Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments
Construction Contracts: As of September 30, 2017, excluding four properties under construction and subject to presale arrangements which are being funded by construction loans, the Company estimates additional costs to complete eight wholly-owned development projects under construction to be approximately $383.6 million.
Joint Ventures: As discussed in Note 3, as part of the Core Transaction, the Company entered into two joint ventures during the third quarter of 2017. As part of this transaction, the Company is obligated to increase its investment in the joint ventures over a two year period, resulting in a funding commitment of approximately $325.2 million, including the Company's $40.6 million initial investment related to Hub U District Seattle anticipated to close during the fourth quarter of 2017.
Pre-sale Arrangements: In December 2016, the Company entered into a pre-sale agreement to purchase The Edge - Stadium Centre, a property which will be completed in August 2018. Total estimated development costs of approximately $42.6 million include the purchase price, elected upgrades, and capitalized transaction costs. The Company is obligated to purchase the property as long as certain construction completion deadlines and other closing conditions are met.
The Company expects to fund the commitments mentioned above through a combination of proceeds from cash flows generated from operations, anticipated property dispositions, joint venture activity, and a combination of debt and equity transactions, which may include net proceeds from the ATM Equity Program discussed in Note 8, borrowings under the Company’s existing unsecured credit facilities, and accessing the unsecured bond market.
Development-related Guarantees: For certain of its third-party development projects, the Company commonly provides alternate housing and project cost guarantees, subject to force majeure. These guarantees are typically limited, on an aggregate basis, to the amount of the projects’ related development fees or a contractually agreed-upon maximum exposure amount. Alternate housing guarantees generally require the Company to provide substitute living quarters and transportation for students to and from the university if the project is not complete by an agreed-upon completion date. These guarantees typically expire at the later of five days after completion of the project or once the Company has moved all students from the substitute living quarters into the project. Under project cost guarantees, the Company is responsible for the construction cost of a project in excess of an approved budget. The budget consists primarily of costs included in the general contractors’ guaranteed maximum price contract (“GMP”). In most cases, the GMP obligates the general contractor, subject to force majeure and approved change orders, to provide completion date guarantees and to cover cost overruns and liquidated damages. In addition, the GMP is typically secured with payment and performance bonds. Project cost guarantees expire upon completion of certain developer obligations, which are normally satisfied within one year after completion of the project. The Company’s estimated maximum exposure amount under the above guarantees is approximately $4.0 million as of September 30, 2017. As of September 30, 2017, management did not anticipate any material deviations from schedule or budget related to third-party development projects currently in progress.
In the normal course of business, the Company enters into various development-related purchase commitments with parties that provide development-related goods and services. In the event that the Company was to terminate development services prior to the completion of projects under construction, the Company could potentially be committed to satisfy outstanding purchase orders with such parties.
Conveyance to University: In August 2013, the Company entered into an agreement to convey fee interest in a parcel of land, on which one of the Company’s student housing properties resides (University Crossings), to Drexel University (the “University”). Concurrent with the land conveyance, the Company as lessee entered into a ground lease agreement with the University as lessor for an initial term of 40 years, with three 10-year extensions, at the Company’s option. The Company also agreed to convey the building and improvements to the University at an undetermined date in the future and to pay real estate transfer taxes not to exceed $2.4 million. The Company paid approximately $0.6 million in real estate transfer taxes upon the conveyance of land to the University, leaving approximately $1.8 million to be paid by the Company upon the transfer of the building and improvements.
Contingencies
Litigation: The Company is subject to various claims, lawsuits and legal proceedings, as well as other matters that have not been fully resolved and that have arisen in the ordinary course of business. While it is not possible to ascertain the ultimate outcome of such matters, management believes that the aggregate amount of such liabilities, if any, in excess of amounts provided or covered by insurance, will not have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position or results of operations of the Company. However, the outcome of claims, lawsuits and legal proceedings brought against the Company is subject to significant uncertainty. Therefore, although management considers the likelihood of such an outcome to be remote, the ultimate results of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty.
Letters of Intent: In the ordinary course of the Company’s business, the Company enters into letters of intent indicating a willingness to negotiate for acquisitions, dispositions or joint ventures. Such letters of intent are non-binding (except with regard to exclusivity and confidentiality), and neither party to the letter of intent is obligated to pursue negotiations unless and until a definitive contract is entered into by the parties. Even if definitive contracts are entered into, the letters of intent relating to the acquisition and disposition of real property and resulting contracts generally contemplate that such contracts will provide the acquirer with time to evaluate the property and conduct due diligence, during which periods the acquirer will have the ability to terminate the contracts without penalty or forfeiture of any material deposit or earnest money. There can be no assurance that definitive contracts will be entered into with respect to any matter covered by letters of intent or that the Company will consummate any transaction contemplated by any definitive contract. Furthermore, due diligence periods for real property are frequently extended as needed. Once the due diligence period expires, the Company is then at risk under a real property acquisition contract, but only to the extent of any non-refundable earnest money deposits associated with the contract and subject to normal closing conditions being met.
Environmental Matters: The Company is not aware of any environmental liability with respect to the properties that would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, assets or results of operations. However, there can be no assurance that such a material environmental liability does not exist. The existence of any such material environmental liability could have an adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations and cash flows.
