16.  COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Development Commitments

As of December 31, 2025, the Company had agreements with developers for the construction of one new self-storage property (see note 4), which will require payments of approximately $1.8 million, due in installments upon completion of certain construction milestones, during 2026.

Litigation

From time to time, the Company is involved in claims which arise in the ordinary course of business. In accordance with applicable accounting guidance, management establishes an accrued liability for claim expenses, insurance retention and litigation costs when those matters present loss contingencies that are both probable and reasonably estimable. In such cases, there may be exposure to loss in excess of those amounts accrued. The estimated loss, if any, is based upon currently available information and is subject to significant judgment, a variety of assumptions and known and unknown uncertainties. In the opinion of management, the Company has made adequate provisions for potential liabilities arising from any such matters, which are included in Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 27, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 28, 2025
2023Feb 29, 2024
2022Feb 24, 2023
2021Feb 25, 2022
2020Feb 26, 2021
2019Feb 21, 2020
2018Feb 22, 2019
2017Feb 16, 2018
2016Feb 17, 2017
2015Feb 19, 2016

About Commitments Disclosures

Commitments and contingencies disclosures catalog a company's off-balance-sheet obligations and legal exposures — purchase commitments, guarantee arrangements, pending litigation, and regulatory proceedings. These items represent potential future cash outflows that may not appear as liabilities on the balance sheet until they become probable and estimable.

Key signals: litigation reserves and disclosed loss ranges quantify management's estimate of legal exposure, but unquantified "reasonably possible" losses often represent the larger risk. Watch for changes in language around pending cases — shifts from "remote" to "reasonably possible" or increases in estimated loss ranges signal deteriorating outcomes. Unconditional purchase obligations and take-or-pay contracts create fixed cost structures that reduce operational flexibility. Guarantee arrangements for subsidiaries or joint ventures can create cascading obligations. Compare the total commitment schedule against projected free cash flow to assess whether the company can meet its obligations without additional financing.