The Self Storage Association (SSA) is a not-for-profit tax-exempt organization formed in 1975 under Section 501-c-6 of the Internal Revenue Code. For some 40 years the Association has served as the official trade organization and voice of the U.S. and international self storage industry. SSA is the registered lobbying entity representing the industry's 48,500 facilities before the U.S. Congress and federal departments and agencies. The association is also quite active in representation of the industry before state legislative and regulatory bodies. The national SSA is formally affiliated with some 40 state and regional associations within the United States. In addition to its U.S. relationships, the SSA is affiliated with 8 international organizations representing another 12,000 self storage facilities situated in Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada, Latin America and South America.