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BRT Apartments Corp. – ‘8-K12G3’ for 3/18/17 – ‘EX-3.1’

On:  Monday, 3/20/17, at 12:00pm ET   ·   For:  3/18/17   ·   Accession #:  1567619-17-476   ·   File #:  0-55763

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  As Of                Filer                Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size              Issuer               Agent

 3/20/17  BRT Apartments Corp.              8-K12G3:3,5 3/18/17    4:301K                                   Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA

Notice of Securities of a Successor Issuer Deemed to be Registered   —   Form 8-K
Filing Table of Contents

Document/Exhibit                   Description                      Pages   Size 

 1: 8-K12G3     Notice of Securities of a Successor Issuer Deemed   HTML     23K 
                          to be Registered                                       
 2: EX-3.1      Articles of Incorporation/Organization or By-Laws   HTML     67K 
 3: EX-3.2      Articles of Incorporation/Organization or By-Laws   HTML    125K 
 4: EX-99.1     Miscellaneous Exhibit                               HTML     57K 


EX-3.1   —   Articles of Incorporation/Organization or By-Laws


This Exhibit is an HTML Document rendered as filed.  [ Alternative Formats ]



Exhibit 3.1

 

BRT APARTMENTS CORP.

 

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

 

ARTICLE I

 

INCORPORATOR

 

The undersigned, Jeffrey A. Gould, whose address is c/o BRT Apartments Corp., 60 Cutter Mill Road, Suite 303, Great Neck, New York 11021, being at least 18 years of age, effective as of 12:01 a.m., eastern time, on March 18, 2017, does hereby convert BRT Realty Trust, a Massachusetts business trust formed on June 16, 1972, into a corporation formed under the general laws of the State of Maryland.

 

ARTICLE II

 

NAME

 

The name of the corporation (the “Corporation”) is: BRT Apartments Corp.

 

ARTICLE III

 

PURPOSE

 

The purposes for which the Corporation is formed are to engage in any lawful act or activity (including, without limitation or obligation, engaging in business as a real estate investment trust under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor statute (the “Code”)) for which corporations may be organized under the general laws of the State of Maryland as now or hereafter in force. For purposes of the charter of the Corporation (the “Charter”), “REIT” means a real estate investment trust under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

PRINCIPAL OFFICE IN STATE OF MARYLAND AND RESIDENT AGENT

 

The address of the principal office of the Corporation in the State of Maryland is c/o The Corporation Trust Incorporated, 351 West Camden Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201. The name of the resident agent of the Corporation in the State of Maryland is The Corporation Trust Incorporated whose post address is 351 West Camden Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201. The resident agent is a Maryland corporation.

 

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ARTICLE V

 

PROVISIONS FOR DEFINING, LIMITING
AND REGULATING CERTAIN POWERS OF THE
CORPORATION AND OF THE STOCKHOLDERS AND DIRECTORS

 

Section 5.1.     Number and Classification of Directors.  The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed under the direction of the Board of Directors. The number of directors of the Corporation is ten, which number may be increased or decreased only by the Board of Directors pursuant to the Bylaws of the Corporation (the Bylaws), but shall never be fewer than the minimum number required by the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”). The names and classes of the initial directors are:

 

Name Class
Matthew J. Gould II
Louis C. Grassi II
Israel Rosenzweig II
Jeffrey Rubin II
Frederic H. Gould III
Gary Hurand III
Elie Weiss III
Alan H. Ginsburg I
Jeffrey A. Gould I
Jonathan H. Simon I

 

Any vacancy on the Board of Directors may be filled in the manner provided in the Bylaws.

 

The directors shall be classified, with respect to the terms for which they severally hold office, into three classes, designated as Class I, Class II and Class III. The initial term of office of the initial Class I directors shall expire at the first annual meeting of stockholders, the initial term of office of the initial Class II directors shall expire at the second annual meeting of stockholders and the initial term of office of the initial Class III directors shall expire at the third annual meeting of the stockholders. At each annual meeting of the stockholders, the successors to the class of directors whose term expires at such meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders following the meeting at which they were elected and until their successors are duly elected and qualify.

 

The Corporation elects, at such time as it becomes eligible under Section 3-802 of the MGCL to make the election provided for under Section 3-804(c) of the MGCL, that, except as may be provided by the Board of Directors in setting the terms of any class or series of stock, any and all vacancies on the Board of Directors may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any director elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which such vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualifies.

 

Section 5.2.     Extraordinary Actions. Except as specifically provided in Section 5.8 (relating to removal of directors) and in the last sentence of Article VIII, notwithstanding any provision of law permitting or requiring any action to be taken or approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a greater number of votes, any such action shall be effective and valid if declared advisable by the Board of Directors and taken or approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

 

Section 5.3.     Authorization by Board of Directors of Stock Issuance.  The Board of Directors may authorize the issuance from time to time of shares of stock of the Corporation of any class or series, whether now or hereafter authorized, or securities or rights convertible into shares of its stock of any class or series, whether now or hereafter authorized, for such consideration as the Board of Directors may deem advisable (or without consideration in the case of a stock split or stock dividend), subject to such restrictions or limitations, if any, as may be set forth in the Charter or the Bylaws.

 

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Section 5.4.     Preemptive Rights; Appraisal Rights. (a) Except as may be provided by the Board of Directors in setting the terms of classified or reclassified shares of stock pursuant to Section 6.4 or as may otherwise be provided by a contract approved by the Board of Directors, no holder of shares of stock of the Corporation shall, as such holder, have any preemptive right to purchase or subscribe for any additional shares of stock of the Corporation or any other security of the Corporation which it may issue or sell.

 

(b)     Holders of shares of any class or series of stock shall not be entitled to exercise any rights of an objecting stockholder provided for under Title 3, Subtitle 2 of the MGCL or any successor statute unless the Board of Directors, upon such terms and conditions as may be specified by the Board of Directors, shall determine that such rights apply, with respect to all or any shares of all or any classes or series of stock, to one or more transactions occurring after the date of such determination in connection with which holders of such shares would otherwise be entitled to exercise such rights.

 

Section 5.5.     Indemnification. The Corporation, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, shall indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, shall pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to (a) any individual who is a present or former director or officer of the Corporation or a former trustee or officer of BRT Realty Trust, a Massachusetts business trust formed on June 16, 1972 (the “Predecessor Trust”) and who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in, the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity or (b) any individual who, while a director or officer of the Corporation or the Predecessor Trust and at the request of the Corporation or the Predecessor Trust, serves or has served as a director, officer, trustee, member, manager or partner of another corporation, real estate investment trust, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in, the proceeding by reason of his or her service in such capacity, in either case, from and against any claim or liability to which such individual may become subject by reason of his or her service in such capacity. The rights to indemnification and advance of expenses provided by this Charter shall vest immediately upon election of a director or officer. The Corporation may, with the approval of the Board of Directors, provide such indemnification and advancement of expenses to any individual who served a predecessor of the Corporation (including, without limitation, the Predecessor Trust and its direct or indirect subsidiaries), in any of the capacities described in (a) or (b) above and to any employee or agent of the Corporation or a predecessor of the Corporation. The indemnification and payment or reimbursement of expenses provided in this Charter shall not be deemed exclusive of or limit in any way other rights to which any person seeking indemnification or payment or reimbursement of expenses may be or may become entitled under any bylaw, resolution, insurance, agreement or otherwise.

 

Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Section 5.5, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Charter or the Bylaws inconsistent with this Section 5.5, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding paragraph with respect to any act or failure to act which occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption. For the avoidance of doubt, the rights of indemnification provided by this Charter shall protect acts performed by such indemnitees (including by reason of being named a person who is about to become a director) prior to the date of this Charter, including acts performed, or omissions taking place, prior to the formation of the Corporation.

 

Section 5.6.     Determinations by Board of Directors. The determination as to any of the following matters, made by or pursuant to the direction of the Board of Directors, shall be final and conclusive and shall be binding upon the Corporation and every holder of shares of its stock: the amount of the net income of the Corporation for any period and the amount of assets at any time legally available for the payment of dividends, acquisition of its stock or the payment of other distributions on its stock; the amount of paid-in surplus, net assets, other surplus, cash flow, funds from operations, adjusted funds from operations, net profit, net assets in excess of capital, undivided profits or excess of profits over losses on sales of assets; the amount, purpose, time of creation, increase or decrease, alteration or cancellation of any reserves or charges and the propriety thereof (whether or not any obligation or liability for which such reserves or charges shall have been created shall have been paid or discharged); any interpretation or resolution of any ambiguity with respect to any provision of the Charter (including any of the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers or rights, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of any shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation) or of the Bylaws; the number of authorized or outstanding shares of stock of any class or series of the Corporation; the value, fair value, or any sale, bid or asked price to be applied in determining the value or fair value, of any asset owned or held by the Corporation or of any shares of stock of the Corporation; any matter relating to the acquisition, holding and disposition of any assets by the Corporation; any interpretation of the terms and conditions of one or more agreements with any person, corporation, association, company, trust, partnership (limited or general) or other organization; the compensation of directors, officers, employees or agents of the Corporation; or any other matter relating to the business and affairs of the Corporation or required or permitted by applicable law, the Charter or Bylaws or otherwise to be determined by the Board of Directors.

 

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Section 5.7.     REIT Qualification. For so long as the Corporation elects to qualify for federal income tax treatment as a REIT, the Board of Directors shall use its reasonable efforts to take such actions as are necessary or appropriate to preserve the status of the Corporation as a REIT; however, if the Board of Directors determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the Corporation to attempt to, or continue to, qualify as a REIT, the Board of Directors may authorize the Corporation to revoke or otherwise terminate the Corporation’s REIT election pursuant to Section 856(g) of the Code. The Board of Directors, in its sole and absolute discretion, also may (a) determine that compliance with any restriction or limitation on stock ownership and transfers set forth in Article VII is no longer required for REIT qualification and (b) make any other determination or take any other action pursuant to Article VII.

 

Section 5.8.     Removal of Directors. Subject to the rights of holders of one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock to elect or remove one or more directors, any director, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and then only by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of directors. For the purpose of this Section 5.8, “cause” shall mean, with respect to any particular director, conviction of a felony or a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction holding that such director caused demonstrable, material harm to the Corporation through bad faith or active and deliberate dishonesty.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

STOCK

 

Section 6.1.     Authorized Shares. The Corporation has authority to issue 302,000,000 shares of stock, consisting of 300,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share (“Common Stock”), and 2,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share (“Preferred Stock”). The aggregate par value of all authorized shares of stock having par value is $3,020,000.00. If shares of one class of stock are classified or reclassified into shares of another class of stock pursuant to Section 6.2, 6.3 or 6.4 of this Article VI, the number of authorized shares of the former class shall be automatically decreased and the number of shares of the latter class shall be automatically increased, in each case by the number of shares so classified or reclassified, so that the aggregate number of shares of stock of all classes that the Corporation has authority to issue shall not be more than the total number of shares of stock set forth in the first sentence of this paragraph. The Board of Directors, with the approval of a majority of the entire Board of Directors and without any action by the stockholders of the Corporation, may amend the Charter from time to time to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of stock or the number of shares of stock of any class or series that the Corporation has authority to issue.

 

Section 6.2.     Common Stock. Subject to the provisions of Article VII and except as may otherwise be specified in the Charter, each share of Common Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote. The Board of Directors may reclassify any unissued shares of Common Stock from time to time into one or more classes or series of stock.

 

Section 6.3.     Preferred Stock. The Board of Directors may classify any unissued shares of Preferred Stock and reclassify any previously classified but unissued shares of Preferred Stock of any series from time to time, into one or more classes or series of stock.

 

Section 6.4.     Classified or Reclassified Shares. Prior to issuance of classified or reclassified shares of any class or series, the Board of Directors by resolution shall: (a) designate that class or series to distinguish it from all other classes and series of stock of the Corporation; (b) specify the number of shares to be included in the class or series; (c) set or change, subject to the provisions of Article VII and subject to the express terms of any class or series of stock of the Corporation outstanding at the time, the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption for each class or series; and (d) cause the Corporation to file articles supplementary with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (“SDAT”). Any of the terms of any class or series of stock set or changed pursuant to clause (c) of this Section 6.4 may be made dependent upon facts or events ascertainable outside the Charter (including determinations by the Board of Directors or other facts or events within the control of the Corporation) and may vary among holders thereof, provided that the manner in which such facts, events or variations shall operate upon the terms of such class or series of stock is clearly and expressly set forth in the articles supplementary or other charter document.

 

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Section 6.5.     Actions by Stockholders. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the holders of Common Stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors may be taken without a meeting by consent, in writing or by electronic transmission, in any manner and by any vote permitted by the MGCL and set forth in the Bylaws.

 

Section 6.6.     Charter and Bylaws. The rights of all stockholders and the terms of all stock are subject to the provisions of the Charter and the Bylaws. The Board of Directors shall have the exclusive power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of the Bylaws and to make new Bylaws.

 

Section 6.7.     Distributions. The Board of Directors from time to time may authorize the Corporation to declare and pay to stockholders such dividends or other distributions in cash or other assets of the Corporation or in securities of the Corporation, including in shares of one class or series of the Corporation’s stock payable to holders of shares of another class or series of stock of the Corporation, or from any other source as the Board of Directors in its sole and absolute discretion shall determine. The exercise of the powers and rights of the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section 6.7 shall be subject to the provisions of any class or series of shares of the Corporation’s stock at the time outstanding.

 

ARTICLE VII

RESTRICTION ON TRANSFER AND OWNERSHIP OF SHARES

 

Section 7.1.     Definitions. For the purpose of this Article VII, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit. The term “Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit” means 6.0% in value of the aggregate value of all of the outstanding shares of Capital Stock, or such other percentage determined from time to time by the Board of Directors in accordance with Section 7.2.8.

 

Beneficial Ownership. The term “Beneficial Ownership” means ownership of Capital Stock by a Person, whether the interest in the shares of Capital Stock is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that would be treated as owned through the application of Section 544 of the Code, as modified by Sections 856(h)(1)(B) and 856(h)(3)(A) of the Code. The terms “Beneficial Owner,” “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

 

Business Day. The term “Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in New York City are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

Capital Stock. The term “Capital Stock” means all classes or series of stock of the Corporation, including, without limitation, Common Stock and Preferred Stock.

 

Charitable Beneficiary. The term “Charitable Beneficiary” means one or more beneficiaries of the Trust as determined pursuant to Section 7.3.6, provided that each such organization must be described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and contributions to each such organization must be eligible for deduction under each of Sections 170(b)(1)(A), 2055 and 2522 of the Code.

 

Common Stock Ownership Limit. The term “Common Stock Ownership Limit” means 6.0% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of the aggregate of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or such other percentage determined from time to time by the Board of Directors in accordance with Section 7.2.8.

 

Constructive Ownership. The term “Constructive Ownership” means ownership of Capital Stock by a Person, whether the interest in the shares of Capital Stock is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that would be treated as owned through the application of Section 318(a) of the Code, as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Code. The terms “Constructive Owner,” “Constructively Owns” and “Constructively Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

 

Excepted Holder. The term “Excepted Holder” means a Person for whom an exemption is granted and/or an Excepted Holder Limit is created by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 7.2.7.

 

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Excepted Holder Limit. The term “Excepted Holder Limit” means, provided that the affected Excepted Holder agrees to comply with the requirements established by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 7.2.7 and subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 7.2.8, the percentage limit established for an Excepted Holder by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 7.2.7.

 

Initial Date. The term “Initial Date” means the date and time that the conversion of the Predecessor Trust into the Corporation is completed within the meaning of Section 3-906 of the MGCL.

 

Market Price. The term “Market Price” on any date means, with respect to any class or series of outstanding shares of Capital Stock, the Closing Price for such Capital Stock on such date. The “Closing Price” on any date shall mean the last reported sale price for such Capital Stock, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, for such Capital Stock, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE or, if such Capital Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE, as reported on the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which such Capital Stock is listed or admitted to trading or, if such Capital Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price, or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the principal automated quotation system that may then be in use or, if such Capital Stock is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such Capital Stock selected by the Board of Directors or, in the event that no trading price is available for such Capital Stock, the fair market value of the Capital Stock, as determined by the Board of Directors.

 

NYSE. The term “NYSE” means the New York Stock Exchange.

 

Person. The term “Person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, estate, trust (including a trust qualified under Sections 401(a) or 501(c)(17) of the Code), a portion of a trust permanently set aside for or to be used exclusively for the purposes described in Section 642(c) of the Code, association, private foundation within the meaning of Section 509(a) of the Code, joint stock company, government, government subdivision, agency or instrumentality or other entity and also includes a “group” as that term is used for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and a group to which an Excepted Holder Limit applies.

 

Prohibited Owner. The term “Prohibited Owner” means, with respect to any purported Transfer (or other event), any Person that, but for the provisions of this Article VII, would Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Capital Stock in violation of Section 7.2.1, and, if appropriate in the context, shall also mean any Person who would have been the record owner of the shares of Capital Stock that the Prohibited Owner would have so owned.

 

Restriction Termination Date. The term “Restriction Termination Date” means the first day after the Initial Date on which the Board of Directors determines pursuant to Section 5.7 of the Charter that it is no longer in the best interests of the Corporation to attempt to, or continue to, qualify as a REIT or that compliance with the applicable restriction or limitation on Beneficial Ownership, Constructive Ownership and Transfers of shares of Capital Stock set forth herein is no longer required in order for the Corporation to qualify as a REIT.

 

Transfer. The term “Transfer” means any issuance, sale, transfer, gift, assignment, devise or other disposition, as well as any other event that causes any Person to acquire or change its Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership, or any agreement to take any such action or cause any such event, of Capital Stock or the right to vote (other than solely pursuant to a revocable proxy) or receive dividends on Capital Stock, including (a) the granting or exercise of any option (or any disposition of any option), (b) any disposition of any securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock or any interest in Capital Stock or any exercise of any such conversion or exchange right and (c) Transfers of interests in other entities that result in changes in Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Capital Stock; in each case, whether voluntary or involuntary, whether owned of record, Constructively Owned or Beneficially Owned and whether by operation of law or otherwise. The terms “Transferring” and “Transferred” shall have the correlative meanings.

 

Trust. The term “Trust” means any trust provided for in Section 7.3.1.

 

Trustee. The term “Trustee” means the Person unaffiliated with the Corporation and a Prohibited Owner that is appointed by the Corporation to serve as trustee of the Trust.

 

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Section 7.2. Capital Stock.

 

Section 7.2.1.     Ownership Limitations. During the period commencing on the Initial Date and prior to the Restriction Termination Date, but subject to Section 7.4:

 

(a)     Basic Restrictions.

 

(i)     (1) No Person, other than a Person exempted pursuant to Section 7.2.7 or an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Capital Stock in excess of the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit, (2) no Person, other than a Person exempted pursuant to Section 7.2.7 or an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Common Stock in excess of the Common Stock Ownership Limit and (3) no Excepted Holder shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Capital Stock in excess of the Excepted Holder Limit for such Excepted Holder.

 

(ii)     No Person shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Capital Stock to the extent that such Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Capital Stock would result in the Corporation being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year), or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT (including, without limitation, Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership that would result in the Corporation owning (actually or Constructively) an interest in a tenant that is described in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code if the income derived by the Corporation from such tenant would cause the Corporation to fail to satisfy any of the gross income requirements of Section 856(c) of the Code).

 

(iii)     Any Transfer of shares of Capital Stock that, if effective, would result in the Capital Stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 Persons (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code) shall be void ab initio, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such shares of Capital Stock.

 

(b)     Transfer in Trust; Transfer Void Ab Initio. If any Transfer of shares of Capital Stock occurs which, if effective, would result in any Person Beneficially Owning or Constructively Owning shares of Capital Stock in violation of Section 7.2.1(a)(i) or (ii),

 

(i)     then that number of shares of the Capital Stock the Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of which otherwise would cause such Person to violate Section 7.2.1(a)(i) or (ii) (rounded up to the nearest whole share) shall be automatically deemed to be transferred, without further action by the Corporation or any other party, to a Trust for the benefit of a Charitable Beneficiary, as described in Section 7.3, effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the date of such Transfer, and such Person shall acquire no rights in such shares of Capital Stock; or

 

(ii)     if the transfer to the Trust described in clause (i) of this sentence would not be effective for any reason to prevent the violation of Section 7.2.1(a)(i) or (ii), then the Transfer of that number of shares of Capital Stock that otherwise would cause any Person to violate Section 7.2.1(a)(i) or (ii) shall be void ab initio, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such shares of Capital Stock.

 

(iii)     To the extent that, upon a transfer of shares of Capital Stock pursuant to this Section 7.2.1(b), a violation of any provision of this Article VII would nonetheless be continuing (for example where the ownership of shares of Capital Stock by a single Trust would violate the 100 stockholder requirement applicable to REITs), then shares of Capital Stock shall be transferred to that number of Trusts, each having a distinct Trustee and a Charitable Beneficiary or Charitable Beneficiaries that are distinct from those of each other Trust, such that there is no violation of any provision of this Article VII.

 

Section 7.2.2.     Remedies for Breach. If the Board of Directors shall at any time determine that a Transfer or other event has taken place that results in a violation of Section 7.2.1 or that a Person intends to acquire or has attempted to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of any shares of Capital Stock in violation of Section 7.2.1 (whether or not such violation is intended), the Board of Directors may take such action as it deems advisable to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such Transfer or other event, including, without limitation, causing the Corporation to redeem shares, refusing to give effect to such Transfer on the books of the Corporation or instituting proceedings to enjoin such Transfer or other event; provided, however, that any Transfer or attempted Transfer or other event in violation of Section 7.2.1 shall automatically result in the transfer to the Trust described above, and, where applicable, such Transfer (or other event) shall be void ab initio as provided above irrespective of any action (or non-action) by the Board of Directors.

 

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Section 7.2.3.     Notice of Restricted Transfer. Any Person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of shares of Capital Stock that will or may violate Section 7.2.1(a) or any Person who would have owned shares of Capital Stock that resulted in a transfer to the Trust pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.2.1(b) shall immediately give written notice to the Corporation of such event or, in the case of such a proposed or attempted transaction, give at least 15 days prior written notice, and shall provide to the Corporation such other information as the Corporation may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Transfer on the Corporation’s status as a REIT.

 

Section 7.2.4.     Owners Required To Provide Information. From the Initial Date and prior to the Restriction Termination Date:

 

(a)     every owner of five percent or more (or such lower percentage as required by the Code or the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder) in number or value of the outstanding shares of Capital Stock, within 30 days after the end of each taxable year, shall give written notice to the Corporation stating the name and address of such owner, the number of shares of Capital Stock of each class and/or series Beneficially Owned and a description of the manner in which such shares are held. Each such owner shall provide promptly to the Corporation in writing such additional information as the Corporation may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Beneficial Ownership on the Corporation’s status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit or the Common Stock Ownership Limit; and

 

(b)     each Person who is a Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner of Capital Stock and each Person (including the stockholder of record) who is holding Capital Stock for a Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner shall provide promptly to the Corporation in writing such information as the Corporation may request, in order to determine the Corporation’s status as a REIT and to comply with requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance.

 

Section 7.2.5.     Remedies Not Limited. Subject to Section 5.7 of the Charter, nothing contained in this Section 7.2 shall limit the authority of the Board of Directors to take such other action as it deems necessary or advisable to protect the Corporation in preserving the Corporation’s status as a REIT.

 

Section 7.2.6.     Ambiguity. In the case of an ambiguity in the application of any of the provisions of this Section 7.2, Section 7.3 or any definition contained in Section 7.1, the Board of Directors may determine the application of the provisions of this Section 7.2 or Section 7.3 or any such definition with respect to any situation based on the facts known to it. In the event Section 7.2 or Section 7.3 requires an action by the Board of Directors and the Charter fails to provide specific guidance with respect to such action, the Board of Directors may determine the action to be taken so long as such action is not contrary to the provisions of Sections 7.1, 7.2 or 7.3. Absent a decision to the contrary by the Board of Directors, if a Person would have (but for the remedies set forth in Section 7.2.2) acquired Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Capital Stock in violation of Section 7.2.1, such remedies (as applicable) shall apply first to the shares of Capital Stock that, but for such remedies, would have been actually owned by such Person, and second to shares of Capital Stock that, but for such remedies, would have been Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned (but not actually owned) by such Person, pro rata among the Persons who actually own such shares of Capital Stock based upon the relative number of shares of Capital Stock held by each such Person.

 

Section 7.2.7.     Exceptions.

 

(a)     Subject to Section 7.2.1(a)(ii) and upon receipt of such representations and agreements as the Board of Directors may require, the Board of Directors may exempt (prospectively or retroactively) a Person from the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit or the Common Stock Ownership Limit and may establish or increase an Excepted Holder Limit for such Person.

 

(b)     Prior to granting any exception pursuant to Section 7.2.7(a), the Board of Directors may require a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or an opinion of counsel, in either case in form and substance satisfactory to the Board of Directors, as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to determine or ensure the Corporation’s status as a REIT. Notwithstanding the receipt of any ruling or opinion, the Board of Directors may impose such conditions or restrictions as it deems appropriate in connection with granting such exception.

 

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(c)     Subject to Section 7.2.1(a)(ii), an underwriter, placement agent or initial purchaser that participates in a public offering, a private placement or other private offering of Capital Stock (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock) may Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Capital Stock (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock) in excess of the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit, the Common Stock Ownership Limit, or both such limits, but only to the extent necessary to facilitate such public offering, private placement or immediate resale of such Capital Stock and provided that the restrictions contained in Section 7.2.1(a) hereof will not be violated following the distribution or resale by such underwriter, placement agent or initial purchaser.

 

(d)     The Board of Directors may only reduce an Excepted Holder Limit for an Excepted Holder: (1) with the written consent of such Excepted Holder at any time, or (2) pursuant to the terms and conditions of the agreements and undertakings entered into with such Excepted Holder in connection with the establishment of the Excepted Holder Limit for that Excepted Holder. No Excepted Holder Limit shall be reduced to a percentage that is less than the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit or the Common Stock Ownership Limit, as applicable.

 

Section 7.2.8.     Increase or Decrease in Common Stock Ownership Limit or Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit. Subject to this Section 7.2.8, the Board of Directors may from time to time increase or decrease the Common Stock Ownership Limit and the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit for one or more Persons, and may increase or decrease the Common Stock Ownership Limit and the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit for all other Persons. No decreased Common Stock Ownership Limit or Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit will be effective for any Person whose percentage of ownership of Capital Stock is in excess of such decreased Common Stock Ownership Limit or Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit, as applicable, until such time as such Person’s percentage of ownership of Capital Stock equals or falls below the decreased Common Stock Ownership Limit or Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit, as applicable; provided, however, that any further acquisition of Capital Stock by any such Person (other than a Person for whom an exemption has been granted pursuant to Section 7.2.7(a) or an Excepted Holder) in excess of the Capital Stock owned by such person on the date the decreased Common Stock Ownership Limit or Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit, as applicable, became effective will be in violation of the Common Stock Ownership Limit or Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit. No increase to the Common Stock Ownership Limit or Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit may be approved if the new Common Stock Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit would allow five or fewer Persons to Beneficially Own, in the aggregate more than 49.9% in value of the outstanding Capital Stock (without regard to any exemptions from the Common Stock Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit or Excepted Holder Limits previously granted by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 7.2.7) or would cause the Corporation to otherwise fail to qualify as a REIT. Prior to increasing or decreasing the Common Stock Ownership Limit or Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit pursuant to this Section 7.2.8, the Board of Directors may require such opinions of counsel, affidavits, undertakings or agreements, in any case in form and substance satisfactory to the Board of Directors in its sole discretion as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to determine or ensure the Corporation’s status as a REIT.

 

Section 7.2.9.     Legend. Any certificate representing certificated shares of Capital Stock shall bear a legend noting the restrictions of ownership and transfer of Capital Stock set forth in this Article VII. Instead of the foregoing legend, a certificate may state that the Corporation will furnish a full statement about certain restrictions on ownership and transfer of the shares to a stockholder on request and without charge.

 

Section 7.3.     Transfer of Capital Stock in Trust.

 

Section 7.3.1.     Ownership in Trust. Upon any purported Transfer or other event described in Section 7.2.1(b) that would result in a transfer of shares of Capital Stock to a Trust, such shares of Capital Stock shall be deemed to have been transferred to the Trustee as trustee of a Trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more Charitable Beneficiaries. Such transfer to the Trustee shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the purported Transfer or other event that results in the transfer to the Trust pursuant to Section 7.2.1(b). The Trustee shall be appointed by the Corporation and shall be a Person unaffiliated with the Corporation and any Prohibited Owner. Each Charitable Beneficiary shall be designated by the Corporation as provided in Section 7.3.6.

 

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Section 7.3.2.     Status of Shares Held by the Trustee. Shares of Capital Stock held by the Trustee shall be issued and outstanding shares of Capital Stock of the Corporation. The Prohibited Owner shall have no rights in the shares held by the Trustee. The Prohibited Owner shall not benefit economically from ownership of any shares held in trust by the Trustee, shall have no rights to dividends or other distributions and shall not possess any rights to vote or other rights attributable to the shares held in the Trust.

 

Section 7.3.3.     Dividend and Voting Rights. The Trustee shall have all voting rights and rights to dividends or other distributions with respect to shares of Capital Stock held in the Trust, which rights shall be exercised for the exclusive benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary. Any dividend or other distribution paid prior to the discovery by the Corporation that the shares of Capital Stock have been transferred to the Trustee shall be paid by the recipient of such dividend or other distribution to the Trustee upon demand and any dividend or other distribution authorized but unpaid shall be paid when due to the Trustee. Any dividend or other distribution so paid to the Trustee shall be held in trust for the Charitable Beneficiary. The Prohibited Owner shall have no voting rights with respect to shares held in the Trust and, subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that the shares of Capital Stock have been transferred to the Trustee, the Trustee shall have the authority (at the Trustee’s sole and absolute discretion) (i) to rescind as void any vote cast by a Prohibited Owner prior to the discovery by the Corporation that the shares of Capital Stock have been transferred to the Trustee and (ii) to recast such vote; provided, however, that if the Corporation has already taken irreversible corporate action, then the Trustee shall not have the authority to rescind and recast such vote. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article VII, until the Corporation has received notification that shares of Capital Stock have been transferred into a Trust, the Corporation shall be entitled to rely on its share transfer and other stockholder records for purposes of preparing lists of stockholders entitled to vote at meetings, determining the validity and authority of proxies and otherwise conducting votes and determining the other rights of stockholders.

 

Section 7.3.4.     Sale of Shares by Trustee. Within 20 days of receiving notice from the Corporation that shares of Capital Stock have been transferred to the Trust, the Trustee of the Trust shall sell the shares held in the Trust to a Person or Persons, designated by the Trustee, whose ownership of the shares will not violate the ownership limitations set forth in Section 7.2.1(a). Upon such sale, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner and to the Charitable Beneficiary as provided in this Section 7.3.4. The Prohibited Owner shall receive the lesser of (i) the price paid by the Prohibited Owner for the shares (or, if the event causing the shares to be held in Trust did not involve a purchase of such shares at Market Price, the Market Price of the shares on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in the Trust) and (ii) the price per share received by the Trustee (net of any commissions and other expenses of sale) from the sale or other disposition of the shares held in the Trust. The Trustee may reduce the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner by the amount of dividends and distributions which have been paid to the Prohibited Owner and are owed by the Prohibited Owner to the Trustee pursuant to Section 7.3.3 of this Article VII. Any net sales proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner and any other amounts held in the Trust with respect to such shares shall be immediately paid to the Charitable Beneficiary. If, prior to the discovery by the Corporation that shares of Capital Stock have been transferred to the Trustee, such shares are sold by a Prohibited Owner, then (i) such shares shall be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the Trust and (ii) to the extent that the Prohibited Owner received an amount for such shares that exceeds the amount that such Prohibited Owner was entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 7.3.4, such excess shall be paid to the Trustee upon demand.

 

Section 7.3.5.     Purchase Right in Stock Transferred to the Trustee. Shares of Capital Stock transferred to the Trustee shall be deemed to have been offered for sale to the Corporation, or its designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price paid by the Prohibited Owner for the shares (or, if the event causing the shares to be held in Trust did not involve a purchase of such shares at Market Price, the Market Price of the shares on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in the Trust) and (ii) the Market Price on the date the Corporation, or its designee, accepts such offer. The Corporation may reduce the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner by the amount of dividends and distributions which has been paid to the Prohibited Owner and is owed by the Prohibited Owner to the Trustee pursuant to Section 7.3.3 of this Article VII and, in such a case, the Corporation will pay the amount of such reduction to the Trustee for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary. The Corporation shall have the right to accept such offer until the Trustee has sold the shares held in the Trust pursuant to Section 7.3.4. Upon such a sale to the Corporation, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner and any dividends or other amounts held by the Trustee with respect to such shares shall be paid to the Charitable Beneficiary.

 

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Section 7.3.6.     Designation of Charitable Beneficiaries. By written notice to the Trustee, the Corporation shall designate one or more nonprofit organizations to be the Charitable Beneficiary of the interest in the Trust such that the shares of Capital Stock held in the Trust would not violate the restrictions set forth in Section 7.2.1(a) in the hands of such Charitable Beneficiary. Neither the failure of the Corporation to make such designation nor the failure of the Corporation to appoint the Trustee before the automatic transfer provided in Section 7.2.1(b) shall make such transfer ineffective, provided that the Corporation thereafter makes such designation and appointment.

 

Section 7.4.     NYSE Transactions. Nothing in this Article VII shall preclude the settlement of any transaction entered into through the facilities of the NYSE or any other national securities exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system. The fact that the settlement of any transaction occurs shall not negate the effect of any other provision of this Article VII and any transferee in such a transaction shall be subject to all of the provisions and limitations set forth in this Article VII.

 

Section 7.5.     Enforcement. The Corporation is authorized specifically to seek equitable relief, including injunctive relief, to enforce the provisions of this Article VII.

 

Section 7.6.     Non-Waiver. No delay or failure on the part of the Corporation or the Board of Directors in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver of any right of the Corporation or the Board of Directors, as the case may be, except to the extent specifically waived in writing.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

AMENDMENTS

 

The Corporation reserves the right from time to time to make any amendment to its Charter, now or hereafter authorized by law, including any amendment altering the terms or contract rights, as expressly set forth in the Charter, of any shares of outstanding stock. All rights and powers conferred by the Charter on stockholders, directors and officers are granted subject to this reservation. Except for amendments to Sections 5.1, 5.5, 5.8, 6.6 and Articles VII and IX and for those amendments permitted to be made without stockholder approval under Maryland law or by specific provision in the Charter, any amendment to the Charter shall be valid only if declared advisable by the Board of Directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. However, any amendment to Sections 5.1, 5.5, 5.8, 6.6, and Articles VII and IX or to this sentence of the Charter, shall be valid only if declared advisable by the Board of Directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

 

To the maximum extent that Maryland law in effect from time to time permits limitation of the liability of directors and officers of a corporation, no present or former director or officer of the Corporation shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for money damages. Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article IX, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Charter or Bylaws inconsistent with this Article IX, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding sentence with respect to any act or failure to act which occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have signed these Articles of Incorporation as of the 14th day of March, 2017.

 

  /s/ Jeffrey A. Gould
  Jeffrey A. Gould, Incorporator

 

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Dates Referenced Herein   and   Documents Incorporated by Reference

This ‘8-K12G3’ Filing    Date    Other Filings
Filed on:3/20/1715-12B,  25-NSE
For Period End:3/18/17
 List all Filings 


12 Subsequent Filings that Reference this Filing

  As Of               Filer                 Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size             Issuer                      Filing Agent

 3/14/24  BRT Apartments Corp.              10-K       12/31/23   96:12M
 3/13/24  BRT Apartments Corp.              S-3D        3/13/24    6:552K                                   Broadridge Fin’l So… Inc
 4/25/23  BRT Apartments Corp.              S-3/A                  2:563K                                   Broadridge Fin’l So… Inc
 3/15/23  BRT Apartments Corp.              10-K       12/31/22  100:13M
 6/14/22  BRT Apartments Corp.              S-3D        6/14/22    6:540K                                   EdgarAgents LLC/FA
 6/14/22  BRT Apartments Corp.              S-3                    5:634K                                   Broadridge Fin’l So… Inc
 3/18/22  BRT Apartments Corp.              424B5                  1:529K                                   Broadridge Fin’l So… Inc
 3/16/22  BRT Apartments Corp.              10-K       12/31/21  102:12M
 5/10/21  BRT Apartments Corp.              424B5                  1:677K                                   Broadridge Fin’l So… Inc
 3/31/21  BRT Apartments Corp.              10-K/A     12/31/20   17:591K
 3/15/21  BRT Apartments Corp.              10-K       12/31/20   94:11M
11/06/20  BRT Apartments Corp.              S-8        11/06/20    3:199K
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