Item 1A. Risk Factors
Item
1A. Risk Factors.
You
should carefully consider the following material risks in addition to the other information contained in this Form 10-K. The occurrence
of any of the following risks might have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition. The risks and uncertainties
discussed below are not the only ones we face but do represent those risks and uncertainties that we believe are most significant to
our business, operating results, prospects, and financial condition. Some statements in this Form 10-K, including statements in the following
risk factors, constitute forward-looking statements. Please refer to the section entitled “Forward-Looking Statements.” As
used herein, the term “you” refers to our current unitholders or potential investors in our Class A units, as applicable.
Risks
Related to our Organizational Structure
We
have a limited operating history, and the prior performance of our Sponsor or other real estate investment opportunities sponsored by
our Sponsor may not predict our future results.
We
are a recently formed company and have a limited operating history and we may not be able to achieve our investment objectives. As of
the date of this Form 10-K, we have made 12 qualified opportunity zone investments in three state and are primarily reliant on the proceeds
derived from our Primary Offering and financing provided by our Sponsor or its affiliates to fund our operations. We cannot assure you
that the past experiences of our Sponsor or its affiliates will be sufficient to allow us to successfully achieve our investment objectives.
In addition, there can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully identify, make and realize any additional investments or
generate returns for our investors. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that our investors will receive any distributions. These factors
increase the risks that your investment may not generate returns comparable to other real estate investment alternatives.
We
have only held our investments for a limited period of time, and you will not have the opportunity to evaluate our future investments
before we make them, which makes your investment more speculative.
We
have only held our investments for a limited period of time and are not able to provide you with any information to assist you in evaluating
the merits of any specific properties or real estate-related investments that we may acquire, except for investments that may be described
in one or more supplements to the prospectus for our Primary Offering. We will continue to seek to invest substantially all of the net
offering proceeds from our Primary Offering, and any other offerings that we may conduct, after the payment of fees and expenses, in
the acquisition of or investment in real estate and real estate-related assets, including commercial real estate loans and mortgages,
and debt and equity securities issued by other real estate companies, as well as select private equity investments, and opportunistic
acquisitions of other qualified opportunity funds and qualified opportunity zone businesses. However, because you will be unable to evaluate
the economic merit of our investments before we make them, you will have to rely entirely on the ability of our Manager to select suitable
and successful investment opportunities. There can be no assurance that our Manager will be successful in obtaining suitable investments
or that, if such investments are made, our investment objectives will be achieved. Furthermore, our Manager will have broad discretion
in selecting investments, and you will not have the opportunity to evaluate potential investments. These factors increase the risk that
your investment may not generate returns comparable to other investment alternatives.
Our
Class A units are listed on the NYSE American, however, an active, liquid and orderly market for our Class A units may not develop or
be sustained.
Our
Class A units are listed on the NYSE American under the symbol “OZ,” however, an active, liquid and orderly market for our
Class A units may not develop or be sustained. Further, because we are a qualified opportunity fund eligible investors may defer recognition
of capital gains (short-term or long-term) resulting from the sale or exchange of capital assets by reinvesting those gains into our
Class A units within a period of 180 days of the sale or exchange (the “Deferred Capital Gains”). Deferred Capital Gains
are recognized on the earlier of December 31, 2026, or the date on which an inclusion event occurs, such as the date on which an investor
sell their Class A units. Eligible investors may also elect to receive an increase in basis with respect to our Class A units equal to
their fair market value on the date of sale or exchange if they hold our Class A units for a period of ten years or more, up to December
31, 2047. Consequently, fewer Class A units may be actively traded in the public markets which would reduce the liquidity of the market
for our Class A units. If an active market for our Class A units does not develop or is not sustained, you may be unable to sell your
Class A units at the time you desire to sell them, at price at or above the price you paid for them, or it may result in volatility in
the price of our Class A units. An inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital by selling Class A units and may impair
our ability to make opportunistic acquisitions of other qualified opportunity funds and qualified opportunity zone businesses using our
Class A units as consideration.
11
Table of Contents
If
we are unable to find suitable investments, we may not be able to achieve our investment objectives or pay distributions.
Our
ability to achieve our investment objectives and to pay distributions depends on the ability of our Manager to select suitable and successful
investment opportunities for us. If we fail to raise sufficient proceeds from the sale of Class A units in our Primary Offering, we will
be unable to make additional investments. At the same time, the more money we raise in Primary Offering, and any other offerings that
we may conduct, the greater our challenge will be to invest all of the net offering proceeds in investments that meet our investment
criteria. Our investments consist of and are expected to continue to consist of properties located in qualified opportunity zones for
the development or redevelopment of multifamily, student housing, senior living, healthcare, industrial, self-storage, hospitality, office,
mixed-use, data centers and solar projects located throughout the United States and its territories. We also anticipate identifying,
acquiring, developing or redeveloping and managing a wide range of commercial real estate properties located throughout the United States
and its territories, including, but not limited to, real estate-related assets, such as commercial real estate loans and mortgages, and
debt and equity securities issued by other real estate-related companies, as well as making private equity acquisitions and investments,
and opportunistic acquisitions of other qualified opportunity funds and qualified opportunity zone businesses, with the goal of increasing
distributions and capital appreciation. We cannot assure you that our Manager will be successful in locating and obtaining suitable qualified
opportunity zone investments or that, if our Manager makes qualified opportunity zone investments on our behalf, our objectives will
be achieved. What’s more, increased competition from other opportunity zone funds as well as any prospective legislative or regulatory
changes related to qualified opportunity zone investments, may make it more difficult for our Manager to make suitable qualified opportunity
zone investments. If we, through our Manager, are unable to find suitable investments promptly, we may invest in short-term, investment-grade
obligations or accounts in a manner that is consistent with our intended qualification as a publicly traded partnership and qualified
opportunity fund. If we would continue to be unsuccessful in locating suitable investments, we may ultimately decide to liquidate. In
the event we are unable to timely locate suitable investments, we may be unable or limited in our ability to pay distributions and we
may not be able to meet our investment objectives.
Our
NAV per Class A unit may change materially from our current NAV.
We
established the offering price of our Class A units in our Primary Offering on an arbitrary basis and it bears no relationship to our
book or asset values or to any other established criteria for valuing equity. Through no later than the first quarter following the December
31, 2022 year end, the net asset value (“NAV”) of our Class A units will be equal to $100.00 per Class A unit. Thereafter,
no later than the first quarter following the December 31, 2022 year end, and every quarter thereafter, we plan to calculate the NAV
of our Class A units on a quarterly basis. The per Class A unit purchase price will be adjusted within approximately 60 days of the last
day of each quarter (the “Determination Date”). We will calculate our NAV as of the Determination Date (rounded to the nearest
dollar) and any adjustment to our NAV will take effect as of the first business day following its public announcement. Our adjusted NAV
per Class A unit will be equal to our adjusted NAV as of the Determination Date (rounded to the nearest dollar) divided by the number
of Class A units outstanding on the Determination Date.
Valuations
and appraisals of our real estate and real estate assets are estimates of fair value and may not necessarily correspond to realizable
value, in addition it may be difficult to reflect, fully and accurately, material event that impact our NAV.
Our
NAV will be calculated using a process that may reflect some or all of the following components: (i) estimated values of each of our
assets and investments, including related liabilities (but may, in our discretion, exclude deal-level carried interest allocations),
based on: (a) market capitalization rates, comparable transaction information, interest rates, adjusted net operating income; (b) with
respect to debt, default rates, discount rates and loss severity rates; (c) for commercial real estate properties that have development
or value add plans, progress along such development or value add plans; and (d) in certain instances, reports of the underlying assets
and investments by an independent valuation expert; (ii) the price of liquid assets for which third party market quotes are available;
(iii) accruals of our periodic distributions; and (iv) estimated accruals of our operating revenues and expenses (excluding property
management oversight fees).
We
may engage a third party to prepare or assist with preparing the NAV of our Class A units. In addition, where we determine that an independent
appraisal is necessary, including, without limitation, where our Manager is unsure of its ability to accurately determine the estimated
values of our assets and investments, or where third party market values for comparable assets and investments are either nonexistent
or extremely inconsistent, we may engage an appraiser that has expertise in appraising the types of assets and investments that we hold
to act as our independent valuation expert. The independent valuation expert will not be responsible for, prepare or assist with preparing
our NAV per Class A unit.
12
Table of Contents
As
with any asset valuation protocol, the conclusions reached by our Manager or any third-party firm that we engage to prepare or assist
with preparing the NAV of our Class A units will involve significant judgments, assumptions, and opinions in the application of both
observable and unobservable attributes that may or may not prove to be correct. The use of different judgments or assumptions would likely
result in different estimates of the value of our assets and investments and, consequently, our NAV. Moreover, although we will calculate
and provide our NAV on a quarterly basis, our NAV may fluctuate daily, accordingly the NAV in effect for any given fiscal quarter may
not accurately reflect the amount that might otherwise be paid for your Class A units in a market transaction. Further, for any given
fiscal quarter, our published NAV may not fully reflect certain material events to the extent that they are unknown or their financial
impact on our assets or investments is not immediately quantifiable.
Our
goal is to provide a reasonable estimate of the market value of our Class A units within approximately 60 days of the last day of each
quarter.
NAV
calculations are not governed by governmental or independent securities, financial or accounting rules or standards.
It
is important to note that the determination of our NAV will not be based on, nor is it intended to comply with, fair value standards
under U.S. GAAP, and our NAV may not be indicative of the price that we would receive for our assets at current market conditions. In
addition, we do not represent, warrant or guarantee that: (i) you will be able to realize the NAV per Class A unit for your Class A units
if you attempt to sell them; (ii) you will ultimately realize distributions per Class A unit equal to the NAV per Class A units you own
upon liquidation of our assets and investments and settlement of our liabilities or a sale of our company; (iii) our Class A units will
trade at their NAV per Class A unit on the NYSE American; or (iv) a third party would offer the NAV per Class A unit in an arm’s-length
transaction to purchase all or substantially all of our Class A units. Furthermore, any distributions that we make will directly impact
our NAV, by reducing the amount of our assets.
Our
Sponsor does not hold a significant amount of our equity, and therefore may not be as strongly incentivized to avoid losses a sponsor
who holds a significant equity investment, and as a result you may be more likely to sustain a loss on your investment.
Our
Sponsor, Belpointe, LLC, and an affiliate of our Sponsor have acquired 100 of our Class A units in connection with our formation for
net proceeds to us of $10,000. Accordingly, our Sponsor will have very little exposure to loss in the value of our Class A units. Without
this exposure, you may be at a greater risk of loss because our Sponsor does not have as much to lose from a decrease in the value of
our Class A units as a sponsor who makes a more significant equity investment would.
Our
Sponsor currently sponsors and will in the future sponsor other investment programs some of which compete with us.
Our
Sponsor has previously sponsored two real estate funds and a qualified opportunity fund real estate investment trust (“REIT”)
with investment criteria similar to ours. Our Sponsor and its affiliates will in the future sponsor other investment programs some of
which may compete with us or have similar investment criteria to our own, and there are no limits or restrictions on the right of our
Sponsor, or any of its affiliates, including our Manager, to engage in any other business or sponsor other investment programs of any
kind.
Our
Manager and its affiliates have little or no experience managing a portfolio of assets in the manner necessary to maintain our intended
qualification as a publicly traded partnership and qualified opportunity fund or our exclusion or exemption from registration under the
Investment Company Act.
In
order to maintain our intended qualification as a publicly traded partnership and qualified opportunity fund and our exclusion or exemption
from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), our assets and investment
may be subject to certain restrictions that could limit our operations meaningfully. The publicly traded partnership rules and regulations
and Opportunity Zone Regulations (as hereinafter defined) are highly technical and complex, and our failure to comply with the requirements
and limitations imposed by these rules and regulations could prevent us from qualifying as a publicly traded partnership or qualified
opportunity fund or could force us to pay unexpected taxes and penalties. Our Manager and its affiliates have little or no experience
managing assets and investments in the manner necessary to maintain our intended qualification as a publicly traded partnership and qualified
opportunity fund or our exclusion or exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act. This inexperience may hinder our ability
to achieve our objectives, result in our failing to achieve or losing of our qualification as a publicly traded partnership or qualified
opportunity fund or our exclusion or exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act. As a result, we cannot assure you
that we will be able to successfully operate as a publicly traded partnership and qualified opportunity fund, comply with regulatory
requirements applicable to publicly traded partnerships and qualified opportunity funds, maintain our exclusion or an exemption from
registration under the Investment Company Act, or execute our business strategies.
13
Table of Contents
Any
adverse changes in our Sponsor’s financial health, or our Sponsor’s or our relationship with our Manager or its affiliates
could hinder our operating performance.
We,
our Operating Companies, and our Manager have entered into a Management Agreement pursuant to which our Manager manages our day-to-day
operations, implements our investment objectives and strategy and performs certain services for us, subject to oversight by our Board.
We,
our Operating Companies, our Sponsor and our Manager have also entered into an Employee and Cost Sharing Agreement pursuant to which
our Manager is provided with access to, among other things, our Sponsor’s and its affiliates’ portfolio management, asset
valuation, risk management and asset management professionals and services as well as administration professionals and services addressing
legal, compliance, investor relations and information technologies necessary for the performance by our Manager of its duties under the
Management Agreement.
This
team of investment, asset management and other professionals, acting through our Manager, makes all decisions regarding the origination,
selection, evaluation, structuring, acquisition, financing and development of our commercial real estate properties, real estate-related
assets, including commercial real estate loans and mortgages, and debt and equity securities issued by other real estate-related companies,
as well as private equity acquisitions and investments, and opportunistic acquisitions of other qualified opportunity funds and qualified
opportunity zone businesses, subject to the limitations in our Operating Agreement. Our Manager also provides portfolio management, marketing,
investor relations, financial, accounting, and other administrative services on our behalf with the goal of maximizing our operating
cash flow and preserving our invested capital. As such, our ability to achieve our investment objectives and to pay distributions to
the holders of our Class A units is dependent in part on our Sponsor’s financial condition and our Sponsor’s and our relationship
with our Manager. Any adverse changes in our Sponsor’s financial condition or our Sponsor’s or our relationship with our
Manager could hinder our ability to successfully manage our operations and our portfolio of assets and investments. In addition, our
Manager and our Sponsor only have limited assets and our recourse against our Manager or our Sponsor if our Manager does not fulfill
its obligations under the Management Agreement will be limited to our termination of the Management Agreement.
If
our Sponsor fails to retain its key personnel, we may not be able to achieve our anticipated level of growth and our business could suffer.
Our
future depends, in part, on our Sponsor’s ability to attract and retain key personnel. Our future also depends on the continued
contributions of the executive officers and other key personnel of our Sponsor acting through our Manager, each of whom would be difficult
to replace. In particular, each of Brandon Lacoff and Martin Lacoff is critical to the management of our business and operations and
the development of our strategic direction. The loss of the services of Brandon Lacoff, Martin Lacoff or other executive officers or
key personnel of our Sponsor and the process to replace any of our Sponsor’s key personnel would involve substantial time and expense
and may significantly delay or prevent the achievement of our business objectives.
The
Management Agreement with our Manager was not negotiated with an unaffiliated third party on an arm’s length basis and may not
be as favorable to us as if it had been negotiated with an unaffiliated third party.
Our
Management Agreement with our Manager was negotiated between related parties and its terms, including fees payable, may not be as favorable
to us as if it had been negotiated with an unaffiliated third party. We will pay our Manager a management fee regardless of the performance
of our investments. Our Manager’s entitlement to a management fee, which is not based upon performance metrics or goals, might
reduce its incentive to devote its time and effort to seeking investments that provide attractive risk-adjusted returns for our portfolio.
This in turn could hurt both our ability to pay distributions to holders of our Class A units and the market price of our Class A units.
We
do not have an exclusive management arrangement with our Manager.
We
do not have an exclusive management arrangement with our Manager. Accordingly, our Manager and its affiliates, including our Sponsor,
can and will engage in other activities, including, without limitation, managing other investment programs sponsored or organized by
our Sponsor and its affiliates. Further, nothing in our Management Agreement limits or restricts the right of any manager, director,
officer, employee or equityholder of our Manager, or any of its affiliates, including our Sponsor, to engage in any other business or
to render services of any kind to any other person or entity.
14
Table of Contents
Terminating
the Management Agreement for unsatisfactory performance by our Manager or electing not to renew the Management Agreement may be difficult,
and, even if we elect not to renew or terminate the Management Agreement, our Manager will continue to hold our Class B units.
Terminating
the Management Agreement for unsatisfactory performance by our Manager is difficult and potentially costly. The initial term of the Management
Agreement commenced on October 28, 2020 and will continue through December 31, 2025. We may only terminate the Management Agreement (i)
for “cause,” (ii) upon the bankruptcy of our Manager, or (iii) upon a material breach of the Management Agreement by our
Manager. “Cause” is defined in the Management Agreement to mean fraud or willful malfeasance, gross negligence, the commission
of a felony or a material violation of applicable law, in each case that has or could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse
effect on us. Following the initial term, the Management Agreement will automatically renew for an unlimited number of three-year terms
unless we elect not to renew or terminate it by providing our Manager with 180 days’ prior notice. We will review and evaluate
our Manager’s performance under the Management Agreement at least 180 days prior to each renewal term.
Upon
any termination or non-renewal of the Management Agreement by us or any termination of the Management Agreement by our Manager for our
breach of the Management Agreement, our Manager will be entitled to receive its prorated management fee through the expiration or termination
date and will be paid a termination fee equal to six times the annual management fee earned by our Manager during the 12-month period
ended as of the last day of the quarter immediately preceding the termination date (the “Termination Fee”); however, if less
than 12 months have elapsed as of the termination date, the Termination Fee will be calculated by annualizing the management fee earned
during the most recently completed quarter prior to the termination date.
In
addition, upon any termination or non-renewal of the Management Agreement, our Manager will continue to hold 100% of our Class B units,
which entitle our Manager to 5% of any gain recognized by or distributed to the Company or recognized by or distributed from the Operating
Companies or any subsidiary. As a result, any time we recognize operating gain (excluding depreciation) or receive a distribution, whether
from continuing operations, net sale proceeds, refinancing transactions or otherwise, our Manager is entitled to receive 5% of the aggregate
amount of such gain or distribution, regardless of whether the holders of our Class A units have received a return of their capital.
The allocation and distribution rights that our Manager is entitled to with respect to its Class B units may not be amended, altered
or repealed, and the number of authorized Class B units may not be increased or decreased, without the consent of our Manager. Accordingly,
for so long as our Manager continues to hold our Class B units, it will be entitled to receive 5% of the aggregate amount of any operating
gain (excluding depreciation) that we recognize or distribution that we receive.
If
we pay distributions from sources other than our cash flow from operations, we will have less funds available for investments and your
overall return may be reduced. Likewise, funding distributions from the sale of additional securities will dilute your interest in us
on a percentage basis and may impact the value of our Class A units.
While
our goal is to pay distributions from cash flow from operations, we may, at the discretion of our Manager, subject to Board oversight,
use other sources to fund distributions, including, without limitation, the sale of assets, borrowings in anticipation of future operating
cash flow, net proceeds of our Primary Offering, and any other offerings that we may conduct, cash advances by our Manager, cash resulting
from a waiver of fees or reimbursements due to our Manager or the issuance of additional securities. We will only fund distributions
by a return of capital following the sale of assets, unless otherwise determined by our Manager in its discretion. Funding distributions
from the sales of assets, borrowings, return of capital or proceeds of this offering will result in us having less funds available to
make investments. As a result, the return you realize on your investment may be reduced. Doing so may also negatively impact our ability
to generate cash flows. Likewise, funding distributions from the sale of additional securities will dilute your interest in us on a percentage
basis and may impact the value of our Class A units. We can provide no assurances that future cash flow will support payment of distributions
or maintaining distributions at any level, if at all.
Your
interest in us will be diluted if we issue additional units.
Under
our Operating Agreement, we have authority to issue an unlimited number of additional units and options, rights, warrants and appreciation
rights relating to such units. In particular, our Board is authorized to provide for the issuance of an unlimited amount of one or more
classes or series of units and to fix the number of units, the relative powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations
or restrictions applicable to each class or series thereof by resolution authorizing the issuance of such class or series, without member
approval. We may elect to issue and sell additional units in future private or public offerings or issue units to our Manager or its
affiliates, including our Sponsor, in payment of outstanding fees and expenses. We also intend to seek opportunistic acquisitions of
other qualified opportunity funds and qualified opportunity zone businesses using our equity as transaction consideration. Holders of
our Class A units will not have preemptive rights to any units we issue in the future. To the extent we issue additional equity interests
your percentage ownership interest in us would be diluted.
15
Table of Contents
Our
investment guidelines delegate broad discretion to our Manager and our Board will not approve each investment and financing decision
made by our Manager.
Our
investment guidelines delegate to our Manager discretion and authority to execute acquisitions and dispositions of investments (including
the reinvestment of capital basis and gains) in commercial real estate properties, real estate-related assets, including commercial real
estate loans and mortgages, and debt and equity securities issued by other real estate-related companies, as well as private equity acquisitions
and investments, and opportunistic acquisitions of other qualified opportunity funds and qualified opportunity zone businesses, provided
such investments are consistent with our investment objectives and strategy and our investment guidelines. Our Manager’s investment
committee will periodically review our portfolio of assets and investments, our investment objectives and strategy and our investment
guidelines to determine whether they remain in the best interests of our members and may recommend changes to our Board as it deems appropriate.
Our Board will not, and will not be required to, review all of our proposed investments. Our Manager may use complex strategies or enter
into costly transactions that are difficult or impossible to unwind by the time they are reviewed by our Board, which could result in
investment returns that are below expectations or that result in losses, and which would materially and adversely affect our business
operations and results.
We
may change our investment strategy and guidelines without member consent.
Our
investment guidelines delegate to our Manager discretion and authority to execute acquisitions and dispositions of investments (including
the reinvestment of capital basis and gains) in commercial real estate properties, real estate-related assets, including commercial real
estate loans and mortgages, and debt and equity securities issued by other real estate-related companies, as well as private equity acquisitions
and investments, and opportunistic acquisitions of other qualified opportunity funds and qualified opportunity zone businesses, provided
such investments are consistent with our investment objectives and strategy and our investment guidelines. Our Manager’s investment
committee will also periodically review our portfolio of commercial real estate assets, our investment objectives and strategy and our
investment guidelines to determine whether they remain in the best interests of our members and may recommend changes to our Board as
it deems appropriate. We may, at any time and without member approval, change our investment strategy and guidelines or cease to be a
qualified opportunity fund and acquire assets that do not qualify as qualified opportunity zone investments, which could result in our
voluntary or involuntary decertification as a qualified opportunity fund, further resulting in an inclusion event and the recognition
of any tax deferred on account of your investment.
Our
Operating Agreement contains provisions that substantially limit remedies available to holders of our units for actions that might otherwise
result in liability for our officers, directors, or Manager.
While
our Operating Agreement provides that our officers and directors have fiduciary duties equivalent to those applicable to officers and
directors of a Delaware corporation under the Delaware General Corporation Law, our Operating Agreement also provides that our officers
and directors are liable to us or holders of our units for an act or omission only if such act or omission constitutes a breach of the
duties owed to us or the holders of our units, as applicable, by any such officer or director and such breach is the result of (i) willful
malfeasance, gross negligence, the commission of a felony or a material violation of law, in each case that has or could reasonably be
expected to have a material adverse effect on us or (ii) fraud. Furthermore, our Operating Agreement provides that our Sponsor will not
have any liability to us or any holder of our units for any act or omission and is indemnified in connection therewith.
Under
our Operating Agreement, we, our Board and our Manager are each entitled to take actions or make decisions in our “sole discretion”
or “discretion” or that we each deem “necessary or appropriate” or “necessary or advisable.” In those
circumstances, we, our Board and our Manager are entitled to consider only such interests and factors as we each desire, including our
own interests, and we have no duty or obligation (fiduciary or otherwise) to give any consideration to any interest of or factors affecting
any others of us or any holder of the Company’s units, and neither we, our Board nor our Manager will be subject to any different
standards imposed by our Operating Agreement, the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act or under any other law, rule or regulation or
in equity, except that we each must act in good faith at all times. These modifications of fiduciary duties are expressly permitted by
Delaware law. These modifications restrict the remedies available to the holders of our units for actions that, without such modifications,
may constitute breaches of duty (including fiduciary duty).
Certain
claims that may be brought against the Company or our Sponsor, Manager, directors, officers, or other agents must be resolved by final
and binding arbitration, which follows a different set of procedures and may be more restrictive than litigation.
Our
Operating Agreement provides that all claims, controversies, or disputes brought by or on behalf of one or more of our members, record
holders or beneficial owners of our units against the Company or our Sponsor, Manager or any of our directors, officers or other agents
must be resolved by final and binding arbitration. As a result, we and our members, record holders and beneficial owners of our units
will not be able to pursue litigation in federal or state court against the Company or our Sponsor, Manager or any of our directors,
officers, or other agents, and instead will be required to pursue such claims through a final and binding arbitration proceeding.
16
Table of Contents
Our
Operating Agreement provides that such arbitration proceedings would generally be conducted in accordance with the rules and policies
of the American Arbitration Association. These rules and policies may provide significantly more limited rights than litigation in a
federal or state court. In addition, our Operating Agreement provides that all arbitration proceedings will be closed to the public and
confidential, that discovery will be limited to matters directly relevant to issues in the proceeding, and that the parties waive the
right to a jury. Our Operating Agreement also generally provides that each party to an arbitration proceeding is required to bear its
own expenses, including attorneys’ fees, that the arbitrator may not render an award that includes shifting of costs or expenses
or, in a derivative case, award any portion of the Company’s award to any other party or other party’s attorneys and that
all arbitrations must take place on an individual basis. The mandatory arbitration provisions of our Operating Agreement may discourage
our members, record holders or beneficial owners of our units from bringing, and attorneys from agreeing to represent such parties in,
claims against the Company or our Sponsor, Manager or any of our directors, officers, or other agents. Any person or entity purchasing
or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in our units shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to our mandatory
arbitration provisions.
The
mandatory arbitration provisions of our Operating Agreement do not relieve us of our duties to comply with, and our members, record holders
and beneficial owners of our units cannot waive our compliance with, the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.
We believe that the mandatory arbitration provisions in our Operating Agreement are enforceable under both federal and state law, including
with respect to federal securities law claims, however, there is uncertainty as to their enforceability and it is possible that they
may ultimately be determined to be unenforceable.
Our
Operating Agreement designates the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York or, if that court does not have
jurisdiction, the state courts of New York located in the borough of Manhattan, City of New York, as the sole and exclusive forum for
certain claims precluded from resolution pursuant to the mandatory arbitration provision of our Operating Agreement.
Our
Operating Agreement provides that all claims, controversies or disputes brought by or on behalf of one or more of our members, record
holders or beneficial owners of our units against the Company or our Sponsor, Manager or any of our directors, officers or other agents
that are precluded from resolution by mandatory arbitration, must be brought before the United States District Court for the Southern
District of New York or, if that court does not have jurisdiction, the state courts of New York located in the borough of Manhattan,
City of New York, as the sole and exclusive forum for such preclude claim.
The
portion of our exclusive forum selection provision designating the state courts of New York located in the borough of Manhattan, City
of New York, as the exclusive forum for certain claims precluded from arbitration would not apply to claims brought to enforce a duty
or liability created by the Exchange Act, as such claims fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal courts, however the portion
of our forum selection provision designating the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York would apply to any
such claims. Our exclusive forum selection provision would apply to claims brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities
Act. The exclusive forum selection provision in our Operating Agreement may discourage our members, record holders or beneficial owners
of our units from bringing, and attorneys from agreeing to represent such parties in, claims against the Company or our Sponsor, Manager
or any of our directors, officers, or other agents. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in
our units shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to our exclusive forum selection provision.
The
exclusive forum selection provision of our Operating Agreement does not relieve us of our duties to comply with, and our members, record
holders and beneficial owners of our units cannot waive our compliance with, the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations
thereunder. We believe that the exclusive forum selection provision in our Operating Agreement is enforceable under both federal and
state law, including with respect to federal securities law claims, however, there is uncertainty as to its enforceability and it is
possible that it may ultimately be determined to be unenforceable.
Holders
of our Class A units will have limited voting rights and may be bound by a majority or supermajority vote or by a vote of the holder
of our Class M unit, as applicable.
We
are owned by the holders of our Class A units, Class B units and Class M unit. Each Class A unit and each Class B unit entitles the holder
thereof to one vote per unit. The Class M unit entitles the holder thereof to that number of votes equal to the product obtained by multiplying
(i) the sum of aggregate number of outstanding Class A units plus Class B units, by (ii) 10, on matters on which the holder of our Class
M unit has a vote.
The
holders of our Class A units and Class B units will have voting rights only with respect to certain matters, primarily relating to amendments
to our Operating Agreement that would adversely change the rights of the Class A units or Class B units, as applicable, election of our
directors (other than the Class M Director (as hereinafter defined)), removal of our directors for “cause” (other than the
Class M Director), and our dissolution. Generally, matters to be voted on by the holders of our Class A units must be approved by a majority
of the votes cast by all Class A units and Class B units, voting together as a single class, that are present in person or represented
by proxy, although the vote to remove a director for “cause” requires a super-majority, four-fifths vote. If any vote occurs,
you will be bound by the majority or supermajority vote, as applicable, even if you did not vote with the majority or supermajority.
17
Table of Contents
Our
Manager will hold our Class M unit for so long as it remains our manager. Accordingly, our Manager will be able to determine the outcome
of all matters on which a holder of our Class M unit has a vote. Such matters include certain mergers and acquisitions, certain amendments
to our Operating Agreement and the election of one Class III director (the “Class M Director”). The Class M unit does not
represent an economic interest in the Company.
If
we internalize our management functions, your interest in us could be diluted, and we could incur other significant costs associated
with being self-managed.
We
are externally managed by our Manager, who is an affiliate of our Sponsor. We may in the future decide to internalize our management
function and, should we elect do so, we may acquire our Manager’s or its affiliates’, including our Sponsor’s, assets
and personnel. We, our Operating Companies, and our Manager have entered into a Management Agreement. The terms of the Management Agreement
restrict us from hiring or soliciting any employee of our Manager or its affiliates, including our Sponsor, for a period of two years
from termination of the Management Agreement. In addition, upon any termination or non-renewal of the Management Agreement by us our
Manager will be entitled to receive its prorated management fee through the expiration or termination date and will be paid a Termination
Fee equal to six times the annual management fee earned by our Manager during the 12-month period ended as of the last day of the quarter
immediately preceding the termination date; however, if less than 12 months have elapsed as of the termination date, the Termination
Fee will be calculated by annualizing the management fee earned during the most recently completed quarter prior to the termination date.
These provisions could make it costly or difficult for us to internalize management without incurring Termination Fees or acquiring assets
and personnel from our Manager and its affiliates, including our Sponsor, for consideration that would be negotiated at the time of any
such acquisition. Any Termination Fees we incur would be paid in cash and any consideration we pay for acquiring assets and personnel
could take many forms, including issuance of units or cash payments, which could directly impact our NAV, by reducing the amount of our
assets, or result in the dilution of your interest in us. If we internalize management, we will no longer pay management fees to our
Manager, however, our direct expenses, such as the compensation and benefits costs and expenses associated with having officers and other
employees and consultants, would increase. In addition, we may issue equity awards to officers, employees and consultants, which awards
would decrease our net income and funds from operations and may further dilute your investment.
We
will incur increased costs and expenses associated with maintaining our status as a publicly traded partnership and operating as an Exchange
Act reporting company.
We
have no history of, and will incur additional costs and expenses associated with, maintaining our status as a publicly traded partnership
and operating as an Exchange Act reporting company. Costs and expenses that we will incur, include, without limitation, those associated
with the preparation and filing of annual and quarterly reports, federal and state tax returns, Schedule K-1 preparation and distribution,
investor relations, registrar and transfer agent fees, director compensation, accounting and audit fees and incremental insurance costs,
including director and officer liability insurance. It is possible that actual costs and expenses associated with maintain our status
as a publicly traded partnership and operating as an Exchange Act reporting company will be higher than we currently estimate and we
may require additional capital or future earnings to cover these costs and expenses, which could materially and adversely affect our
business, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows.
We
are not required to comply with certain reporting and disclosure requirements that are applicable to other public companies.
We
are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jump Start Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (“JOBS Act”).
As an emerging growth company, we take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting and disclosure requirements that are applicable
to public companies that are not emerging growth companies. For so long as we remain an emerging growth company, we will not be required
to:
●
have
an auditor attestation report on our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”);
●
submit
certain executive compensation matters to member advisory votes pursuant to the “say on frequency” and “say on
pay” provisions (requiring a non-binding member vote to approve compensation of certain executive officers) and the “say
on golden parachute” provisions (requiring a non-binding member vote to approve golden parachute arrangements for certain executive
officers in connection with mergers and certain other business combinations) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection
Act of 2010; or
●
disclose
certain executive compensation related items, such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons
of the chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation.
18
Table of Contents
In
addition, the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company may take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with
new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies. This means that an emerging
growth company can delay adopting certain accounting standards until such standards are otherwise applicable to private companies. We
intend to take advantage of the extended transition period. Since we will not be required to comply with new or revised accounting standards
on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for other public companies, our financial statements may not be
comparable to the financial statements of companies that comply with public company effective dates. If we were to subsequently elect
to comply with these public company effective dates, such election would be irrevocable pursuant to Section 107 of the JOBS Act.
We
will remain an emerging growth company for up to five years, or until the earliest of (i) the last date of the fiscal year during which
we had total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion or more, (ii) the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued
more than $1.07 billion in non-convertible debt, or (iii) the date on which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated filer”
as defined under Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act.
Also,
even once we are no longer an emerging growth company, we still may not be subject to auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b)
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act unless we meet the definition of a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer under Section 12b-2 of the
Exchange Act. In addition, so long as we are externally managed by our Manager and we do not directly compensate our executive officers,
or reimburse our Manager or its affiliates for the compensation paid to persons who serve as our executive officers, we do not expect
to include disclosures relating to executive compensation in our periodic reports or proxy statements and, as a result, do not expect
to be required to seek member approval of executive compensation and golden parachute compensation arrangements pursuant to Sections
14A(a) and (b) of the Exchange Act.
Your
investment returns may be reduced if we are required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.
We
intend to engage primarily in the business of investing in real estate and to conduct our operations such that neither we nor any of
our subsidiaries are required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act.
Maintaining
our exclusion from registration under the Investment Company Act will limit our ability to make certain investments. In addition, although
we intend to continuously monitor our holdings, there can be no assurance that we, our Operating Companies or any of the subsidiaries
of our Operating Companies will be able to maintain our exclusion from registration. A change in the value of any of our assets could
negatively affect our ability to maintain our exclusion from registration and we may be unable to sell assets we would otherwise want
to sell and may need to sell assets we would otherwise want to retain. In addition, we may have to acquire additional assets that we
might not otherwise have acquired or may have to forego opportunities to acquire assets that we would otherwise want to acquire and would
be important to our investment strategy.
If
we are required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we would become subject to substantial regulation
with respect to our capital structure (including our ability to use borrowings), management, operations, transactions with affiliated
persons (as defined in the Investment Company Act), and portfolio composition, including disclosure requirements and restrictions with
respect to diversification and industry concentration, and other matters. Compliance with the Investment Company Act would, accordingly,
limit our ability to make certain investments and require us to significantly restructure our business plan. If we were required to register
as an investment company but failed to do so, we could be prohibited from engaging in our business, and criminal and civil actions could
be brought against us.
We
intend to enter into joint ventures, partnerships, co-tenancies and other co-ownership arrangements or participations with affiliates
of our Sponsor and Manager, including Belpointe SP, LLC.
All
of our assets are and will continue to be held by, and all of our operations are and will continue to be conducted through our Operating
Companies, either directly or indirectly through subsidiaries. To further diversify our investment portfolio, we also intend to enter
into joint ventures, partnerships, co-tenancies and other co-ownership arrangements or participations with affiliates of our Sponsor
and Manager, such as Belpointe SP, LLC (“Belpointe SP”), or its affiliates (together with Belpointe SP, the “Belpointe
SP Group”), as well as independent developers and owners.
19
Table of Contents
We
anticipate acquiring an interest in properties where a member of the Belpointe SP Group will act as general partner or co-general partner,
manager or co-manager, developer or co-developer, or any of the foregoing, substantially all of which will be structured in one of the
following formats:
●
A
member of the Belpointe SP Group will act as the general partner, manager or managing member of a joint venture in which our Operating
Companies, directly or indirectly through subsidiaries, will participate as limited partners or non-managing members, and a member
of the Belpointe SP Group will act as the developer of the projects owned by the joint venture.
●
A
member of the Belpointe SP Group will act as the general partner, manager or managing member of joint ventures in which subsidiaries
of our Operating Companies will participate as limited partners or non-managing members. A member of the Belpointe SP Group will
partner with local developers to create satellite offices, which will act as the developer for multiple joint venture projects with
our Operating Companies, directly or indirectly through subsidiaries, within specific regions of the United States and its territories.
●
Our
Manager or a member of Belpointe SP Group will set up exclusive programmatic joint ventures with experienced regional developers
to co-invest and co-develop in one or more projects within specific regions of the United States and its territories. A member of
the Belpointe SP Group will act as the general partner, manager or managing member of the programmatic joint ventures with subsidiaries
of our Operating Companies participating limited partners or non-managing members.
●
Our
Manager or a member of the Belpointe SP Group will enter into joint ventures with experienced local developers to co-invest and co-develop
projects on a deal-by-deal basis. A member of the Belpointe SP Group will act as the general partner, manager or managing member
of the joint ventures with subsidiaries of our Operating Companies participating as limited partners or non-managing members. A member
of the Belpointe SP Group will act as the co-developer of projects with the joint venture partners and developers.
●
Our
Manager or a member of the Belpointe SP Group will enter into joint ventures with independent third-party experienced local developers
to co-invest and co-develop on our behalf. Typically, the joint venture partners and developers will act as the general partner or
managing member for the joint ventures with subsidiaries of our Operating Companies participating as limited partners or non-managing
members.
We
do not anticipate members of the Belpointe SP Group making any capital commitments to, or cash investments in, any of our joint venture
investments. In addition, any membership interests that members of the Belpointe SP Group hold in our joint venture investments in their
capacity as a general partner, manager or managing member will be exempt from paying any promotes.
Under
these joint venture arrangements, members of the Belpointe SP Group, their development affiliates and co-development partners will be
entitled to receive project level fees, reimbursement by the joint ventures for fees and expenses, their promoted interest on a deal-by-deal
basis and other fees. If a joint venture includes third party limited partners or non-managing members, in addition to a directly or
indirectly owned subsidiary of one of our Operating Companies, the general partner, manager or managing member of that joint venture,
including members of the Belpointe SP Group, will receive a promoted interest on capital invested by all limited partners or non-managing
members, however the promoted interest on third-party limited partners’ or non-managing members’ capital may be different
from the promoted interest on our capital.
We
may make a substantial amount of joint venture investments, including with affiliates of our Manager and Sponsor, such as members of
the Belpointe SP Group. Joint venture investments could be adversely affected by our lack of sole decision-making authority, our reliance
on the financial condition of our joint venture partners and disputes between us and our joint venture partners.
We
may co-invest in joint ventures with affiliates of our Manager and Sponsor, including members of the Belpointe SP Group, or third parties
in partnerships or other entities that own real estate properties. We may acquire non-controlling interests in joint ventures. Even if
we have some control in a joint venture, we would not be in a position to exercise sole decision-making authority regarding the joint
venture. Investments in joint ventures may, under certain circumstances, involve risks not present were another party not involved, including
the possibility that joint venture partners might become bankrupt or fail to fund their required capital contributions. Joint venture
partners may have economic or other business interests or goals that 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 joint venture partner would have full control over the joint venture. Disputes
between us and joint venture partners may result in litigation or arbitration that would increase our expenses and prevent our officers
and directors from focusing their time and effort on our business. Consequently, actions by or disputes with joint venture partners might
result in subjecting properties owned by the joint venture to additional risk. In addition, we may in certain circumstances be liable
for the actions of our joint venture partners.
20
Table of Contents
If
we have a right of first refusal to buy out a joint venture partner, we may be unable to finance such a buy-out if it becomes exercisable
or we are required to purchase such interest at a time when it would not otherwise be in our best interest to do so. If our interest
is subject to a buy/sell right, we may not have sufficient cash, available borrowing capacity or other capital resources to allow us
to elect to purchase an interest of a joint venture partner subject to the buy/sell right, in which case we may be forced to sell our
interest as the result of the exercise of such right when we would otherwise prefer to keep our interest. In some joint ventures we may
be obligated to buy all or a portion of our joint venture partner’s interest in connection with a crystallization event, and we
may be unable to finance such a buy-out when such crystallization event occurs, which may result in interest or other penalties accruing
on the purchase price. If we buy our joint venture partner’s interest, we will have increased exposure in the underlying investment.
The price we use to buy our joint venture partner’s interest or sell our interest is typically determined by negotiations between
us and our joint venture partner and there is no assurance that such price will be representative of the value of the underlying property
or equal to our then-current valuation of our interest in the joint venture that is used to calculate our NAV. Finally, we may not be
able to sell our interest in a joint venture if we desire to exit the venture for any reason or if our interest is likewise subject to
a right of first refusal of our joint venture partner, our ability to sell such interest may be adversely impacted by such right. Joint
ownership arrangements with affiliates of our Manager and Sponsor, including members of the Belpointe SP Group, may also entail further
conflicts of interest. Some additional risks and conflicts related to our joint venture investments (including joint venture investments
with our Manager, Sponsor and members of the Belpointe SP Group) include:
●
the
joint venture partner may have economic or other interests that are inconsistent with our interests, including interests relating
to the financing, management, operation, leasing or sale of the assets purchased by such joint venture;
●
tax,
Investment Company Act and other regulatory requirements applicable to the joint venture partner may cause it to want to take actions
contrary to our interests;
●
the
joint venture partner may have joint control of the joint venture even in cases where its economic stake in the joint venture is
significantly less than ours;
●
under
the joint venture arrangement, neither we nor the joint venture partner will be in a position to unilaterally control the joint venture,
and deadlocks may occur. Such deadlocks could adversely impact the operations and profitability of the joint venture, including as
a result of the inability of the joint venture to act quickly in connection with a potential acquisition or disposition. In addition,
depending on the governance structure of such joint venture partner, decisions of such vehicle may be subject to approval by individuals
who are independent of us;
●
under
the joint venture arrangement, we and the joint venture partner may have a buy/sell right and, as a result of an impasse that triggers
the exercise of such right, we may be forced to sell our investment in the joint venture, or buy the joint venture partner’s
share of the joint venture at a time when it would not otherwise be in our best interest to do so; and
●
our
participation in investments in which a joint venture partner participates will be less than what our participation would have been
had such other vehicle not participated, and because there may be no limit on the amount of capital that such joint venture partner
can raise, the degree of our participation in such investments may decrease over time.
Furthermore,
we may have conflicting fiduciary obligations if we acquire properties with our affiliates or other related entities; as a result, in
any such transaction we may not have the benefit of arm’s-length negotiations of the type normally conducted between unrelated
parties.
Operational
risks may disrupt our business, result in losses or limit our growth.
We
rely heavily on our Sponsor’s financial, accounting, communications and other data processing systems. Such systems may fail to
operate properly or become disabled as a result of tampering or a breach of the network security systems or otherwise. In addition, such
systems are from time to time subject to cyberattacks. Breaches of our Sponsor’s network security systems could involve attacks
that are intended to obtain unauthorized access to our proprietary information or personal identifying information of holders of our
Class A units, destroy data or disable, degrade or sabotage our systems, often through the introduction of computer viruses, cyberattacks
and other means and could originate from a wide variety of sources, including unknown third parties outside of our Sponsor. Although
our Sponsor takes various measures to ensure the integrity of such systems, there can be no assurance that these measures will provide
protection. If such systems are compromised, do not operate properly or are disabled, we could suffer financial loss, a disruption of
our businesses, liability to investors, regulatory intervention or reputational damage.
21
Table of Contents
In
addition, we rely on third-party service providers for certain aspects of our business, including for certain information systems, technology
and administration. Any interruption or deterioration in the performance of these third parties or failures of their information systems
and technology could impair the quality of our operations and could affect our reputation and hence adversely affect our business.
If
our techniques for managing risk are ineffective, we may be exposed to unanticipated losses.
In
order to manage the significant risks inherent in our business, we must maintain effective policies, procedures and systems that enable
us to identify, monitor and control our exposure to market, operational, legal and reputational risks. Our risk management methods may
prove to be ineffective due to their design or implementation or as a result of the lack of adequate, accurate or timely information.
If our risk management efforts are ineffective, we could suffer losses or face litigation and sanctions or fines from regulators.
Our
techniques for managing risks may not fully mitigate the risk exposure in all economic or market environments, or against all types of
risk, including risks that we might fail to identify or anticipate. Any failures in our risk management techniques and strategies to
accurately quantify such risk exposure could limit our ability to manage risks or to seek positive, risk-adjusted returns. In addition,
any risk management failures could cause fund losses to be significantly greater than historical measures predict.
Risks
Related our Assets and Investments
Our
success is dependent on general market and economic conditions.
Our
activities and investments may be adversely affected by changes in market, economic, political or regulatory conditions, such as interest
rates, availability of credit, credit defaults, inflation rates, economic uncertainty, changes in laws (including laws relating to taxation
of us or of our investments), and national and international political, environmental and socioeconomic circumstances (including disease
outbreaks, wars, cyberattacks, terrorist acts or security operations), as well as by numerous other factors outside the control of our
Manager. These factors may impair our profitability or result in losses. In addition, general fluctuations in real estate market prices
and interest rates may affect our investment opportunities and the value of our investments. These factors are outside of our control.
COVID-19
has and continues to pose significant threats and in certain cases serious disruptions to the U.S. and global economy, especially in
light of variants that appear to spread more easily than the original virus, and has, among other things, created ongoing disruptions
in global supply chains, impacted job markets and adversely affected a number of industries. With vaccines now more widely available,
as of the year ended December 31, 2021, the global economy has started to reopen and restrictions previously imposed by governmental
and other authorities to contain the spread of the virus, such as business closures and limitations on travel, as well as responses by
businesses and individuals to reduce the risk of exposure to infection, including through reduced travel, cancellation of in-person events,
and implementation of work-at-home policies, have begun to ease. Nevertheless, the recovery could remain uneven and is subject to setbacks,
particularly given the uncertainty surrounding the distribution and acceptance of vaccines and their effectiveness against new variants.
As a result, we remain unable to predict when normal economic activity and business operations will fully resume and COVID-19 continues
to present material uncertainty and risk with respect to our future performance and future financial results, including the potential
to negatively impact our costs of operations, the value of any investments we make and laws, regulations and governmental and regulatory
policies applicable to us.
Our
financial condition may also be adversely affected by economic downturn, related to COVID-19 or otherwise. A recession, slowdown or sustained
downturn in the U.S. or global economy (or any particular segment thereof), rising inflation or weakening of credit markets could adversely
affect the value of our assets and our profitability, impede our ability to perform under or refinance our existing obligations, and
impair our ability to effectively deploy our capital or effectively exit or realize upon investments on favorable terms. Moreover, we
may be subject to legal, regulatory, reputational and other unforeseen risks that could have a material adverse effect on our business
and operations. Any of the foregoing events could result in substantial or total losses to us in respect of certain investments, which
losses may be exacerbated by our use of leverage.
The
market in which we participate is competitive and, if we do not compete effectively, our operating results could be harmed.
We
face competition from various entities for investment opportunities, including other qualified opportunity funds, REITs, Delaware statutory
trusts, pension funds, insurance companies, private equity and other alternative investment funds and companies, partnerships and developers.
In addition to third-party competitors, other programs sponsored by our Sponsor and its affiliates, especially those with investment
strategies that are similar to our own, may compete with us for investment opportunities.
22
Table of Contents
Most
of our current or potential competitors have significantly more financial, technical, marketing and other resources than we do. Larger
competitors may also enjoy significant advantages that result from, among other things, a lower cost of capital and enhanced operating
efficiencies. In addition, the number of entities and the amount of funds competing for suitable investments may increase over time.
Any such increase would result in greater demand for investment opportunities and could result in our acquiring assets and investments
at higher prices or using less-than-ideal capital structures. If we pay higher prices for our assets and investments, our returns could
be lower and the value of our assets and investments may not appreciate or may decrease significantly below the prices paid, and you
may experience a lower than anticipated return on your investment.
Our
performance is subject to risks associated with the real estate industry.
The
real estate industry is cyclical in nature, and a deterioration of real estate fundamentals generally, and in the areas where our properties
are located in particular, will have an adverse effect on the performance of our investments. The value of real estate assets and real
estate-related investments can fluctuate for various reasons. The following factors, among others, may adversely affect the real estate
industry, including our properties, and could therefore adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations:
●
interest
rate fluctuations and lack of availability of financing;
●
changes
in national, regional or local economic, demographic or capital market conditions;
●
persistent
inflation;
●
a
lack of appropriate real estate investment opportunities, including appropriate qualified opportunity zone investment opportunities;
●
disease
outbreaks;
●
acts
of war, cyberattacks or terrorism;
●
bank
liquidity;
●
increases
in borrowing rates;
●
changes
in environmental and zoning laws;
●
fluctuations
in energy costs;
●
overbuilding
and increased competition for properties targeted by our investment strategy;
●
future
adverse national real estate trends, including increasing vacancy rates, declining rental rates and general deterioration of market
conditions;
●
changes
in supply and demand fundamentals;
●
limitations,
reductions or eliminations of tax benefits;
●
casualty
or condemnation losses;
●
bankruptcy,
financial difficulty or lease default of a major tenant;
●
regulatory
limitations on rent;
●
increased
mortgage defaults and the availability of mortgage funds which may render the sale or refinancing of properties difficult or impracticable;
●
changes
in laws, regulations and fiscal policies, including increases in property taxes and limitations on rental rates;
●
natural
disasters, severe weather patterns and similar events.
●
declines
in consumer confidence and spending; and
●
public
perception that any of the above events may occur.
All
of these factors are beyond our control. Moreover, certain significant expenditures associated with real estate (such as real estate
taxes, maintenance costs and, where applicable, mortgage payments) have no relationship with, and thus do not diminish in proportion
to, a reduction in income from the property. Any negative changes in these factors could impair our ability to meet our obligations and
make distributions to holders of our Class A units and could adversely impact our ability to effectively achieve our investment objectives
and reduce the overall returns on our investments.
23
Table of Contents
Real
estate investments are subject to general industry downturns as well as downturns in specific geographic regions. We cannot predict occupancy
levels for a particular property or whether any tenant or mortgage or other real estate related loan borrower will remain solvent. We
also cannot predict the future value of our investments. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee that you will receive cash distributions.
Real
estate investments are subject to general downturns in the industry as well as downturns in specific geographic regions. For example,
as of the date of this Form 10-K, a majority of our investments are located in Florida. Historically Florida has been at greater risk
of acts of nature such as hurricanes and tropical storms and has been subject to more pronounced real estate downturns than other regions.
Accordingly, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be particularly susceptible to downturns or changes in the
local Florida economies where we operate. Moreover, we cannot predict occupancy levels for a particular property or whether any tenant
or mortgage or other real estate related loan borrower will remain solvent. We also cannot predict the future value of our investments.
Accordingly, we cannot guarantee that you will receive cash distributions.
There
are significant risks associated with the development or redevelopment of our real estate investments that may prevent their completion
on budget and on schedule and which may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
We
may engage in extensive development or redevelopment activities with respect to our real estate investments, including, without limitation,
grading and installing roads, sidewalks, gutters, utility improvements (such as storm drains, water, gas, sewer, power and communications),
landscaping and shared amenities (such as community buildings, neighborhood parks, trails and open spaces). Such development and redevelopment
activities entail risks that could adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations, including:
●
construction
costs, which may exceed our original estimates due to increases in materials, labor or other costs, which could make the project
less profitable;
●
permitting
or construction delays, which may result in increased debt service expense and increased project costs, as well as deferred revenue;
●
supply
chain issues or other unavailability of raw materials when needed, which may result in project delays, stoppages or interruptions,
which could make the project less profitable;
●
federal,
state and local grants to complete certain highways, interchange, bridge projects or other public improvements may not be available,
which could increase costs and make the project less profitable;
●
availability
and timely receipt of zoning and other regulatory approvals to develop or redevelop our properties for a particular use or with respect
to a particular improvement;
●
claims
for warranty, product liability and construction defects after a property has been built;
●
claims
for injuries that occur in the course of construction activities;
●
poor
performance or nonperformance by, or disputes with, any of our contractors, subcontractors or other third parties on whom we will
rely;
●
health
and safety incidents and site accidents;
●
unforeseen
engineering, environmental or geological problems, which may result in delays or increased costs;
●
labor
stoppages, slowdowns or interruptions;
●
compliance
with environmental planning and protection regulations and related legal proceedings;
●
liabilities,
expenses or project delays, stoppages or interruptions as a result of challenges by third parties in legal proceedings;
●
delay
or inability to acquire property, rights of way or easements that may result in delays or increased costs;
●
acts
of war, cyberattacks or terrorism; and
●
weather-related
and geological interference, including landslides, earthquakes, floods, drought, wildfires and other events, which may result in
delays or increased costs.
24
Table of Contents
We
cannot assure you that projects will be completed on schedule or that construction costs will not exceed budgeted amounts. Failure to
complete development or redevelopment activities on budget or on schedule may adversely affect our financial condition and results of
operations.
Our
Manager’s due diligence may not reveal all factors or risks affecting an investment.
There
can be no assurance that our Manager’s due diligence processes will uncover all relevant facts that would be material to an investment
decision. Before making an investment, our Manager will assess the strength of the underlying asset and any other factors that it believes
are material to the performance of the investment. In making the assessment and otherwise conducting customary due diligence, our Manager
will rely on the resources available to it and, in some cases, investigations by third parties.
Actual
rents we receive may be less than estimated, operating expenses may be higher than anticipated and we may experience a decline in rental
rates from time to time, any of which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flow.
As
a result of potential factors, including competitive pricing pressure in our markets, a general economic downturn and the desirability
of our properties compared to other properties in our markets, we may be unable to realize our estimated market rents across the properties
in our portfolio or operating expenses at properties in our portfolio may be higher than anticipated. In addition, depending on market
rental rates at any given time as compared to expiring leases on properties in our portfolio, from time-to-time rental rates for expiring
leases may be higher than starting rental rates for new leases. If we are unable to obtain sufficient rental rates across our portfolio,
or operating expenses are higher than anticipated, our ability to generate cash flow growth will be negatively impacted.
Properties
that have significant vacancies could be difficult to sell, which could diminish the return on these properties.
A
property may incur vacancies either by the expiration of tenant leases or the continued default of tenants under their leases. If vacancies
continue for a long period of time, we may suffer reduced revenues resulting in less cash available for distributions. In addition, the
resale value of the property could be diminished because the market value of our properties will depend principally upon the value of
the cash flow generated by the leases associated with that property. Such a reduction in the resale value of a property could also reduce
the value of your investment.
Further,
a decline in general economic conditions in the markets in which our investments are located or in the U.S. generally could lead to an
increase in tenant defaults, lower rental rates, and less demand for commercial real estate space in those markets. As a result of these
trends, we may be more inclined to provide leasing incentives to our tenants in order to compete in a more competitive leasing environment.
Such trends may result in reduced revenue and lower resale value of properties.
We
may enter into long-term leases with tenants in certain properties, which may not result in fair market rental rates over time.
We
may enter into long-term leases with tenants of certain of our properties or include renewal options that specify a maximum rate increase.
These leases often provide for rent to increase over time; however, if we do not accurately judge the potential for increases in market
rental rates, we may set the terms of these long-term leases at levels such that, even after contractual rent increases, the rent under
our long-term leases is less than then-current market rates. Further, we may have no ability to terminate those leases or to adjust the
rent to then-prevailing market rates. As a result, our cash available for distributions could be lower than if we did not enter into
long-term leases.
Certain
properties that we acquire may not have efficient alternative uses and we may have difficulty leasing them to new tenants or have to
make significant capital expenditures to get them to do so.
Certain
properties that we acquire may be difficult to lease to new tenants, should the current tenant terminate or choose not to renew its lease.
These properties will generally have received significant tenant-specific improvements and only very specific tenants may be able to
use such improvements, making the properties very difficult to re-lease in their current condition. Additionally, an interested tenant
may demand that, as a condition of executing a lease for the property, we finance and construct significant improvements so that the
tenant could use the property. This expense may decrease cash available for distribution, as we likely would have to (i) pay for the
improvements up-front or (ii) finance the improvements at potentially unattractive terms.
We
will depend on tenants for our revenue, and lease defaults or terminations could reduce our net income and limit our ability to pay distributions.
The
success of our investments materially depends on the financial stability of our tenants. A default or termination by a tenant on its
lease payments to us would cause us to lose the revenue associated with such lease and require us to find an alternative source of revenue
to meet mortgage payments and prevent a foreclosure if the property is subject to a mortgage. In the event of a tenant default or bankruptcy,
we may experience delays in enforcing our rights as landlord and may incur substantial costs in protecting our investment and re-leasing
our property. If a tenant defaults on or terminates a lease, we may be unable to lease the property for the rent previously received
or sell the property without incurring a loss. These events could cause us to reduce the amount of distributions we pay.
25
Table of Contents
If
any of our significant tenants were adversely affected by a material business downturn or were to become bankrupt or insolvent, our results
of operations could be adversely affected.
General
and regional economic conditions may adversely affect our major tenants and potential tenants in our markets. Our major tenants may experience
a material business downturn, which could potentially result in a failure to make timely rental payments or a default under their leases.
In many cases, through tenant improvement allowances and other concessions, we will have made substantial up-front investments in the
applicable leases that we may not be able to recover. In the event of a tenant default, we may experience delays in enforcing our rights
and may also incur substantial costs to protect our investments.
The
bankruptcy or insolvency of a major tenant or lease guarantor may adversely affect the income produced by our properties and may delay
our efforts to collect past due balances under the relevant leases and could ultimately preclude collection of these sums altogether.
If a lease is rejected by a tenant in bankruptcy, we would have only a general unsecured claim for damages that is limited in amount
and which may only be paid to the extent that funds are available and in the same percentage as is paid to all other holders of unsecured
claims.
If
any of our significant tenants were to become bankrupt or insolvent, suffer a downturn in their business, default under their leases,
fail to renew their leases or renew on terms less favorable to us than their current terms, our results of operations and cash flow could
be adversely affected.
We
expect to acquire primarily qualified opportunity zone investments, with a focus on markets with favorable risk-return characteristics.
If our investments in these geographic areas experience adverse economic conditions, our investments may lose value and we may experience
losses.
Our
initial investments consist of and are expected to continue to consist of properties located in qualified opportunity zones for the development
or redevelopment of multifamily, student housing, senior living, healthcare, industrial, self-storage, hospitality, office, mixed-use,
data centers and solar projects located throughout the United States and its territories. These qualified opportunity zone investments
will carry the risks associated with certain markets where we acquire properties. Consequently, we may experience losses as a result
of being overly concentrated in certain geographic areas. A worsening of economic conditions in U.S. markets and, in particular, the
markets where we end up acquiring properties, could have an adverse effect on our business and could impair the value of our collateral.
Actions
of any joint venture partners that we may have in the future could reduce the returns on joint venture investments and decrease your
overall investment return.
We
intend to enter into joint ventures to acquire properties and other assets and investments. We may also purchase and develop properties
in joint ventures or in partnerships, co-tenancies or other co-ownership arrangements. Such investments may involve risks not otherwise
present with other methods of investment, including, for example, the following risks:
●
that
our co-venturer, co-tenant or partner in an investment could become insolvent or bankrupt;
●
that
such co-venturer, co-tenant or partner may at any time have economic or business interests or goals that are or that become inconsistent
with our business interests or goals;
●
that
such co-venturer, co-tenant or partner may be delegated certain “day-to-day” property operating procedures;
●
that
such co-venturer, co-tenant or partner may be in a position to act contrary to our instructions or requests or contrary to our policies
or objectives; or
●
that
disputes between us and our co-venturer, co-tenant or partner may result in litigation or arbitration that would increase our expenses
and prevent our officers and directors from focusing their time and effort on our operations.
Any
of the above might subject an investment to liabilities in excess of those contemplated and thus reduce our returns on that investment
and the value of your investment.
26
Table of Contents
We
intend to seek opportunistic acquisitions of other qualified opportunity funds and qualified opportunity zone businesses.
We
intend to seek opportunistic acquisitions of other qualified opportunity funds and qualified opportunity zone businesses using our equity
as transaction consideration. These acquisitions will involve significant challenges and risks, including, without limitation, regulatory
complexities associated with integrating other qualified opportunity funds and qualified opportunity zone businesses into our organizational
structure in a manner that is consistent with our intended qualification as a publicly traded partnership and qualified opportunity fund,
new regulatory requirements and compliance risks that we may become subject to as a result of acquisitions, unforeseen or hidden liabilities
or costs that may adversely affect our NAV following such acquisitions, and the risk that any of our proposed acquisitions do not close.
Any of these challenges could disrupt our ongoing operations, increase our expenses and adversely affect our results of operations and
financial condition.
Costs
imposed pursuant to governmental laws and regulations may reduce our net income and the cash available for distributions.
Real
property and the operations conducted on real property are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to protection
of the environment and human health. We could be subject to liability in the form of fines, penalties or damages for noncompliance with
these laws and regulations. These laws and regulations generally govern wastewater discharges, air emissions, the operation and removal
of underground and above-ground storage tanks, the use, storage, treatment, transportation and disposal of solid and hazardous materials,
the remediation of contamination associated with the release or disposal of solid and hazardous materials, the presence of toxic building
materials and other health and safety-related concerns.
Some
of these laws and regulations may impose joint and several liability on the tenants, owners or operators of real property for the costs
to investigate or remediate contaminated properties, regardless of fault, whether the contamination occurred prior to purchase, or whether
the acts causing the contamination were legal. Activities of our tenants, the condition of properties at the time we buy them, operations
in the vicinity of our properties, such as the presence of underground storage tanks, or activities of unrelated third parties may affect
our properties.
The
presence of hazardous substances, or the failure to properly manage, insure, bond over, or remediate these substances, may hinder our
ability to sell, rent or pledge such property as collateral for future borrowings. Any material expenditures, fines, penalties or damages
we must pay will reduce our ability to make distributions and may reduce the value of your investment.
The
costs of defending against claims of environmental liability, of complying with environmental regulatory requirements, of remediating
any contaminated property or of paying personal injury or other damage claims could reduce the amounts available for distributions.
Under
various federal, state and local environmental laws, ordinances and regulations, a current or previous real property owner or operator
may be liable for the cost of removing or remediating hazardous or toxic substances on, under or in such property. These costs could
be substantial. Such laws often impose liability whether or not the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of
such hazardous or toxic substances. Environmental laws also may impose liens on property or restrictions on the manner in which property
may be used or businesses may be operated, and these restrictions may require substantial expenditures or prevent us from entering into
leases with prospective tenants that may be impacted by such laws. Environmental laws provide for sanctions for noncompliance and may
be enforced by governmental agencies or, in certain circumstances, by private parties. Certain environmental laws and common law principles
could be used to impose liability for the release of and exposure to hazardous substances, including asbestos-containing materials and
lead-based paint. Third parties may seek recovery from real property owners or operators for personal injury or property damage associated
with exposure to released hazardous substances and governments may seek recovery for natural resource damage. The costs of defending
against claims of environmental liability, of complying with environmental regulatory requirements, of remediating any contaminated property,
or of paying personal injury, property damage or natural resource damage claims could reduce the amounts available for distribution to
you.
We
expect that all of our properties will be subject to Phase I environmental assessments at the time they are acquired; however, such assessments
may not provide complete environmental histories due, for example, to limited available information about prior operations at the properties
or other gaps in information at the time we acquire the property. A Phase I environmental assessment is an initial environmental investigation
to identify potential environmental liabilities associated with the current and past uses of a given property. If any of our properties
were found to contain hazardous or toxic substances after our acquisition, the value of our investment could decrease below the amount
paid for such investment.
27
Table of Contents
Costs
associated with complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act may decrease cash available for distributions.
Our
properties may be subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended (the “ADA”). Under the ADA, all places
of public accommodation are required to comply with federal requirements related to access and use by disabled persons. The ADA has separate
compliance requirements for “public accommodations” and “commercial facilities” that generally require that buildings
and services be made accessible and available to people with disabilities. The ADA’s requirements could require removal of access
barriers and could result in the imposition of injunctive relief, monetary penalties or, in some cases, an award of damages. Any funds
used for ADA compliance will reduce our net income and the amount of cash available for distributions to you.
Uninsured
losses relating to real property or excessively expensive premiums for insurance coverage could reduce our cash flows and the amounts
available for distributions.
There
are types of losses, generally catastrophic in nature, such as losses due to wars, acts of terrorism, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes,
pollution or environmental matters, that are uninsurable or not economically insurable, or may be insured subject to limitations, such
as large deductibles or co-payments. Insurance risks associated with potential acts of terrorism could sharply increase the premiums
we pay for coverage against property and casualty claims. Additionally, mortgage lenders in some cases insist that commercial property
owners purchase coverage against terrorism as a condition for providing mortgage loans. Such insurance policies may not be available
at reasonable costs, if at all, which could inhibit our ability to finance or refinance our properties. In such instances, we may be
required to provide other financial support, either through financial assurances or self-insurance, to cover potential losses. We may
not have adequate coverage for such losses. If any of our properties incurs a casualty loss that is not fully insured, the value of our
assets will be reduced by any such uninsured or under insured loss, which may reduce the value of your investment. In addition, other
than any working capital reserve or other reserves we may establish, we have no source of funding to repair or reconstruct any uninsured
or under insured property. Also, to the extent we must pay unexpectedly large amounts for insurance, we could suffer reduced earnings
that would result in lower distributions to you.
Many
of our investments are illiquid and we may not be able to vary our portfolio in response to changes in economic and other conditions.
Many
factors that are beyond our control affect the market for commercial real estate, real estate-related assets and private equity investments
and could affect our ability to sell assets and investments for the price, on the terms or within the time frame that we desire. These
factors include general economic conditions, the availability of financing, interest rates and other factors, including supply and demand.
Because commercial real estate, real estate-related assets and private equity investments are relatively illiquid, we have a limited
ability to vary our portfolio in response to changes in economic or other conditions. Further, before we can sell an investment on the
terms we want, it may be necessary to expend funds to improve our investments. However, we can give no assurance that we will have the
funds available make such improvements. As a result, we expect many of our investments will be illiquid, and if we are required to liquidate
all or a portion of our portfolio quickly, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we have previously recorded our
investments and our ability to vary our portfolio in response to changes in economic and other conditions may be relatively limited,
which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Declines
in the market values of our investments may adversely affect results of operations and credit availability, which may reduce earnings
and, in turn, cash available for distributions.
A
decline in the market value of our assets may adversely affect us particularly in instances where we have borrowed money based on the
market value of those assets. If the market value of those assets decline, the lender may require us to post additional collateral to
support the loan. If we were unable to post the additional collateral, we may have to sell assets at a time when we might not otherwise
choose to do so. A reduction in credit available may reduce our earnings and, in turn, cash available for distributions.
Further,
credit facility providers may require us to maintain a certain amount of cash reserves or to set aside unlevered assets sufficient to
maintain a specified liquidity position, which would allow us to satisfy our collateral obligations. As a result, we may not be able
to leverage our assets as fully as we would choose, which could reduce our return on equity. In the event that we are unable to meet
these contractual obligations, our financial condition could deteriorate rapidly.
Market
values of our investments may decline for a number of reasons, such as changes in prevailing market capitalization rates, increases in
market vacancy, or decreases in market rents.
If
we sell a property by providing financing to the purchaser, we will bear the risk of default by the purchaser, which could delay or reduce
the cash available for distributions.
If
we decide to sell any of our properties, we intend to use our best efforts to sell them for cash; however, in some instances, we may
sell our properties by providing financing to purchasers. When we provide financing to a purchaser, we will bear the risk that the purchaser
may default, which could reduce our cash available for distributions. Even in the absence of a purchaser default, the distribution of
the proceeds of the sale to holders of our Class A units, or the reinvestment of the proceeds in other assets, will be delayed until
the promissory note or other property we may accept upon a sale are actually paid, sold, refinanced or otherwise disposed.
28
Table of Contents
Risks
Related to Conflicts of Interest
There
are conflicts of interest between us, our Manager, and its affiliates.
Our
executive officers, Brandon Lacoff and Martin Lacoff, are executive officers of our Manager and its affiliates, including our Sponsor.
Prevailing market rates are determined by our Manager based on industry standards and expectations of what our Manager would be able
to negotiate with a third party on an arm’s length basis. All of the agreements and arrangements between us and our Manager or
its affiliates, including those relating to compensation, are not the result of arm’s length negotiations with an unaffiliated
third party. Some of the conflicts inherent in our transactions with our Manager and its affiliates, and the limitations on our Manager
and its affiliates adopted to address these conflicts, are described below. We, our Manager, and its affiliates will try to balance our
interests with their own. However, to the extent that our Manager and its affiliates take actions that are more favorable to other entities
than us, these actions could have a negative impact on our financial performance and, consequently, on distributions to the holders of
our Class A units and the NAV of our Class A units.
The
interests of our Manager, and its affiliates may conflict with your interests.
The
Management Agreement provides our Manager with broad powers and authority which may result in one or more conflicts of interest between
your interests and those of our Manager and its affiliates. This risk is increased by our Sponsor and our Manager being controlled by
Brandon Lacoff and Martin Lacoff, who currently participate, and are expected to sponsor and participate, directly or indirectly, in
other offerings by our Sponsor and its affiliates. Potential conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
●
our
Sponsor, Manager, and their affiliates may continue to offer other real estate, real estate-related and private equity investment
opportunities, including additional offerings similar to this offering, and may make investments in assets for their own respective
accounts, whether or not competitive with our business;
●
our
Sponsor, Manager, and their affiliates will not be required to disgorge any profits, fees or other compensation they may receive
from any other business they own or operate separately from us, and you will not be entitled to receive or share in any of the profits,
returns, fees or other compensation from any other business owned or operated by our Sponsor, Manager or their affiliates;
●
we
may engage our Sponsor, Manager or their affiliates to perform services at prevailing market rates. Prevailing market rates are determined
by our Manager based on industry standards and expectations of what our Sponsor and our Manager would be able to negotiate with a
third party on an arm’s length basis; and
●
our
Sponsor, Manager and their affiliates are not required to devote all of their time and efforts to our business and affairs.
Holders
of our Class A units will have no right to enforce the obligations of our Sponsor, Manager, or any of their or our affiliates under the
terms of any agreements with the Company.
Any
agreements between the Company, on one hand, and our Sponsor, Manager, or any of their or our affiliates, on the other, will not grant
to the holders of our Class A units, separate and apart from the Company, the right to enforce the terms of such agreements or any obligations
of our Sponsor, Manager or their or our affiliates in favor of the Company.
The
management fee our Manager receives will be based on our NAV and our Manager is ultimately responsible for calculating our NAV.
We
pay our Manager a quarterly management fee at an annualized rate of 0.75%. The management fee is based on our NAV, as calculated by our
Manager at the end of each quarter. Through no later than the first quarter following the December 31, 2022 year end, the NAV of our
Class A units will be equal to $100.00 per Class A unit. Thereafter, no later than the first quarter following the December 31, 2022
year end, our NAV will be announced within approximately 60 days of the last day of each quarter. Our NAV will be calculated using a
process designed to produce a fair and accurate estimate of the price that would be received for our assets and investments in an arm’s-length
transaction between a willing buyer and a willing seller in possession of all material information about our assets and investments.
As with any asset valuation protocol, the conclusions reached by our Manager or any third-party firm that we engage to prepare or assist
with preparing the NAV of our Class A units will involve significant judgments, assumptions, and opinions in the application of both
observable and unobservable attributes that may or may not prove to be correct. It is important to note that the determination of our
NAV will not be based on, nor is it intended to comply with, fair value standards under U.S. GAAP, and our NAV may not be indicative
of the price that we would receive for our assets at current market conditions. There can be no assurance that the judgments, assumptions,
and opinions used by our Manager to calculate our NAV, or the resulting NAV, will be the same as those judgments, assumptions and opinions
that would be used, or the NAV that would be calculated, by an independent third-party firm. In addition, our Manager may benefit by
us retaining ownership of our assets and investments in order to avoid a reduction in our NAV at times when the holders of our Class
A units may be better served by the sale or disposition of our assets or investments. If our NAV is calculated in a way that is not reflective
of our actual NAV, then the purchase price of shares of our Class A units may not accurately reflect the value of our assets and investments.
29
Table of Contents
Risks
Related to Sources of Financing and Hedging
We
may incur significant debt, which may subject us to increased risk of loss and may reduce cash available for distributions.
Subject
to market conditions and availability, we may incur significant debt through bank credit facilities (including term loans and revolving
facilities), repurchase agreements, warehouse facilities and structured financing arrangements, public and private debt issuances, and
derivative instruments, in addition to transaction or asset specific funding arrangements. The percentage of leverage we employ will
vary depending on our available capital, our ability to obtain and access financing arrangements with lenders, debt restrictions contained
in those financing arrangements and the lenders’ and rating agencies’ estimate of the stability of our investment portfolio’s
cash flow. Our targeted aggregate property-level leverage, excluding any debt at the REIT level or on assets under development or renovation,
after we have acquired a substantial portfolio of stabilized properties, is between 50-70% of the greater of cost (before deducting depreciation
or other non-cash reserves) or fair market value of our assets. Our targeted aggregate property-level leverage, excluding any debt at
the Company level or on assets under development or redevelopment, after we have acquired a substantial portfolio of stabilized commercial
real estate, is between 50-70% of the greater of the cost (before deducting depreciation or other non-cash reserves) or fair market value
of our assets. During the period when we are acquiring, developing, and redeveloping our investments, we may employ greater leverage
on individual assets. Our Manager may from time to time modify our leverage policy in its discretion. Incurring substantial debt could
subject us to many risks that, if realized, would materially and adversely affect us, including the risk that:
●
our
cash flow from operations may be insufficient to make required payments of principal of and interest on the debt or we may fail to
comply with all of the other covenants contained in the debt, which is likely to result in (i) acceleration of such debt (and any
other debt containing a cross-default or cross-acceleration provision) that we may be unable to repay from internal funds or to refinance
on favorable terms, or at all, (ii) our inability to borrow unused amounts under our financing arrangements, even if we are current
in payments on borrowings under those arrangements or pay distributions of excess cash flow held in reserve by such financing sources,
or (iii) the loss of some or all of our assets to foreclosure or sale;
●
our
debt may increase our vulnerability to adverse economic and industry conditions with no assurance that investment yields will increase
with higher financing costs;
●
we
may be required to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our debt, thereby reducing funds
available for operations, future business opportunities, distributions to holders of our Class A units or other purposes; and
●
we
are not able to refinance debt that matures prior to the investment it was used to finance on favorable terms, or at all.
There
can be no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful.
Any
lending facilities will likely impose restrictive covenants.
Any
lending facilities which we enter into would be expected to contain customary negative covenants and other financial and operating covenants
that, among other things, may affect our ability to incur additional debt, make certain investments or acquisitions, reduce liquidity
below certain levels, pay distributions, redeem debt or equity securities and impact our flexibility to determine our operating policies
and investment strategies. For example, such loan documents may contain negative covenants that limit, among other things, our ability
to distribute more than a certain amount of our net income or funds from operations to holders of our Class A units, employ leverage
beyond certain amounts, sell assets, engage in mergers or consolidations, grant liens, and enter into transactions with affiliates (including
amending the Management Agreement with our Manager in a material respect). If we fail to meet or satisfy any such covenants, we would
likely be in default under these agreements, and the lenders could elect to declare outstanding amounts due and payable, terminate their
commitments, require the posting of additional collateral, and enforce their interests against existing collateral. We could also become
subject to cross-default and acceleration rights and, with respect to collateralized debt, the posting of additional collateral and foreclosure
rights upon default.
30
Table of Contents
Interest
rate fluctuations could increase our financing costs and reduce our ability to generate income on our investments, each of which could
lead to a significant decrease in our results of operations, cash flows and the market value of our investments.
Our
primary interest rate exposures will relate to the yield on our investments and the financing cost of our debt, as well as any interest
rate derivatives that we utilize for hedging purposes. Changes in interest rates will affect our net interest income, which is the difference
between the income we earn on our investments and the interest expense we incur in financing these investments. Interest rate fluctuations
resulting in our interest expense exceeding income would result in operating losses for us. Changes in the level of interest rates also
may affect our ability to invest in investments, the value of our investments and our ability to realize gains from the disposition of
assets and investments.
To
the extent that our financing costs will be determined by reference to floating rates, such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR)
or a Treasury index, plus a margin, the amount of such costs will depend on a variety of factors, including, without limitation, (i)
for collateralized debt, the value and liquidity of the collateral, and for non-collateralized debt, our credit, (ii) the level and movement
of interest rates, and (iii) general market conditions and liquidity. In a period of rising interest rates, our interest expense on floating
rate debt would increase, while any income we earn may not compensate for such increase in interest expense.
Our
operating results will depend, in part, on differences between the income earned on our investments, net of credit losses, and our financing
costs. For any period during which our investments are not match-funded, the income earned on such investments may respond more slowly
to interest rate fluctuations than the cost of our borrowings. Consequently, changes in interest rates, particularly short-term interest
rates, may immediately and significantly decrease our results of operations and cash flows and the market value of our investments.
Hedging
against interest rate exposure may adversely affect our earnings, limit our gains or result in losses, which could adversely affect cash
available for distributions.
We
may enter into interest rate swap agreements or pursue other interest rate hedging strategies. Our hedging activity will vary in scope
based on the level of interest rates, the type and expected duration of portfolio investments held, and other changing market conditions.
Interest rate hedging may fail to protect or could adversely affect us because, among other things:
●
interest
rate hedging can be expensive, particularly during periods of rising and volatile interest rates;
●
available
interest rate hedging may not correspond directly with the interest rate risk for which protection is sought;
●
the
duration of the hedge may not match the duration of the related liability or asset;
●
the
credit quality of the party owing money on the hedge may be downgraded to such an extent that it impairs our ability to sell or assign
our side of the hedging transaction;
●
the
party owing money in the hedging transaction may default on its obligation to pay; and
●
we
may purchase a hedge that turns out not to be necessary ( i.e ., a hedge that is out of the money).
Any
hedging activity we engage in may adversely affect our earnings, which could adversely affect cash available for distributions. Therefore,
while we may enter into such transactions to seek to reduce interest rate risks, unanticipated changes in interest rates may result in
poorer overall investment performance than if we had not engaged in any such hedging transactions. In addition, the degree of correlation
between price movements of the instruments used in a hedging strategy and price movements in the portfolio positions being hedged or
liabilities being hedged may vary materially. Moreover, for a variety of reasons, we may not seek to establish a perfect correlation
between such hedging instruments and the portfolio holdings being hedged. Any such imperfect correlation may prevent us from achieving
the intended hedge and expose us to risk of loss.
Hedging
instruments are often not traded on regulated exchanges or guaranteed by an exchange or its clearing house and involve risks and costs
that could result in material losses.
The
cost of using hedging instruments increases as the period covered by the instrument increases and during periods of rising and volatile
interest rates, we may increase our hedging activity and thus increase our hedging costs during periods when interest rates are volatile
or rising and hedging costs have increased. In addition, hedging instruments involve risk since they are often not traded on regulated
exchanges or guaranteed by an exchange or its clearing house. Consequently, there are no requirements with respect to record keeping,
financial responsibility or segregation of customer funds and positions. Furthermore, the enforceability of agreements underlying hedging
transactions may depend on compliance with applicable statutory and commodity and other regulatory requirements and, depending on the
identity of the counterparty, applicable international requirements. The business failure of a hedging counterparty with whom we enter
into a hedging transaction will most likely result in its default. Default by a party with whom we enter into a hedging transaction may
result in the loss of unrealized profits and force us to cover our commitments, if any, at the then current market price.
31
Table of Contents
Although
generally we will seek to reserve the right to terminate our hedging positions, it may not always be possible to dispose of or close
out a hedging position without the consent of the hedging counterparty and we may not be able to enter into an offsetting contract in
order to cover our risk. We cannot assure you that a liquid secondary market will exist for hedging instruments purchased or sold, and
we may be required to maintain a position until exercise or expiration, which could result in significant losses.
Any
bank credit facilities and repurchase agreements that we may use in the future to finance our assets may require us to provide additional
collateral or pay down debt.
We
may utilize bank credit facilities, repurchase agreements (including term loans and revolving facilities) or guarantee arrangements to
finance our assets if they become available on acceptable terms. Such financing arrangements, including any guarantees, would involve
the risk that the market value of any investments pledged by us to the provider of the bank credit facility or repurchase agreement counterparty
may decline in value, in which case the lender may require us to provide additional collateral or to repay all or a portion of the funds
advanced. We may not have the funds available to repay our debt at that time, which would likely result in defaults unless we are able
to raise the funds from alternative sources, which we may not be able to achieve on favorable terms or at all. Posting additional collateral
would reduce our liquidity and limit our ability to leverage our assets. If we cannot meet these requirements, the lender could accelerate
our indebtedness or enforce our guarantee, increase the interest rate on advanced funds and terminate our ability to borrow funds from
it, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and ability to implement our investment strategy. In addition,
if the lender files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, our loans and guarantees may become subject to bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings,
thus depriving us, at least temporarily, of the benefit of these assets. Such an event could restrict our access to bank credit facilities
and increase our cost of capital. The providers of bank credit facilities and repurchase agreement financing may also require us to maintain
a certain amount of cash or set aside assets sufficient to maintain a specified liquidity position that would allow us to satisfy our
collateral obligations. As a result, we may not be able to leverage our assets as fully as we would choose, which could reduce our return
on assets. If we are unable to meet these collateral obligations, our financial condition and prospects could deteriorate rapidly.
We
may give full or partial guarantees to lenders of mortgage debt to the entities that own our properties.
When
we give a guaranty on behalf of an entity that owns one of our properties, we will be responsible to the lender for satisfaction of the
debt if it is not paid by such entity. If any mortgages contain cross-collateralization or cross-default provisions, there is a risk
that more than one real property may be affected by a default. If any of our properties are foreclosed upon due to a default, our ability
to make distributions will be adversely affected. Accordingly, our approach to investing in properties utilizing leverage in order to
accomplish our investment objectives may present more risks to investors than comparable real estate programs that do not utilize borrowing
to the same degree.
If
we enter into financing arrangements involving balloon payment obligations, it may adversely affect our ability to make distributions.
Some
of our financing arrangements may require us to make a lump-sum or “balloon” payment at maturity. Our ability to make a balloon
payment is uncertain and may depend upon our ability to obtain replacement financing or our ability to sell particular properties. At
the time the balloon payment is due, we may or may not be able to refinance the balloon payment on terms as favorable as the original
loan or sell the particular property at a price sufficient to make the balloon payment. Such a refinancing would be dependent upon interest
rates and lenders’ policies at the time of refinancing, economic conditions in general and the value of the underlying properties
in particular. The effect of a refinancing or sale could affect the rate of return to the holders of our Class A units and the projected
time of disposition of our assets.
Our
access to sources of financing may be limited and thus our ability to grow our business and to maximize our returns may be adversely
affected.
Subject
to market conditions and availability, we may incur significant debt through bank credit facilities (including term loans and revolving
facilities), repurchase agreements, warehouse facilities and structured financing arrangements, public and private debt issuances and
derivative instruments, in addition to transaction or asset specific funding arrangements. We may also issue additional debt or equity
securities to fund our growth.
32
Table of Contents
Our
access to sources of financing will depend upon a number of factors, over which we have little or no control, including:
●
general
economic or market conditions;
●
the
market’s view of the quality of our assets;
●
the
market’s perception of our growth potential; and
●
our
current and potential future earnings and cash distributions.
We
will need to periodically access the capital and credit markets to raise cash to fund new investments. Unfavorable economic or market
conditions may increase our funding costs, limit our access to the capital or credit markets or could result in a decision by potential
lenders not to extend credit. An inability to successfully access the capital or credit markets could limit our ability to grow our business
and fully execute our investment strategy and could decrease our earnings, if any. In addition, uncertainty in the capital and credit
markets could adversely affect one or more private lenders and could cause one or more of our private lenders to be unwilling or unable
to provide us with financing or to increase the costs of that financing. In addition, if regulatory capital requirements imposed on our
private lenders change, they may be required to limit, or increase the cost of, financing they provide to us. In general, this could
potentially increase our financing costs and reduce our liquidity or require us to sell assets at an inopportune time or price. No assurance
can be given that we will be able to obtain any such financing on favorable terms or at all.
Risks
Relating to U.S. Federal Taxation
If
we fail to qualify as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and no relief provisions apply, we would be subject to entity
level U.S. federal income tax and, as a result, our cash available for distributions and the value of our Class A units could materially
decrease.
The
anticipated after-tax economic benefit of an investment in our Class A units depends largely on our being treated as a partnership for
U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Despite
the fact that we are organized as a limited liability company under Delaware law, we would be treated as a corporation for federal income
tax purposes unless we satisfy a “qualifying income” exception. Failing to meet the qualifying income requirement, or a change
in current law could cause us to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes or otherwise subject us to taxation as an
entity.
If
we were treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, we would pay federal income tax on our taxable income at the corporate
tax rate. Distributions would generally be taxed again as corporate distributions, and no income, gains, losses or deductions would flow
through to holders of our units. Because a tax would be imposed on us as a corporation, our cash available for distributions would be
substantially reduced. Therefore, our treatment as a corporation would result in a material reduction in cash flow and after-tax return
to holders of our Class A units, likely causing a substantial reduction in the value of our Class A units.
There
can be no assurance that we will continue to meet the requirements for classification as a qualified opportunity fund.
We
qualified as a “qualified opportunity fund” beginning with our taxable year ended December 31, 2020. We intend to manage
our affairs so that we continue to meet the requirements for classification as a “qualified opportunity fund,” pursuant to
Section 1400Z-2 of the Code and the related regulations issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and U.S. Internal Revenue Service
(the “IRS”) on December 19, 2019, together with the correcting amendments issued on April 1, 2020, additional relief issued
on January 19, 2021 and further correcting amendments issued on August 5, 2021 (collectively the “Opportunity Zone Regulations”).
However, qualified opportunity funds and the Opportunity Zone Regulations are a relatively new and as yet untested, and our ability to
be treated as a qualified opportunity fund and to operate in conformity with the requirements to continue to be treated as a qualified
opportunity fund is subject to uncertainty. If we fail to continue to meet the requirements for classification as a qualified opportunity
fund, holders of our Class A units would lose the tax benefits associated with investing in a qualified opportunity fund and the value
of our Class A units would likely be adversely affected.
Investors
must make appropriate timely investments and elections in order to take advantage of the benefits of investing in a qualified opportunity
fund.
In
order to receive the benefits of investing in a qualified opportunity fund, taxpayers must make deferral elections on Form 8949 (Sales
and Other Dispositions of Capital Assets), which will need to be attached to their U.S. federal income tax returns for the taxable year
in which gain treated as capital gain (short-term or long-term) that result from the sale or exchange of capital assets would have been
recognized had it not been deferred. In addition, Form 8997 (Initial and Annual Statement of Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF) Investments)
requires eligible taxpayers holding a qualified opportunity fund investment at any point during the tax year to report: (i) qualified
opportunity fund investments holdings at the beginning and end of the tax year; (ii) current tax year capital gains deferred by investing
in a qualified opportunity fund; and (iii) qualified opportunity fund investments disposed of during the tax year.
33
Table of Contents
The
tax treatment of an investment in our Class A units could be subject to potential legislative, judicial, or administrative changes or
differing interpretations, possibly applied on a retroactive basis.
The
present U.S. federal income tax treatment of an investment in our Class A units may be modified by administrative, legislative, or judicial
interpretation at any time. From time to time, members of Congress propose and consider substantive changes to the existing U.S. federal
income tax laws that would affect us, including a prior legislative proposal that would have eliminated the “qualifying income”
exception upon which we intend to rely for our treatment as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. There can be no assurance
that there will not be changes to U.S. federal income tax laws or the Department of Treasury’s or IRS’s interpretation of
the qualifying income and qualified opportunity fund rules in a manner that could impact our ability to continue to qualify as a partnership
or qualified opportunity fund in the future, which could negatively impact the value of an investment in our Class A units. Any changes
to the U.S. federal tax laws and interpretations thereof may be applied prospectively or retroactively and could make it more difficult
or impossible for us to meet the qualifying income exception or qualified opportunity fund requirements and accordingly adversely affect
the tax consequences associated with an investment in our Class A units.
If
the IRS contests the U.S. federal income tax positions we take, the value our Class A units may be adversely impacted, and the cost of
any IRS contest will reduce cash available for distributions.
The
IRS may adopt positions that differ from the positions we have taken or may take on tax matters. It may be necessary to resort to administrative
or court proceedings to sustain some or all of the positions we take. A court may not agree with some or all of the positions we take.
Any contest with the IRS may materially and adversely impact the value of our Class A units. In addition, the costs of any contest with
the IRS will be borne indirectly by the holders of our Class A units because the costs will reduce our cash available for distribution.
If
the IRS makes audit adjustments to our income tax returns, the IRS (and some states) may assess and collect any taxes (including any
applicable penalties and interest) resulting from such audit adjustments directly from us, in which case our cash available for distribution
holders of our Class A units might be substantially reduced, and current and former holders of our Class A units may be required to indemnify
us for any taxes (including applicable penalties and interest) resulting from audit adjustments paid on their behalf.
Even
if you do not receive any cash distributions from us, you will be required to pay taxes on your share of our taxable income.
You
will be required to pay U.S. federal income taxes and, in some cases, state and local income taxes, on your share of our taxable income,
whether or not you receive cash distributions from us. For example, if we sell assets and reinvest the proceeds or use proceeds to repay
existing debt, you may be allocated taxable income and gain resulting from the sale and our cash available for distribution would not
increase. You may not receive cash distributions from us equal to your share of our taxable income or even equal to the actual tax due
from you with respect to that income.
You
will likely be subject to state and local taxes and return filing requirements as a result of investing in our Class A units.
In
addition to federal income taxes, holders of our Class A units likely will be subject to other taxes, such as state and local income
taxes, unincorporated business taxes and estate, inheritance, or intangible taxes that are imposed by the various jurisdictions in which
we do business or own property now or in the future. Holders of our Class A units will likely be required to file state and local income
tax returns and pay state and local income taxes in some or all of these various jurisdictions, even if they do not live in these jurisdictions.
Further, holders of our Class A units may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. It is the responsibility
of the holders of our Class A units to file all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns.
You
will receive a Schedule K-1 to IRS Form 1065, which could increase the complexity of your tax circumstances.
We
will prepare and deliver a Schedule K-1 to IRS Form 1065 for each holder of our Class A units. Your Schedule K-1 will contain information
regarding your allocable share of our items of income, gain, loss, deduction, credit and adjustments to the carrying value of our assets
and investments. Schedule K-1s are usually complex, and you may find that preparing your own tax returns requires additional time. You
may also find it necessary or advisable to engage the services of an accountant or other tax adviser, at your own cost and expense, to
assist with the preparation of your tax returns.
34
Table of Contents
In
addition, it is possible that your income tax liability with respect your allocable share of our income for a particular taxable year,
as reflected on your Schedule K-1, could exceed the amount of cash distributions, if any, that we make to you for that taxable year,
thus giving rise to an out-of-pocket tax liability. Accordingly, you should consult with your own accountant or other tax advisers concerning
the tax consequences of your specific tax circumstances prior to acquiring, holding or disposing of any of our Class A units.
We
do not expect to be able to furnish definitive Schedule K-1s to IRS Form 1065 to each holder of our Class A units prior to the deadline
for filing U.S. income tax returns, which means that holders of our Class A units who are U.S. taxpayers should anticipate the need to
file annually a request for an extension of the due date of their income tax returns. In addition, it is possible that holders of our
Class A units may be required to file amended income tax returns.
As
a partnership, our operating results, including distributions of income, gains, losses, deductions, credits and adjustments to the carrying
value of our assets and investments, will be reported on Schedule K-1 to IRS Form 1065 and distributed annually to each holder of our
Class A units. Although we currently intend to distribute Schedule K-1s on or around 90 days after the end of our fiscal year, it may
require a substantial period of time after the end of our fiscal year to obtain the requisite information from all lower-tier entities
to enable us to prepare and deliver Schedule K-1s. For this reason, holders of Class A units who are U.S. taxpayers should anticipate
the need to file annually with the IRS (and certain states) a request for an extension past the due date of their income tax return.
In
addition, it is possible that a holder of our Class A units will be required to file amended income tax returns as a result of adjustments
to items on the corresponding income tax returns of the Company or our Operating Companies. Any obligation of a holder of our Class A
units to file amended income tax returns for the foregoing or any other reason, including any costs incurred in the preparation or filing
of such returns, is the responsibility of each holder of our Class A units.
Item
1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
None.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.