Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2023
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are presented on the accrual basis of accounting in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") regarding interim financial reporting. Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements have been condensed or omitted in accordance with such rules and regulations. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the condensed consolidated financial statements have been included. The Company's results of operations for the quarterly and year to date periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year or any other future period.
Principles of Consolidation
The Company's financial statements include the accounts of its operating partnership and its controlled subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in the consolidation of entities.
When the Company obtains an economic interest in an entity, the Company evaluates the entity to determine if the entity is deemed a variable interest entity ("VIE"), and if the Company is deemed to be the primary beneficiary, in accordance with authoritative guidance issued on the consolidation of VIEs. When an entity is not deemed to be a VIE, the Company considers the provisions of additional guidance to determine whether the general partner controls a limited partnership or similar entity when the limited partners have certain rights. The Company consolidates all entities that are VIEs and of which the Company is deemed to be the primary beneficiary. The Company has determined that its operating partnership is a VIE. The sole significant asset of National Storage Affiliates Trust is its investment in its operating partnership, and consequently, substantially all of the Company’s assets and liabilities represent those assets and liabilities of its operating partnership.
As of March 31, 2023, the Company's operating partnership was the primary beneficiary of, and therefore consolidated, 22 partnerships that are considered VIEs, which owned 48 self storage properties. The net book value of the real estate owned by these VIEs was $412.0 million and $412.9 million as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. For certain DownREIT partnerships which are subject to fixed rate mortgages payable, the carrying value of such fixed rate mortgages payable held by these VIEs was $188.7 million and $188.7 million as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. The creditors of the consolidated VIEs do not have recourse to the Company's general credit.
Revenue Recognition
Rental revenue
Rental revenue consists of space rentals and related fees. Management has determined that all of the Company's leases are operating leases. Substantially all leases may be terminated on a month-to-month basis and rental income is recognized ratably over the lease term using the straight-line method. Rents received in advance are deferred and recognized on a straight-line basis over the related lease term associated with the prepayment. Promotional discounts and other incentives are recognized as a reduction to rental income over the applicable lease term.
Other property-related revenue
Other property-related revenue primarily consists of ancillary revenues such as tenant insurance and/or tenant warranty protection-related access fees, sales of storage supplies and truck rentals which are recognized in the period earned.
The Company and certain of the Company’s PROs have tenant insurance and/or tenant warranty protection plan-related arrangements with insurance companies and the Company’s tenants. During the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized $5.5 million and $4.9 million, respectively, of tenant insurance and tenant warranty protection plan revenues.
The Company sells boxes, packing supplies, locks, other retail merchandise and rents moving trucks at its properties. During the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized retail sales of $0.6 million and $0.6 million, respectively.
Management fees and other revenue
Management fees and other revenue consist of property management fees, platform fees, call center fees, acquisition fees, amounts related to the facilitation of tenant warranty protection or tenant insurance programs for certain stores in the Company's consolidated portfolio and unconsolidated real estate ventures, access fees associated with tenant insurance-related arrangements, and profit distributions from the Company's interest in a reinsurance company.
With respect to both the 2018 Joint Venture and the 2016 Joint Venture (as each is defined in Note 5), the Company provides supervisory and administrative property management services, centralized call center services, and technology platform and revenue management services to the properties in the unconsolidated real estate ventures. The property management fees are equal to 6% of monthly gross revenues and net sales revenues from the assets of the unconsolidated real estate ventures, and the platform fees are equal to $1,250 per month per unconsolidated real estate venture property. With respect to the 2016 Joint Venture only, the call center fee is equal to 1% of each of monthly gross revenues and net sales revenues from the 2016 Joint Venture properties. During the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized property management fees, call center fees and platform fees of $4.2 million and $3.8 million, respectively.
The Company also earns acquisition fees for properties acquired by the unconsolidated real estate ventures subsequent to the Initial 2016 JV Portfolio and the Initial 2018 JV Portfolio. These fees are based on a percentage of the gross capitalization of the acquired assets determined by the members of the 2016 Joint Venture and the 2018 Joint Venture, and are generally earned when the unconsolidated real estate ventures obtain title and control of an acquired property. During the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized acquisition fees of $0 and $0.2 million, respectively.
The Company provides or makes available tenant insurance or tenant warranty protection programs for tenants at its properties. For certain of the properties in the Company’s consolidated portfolio and unconsolidated real estate ventures, the Company provides such tenant insurance through the Company’s wholly-owned captive insurance company and a separate reinsurance company in which the Company has a partial ownership interest. With respect to properties in both of the Company’s unconsolidated real estate ventures, the Company receives 50% of all proceeds from tenant insurance and tenant warranty protection programs at each unconsolidated real estate venture property in exchange for facilitating the programs at those properties. During the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized $2.8 million and $2.4 million, respectively, of revenue related to these activities.
Gain on sale of self storage properties
The Company recognizes gains from disposition of facilities only upon closing in accordance with the guidance on sales of nonfinancial assets. Profit on real estate sold is recognized upon closing when all, or substantially all, of the promised consideration has been received and is nonrefundable and the Company has transferred control of the facilities to the purchaser.
Investments in Unconsolidated Real Estate Ventures
The Company’s investments in its unconsolidated real estate ventures are recorded under the equity method of accounting in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements. Under the equity method, the Company’s investments in unconsolidated real estate ventures are stated at cost and adjusted for the Company’s share of net earnings or losses and reduced by distributions. Equity in earnings (losses) is recognized based on the Company’s ownership interest in the earnings (losses) of the unconsolidated real estate ventures. The Company follows the "nature of the distribution approach" for classification of distributions from its unconsolidated real estate ventures in its condensed consolidated statements of cash flows. Under this approach, distributions are reported on the basis of the nature of the activity or activities that generated the distributions as either a return on investment, which are classified as operating cash flows, or a return of investment (e.g., proceeds from the unconsolidated real estate ventures' sale of assets) which are reported as investing cash flows.
Noncontrolling Interests
All of the limited partner equity interests ("OP equity") in the operating partnership not held by the Company are reflected as noncontrolling interests. Noncontrolling interests also include ownership interests in DownREIT partnerships held by entities other than the operating partnership or its subsidiaries. In the condensed consolidated statements of operations, the Company allocates net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests to arrive at net income (loss) attributable to National Storage Affiliates Trust.
For transactions that result in changes to the Company's ownership interest in its operating partnership, the carrying amount of noncontrolling interests is adjusted to reflect such changes. The difference between the fair value of the consideration received or paid and the amount by which the noncontrolling interest is adjusted is reflected as an adjustment to additional paid-in capital on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.
Allocation of Net Income (Loss)
The distribution rights and priorities set forth in the operating partnership's LP Agreement differ from what is reflected by the underlying percentage ownership interests of the unitholders. Accordingly, the Company allocates GAAP income (loss) utilizing the hypothetical liquidation at book value ("HLBV") method, in which the Company allocates income or loss based on the change in each unitholders’ claim on the net assets of its operating partnership at period end after adjusting for any distributions or contributions made during such period. The HLBV method is commonly applied to equity investments where cash distribution percentages vary at different points in time and are not directly linked to an equity holder’s ownership percentage.
The HLBV method is a balance sheet-focused approach to income (loss) allocation. A calculation is prepared at each balance sheet date to determine the amount that unitholders would receive if the operating partnership were to liquidate all of its assets (at GAAP net book value) and distribute the resulting proceeds to its creditors and unitholders based on the contractually defined liquidation priorities. The difference between the calculated liquidation distribution amounts at the beginning and the end of the reporting period, after adjusting for capital contributions and distributions, is used to derive each unitholder's share of the income (loss) for the period. Due to the stated liquidation priorities and because the HLBV method incorporates non-cash items such as depreciation expense, in any given period, income or loss may be allocated disproportionately to unitholders as compared to their respective ownership percentage in the operating partnership, and net income (loss) attributable to National Storage Affiliates Trust could be more or less net income than actual cash distributions received and more or less income or loss than what may be received in the event of an actual liquidation. Additionally, the HLBV method could result in net income (or net loss) attributable to National Storage Affiliates Trust during a period when the Company reports consolidated net loss (or net income), or net income (or net loss) attributable to National Storage Affiliates Trust in excess of the Company's consolidated net income (or net loss). The computations of basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share may be materially affected by these disproportionate income (loss) allocations, resulting in volatile fluctuations of basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share.
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
The Company has cash flow hedge derivative instruments that are measured at fair value with unrealized gains or losses recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) with a corresponding adjustment to accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) within equity, as discussed further in Note 12. Under the HLBV method of allocating income (loss) discussed above, a calculation is prepared at each balance sheet date by applying the HLBV method including, and excluding, the assets and liabilities resulting from the Company's cash flow hedge derivative instruments to determine comprehensive income (loss) attributable to National Storage Affiliates Trust. As a result of the distribution rights and priorities set forth in the operating partnership's LP Agreement, in any given period, other comprehensive income (loss) may be allocated disproportionately to unitholders as compared to their respective ownership percentage in the operating partnership and as compared to their respective allocation of net income (loss).
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all highly-liquid investments purchased with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. From time to time, the Company maintains cash balances in financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. We mitigate credit risk by placing cash and cash equivalents with major financial institutions. The Company has never experienced a loss that resulted from exceeding federally insured limits.
Restricted Cash
The Company's restricted cash consists of escrowed funds deposited with financial institutions resulting from property sales for which we elected to purchase replacement property in accordance with Section 1031 of the Code, for real estate taxes, insurance and other reserves for capital improvements in accordance with the Company's loan agreements.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.