Item 1. Business
Item 1. Business
OVERVIEW
General On July 17, 2023, The Howard Hughes Corporation (HHC) announced that its Board of Directors authorized the creation of a holding company structure. On August 11, 2023, upon the consummation of the transaction, Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. (HHH or the Company), the new holding company, replaced HHC as the public company trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Existing shares of common stock of HHC were automatically converted, on a one-for-one basis, into shares of common stock of HHH, with the same designations, rights, powers, and preferences, and the same qualifications, limitations, and restrictions, as the shares of HHC common stock immediately prior to the reorganization. HHH became the successor issuer to HHC pursuant to Rule 12g-3 (a) under the Exchange Act and replaced HHC as the public company trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "HHH." The holding company reorganization is intended to be a tax-free transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes for the Company’s stockholders. The Board and the executive officers of HHC now hold their same roles at HHH. The Company believes that the reorganization will promote the growth of its businesses by providing additional flexibility to fund future investment opportunities and to segregate assets and related liabilities in separate subsidiaries.
References to HHH, the Company, we, us, and our refer to Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, which includes The Howard Hughes Corporation, unless otherwise specifically stated. References to HHC refer to The Howard Hughes Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise specifically stated.
Seaport Entertainment On October 5, 2023, HHH announced the intent to form a new division, Seaport Entertainment, that is expected to include the Company’s entertainment-related assets in New York and Las Vegas, including the Seaport in Lower Manhattan, the Las Vegas Aviators Triple-A Minor League Baseball team, and the Las Vegas Ballpark, as well as the Company’s ownership stake in Jean-Georges Restaurants and other partnerships and its 80% interest in the air rights above the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas.
HHH is establishing Seaport Entertainment with the intention of completing its spinoff as an independent, publicly traded company in 2024, but there can be no assurance regarding the ultimate timing of the spinoff or that the spinoff will ultimately occur. The planned separation of Seaport Entertainment will refine the identity of HHH as a pure-play real estate company focused solely on its portfolio of master planned communities and allow the new company, Seaport Entertainment, to operate independently as an entertainment-focused enterprise.
Business Overview The Company’s award-winning assets include one of the nation's largest portfolios of master planned communities (MPCs) spanning approximately 101,000 gross acres, as well as operating properties, strategic developments, and other unique assets across six states from New York to Hawai‘i. We create some of the most sought-after communities in the country by curating an environment tailored to meet the needs of our residents and tenants. Our unique business model allows us to drive outsized risk-adjusted returns while maintaining a sharp focus on sustainability to ensure our communities are equipped with the resources to last several decades.
We operate through four business segments: Operating Assets, MPCs, Strategic Developments, and Seaport. We create a unique and continuous value-creation cycle through operational and financial synergies associated with our three primary business segments of Operating Assets, MPCs, and Strategic Developments. In our MPC segment, we plan, develop, and manage small cities and large-scale, mixed-use communities in markets with strong long-term growth fundamentals. This business focuses on the horizontal development of residential land. The improved acreage is then sold to homebuilders who build and sell homes to new residents. New homeowners create demand for commercial developments, such as retail, office, and multi-family offerings. We build these commercial properties through Strategic Developments at the appropriate time using the cash flow harvested from the sale of land to homebuilders, which helps mitigate development risk. Once the commercial developments are completed, the assets transition to Operating Assets, which increase recurring Net Operating Income (NOI), further funding our Strategic Developments. New office, retail, and other commercial amenities make our MPC residential land more appealing to buyers and increase the velocity of land sales at premiums that typically exceed the broader market. This increased demand for residential land generates more cash flow from MPCs, thus continuing the value-creation cycle. Our fourth business segment, Seaport, is one of the few multi-block districts largely under private management by a single owner in New York City.
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Our assets are located across the United States, with the vast majority of the assets in our Operating Assets segment located within our MPCs. This helps us achieve scale and, in most cases, critical mass, which leads to pricing power in lease and vendor negotiations; increased ability to attract, hire, and retain the best local leadership and leasing teams; flexibility to meet changing customer demands; and enhanced ability to identify and capitalize on emerging opportunities. Our MPCs, including our Floreo joint venture, span approximately 101,000 gross acres, with approximately 22,000 residential acres of land remaining to be developed and sold in high-demand geographic areas. In addition to the residential land, our MPC segment contains approximately 13,000 acres designated for commercial development or sale to non-competing users such as hospitals. This land is held in our MPC segment until we identify demand for a new commercial development, at which point the land is transitioned into our Strategic Developments segment.
HHH was incorporated in Delaware on August 11, 2023, and its predecessor, HHC, was incorporated in Delaware on July 1, 2010. Financial information about each of our segments is presented in Note 18 - Segments in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements under Item 8 of this Form 10-K.
Our Competitive Strengths
We distinguish ourselves from other real estate companies through the following competitive strengths:
– Track Record of Value Creation . We have completed the development of 7.5 million square feet of office and retail operating properties, 5,194 multi-family units, and 909 hospitality keys since 2011. Excluding land which we own, we have invested approximately $3.2 billion in these developments, which is projected to generate a 9.0% yield on cost, a significant spread over market cap rates which, in turn, has generated meaningful value for our shareholders. These investments and returns exclude condominium development as well as projects under construction. We exclude condominium developments since they do not result in recurring NOI, and we exclude projects under development due to the wider range of NOI they are expected to generate upon stabilization. In Ward Village, we have either opened or have under construction 4,287 condominium units, which have approximately 99.2% units sold as of December 31, 2023.
– Unique, Diverse Portfolio . We own a portfolio with many diverse market-leading assets with a combination of steady cash flow and longer-term value creation opportunities.
– Significant Value Creation Opportunity . We have an exceptional development pipeline with over 100 million square feet of vertical entitlements remaining across our portfolio. This represents approximately 13 times the 7.5 million square feet we have delivered in the last 13 years without having to acquire another development site or external asset, which we believe is a significant competitive advantage over other real estate development corporations.
– Flexible Balance Sheet . We ended the year with $631.5 million of cash on hand. As of December 31, 2023, our total debt equaled approximately 55.4% of the book value of our total assets, which we believe is significantly less than our market value. Our net debt, which includes our share of debt of unconsolidated ventures less cash and Special Improvement District (SID) and Municipal Utility District (MUD) receivables, equaled approximately 46.1% of our total enterprise value. Unconsolidated ventures refer to partnerships or joint ventures primarily for the development and operation of real estate assets. Our strong balance sheet provides substantial insulation against potential downturns and provides us with the flexibility to evaluate new real estate project opportunities.
– Self-Funded Business Plan . One of our key differentiators is our ability to self-fund significant portions of our new development without having to dispose of our recently completed developments. Our residential land sales, recurring NOI, and profits on the sales of condominium units generate substantial amounts of free cash flow, which is used to fund the equity required to execute our many development opportunities. Furthermore, we are not required to pay dividends, nor are we restricted from investing in any asset type, amenity, or service, unlike many other real estate companies, which are limited in their activities because they have elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (REIT). We believe our structure currently provides us with significant financial and operating flexibility to maximize the value of our real estate portfolio.
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Competition
The nature and extent of our competition depends on the type of property involved. With respect to our Operating Assets segment and our Landlord Operations within the Seaport segment, we primarily compete for retail, office, and multi-family tenants. We believe the principal factors that retailers consider in making their leasing decisions include: (1) consumer demographics; (2) age, quality, design, and location of properties; (3) neighboring real estate projects that have been developed or that we, or others, may develop in the future; (4) diversity of retailers and anchor tenants at shopping center locations; (5) management and operational expertise; and (6) rental rates. The principal factors influencing tenant leasing decisions for our office space include: (1) rental rates; (2) attractive views; (3) amenities; (4) walkable retail; (5) commute time; (6) efficiency of space; and (7) demographics of the available workforce. For residential tenants of our multi-family properties in our Operating Assets segment, we believe the principal factors that impact their decision of where to live are: (1) walkability/proximity to work; (2) amenities; and (3) the best value for their money.
With respect to our MPC segment, we compete with other landholders and residential and commercial property developers primarily in the development of properties within Las Vegas, Nevada; the greater Houston, Texas area; and Phoenix, Arizona markets. Significant factors that we believe allow us to compete effectively in this business include:
– the size and scope of our MPCs
– our strong reputation within the industry and years of experience serving our communities
– the recreational and cultural amenities available within our communities
– the commercial centers in our communities, including the properties that we own and/or operate or may develop
– our relationships with homebuilders
– our level of debt relative to total assets
– the proximity of our developments to major metropolitan areas
With respect to the Managed Businesses and Events & Sponsorships within our Seaport segment, the restaurant and event industry is intensely competitive with respect to the type and quality of food, price, service, restaurant, or event location, personnel, brand, attractiveness of facilities, availability of carryout and home delivery, internet and mobile ordering capabilities, and effectiveness of advertising and marketing. We compete in the New York area for guests, management, and hourly personnel.
With respect to our Strategic Developments segment our direct competitors include other commercial property developers and other owners of commercial real estate that engage in similar businesses. With respect to our Strategic Developments segment, we also compete with residential condominium developers. With significant existing entitlements, we hold an advantage over many of our competitors in our markets in that we already own or have significant influence over, substantial acreage for development. We also own the majority of square feet of each product type in many of our markets.
Available Information
Our website address is www.howardhughes.com. The 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K of our subsidiary, The Howard Hughes Corporation, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other publicly filed documents, including all exhibits filed therewith, are available and may be accessed free of charge through the Investors section of our website under the SEC Filings subsection, as soon as reasonably practicable after those documents are filed with, or furnished to, the SEC at www.sec.gov. Also available through the Investors section of our website are reports filed by our directors and executive officers on Forms 3, 4, and 5, and amendments to those reports. Our website and included or linked information on the website are not incorporated into this Annual Report on Form 10-K. From time to time, we use our website as an additional means of disclosing public information to investors, the media, and others interested in us.
BUSINESS SEGMENTS
The following further describes our four business segments and provides a general description of the assets comprising these segments. Refer to Item 2. Properties for additional detail on individual properties, including assets by reportable segment, geographic location, and predominant use at December 31, 2023. This section should be referred to when reading Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations , which contains information about our financial results and operating performance for our business segments.
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Operating Assets
We have developed many of the assets in our Operating Assets segment since the Company’s inception in 2010. As of December 31, 2023, we have 73 Operating Assets, including our investments in unconsolidated ventures, consisting of 11 retail properties, 34 office properties, 17 multi-family properties, and 11 other operating properties or investments. Excluding our projects under construction, we own approximately 8.8 million square feet of retail and office space and 5,587 multi-family units.
We believe that the long-term value of our Operating Assets is driven by their concentration in our MPCs, where we have a competitive advantage. We believe that these assets have the potential for future growth by increasing rental rates, absorbing remaining vacancy, and changing the tenant mix in retail centers to improve gross sales revenue of our tenants, thereby increasing rents. Revenue is primarily generated through rental services and is directly impacted by trends in rental rates and operating costs.
We will also occasionally sell an operating asset when it does not complement our existing properties or no longer fits within our current strategy. In 2023, the Company completed the sale of two land parcels in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, including an 11,929-square-foot building at the Ward Village Retail property, as well as two self-storage facilities and a medical office building in The Woodlands, for total net proceeds after debt repayment of $43.3 million.
For certain assets, we believe there are opportunities to improve operating performance through redevelopment or repositioning. Redevelopment plans for these assets may include office, retail, or residential space, shopping centers, movie theaters, parking complexes, or open space. The redevelopment plans may require that we obtain permits, licenses, consents, and/or waivers from various parties. These opportunities will require new capital investment and vary in complexity and scale. The redevelopment opportunities range from those that would have minimal disruption to the property to those requiring partial or full demolition of existing structures for new construction. Factors we evaluate in determining whether to redevelop or reposition an asset include the following: (1) existing and forecasted demographics surrounding the property; (2) competition related to existing and/or alternative uses; (3) existing entitlements of the property and our ability to change them; (4) compatibility of the physical site with proposed uses; and (5) environmental considerations, traffic patterns, and access to the properties.
We generally transfer an operating asset that is being repositioned or redeveloped into our Strategic Developments segment when we close operations at a property and/or begin construction on the redevelopment project. Upon completion of construction or renovation of a development or redevelopment, the asset is fully or partially placed in service and transferred back into our Operating Assets segment.
Master Planned Communities
As of December 31, 2023, our portfolio of MPCs comprises Summerlin in Las Vegas; The Woodlands, The Woodlands Hills and Bridgeland in the Houston region; and Teravalis in the Phoenix region. Our MPC segment includes the development and sale of residential and commercial land, primarily in large-scale, long-term projects. These developments often require decades of investment and continued focus on the changing market dynamics surrounding these communities. We believe that the long-term value of our MPCs remains strong because of their competitive positioning in their respective markets, our in-depth experience in diverse land-use planning, and the fact that we have substantially completed the entitlement processes within the majority of our communities.
Our MPCs have won numerous awards for design excellence and for community contribution. Summerlin and Bridgeland were again ranked by Robert Charles Lesser & Co., LLC (RCLCO), capturing fourth and fifth top-selling master planned communities in the nation, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2023.
We expect the competitive position, desirable locations, and land development expertise to drive the long-term growth of our MPCs. As of December 31, 2023, our MPCs, including Floreo, our unconsolidated joint venture near Phoenix, Arizona, encompass approximately 101,000 gross acres of land and include approximately 35,000 acres of land available for sale or development. Residential sales, which are generated primarily from the sale of finished lots and undeveloped superpads to residential homebuilders and developers, include standard and custom parcels designated for detached and attached single-family homes and range from entry-level to luxury homes. Superpad sites are generally 10- to 25-acre parcels of unimproved land where we develop and construct the major utilities (water, sewer, and storm drainage) and roads to the borders of the parcel, and the homebuilder completes the on-site utilities, roads, and finished lots. Revenue is also generated through builder price participation with homebuilders.
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We also occasionally sell or lease land for commercial development when we deem its use will not compete with our existing properties or our development strategy. Commercial sales include land parcels designated for retail, office, hospitality, high-density residential projects (condominiums and apartments), services, and other for-profit activities, as well as those parcels designated for use by government, schools, and other not-for-profit entities.
Seaport
On October 5, 2023, HHH announced the intent to form a new division, Seaport Entertainment, that is expected to include all of the assets in the Seaport segment, as well as the Las Vegas Aviators Triple-A Minor League Baseball team, the Las Vegas Ballpark, and our 80% interest in the air rights above the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas. HHH is establishing Seaport Entertainment with the intention of completing its spinoff as an independent, publicly traded company in 2024, but there can be no assurance regarding the ultimate timing of the spinoff or that the spinoff will ultimately occur.
The Seaport spans approximately 472,000 square feet and several city blocks, including Pier 17, the Tin Building, the Historic District, and the 250 Water Street development. Our Seaport segment is part non-stabilized operating asset, part development project, and part operating business. Due to this range of asset types, we categorize the businesses in the Seaport segment into the following groups: Landlord Operations, Managed Businesses, the Tin Building, and Events and Sponsorships.
Strategic Developments
Our Strategic Developments segment consists of 18 development or redevelopment projects, including developments within our MPCs that will transition to Operating Assets upon completion and condominium towers at Ward Village. Many of these developments require extensive planning and expertise in large-scale and long-range development to maximize their highest and best uses. The strategic process is complex and unique to each asset and requires ongoing assessment of the changing market dynamics prior to the commencement of construction. We must study each local market, determine the highest and best use of the land and necessary improvements to the area, obtain entitlements and permits, complete architectural design and construction drawings, secure tenant commitments, and obtain and commit sources of capital.
We are in various stages of predevelopment or execution of our strategic plans for many of these assets based on market conditions. As of December 31, 2023, seven properties are under construction and not yet placed into service. We generally obtain construction financing to fund a significant amount of the costs associated with developing these assets.
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ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE (ESG)
Our expansive portfolio and tremendous scale give HHH a unique opportunity to build next-generation communities and make a meaningful, positive impact on people’s lives at a local, regional, and national level. We are acutely aware of the responsibility that comes along with that opportunity. Building on our reputation for excellence and innovation, we remain focused on making our developments sustainable; giving back to our communities; protecting our landscapes; supporting inclusivity; and establishing communities that create value and well-being for generations to come.
Acknowledging the power of our scale, as well as the opportunities for taking climate action, we are amplifying and accelerating our efforts to further advance resiliency, conservation, innovation, and inclusion throughout our large-scale, mixed-use communities. We have aligned our community strategies to support the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals, defined by the UN as the blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all. This framework helps us view our people-centric approach to development and management through the global lens of our planet’s most pressing issues.
Our program is overseen by our chief executive officer, president, and board of directors. Additional details on our sustainable, inclusive, and transparent approach are available in our latest ESG annual report now called the Communities Report, which can be found on the Company’s website (https://www.howardhughes.com/communities/). This annual report, published in October 2023, looks at the collective efforts of our team in 2022. It reflects each business segment and region across our national portfolio of MPCs, Strategic Developments, Operating Assets, and the Seaport. Our disclosure is in reference to the Global Reporting Initiative’s 2021 Standards. Prior to this report, our most recent Communities report was published in November 2022 and covered calendar year 2021.
Environmental Strategy and Performance
The guiding principle that drives the development of our award-winning master planned communities is, ‘How you live, how we build’. HHH operates one of the nation's largest portfolios of large-scale, mixed-use master planned communities, including The Woodlands in Texas, which in 2022 became the world's largest master planned community to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Precertification for excellence in sustainable development. Ward Village was honored and recognized as the top LEED developer in Hawai'i with the most LEED-certified and registered green buildings in the state.
Each community manages and addresses its unique context through resilient planning, green building design, high operational performance, and ongoing risk management. We continue to monitor and refine our approach as developments transition into operating assets in order to ensure continued support for the responsible use of resources, conservation, and efficiency measures. From an operational standpoint, we measure energy, water, emissions, and waste performance and proactively pursue efforts to reduce our impact across our portfolio. These efforts align with UN Sustainable Development Goals, which focus on climate health and responsible resource stewardship. We complement this holistic approach with programs and actions customized for the age, asset type, and regional considerations of our diverse properties. Data-driven analysis, engineering insights, and occupant feedback drive unique strategies for each of our buildings.
In 2017, we set 10-year environmentally focused goals for reductions in energy use, water use, waste, and carbon emissions. We report our progress against these goals annually in our Communities Report and leverage industry leadership programs to benchmark and certify environmental performance. Our report highlighted our management of climate-related risks and opportunities in line with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations. Annually, we work with DNV Business Assurance USA, Inc. to externally confirm our energy consumption, water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste data. LEED, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR, and BOMA 360 certifications validate our use of sustainable design, construction, and operations principles that result in reduced resource usage, decreased emissions and better well-being for building occupants. We have 94 active or pending building and community green certifications.
In 2023, Marlow, a multi-family asset in Columbia, received the highest level for green building certification at LEED Platinum, the 1700 Pavilion office building in Summerlin achieved LEED Silver, and Creekside Park Medical Plaza in The Woodlands achieved LEED Gold. HHH leveraged our green building strategy to execute sustainability-linked financial instruments, and our sustainability platform was featured in three industry reports and six thought-leadership conferences.
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Social Strategy and Impact
Human Capital As of December 31, 2023, our workforce was made up of approximately 608 employees who form the bedrock of our core operations. Another 187 individuals, including seasonal staff, deliver operational excellence at the Las Vegas Ballpark during ongoing events, merchandising operations, and other Aviators activities.
Beyond our commitment to community building, we create spaces for our employees to thrive, both within and beyond their professional lives. We actively cultivate a culture of learning throughout our organization. Opportunities for ongoing development include resources like tuition reimbursement, student debt management assistance, financial wellness courses, and dedicated budgets for training. We prioritize personal well-being through comprehensive programs tailored to employees and their families across all life stages. These programs encompass a robust health benefits package and wellness discount, a 401k match program, up to 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, support for adoption and surrogacy services, commuter benefits, and even pet care insurance.
In 2023, we elevated our efforts in enhancing our workplace culture, fostering inclusivity, and promoting opportunities for all. Throughout the past year, all employees across regions, levels, and departments had access to 20 unique opportunities to participate actively and learn about the Company’s culture, market positioning, and community involvement. We also saw an increase in job or location-specific growth and training programs developed by subject matter experts, which were offered to relevant groups of employees . These efforts support our goal to attract, develop, and retain world-class talent that ultimately drives performance and sustains excellence. In addition to equitable access to professional and personal development opportunities, we invest in active internal networks for connection and strategic partnerships for talent acquisition. We continue to invest in attracting a qualified and well-rounded candidate pool. For early career employees, our 2023 internship population was over 60% female. As of December 31, 2023, our full-time workforce was 52% female and 36% ethnically diverse. Employees at a Vice President level or above were 37% female and 19% ethnically diverse. Our dedication to building teams with unique strengths and perspectives remains unwavering.
In addition to our focus on our employees, we are highly attuned to how we impact the lives of those within our communities, and we support over 220 local charities through monetary donations and volunteerism within our HHCares program. In 2023, the Company donated over $2.6 million nationwide, including over $250,000 of individual employee donations and company matches to registered 501c3 non-profit organizations. Our employees also donated nearly 2,800 hours of volunteer time throughout 2023. At HHH, we recognize that our people are the foundation of our communities, and we are committed to holistically supporting them.
Governance and Risk Management
In order to identify, monitor, and mitigate potential risks that could impact our organization and investors, HHH has made governance and risk management a top Board priority. As part of our corporate governance framework, we have a formal Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Program that is overseen by the Board’s Risk Committee and led by our Risk Management team. The Risk Committee helps to evaluate the effectiveness of the ERM Program and the performance of the Risk Management team. It also reviews and monitors risks that have been identified and are considered critical by management, such as capital, market, liquidity, legal, regulatory, operational, reputational, and strategic risks. The Risk Committee reviews and approves periodic risk assessment results and reviews risk mitigation activities deemed material by management. The Risk Committee also reviews risk mitigation activities for emerging risks and oversees management’s approach to fostering a risk-intelligent culture. Additionally, the Risk Committee identifies key risk topics to refer to the Board for further analysis and decision-making.
HHH’s program is shaped and supported by the Board and encompasses a range of corporate governance policies and guidelines that include but are not limited to: Anti-Corruption Compliance Policy, Board Diversity Policy, Cybersecurity Policy, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Officers and Employees, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for the Board of Directors, Corporate Governance Guidelines, and Insider Trading Policy. These policies and our Human Rights Policy are published on the Company’s website (https://investor.howardhughes.com/governance/governance-documents).
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REGULATORY MATTERS
A portion of our business is dedicated to the development and sale of condominiums. Condominiums are generally regulated by an agency of the state in which they are located or where the condominiums are marketed to be sold. In connection with our development and offering of condominium units for sale, we must submit regulatory filings to various state agencies and engage in an entitlement process by which real property owned under one title is converted into individual units. Responses or comments on our condominium filings may delay our ability to sell condominiums in certain states and other jurisdictions in a timely manner, or at all. In addition, approval to develop real property sometimes requires political support and generally entails an extensive entitlement process involving multiple and overlapping regulatory jurisdictions and often requires discretionary action by local governments. Real estate projects must generally comply with local land development regulations and may need to comply with state and federal regulations. We incur substantial costs to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
Various local, state, and federal statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations concerning building, health and safety, site and building design, environment, zoning, sales and similar matters apply to and/or affect the real estate development industry. Our ability to obtain or renew permits or approvals and the continued effectiveness of permits already granted or approvals already obtained depends on factors beyond our control, such as changes in federal, state, and local policies, rules and regulations, and their interpretations and application.
There is a variety of legislation being enacted, or considered for enactment, at the federal, state, and local levels relating to energy and climate change. This legislation relates to items such as carbon dioxide emissions control and building codes that impose energy efficiency standards. New building code requirements that impose stricter energy efficiency standards could significantly increase our cost to construct buildings. As climate change concerns continue to grow, legislation and regulations of this nature are expected to continue and become more costly to comply with. We may be required to apply for additional approvals or modify our existing approvals because of changes in local circumstances or applicable law. Energy-related initiatives affect a wide variety of companies throughout the United States and the world and, because our operations are heavily dependent on significant amounts of raw materials, such as lumber, steel, and concrete, they could have an indirect adverse impact on our operations and profitability to the extent the manufacturers and suppliers of our materials are burdened with expensive cap and trade and similar energy-related taxes and regulations. Governmental regulation also affects sales activities, mortgage lending activities, and other dealings with consumers. Further, government agencies routinely initiate audits, reviews, or investigations of our business practices to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, which can cause us to incur costs or create other disruptions in our business that can be significant. We may experience delays and increased expenses as a result of legal challenges to our proposed communities, whether brought by governmental authorities or private parties.
Under various federal, state, and local laws and regulations, an owner of real estate is liable for the costs of remediation of certain hazardous substances, including petroleum and certain toxic substances (collectively hazardous substances) on such real estate. These laws often impose such liability without regard to whether the owner knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of such hazardous substances. The costs of remediation of such substances may be substantial, and the presence of such substances, or the failure to remediate such substances, may adversely affect the owner’s ability to sell such real estate or to obtain financing using such real estate as collateral. Other federal, state, and local laws, ordinances and regulations require abatement or removal of asbestos-containing materials in the event of demolition or certain renovations or remodeling, the cost of which may be substantial for certain redevelopments, and also govern emissions of and exposure to asbestos fibers in the air. Federal and state laws also regulate the operation and removal of underground storage tanks. In connection with our ownership, operation, and management of certain properties, we could be held liable for the costs of remedial action with respect to these regulated substances or tanks or related claims.
For further information see Governance and Risk Management above.
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