists of seasoned professionals with extensive experience in self-storage operations, real estate development, and risk management. We operate with full transparency, clearly disclosing membership costs ($300 per site annually for owners/operators) and maintaining public board member contact information. Our commitment to ethical standards ensures members receive reliable, verified information to navigate regulatory challenges and grow their businesses successfully.
Services
Legislative Advocacy
Legal Resource Center
Industry Conferences
Compliance Guidance
Membership Networking
Details
- Year established: 2015
Highlights and features
- We provide 24/7 access to critical legal documents and compliance resources
- Our team has 15+ years of combined experience in self-storage operations
- We offer exclusive legislative tracking and advocacy during Washington's legislative session
- Our membership includes industry leaders with expertise in real estate development
- We maintain transparent pricing with clearly disclosed membership fees
Services
Legislative Advocacy
WA-SSA actively monitors Washington State legislative developments affecting self-storage operations, providing regular updates on bills like HB 1589 and I-2117. Our team works with lobbyists to influence policy decisions and hosts legislative action alerts for members. We maintain relationships with state representatives to protect industry interests during budget sessions and regulatory changes.
Legal Resource Center
Our members gain exclusive access to a comprehensive library containing state lien laws, tenant insurance regulations, employment law guides, and ADA compliance resources. The center includes 50-state surveys on priority issues and provides regular updates to ensure operators maintain full regulatory compliance with evolving industry standards.
Industry Conferences
Annual conferences feature educational sessions, networking opportunities, and vendor exhibitions. Events include speaker presentations on industry trends, facility tours, and specialized workshops covering operational best practices and emerging challenges in the self-storage sector across Washington State.
Membership Benefits
Members receive discounted insurance programs, marketing resources, and access to our board's collective expertise in facility management. We provide operational guidance on security systems, unit mix optimization, and customer service strategies to help storage businesses improve performance and profitability.
Emergency Preparedness
We offer specialized resources for developing emergency response plans, including manuals for natural disaster preparedness and business continuity strategies. Our guidance helps storage operators protect both their facilities and stored items during unexpected events affecting Washington State.
People
Lance Baker
President
With over 20 years in property management across multiple sectors, Lance brings extensive experience in lease negotiations and commercial development. Active with WA-SSA since 2001, he has held multiple board roles while managing Urban Self Storage operations since 2019.
John Eisenbarth
Vice President
John has over 28 years of self-storage experience, including leadership roles at Shurgard and West Coast Self-Storage. He oversees operations for 100+ locations across five western states while maintaining expertise in market analysis and strategic planning.
Kari Kaltenborn
Secretary
As President of Rancho Storage Center, Kari manages four Washington facilities with third-generation storage industry experience. She holds advanced degrees in business and real estate development while serving on national association committees.
Gary Kelley
Treasurer
Gary brings 15+ years of insurance industry experience, specializing in risk management for self-storage and real estate. As PCF Insurance partner, he develops specialized insurance products while maintaining active roles in state and national association events.
Patrick Reilly
Past President
With Urban Self Storage since 1995, Patrick has developed industry resources like the StorageChat social media platform. He maintains leadership roles in both WA-SSA and the national Self Storage Association while operating Seattle-based facilities.
Questions
What services does WA-SSA provide for self-storage operators?
We offer legislative advocacy, legal document resources, compliance guidance, industry conferences, and networking opportunities for Washington state self-storage professionals.
How does WA-SSA help with regulatory compliance?
We maintain a Legal Resource Center with state-specific materials including lien laws, ADA compliance guides, and building code updates to help members stay compliant.
Can non-members access your resources?
Basic information is available publicly, but full access to legal documents and member benefits requires active membership in our association.
How do you handle legislative threats to the industry?
Our team actively monitors bills like HB 1589, coordinates opposition efforts, and provides members with action alerts to contact legislators directly.
What membership tiers are available?
We offer two membership levels: $300 annually per site for owners/operators, and $500 annually for vendors supporting the self-storage industry.
