To most people Manhattan Mini Storage is the place that runs those memorable (and often celebrity and GOP-skewing) posters around town. But, according to the New York Post, to the city's homeless population there is something else thing the company is known for: being a great place to crash.
According to the tabloid, the company's SoHo facility in particular has "turned into the Hobo Hilton," "a veritable flophouse that echoes the worst of the old Bowery." Basically, it seems, folks looking for a dry place to sleep have realized that a 5'x5' unit that goes for $106-$213 a month is a pretty good deal. And even though the company specifically says that you can't sleep in the storage units, they also seem willing to admit that it does, unfortunately, happen. And will probably continue to.
"It’s hard to regulate the people who come in here 24 hours a day," a general manager told the Post (we've reached out for comment but have yet to hear back). "The problem is that some people tend to rent just so they’ll have a reason to be here. And eventually, they figure out more or less when we do our rounds and they take advantage of that."
The problem for the company is that, while they can't do very much about the secret storage sleepers without vastly increasing their security (which presumably would hurt those prices), it is pissing off some of the tonier tenants: "It’s like walking into a slum," a 32-year-old DJ who "keeps about $40,000 worth of equipment at the facility" told the Post. “There are a lot of bad vibes here. I see people without key cards walking in all the time. This is my career in here. I can’t afford to lose any of it.”
We guess Manhattan Mini Storage should have been more careful about what they wished for!
