There's No Eviction Moratorium on NYC Storage Units. Now the Contents of Hundreds are Being Auctione
New Yorkers’ belongings stowed away in hundreds of self-storage units are slated to be auctioned off in the coming weeks, with struggling customers left unprotected, even during the pandemic.
People in dire financial straits and unable to pay their storage bill face an unregulated form of eviction that can lead to the loss of everything from furniture to family heirlooms snapped up by strangers. Meanwhile, the billion-dollar industry is booming as New Yorkers in flux seek places to keep their possessions, movers say.
Nearly 175 units at Public Storage facilities across the city are scheduled to go up for bid Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the company’s website shows, with another 849 headed for the block in November. Meanwhile, CubeSmart plans online auctions for units at 49 of its New York City locations next month, according to its website.
Unpaid storage fees differ from most unmet bills because under state law, storage facilities are granted a lien on the belongings within them. That means storage companies have the right to auction people’s things off rather than simply ceasing services to customers who cannot afford to pay rent and late fees.
https://www.thecity.nyc/2020/10/26/21535328/self-storage-auctions-evictions-rent-pandemic-new-york
