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the inability to achieve satisfactory completion of due diligence investigations and other customary closing conditions;



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failure to finance an acquisition on favorable terms or at all;



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we may spend more than the time and amounts budgeted to make necessary improvements or renovations to acquired properties; and



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we may acquire properties subject to liabilities without any recourse, or with only limited recourse, with respect to unknown liabilities such as liabilities for clean-up of undisclosed environmental contamination, claims by persons dealing with the former owners of the properties and claims for indemnification by general partners, directors, officers and others indemnified by the former owners of the properties.

        In addition, strategic decisions by us, such as acquisitions, may adversely affect the price of our securities.

We may not be successful in integrating and operating acquired properties.

        We expect to make future acquisitions of self-storage properties. If we acquire any self-storage properties, we will be required to integrate them into our existing portfolio. The acquired properties may turn out to be less compatible with our growth strategy than originally anticipated, may cause disruptions in our operations or may divert management's attention away from day-to-day operations, which could impair our operating results as a whole.

We do not always obtain independent appraisals of our properties, and thus the consideration paid for these properties may exceed the value that may be indicated by third-party appraisals.

        We do not always obtain third-party appraisals in connection with our acquisition of properties and the consideration being paid by us in exchange for those properties may exceed the value determined by third-party appraisals. In such cases, the value of the properties werewas determined by our senior management team.

Our investments in development and redevelopment projects may not yield anticipated returns, which would harm our operating results and reduce the amount of funds available for distributions.

        In June 2009, we announced the wind-down of our development activities.        To the extent that we engage in development and redevelopment activities, we will be subject to the following risks normally associated with these projects:

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we may be unable to obtain financing for these projects on favorable terms or at all;



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we may not complete development or redevelopment projects on schedule or within budgeted amounts;



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we may encounter delays or refusals in obtaining all necessary zoning, land use, building, occupancy and other required governmental permits and authorizations; and

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occupancy rates and rents at newly developed or redeveloped properties may fluctuate depending on a number of factors, including market and economic conditions, and may result in our investment not being profitable.

        In deciding whether to develop or redevelop a particular property, we make certain assumptions regarding the expected future performance of that property. We may underestimate the costs necessary to bring the property up to the standards established for its intended market position or may be unable to increase occupancy at a newly developed property as quickly as expected or at all. Any substantial unanticipated delays or expenses could adversely affect the investment returns from these development or redevelopment projects and harm our operating results, liquidity and financial condition, which could result in a decline in the value of our securities.

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        We may rely on the investments of our joint venture partners for funding certain of our development and redevelopment projects. If our reputation in the self-storage industry changes or the number of investors considering us an attractive strategic partner is otherwise reduced, our ability to develop or redevelop properties could be affected, which would limit our growth.

Risks Related to Our Organization and Structure

Our business could be harmed if key personnel with long-standing business relationships in the self-storage industry terminate their employment with us.

        Our success depends on the continued services of members of our executive management team. Our executive management team, haswho have substantial experience in the self-storage industry. In addition, our ability to acquire or develop properties in the future depends on the significant relationships our executive management team has developed with our institutional joint venture partners such as affiliates of Prudential Financial, Inc. There is no guarantee that any of them will remain employed by us. We do not maintain key person life insurance on any of our officers. The loss of services of one or more members of our executive management team could harm our business and our prospects.

We may change our investment and financing strategies and enter into new lines of business without stockholder consent, which may subject us to different risks.

        We may change our investment and financing strategies and enter into new lines of business at any time without the consent of our stockholders, which could result in our making investments and engaging in business activities that are different from, and possibly riskier than, the investments and businesses described in this document. A change in our investment strategy or our entry into new lines of business may increase our exposure to other risks or real estate market fluctuations.

If other self-storage companies convert to an UPREIT structure or if tax laws change, we may no longer have an advantage in competing for potential acquisitions.

        Because we are structured as an UPREIT, we are a more attractive acquirer of properties to tax-motivated sellers than our competitors that are not structured as UPREITs. However, if other self-storage companies restructure their holdings to become UPREITs, this competitive advantage will disappear. In addition, new legislation may be enacted or new interpretations of existing legislation may be issued by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"), or the U.S. Treasury Department that could affect the attractiveness of our UPREIT structure so that it may no longer assist us in competing for acquisitions.

Tax indemnification obligations may require the Operating Partnership to maintain certain debt levels.

        We have provided certain tax protections to various third parties in connection with their property contributions to the Operating Partnership upon acquisition by the Company, including making

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available the opportunity to (1) guarantee debt or (2) enter into a special loss allocation and deficit restoration obligation. We have agreed to these provisions in order to assist these contributors in preserving their tax position after their contributions. These obligations may require us to maintain certain indebtedness levels that we would not otherwise require for our business.

Our joint venture investments could be adversely affected by our lack of sole decision-making authority.

        As of December 31, 2011,2012, we held interests in 341281 operating properties through joint ventures. Some of these arrangements could be adversely affected by our lack of sole decision-making authority, our reliance on co-venturers financial conditions and disputes between us and our co-venturers. We expect to continue our joint venture strategy by entering into more joint ventures for the purpose of developing new self-storage properties and acquiring existing properties. In such event, we would not be in a position to exercise sole decision-making authority regarding the property, partnership, joint venture or other entity. The decision-making authority regarding the properties we currently hold

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through joint ventures is either vested exclusively with our joint venture partners, is subject to a majority vote of the joint venture partners or equally shared by us and the joint venture partners. In addition, investments in partnerships, joint ventures or other entities may, under certain circumstances, involve risks not present were a third party not involved, including the possibility that partners or co-venturers might become bankrupt or fail to fund their share of required capital contributions. Partners or co-venturers may have economic or other business interests or goals which are inconsistent with our business interests or goals, and may be in a position to take actions contrary to our policies or objectives. Such investments may also have the potential risk of impasses on decisions, such as a sale, because neither we nor the partner or co-venturer would have full control over the partnership or joint venture. Disputes between us and partners or co-venturers may result in litigation or arbitration that would increase our expenses and prevent our officers and/or directors from focusing their time and efforts on our business. Consequently, actions by or disputes with partners or co-venturers might result in subjecting properties owned by the partnership or joint venture to additional risk. In addition, we may in certain circumstances be liable for the actions of our third-party partners or co-venturers, which could harm our financial condition.

Spencer F. Kirk, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Charles L. Allen, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, and other members of our senior management team have outside business interests which could divert their time and attention away from us, which could harm our business.

        Spencer F. Kirk, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, as well as certain other members of our senior management team, have outside business interests. These business interests include the ownership of a self-storage property located in Pico Rivera, California. Other than this property, the members of our senior management are not currently engaged in any other self-storage activities outside the Company. These outside business interests could interfere with their ability to devote time to our business and affairs and, as a result, our business could be harmed.

Conflicts of interest could arise as a result of our relationship with our Operating Partnership.

        Conflicts of interest could arise in the future as a result of the relationships between us and our affiliates, and our Operating Partnership or any partner thereof. Our directors and officers have duties to our Company under applicable Maryland law in connection with their management of our Company. At the same time, we, through our wholly-owned subsidiary, have fiduciary duties, as a general partner, to our Operating Partnership and to the limited partners under Delaware law in connection with the management of our Operating Partnership. Our duties, through our wholly-owned subsidiary, as a general partner to our Operating Partnership and its partners may come into conflict with the duties of our directors and officers to our Company. The partnership agreement of our Operating Partnership does not require us to resolve such conflicts in favor of either our Company or the limited partners in

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our Operating Partnership. Unless otherwise provided for in the relevant partnership agreement, Delaware law generally requires a general partner of a Delaware limited partnership to adhere to fiduciary duty standards under which it owes its limited partners the highest duties of good faith, fairness, and loyalty and which generally prohibit such general partner from taking any action or engaging in any transaction as to which it has a conflict of interest.

        Additionally, the partnership agreement expressly limits our liability by providing that neither we, our direct wholly-owned Massachusetts business trust subsidiary, as the general partner of the Operating Partnership, nor any of our or their trustees, directors or officers, will be liable or accountable in damages to our Operating Partnership, the limited partners or assignees for errors in judgment, mistakes of fact or law or for any act or omission if we, or such trustee, director or officer, acted in good faith. In addition, our Operating Partnership is required to indemnify us, our affiliates and each of our respective trustees, officers, directors, employees and agents to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (whether joint or several), expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys' fees and other legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, that relate to the operations of the Operating Partnership, provided that our Operating Partnership will not indemnify for (1) willful misconduct or a knowing violation of the law, (2) any transaction for which such person received an improper personal benefit in violation or breach of any provision of the partnership agreement, or (3) in the case of a criminal proceeding, the person had reasonable cause to believe the act or omission was unlawful.

        The provisions of Delaware law that allow the common law fiduciary duties of a general partner to be modified by a partnership agreement have not been resolved in a court of law, and we have not obtained an opinion of counsel covering the provisions set forth in the partnership agreement that

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purport to waive or restrict our fiduciary duties that would be in effect under common law were it not for the partnership agreement.

We may pursue less vigorous enforcement of terms of contribution and other agreements because of conflicts of interest with certain of our officers.

        Spencer F. Kirk, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Charles L. Allen, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, other members of our senior management team and Kenneth M. Woolley, Director, had direct or indirect ownership interests in certain properties that were contributed to our Operating Partnership in the formation transactions. Following the completion of the formation transactions, we, under the agreements relating to the contribution of such interests, became entitled to indemnification and damages in the event of breaches of representations or warranties made by the contributors. None of these contribution and non-competition agreements was negotiated at an arm's-length basis. We may choose not to enforce, or to enforce less vigorously, our rights under these contribution and non-competition agreements because of our desire to maintain our ongoing relationships with the individuals party to these agreements.

Certain provisions of Maryland law and our organizational documents, including the stock ownership limit imposed by our charter, may inhibit market activity in our stock and could prevent or delay a change in control transaction.

        Our charter, subject to certain exceptions, authorizes our directors to take such actions as are necessary and desirable to preserve our qualification as a REIT and to limit any person to actual or constructive ownership of no more than 7.0% (by value or by number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of our outstanding common stock or 7.0% (by value or by number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of our outstanding capital stock. Our board of directors, in its sole discretion, may exempt a proposed transferee from the ownership limit. However, our board of directors may not grant

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an exemption from the ownership limit to any proposed transferee whose ownership could jeopardize our qualification as a REIT. These restrictions on ownership will not apply if our board of directors determines that it is no longer in our best interests to attempt to qualify, or to continue to qualify, as a REIT. The ownership limit may delay or impede a transaction or a change of control that might involve a premium price for our securities or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders. Different ownership limits apply to the family of Kenneth M. Woolley, certain of his affiliates, family members and estates and trusts formed for the benefit of the foregoing andforegoing; to Spencer F. Kirk, certain of his affiliates, family members and estates and trusts formed for the benefit of the foregoingforegoing; and to certain designated investment entities (asas defined in our charter).charter.

Our board of directors has the power to issue additional shares of our stock in a manner that may not be in the best interest of our stockholders.

        Our charter authorizes our board of directors to issue additional authorized but unissued shares of common stock or preferred stock and to increase the aggregate number of authorized shares or the number of shares of any class or series without stockholder approval. In addition, our board of directors may classify or reclassify any unissued shares of common stock or preferred stock and set the preferences, rights and other terms of the classified or reclassified shares. Our board of directors could issue additional shares of our common stock or establish a series of preferred stock that could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control or other transaction that might involve a premium price for our securities or otherwise not be in the best interests of our stockholders.

Our rights and the rights of our stockholders to take action against our directors and officers are limited.

        Maryland law provides that a director or officer has no liability in that capacity if he or she performs his or her duties in good faith, in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in our best interests and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. In addition, our charter eliminates our directors' and officers' liability to us and our stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from actual receipt of an improper benefit in money, property or services or active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment and which is material to the cause of action. Our bylaws require us to indemnify our directors and officers for liability resulting from actions taken by them in those capacities to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. As a result, we and our stockholders may have more limited rights against our directors and officers than might otherwise exist under common law. In addition, we may be obligated to fund the defense costs incurred by our directors and officers.

To the extent our distributions represent a return of capital for U.S. federal income tax purposes, our stockholders could recognize an increased capital gain upon a subsequent sale of common stock.

        Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits and not treated by us as a dividend will not be taxable to a U.S. stockholder under current U.S. federal income tax law to the extent those distributions do not exceed the stockholder's adjusted tax basis in his, her, or its common

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stock, but instead will constitute a return of capital and will reduce such adjusted basis. If distributions result in a reduction of a stockholder's adjusted basis in such holder's common stock, subsequent sales of such holder's common stock will result in recognition of an increased capital gain or decreased capital loss due to the reduction in such adjusted basis.

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Risks Related to the Real Estate Industry

Our primary business involves the ownership and operation of self-storage properties.

        Our current strategy is to own, operate, manage, acquire, develop and redevelop only self-storage properties. Consequently, we are subject to risks inherent in investments in a single industry. Because investments in real estate are inherently illiquid, this strategy makes it difficult for us to diversify our investment portfolio and to limit our risk when economic conditions change. Decreases in market rents, negative tax, real estate and zoning law changes and changes in environmental protection laws may also increase our costs, lower the value of our investments and decrease our income, which would adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.

Illiquidity of real estate investments could significantly impede our ability to respond to adverse changes in the performance of our properties.

        Because real estate investments are relatively illiquid, our ability to promptly sell one or more properties in our portfolio in response to changing economic, financial and investment conditions is limited. The real estate market is affected by many factors, such as general economic conditions, availability of financing, interest rates and other factors, including supply and demand, that are beyond our control. We cannot predict whether we will be able to sell any property for the price or on the terms set by us or whether any price or other terms offered by a prospective purchaser would be acceptable to us. We also cannot predict the length of time needed to find a willing purchaser and to close the sale of a property.

        We may be required to expend funds to correct defects or to make improvements before a property can be sold. We cannot assure you that we will have funds available to correct those defects or to make those improvements. In acquiring a property, we may agree to transfer restrictions that materially restrict us from selling that property for a period of time or impose other restrictions, such as a limitation on the amount of debt that can be placed or repaid on that property. These transfer restrictions would impede our ability to sell a property even if we deem it necessary or appropriate.

Any investments in unimproved real property may take significantly longer to yield income-producing returns, if at all, and may result in additional costs to us to comply with re-zoning restrictions or environmental regulations.

        We have invested in the past, and may invest in the future, in unimproved real property. Unimproved properties generally take longer to yield income-producing returns based on the typical time required for development. Any development of unimproved property may also expose us to the risks and uncertainties associated with re-zoning the land for a higher use or development and environmental concerns of governmental entities and/or community groups. Any unsuccessful investments or delays in realizing an income-producing return or increased costs to develop unimproved real estate could restrict our ability to earn our targeted rate of return on an investment or adversely affect our ability to pay operating expenses which would harm our financial condition and operating results.

Any negative perceptions of the self-storage industry generally may result in a decline in our stock price.

        To the extent that the investing public has a negative perception of the self-storage industry, the value of our securities may be negatively impacted, which could result in our securities trading below the inherent value of our assets.

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Risks Related to Our Debt Financings

Disruptions in the financial markets could affect our ability to obtain debt financing on reasonable terms and have other adverse effects on us.

        In recent years, the U.S. and international credit markets have experienced significant dislocations and liquidity disruptions. Uncertainty in the credit markets may negatively impact our ability to access additional debt financing or to refinance existing debt maturities on favorable terms (or at all), which may negatively affect our ability to make acquisitions and fund development projects. A prolonged downturn in the credit markets may cause us to seek alternative sources of potentially less attractive financing, and may require us to adjust our business plan accordingly. In addition, these factors may make it more difficult for us to sell properties or may adversely affect the price we receive for properties that we do sell, as prospective buyers may experience increased costs of debt financing or difficulties in obtaining debt financing.

Required payments of principal and interest on borrowings may leave us with insufficient cash to operate our properties or to pay the distributions currently contemplated or necessary to maintain our qualification as a REIT and may expose us to the risk of default under our debt obligations.

        As of December 31, 2011,2012, we had approximately $1.4$1.6 billion of outstanding indebtedness. We may incur additional debt in connection with future acquisitions and development. We may borrow under our Credit Lines or borrow new funds to finance these future properties. Additionally, we do not anticipate that our internally generated cash flow will be adequate to repay our existing indebtedness upon maturity and, therefore, we expect to repay our indebtedness through refinancings and equity and/or debt offerings. Further, we may need to borrow funds in order to make cash distributions to maintain our qualification as a REIT or to make our expected distributions.

        If we are required to utilize our Credit Lines for purposes other than acquisition activity, this will reduce the amount available for acquisitions and could slow our growth. Therefore, our level of debt and the limitations imposed on us by our debt agreements could have significant adverse consequences, including the following:

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our cash flow may be insufficient to meet our required principal and interest payments;



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we may be unable to borrow additional funds as needed or on favorable terms, including to make acquisitions or to continue to make distributions required to maintain our qualification as a REIT;



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we may be unable to refinance our indebtedness at maturity or the refinancing terms may be less favorable than the terms of our original indebtedness;



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because a portion of our debt bears interest at variable rates, an increase in interest rates could materially increase our interest expense;



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we may be forced to dispose of one or more of our properties, possibly on disadvantageous terms;



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after debt service, the amount available for cash distributions to our stockholders is reduced;



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our debt level could place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors with less debt;



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we may experience increased vulnerability to economic and industry downturns, reducing our ability to respond to changing business and economic conditions;



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we may default on our obligations and the lenders or mortgagees may foreclose on our properties that secure their loans and receive an assignment of rents and leases;

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we may default on our obligations and the lenders or mortgages may enforce our guarantees;

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we may violate restrictive covenants in our loan documents, which would entitle the lenders to accelerate our debt obligations; and



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our default under any one of our mortgage loans with cross-default or cross-collateralization provisions could result in a default on other indebtedness or result in the foreclosures of other properties.

We could become highly leveraged in the future because our organizational documents contain no limitation on the amount of debt we may incur.

        Our organizational documents contain no limitations on the amount of indebtedness that we or our Operating Partnership may incur. We could alter the balance between our total outstanding indebtedness and the value of our portfolio at any time. If we become more highly leveraged, then the resulting increase in debt service could adversely affect our ability to make payments on our outstanding indebtedness and to pay our anticipated cash distributions and/or to continue to make cash distributions to maintain our REIT qualification, and could harm our financial condition.

Increases in interest rates may increase our interest expense and adversely affect our cash flow and our ability to service our indebtedness and make cash distributions to our stockholders.

        As of December 31, 2011,2012, we had approximately $1.4$1.6 billion of debt outstanding, of which approximately $332.9$298.7 million or 24.5%19.0% was subject to variable interest rates (excluding debt with interest rate swaps). This variable rate debt had a weighted average interest rate of approximately 2.7%2.3% per annum. Increases in interest rates on this variable rate debt would increase our interest expense, which could harm our cash flow and our ability to pay cash distributions. For example, if market rates of interest on this variable rate debt increased by 100 basis points (excluding variable rate debt with interest rate floors), the increase in interest expense would decrease future earnings and cash flows by approximately $2.6 million annually.

Failure to hedge effectively against interest rate changes may adversely affect our results of operations.

        In certain cases we may seek to manage our exposure to interest rate volatility by using interest rate hedging arrangements. Hedging involves risks, such as the risk that the counterparty may fail to honor its obligations under an arrangement. Failure to hedge effectively against interest rate changes may adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and ability to make cash distributions to our stockholders.

Risks Related to Qualification and Operation as a REIT

To maintain our qualification as a REIT, we may be forced to borrow funds on a short-term basis during unfavorable market conditions.

        To qualify as a REIT, we generally must distribute to our stockholders at least 90% of our net taxable income each year, excluding net capital gains, and we are subject to regular corporate income taxes to the extent that we distribute less than 100% of our net taxable income each year. In addition, we are subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the amount, if any, by which distributions made by us in any calendar year are less than the sum of 85% of our ordinary income, 95% of our capital gain net income and 100% of our undistributed income from prior years. While historically we have satisfied these distribution requirements by making cash distributions to our stockholders, a REIT is permitted to satisfy these requirements by making distributions of cash or other property, including, in limited circumstances, its own stock. For distributions with respect to taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2011, recent Internal Revenue Service guidance allows us to satisfy up to 90% of the