UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

x         ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020

¨           TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Commission File Number:  1-13274 Mack-Cali Realty Corporation

Commission File Number:  333-57103: Mack-Cali Realty, L.P.

MACK-CALI REALTY CORPORATION

MACK-CALI REALTY, L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

(732) 590-1010

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.       

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 USC. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. YES x NO o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.)

As of June 30, 2020, the aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the Mack-Cali Realty Corporation was $1,314,998,454.  The aggregate market value was computed with reference to the closing price on the New York Stock Exchange on such date.  This calculation does not reflect a determination that persons are affiliates for any other purpose.  The registrant has no non-voting common stock.

As of February 23, 2021, 90,729,044 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value, of Mack-Cali Realty Corporation (“Common Stock”) were outstanding.

Mack-Cali Realty, L.P. does not have any class of common equity that is registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act.

LOCATION OF EXHIBIT INDEX:  The index of exhibits is contained herein on page number 145.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE:  Portions of the Mack-Cali Realty Corporation’s definitive proxy statement for fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 to be issued in conjunction with the registrant’s annual meeting of shareholders expected to be held on June 9, 2021 are incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K.  The definitive proxy statement will be filed by the registrant with the SEC not later than 120 days from the end of the registrant’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.
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EXPLANATORY NOTE

This report combines the annual reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 of Mack-Cali Realty Corporation and Mack-Cali Realty, L.P. Unless stated otherwise or the context otherwise requires, references to the “Operating Partnership” mean Mack-Cali Realty, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and references to the “General Partner” mean Mack-Cali Realty Corporation, a Maryland corporation and real estate investment trust (“REIT”), and its subsidiaries, including the Operating Partnership. References to the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” mean collectively the General Partner, the Operating Partnership and those entities/subsidiaries consolidated by the General Partner.

The Operating Partnership conducts the business of providing leasing, management, acquisition, development, construction and tenant-related services for its General Partner.  The Operating Partnership, through its operating divisions and subsidiaries, including the Mack-Cali property-owning partnerships and limited liability companies is the entity through which all of the General Partner’s operations are conducted.  The General Partner is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership and has exclusive control of the Operating Partnership’s day-to-day management.

As of December 31, 2020, the General Partner owned an approximate 90.4 percent common unit interest in the Operating Partnership. The remaining approximate 9.6 percent common unit interest is owned by limited partners.  The limited partners of the Operating Partnership are (1) persons who contributed their interests in properties to the Operating Partnership in exchange for common units (each, a “Common Unit”) or preferred units of limited partnership interest in the Operating Partnership or (2) recipients of long term incentive plan units of the Operating Partnership pursuant to the General Partner’s executive compensation plans.

A Common Unit of the Operating Partnership and a share of common stock of the General Partner (the “Common Stock”) have substantially the same economic characteristics in as much as they effectively share equally in the net income or loss of the Company.  The General Partner owns a number of common units of the Operating Partnership equal to the number of issued and outstanding shares of the General Partner’s common stock.  Common unitholders (other than the General Partner) have the right to redeem their Common Units, subject to certain restrictions under the Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Operating Partnership, as amended (the “Partnership Agreement”) and agreed upon at the time of issuance of the units that may restrict such right for a period of time, generally one year from issuance.  The redemption is required to be satisfied in shares of Common Stock of the General Partner, cash, or a combination thereof, calculated as follows:  one share of the General Partner’s Common Stock, or cash equal to the fair market value of a share of the General Partner’s Common Stock at the time of redemption, for each Common Unit.  The General Partner, in its sole discretion, determines the form of redemption of Common Units (i.e., whether a common unitholder receives Common Stock of the General Partner, cash, or any combination thereof).  If the General Partner elects to satisfy the redemption with shares of Common Stock of the General Partner as opposed to cash, the General Partner is obligated to issue shares of its Common Stock to the redeeming unitholder.  Regardless of the rights described above, the common unitholders may not put their units for cash to the Company or the General Partner under any circumstances.  With each such redemption, the General Partner’s percentage ownership in the Operating Partnership will increase. In addition, whenever the General Partner issues shares of its Common Stock other than to acquire Common Units, the General Partner must contribute any net proceeds it receives to the Operating Partnership and the Operating Partnership must issue to the General Partner an equivalent number of Common Units. This structure is commonly referred to as an umbrella partnership REIT, or UPREIT.

The Company believes that combining the annual reports on Form 10-K of the General Partner and the Operating Partnership into this single report provides the following benefits:

·enhance investors’ understanding of the General Partner and the Operating Partnership by enabling investors to view the business as a whole in the same manner as management views and operates the business of the Company;

·eliminate duplicative disclosure and provide a more streamlined and readable presentation because a substantial portion of the disclosure applies to both the General Partner and the Operating Partnership; and

·create time and cost efficiencies through the preparation of one combined report instead of two separate reports.

The Company believes it is important to understand the few differences between the General Partner and the Operating Partnership in the context of how they operate as a consolidated company.  The financial results of the Operating Partnership are consolidated into the financial statements of the General Partner.  The General Partner does not have any other significant assets, liabilities or operations, other than its interests in the Operating Partnership, nor does the Operating Partnership have employees of its own.  The Operating Partnership, not the General Partner, generally executes all significant business relationships other than transactions involving the securities of the General Partner.  The Operating Partnership holds substantially all of the assets of the General Partner, including ownership interests in joint ventures.  The Operating Partnership conducts the operations of the business and is structured as a partnership with no publicly traded equity.  Except for the net proceeds from equity offerings by the General Partner, which are contributed to the capital of the Operating Partnership in consideration of common or preferred units in the Operating Partnership, as applicable, the Operating Partnership generates all remaining capital required by the Company’s

business. These sources include working capital, net cash provided by operating activities, borrowings under the Company’s unsecured revolving credit facility and unsecured term loan facilities, the issuance of secured and unsecured debt and equity securities and proceeds received from the disposition of properties and joint ventures.

Shareholders’ equity, partners’ capital and noncontrolling interests are the main areas of difference between the consolidated financial statements of the General Partner and the Operating Partnership.  The limited partners of the Operating Partnership are accounted for as partners’ capital in the Operating Partnership’s financial statements as is the General Partner’s interest in the Operating Partnership.  The noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership’s financial statements comprise the interests of unaffiliated partners in various consolidated partnerships and development joint venture partners.  The noncontrolling interests in the General Partner’s financial statements are the same noncontrolling interests at the Operating Partnership’s level and include limited partners of the Operating Partnership.  The differences between shareholders’ equity and partners’ capital result from differences in the equity issued at the General Partner and Operating Partnership levels.

To help investors better understand the key differences between the General Partner and the Operating Partnership, certain information for the General Partner and the Operating Partnership in this report has been separated, as set forth below:

·Item 6.    Selected Financial Data;

·Item 7.    Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations includes information specific to each entity, where applicable;

·Item 8.    Financial Statements and Supplementary Data which includes the following specific disclosures for Mack-Cali Realty Corporation and Mack-Cali Realty, L.P.:

Note 2.   Significant Accounting Policies, where applicable;

Note 15. Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests;

Note 16. Mack-Cali Realty Corporation’s Stockholders’ Equity and Mack-Cali Realty, L.P.’s Partners’ Capital;

Note 17. Noncontrolling Interests in Subsidiaries;

Note 18. Segment Reporting, where applicable; and

Note 20. Condensed Quarterly Financial Information (unaudited).

This report also includes separate Part II, Item 9A. Controls and Procedures sections and separate Exhibits 31 and 32 certifications for each of the General Partner and the Operating Partnership in order to establish that the requisite certifications have been made and that the General Partner and Operating Partnership are compliant with Rule 13a-15 or Rule 15d-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and 18 U.S.C. §1350.

FORM 10-K

Table of Contents

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PART I

ITEM 1.    BUSINESS

GENERAL

Mack-Cali Realty Corporation, a Maryland corporation, together with its subsidiaries (collectively the “General Partner”), is a fully-integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (“REIT”). The General Partner controls Mack-Cali Realty, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, together with its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Operating Partnership”), as its sole general partner and owned a 90.4 percent common unit interest in the Operating Partnership as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The General Partner’s business is the ownership of interests in and operation of the Operating Partnership and all of the General Partner’s expenses are incurred for the benefit of the Operating Partnership. The General Partner is reimbursed by the Operating Partnership for all expenses it incurs relating to the ownership and operation of the Operating Partnership.

The Operating Partnership conducts the business of providing leasing, management, acquisition, development, construction and tenant-related services for its General Partner. The Operating Partnership, through its operating divisions and subsidiaries, including the Mack-Cali property-owning partnerships and limited liability companies, is the entity through which all of the General Partner’s operations are conducted. Unless stated otherwise or the context requires, the “Company” refers to the General Partner and its subsidiaries, including the Operating Partnership and its subsidiaries.

The Company owns and operates a real estate portfolio comprised predominantly of Class A office and multi-family rental properties located primarily in the Northeast. The Company performs substantially all real estate leasing, management, acquisition and development on an in-house basis. Mack-Cali Realty Corporation was incorporated on May 24, 1994. The Company’s executive offices are located at Harborside 3, 210 Hudson Street, Suite 400, Jersey City, New Jersey 07311, and its telephone number is (732) 590-1010. The Company has an internet website at www.mack-cali.com.

As of December 31, 2020, the Company owned or had interests in 52 properties, consisting of 25 office properties, totaling approximately 8.1 million square feet, leased to approximately 225 commercial tenants, 19 multi-family rental properties containing 5,825 residential units, four parking/retail properties totaling approximately 108,000 square feet, three hotels containing 723 rooms and a parcel of land leased to a third party, plus developable land (collectively, the “Properties”). The Properties are comprised of: (a) 42 wholly-owned or Company-controlled properties consisting of 23 office buildings aggregating approximately 7.9 million square feet, 13 multi-family properties totaling 4,039 apartment units, three parking/retail properties, two hotels and a parcel of land leased to a third party (collectively, the “Consolidated Properties”); and (b) two office properties totaling approximately 0.2 million square feet, six multi-family properties totaling 1,786 apartment units, a retail property totaling 51,000 square feet and a 351-room hotel, which are owned by unconsolidated joint ventures in which the Company has investment interests. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to square feet represent net rentable area. As of December 31, 2020, the Company’s stabilized office properties included in the Consolidated Properties were 78.7 percent leased. Percentage leased includes all leases in effect as of the period end date, some of which have commencement dates in the future, and leases that expire at the period end date. Leases that expired as of December 31, 2020 aggregate 145,404 square feet, or 1.8 percent of the net rentable square footage. The Properties are located in three states, primarily in the Northeast, and the District of Columbia. See Item 2: Properties.

The Company believes that its Properties have excellent locations and access, and are well-maintained and professionally managed. As a result, the Company believes that its Properties attract high quality tenants and residents and achieve high rental occupancy and tenant and resident retention rates within their markets. The Company also believes that its extensive market knowledge provides it with a significant competitive advantage, which is further enhanced by its strong reputation for, and emphasis on, delivering highly responsive, professional management services.

The Company’s historical strategy has been to focus its operations, acquisition and development of office and multi-family rental properties in high-barrier-to-entry markets and sub-markets where it believes it is, or can become, a significant and preferred owner and operator.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION

On December 19, 2019, the Company announced that its Board had determined to sell the Company’s entire suburban New Jersey office portfolio totaling approximately 6.6 million square feet, which excludes the Company’s office properties in Jersey City and Hoboken, New Jersey (collectively, the “Suburban Office Portfolio”).  As the decision to sell the Suburban Office Portfolio represented a strategic shift in the Company’s operations, these properties’ results (other than a property not classified as held for sale) are being classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented herein.

In late 2019 and through December 31, 2020, the Company completed the sale of 20 of these suburban office properties, totaling 3.2 million square feet, for net sales proceeds of $377.4 million. As of December 31, 2020, the Company identified as held for sale 16 office properties in the Suburban Office Portfolio, totaling 3.0 million square feet (of which the Company currently has 15 properties totaling 2.8 million square feet under contract for sale for aggregate gross proceeds of $652.4 million). In January 2021, the Company completed the sale of one of the properties held for sale, which was a 149,600 square foot office property, for a gross sales price of $38 million.

The Company plans to complete the sale of substantially all of its remaining Suburban Office Portfolio properties in 2021, and plans to use the available sales proceeds to pay down its corporate-level, unsecured indebtedness. However, the Company cannot predict whether or to what extent the timing of these sales and the expected amount may be impacted by the ongoing coronavirus (“COVID-19”). After the completion of the Suburban Office Portfolio sales, the Company’s holdings will consist of its waterfront class A office portfolio and its multi-family rental portfolio, and related development projects and land holdings.

BUSINESS STRATEGIES

Operations

Reputation: The Company has established a reputation as a highly-regarded landlord with an emphasis on delivering quality customer service in buildings it owns and/or manages. The Company believes that its continued success depends in part on enhancing its reputation as an operator of choice, which will facilitate the retention of current tenants and residents and the attraction of new tenants and residents. The Company believes it provides a superior level of service to its customers that is an important factor in working to achieve positive leasing results as well as improving tenant retention.

Communication with tenants: The Company emphasizes frequent communication with its customers to ensure first-class service to the Properties. Property management personnel generally are located on site at the Properties to provide convenient access to management and to ensure that the Properties are well-maintained. Property management’s primary responsibility is to ensure that buildings are operated at peak efficiency in order to meet both the Company’s and tenants’ needs and expectations. Property management personnel additionally budget and oversee capital improvements and building system upgrades to enhance the Properties’ competitive advantages in their respective markets and to maintain the quality of the Properties.

The Company’s in-house leasing representatives for its office portfolio develop and maintain long-term relationships with the Company’s diverse tenant base and coordinate leasing, expansion, relocation and build-to-suit opportunities. This approach allows the Company to offer office space in the appropriate size and location to current or prospective tenants in any of its sub-markets.

The Company’s in-house multi-family rental management team emphasizes meticulous attention to detail and an unwavering commitment to customer service to complement the quality, design excellence and luxury living attributes of its multi-family rental properties. The Company believes this strategy will enable the Company to buttress management’s reputation with the market-leading designs, amenities and features of its multi-family rental properties to attract quality residents.

Portfolio Management: The Company plans to continue to own and operate a portfolio of office and multi-family rental properties in high-barrier-to-entry markets, with a primary focus in the Northeast. The Company also expects to continue to complement its core portfolio of office properties by pursuing acquisition and development opportunities in the multi-family rental sector. The Company’s primary objectives are to maximize operating cash flow and to enhance the value of its portfolio through effective management, acquisition, development and property sales strategies.

The Company seeks to maximize the value of its existing office and multi-family rental portfolio through implementing operating strategies designed to produce the highest effective rental and occupancy rates and lowest tenant installation costs within the markets that it operates, and further within the parameters of those markets. The Company continues to pursue internal growth through leasing vacant space, re-leasing space at the highest possible effective rents in light of current market conditions with contractual rent increases and developing or redeveloping office space for its diverse base of high credit quality tenants, including MUFG Bank Ltd; KPMG, LLP; and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. In addition, the Company seeks economies of scale through volume discounts to take advantage of its size and dominance in particular sub-markets, and operating efficiencies through the use of in-house management, leasing, marketing, financing, accounting, legal and development.

The Company continually reviews its portfolio and opportunities to divest office and multi-family rental properties that, among other things, no longer meet its long-term strategy, have reached their potential, are less efficient to operate or can be sold at attractive prices when market conditions are favorable.  The Company anticipates continuing to redeploy the proceeds from sales of office and multi-

family rental properties to primarily pay down corporate-level, unsecured indebtedness, as well as develop, redevelop and acquire multi-family rental properties, and reposition certain office properties into multi-family/mixed use properties, in its core Northeast sub-markets.

The Company believes that the opportunity to invest in multi-family development properties at higher returns on cost will position the Company to potentially produce higher levels of net operating income than if the Company were to only purchase stabilized multi-family properties at market returns. The Company believes that the transition to a company with a greater proportion of its properties in the multi-family residential sector will ultimately result in the creation of greater shareholder value than remaining a primarily suburban commercial office company, in part due to the lower capitalization rates associated with the multi-family sector.

Acquisitions: The Company also believes that growth opportunities exist through acquiring operating properties or properties for redevelopment with attractive returns in its core Northeast sub-markets where, based on its expertise in leasing, managing and operating properties, it believes it is, or can become, a significant and preferred owner and operator. The Company intends either directly or through joint ventures to acquire, invest in or redevelop additional properties, that: (i) are expected to provide attractive long-term yields; (ii) are well-located, of high quality and competitive in their respective sub-markets; (iii) are located in its existing sub-markets or in sub-markets in which the Company is or can become a significant and preferred owner and operator; and (iv) it believes have been under-managed or are otherwise capable of improved performance through intensive management, capital improvements and/or leasing that should result in increased effective rental and occupancy rates.

Development: The Company seeks to selectively develop additional properties either directly or through joint ventures where it believes such development will result in a favorable risk-adjusted return on investment in coordination with the above operating strategies. The Company identifies development opportunities primarily through its local market presence. Such development primarily will occur: (i) in stable core markets where the demand for such space exceeds available supply; and (ii) where the Company is, or can become, a significant and preferred owner and operator. As part of the Company’s strategy to expand its multi-family rental portfolio, the Company may consider development opportunities with respect to improved land with existing commercial uses and seek to rezone the sites for multi-family rental use and development in its core markets. As a result of competitive market conditions for land suitable for development, the Company may be required to hold land prior to construction for extended periods while entitlements or rezoning is obtained. The Company also may undertake repositioning opportunities that may require the expenditure of significant amounts of capital.

Property Sales: While management’s principal intention is to own and operate its properties on a long-term basis, it periodically assesses the attributes of each of its properties, with a particular focus on the supply and demand fundamentals of the core markets in which they are located. The Company continually reviews its portfolio and opportunities to divest properties that, among other things, no longer meet its long-term strategy, have reached their potential, are less efficient to operate, or can be sold at attractive prices when market conditions are favorable. The Company completed the sales of rental property for aggregate gross sales proceeds of $383.3 million during 2020 and $1.1 billion during 2019 and plans to divest the remainder of substantially all of its Suburban Office Portfolio in 2021.

Financial

The Company currently intends to maintain a ratio of debt-to-undepreciated assets (total debt of the Company as a percentage of total undepreciated assets) of 50 percent or less, however there can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in maintaining this ratio. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company’s total debt constituted approximately 48 percent of total undepreciated assets of the Company. Although there is no limit in the Company’s organizational documents on the amount of indebtedness that the Company may incur, the Company has entered into certain financial agreements which contain covenants that limit the Company’s ability to incur indebtedness under certain circumstances. The Company intends to utilize the most appropriate sources of capital for future acquisitions, development, capital improvements and other investments, which may include funds from operating activities, proceeds from property and land sales, joint venture capital, and short-term and long-term borrowings (including draws on the Company’s unsecured revolving credit facility), and the issuance of additional debt or equity securities.

HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES

Overview

Unlike some other real estate companies, which may outsource leasing and management of their properties to third parties, the Company is a fully-integrated REIT that performs substantially all real estate leasing, management, property transactions, and development on an in-house basis.

As of December 31, 2020, the Company had approximately 256 full-time employees, 27 fewer than it had as of December 31, 2019.

The reduction in the number of employees was primarily due to the ongoing disposition of our Suburban Office Portfolio, partially offset by net increases in maintenance personnel to support the Company’s multi-family residential portfolio. The Company’s average turnover rate was 9.5 percent from 2019 to 2020. Regarding employee tenure, 25 percent of the Company’s employees have been with it for at least 10 years, with 18 percent of employees having a tenure of at least 15 years, and another 12 percent having a tenure of at least 20 years.

Approximately 74 percent of the Company’s employees are directly involved in property management, management services, and on-site leasing and maintenance of our portfolio, including property managers, maintenance engineers, technicians, HVAC technicians, project managers. 81 percent of these employees mainly serve management, on-site leasing and maintenance services for the multi-family residential portfolio, with 19 percent mainly serving the management and maintenance of the office portfolio. All of these personnel salaries and related costs are allocated to our real estate portfolio and management businesses, and recorded in Operating services or Real estate services expenses. Approximately five percent of our employees work in in the corporate development department and are directly involved in the Company’s development pipeline. When applicable, personnel salaries and related costs of such development employees are capitalized as a development expenditure. Generally, all other employee costs, are recorded as general and administrative expense, including corporate office leasing personnel.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Company fosters an inclusive work environment based on respect, empowerment and collaboration. It has carefully built a workplace where diversity thrives, spanning race, gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, physical ability and experience. The Company is an equal pay, equal opportunity employer. As of December 31, 2020, 42 percent of employees were female and 43 percent of employees were persons of color or other minority groups. Currently, four of the nine members (or 44 percent) of our Board of Directors are female and/or racially diverse. In addition, the Company has a robust diversity and inclusion initiative with the overall goal of creating opportunities for all people in the commercial real estate industry in the local communities in which it operates and within its own workforce.

Employee Incentives

The Company strives to provide career opportunities in an energized, inclusive and collaborative environment tailored to retain, attract and reward highly performing employees. We do so in a culture built on the foundations of collegiality, teamwork, hard work, humility, creativity, humor, respect, acceptance, expertise and dedication to each other, our stockholders and our customers.

The Company provides a comprehensive benefits package intended to meet and exceed the needs of our employees and their families. Our competitive offerings help our employees stay healthy, balance their work and personal lives, and meet their financial and retirement goals. For employees earning less than $50,000 annually, the Company pays 100 percent of the health insurance coverage premiums for its employees and their families, and generally 75 percent of the premiums of health and dental insurance coverage for all employees, as well as 100 percent of the cost of life insurance and short-term and long-term disability insurance. In addition, it offers the following enrichment opportunities and benefits to our employees:

The Company maintains a 401(k) plan with a history of annual discretionary Company employee match or profit sharing contributions;

The Company offers tuition reimbursement for education costs for employees who have been with it for at least one year;

Employees receive numerous training resources, including modules on preventing unlawful harassment, phishing, hazardous communications and real estate licensing; and

The Company also promotes the philanthropic efforts of our employees by providing paid time off toward volunteerism, matching employee charitable contributions dollar for dollar (up to $1,000 per employee per year), and in total, has contributed over $2.1 million of donations to charitable causes over the three-year period ended December 31, 2020.

More information regarding the Company’s human capital policies, programs and initiatives is available under the “Investors” section of its public website. Information on the website is not considered part of this Annual Report.

COMPETITION

The leasing of real estate is highly competitive. The Properties compete for tenants and residents with lessors and developers of similar

properties located in their respective markets primarily on the basis of location, the quality of properties, leasing terms (including rent and other charges and allowances for tenant improvements), services or amenities provided, the design and condition of the Properties, and reputation as an owner and operator of quality properties in the relevant markets. Additionally, the number of competitive multi-family rental properties in a particular area could have a material effect on the Company’s ability to lease residential units and on rents charged. In addition, other forms of multi-family rental properties or single family housing provide alternatives to potential residents of multi-family properties. The Company competes with other entities, some of which may have significant resources or who may be willing to accept lower returns or pay higher prices than the Company in terms of acquisition and development opportunities. The Company also experiences competition when attempting to acquire or dispose of real estate, including competition from domestic and foreign financial institutions, other REITs, life insurance companies, pension trusts, trust funds, partnerships, individual investors and others. 

GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS

Many laws and governmental regulations apply to the ownership and/or operation of the Properties and changes in these laws and regulations, or their interpretation by agencies and the courts, occur frequently.

Under various laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment and human health, an owner of real estate may be held liable for the costs of removal or remediation of certain hazardous or toxic substances located on or in the property. These laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner was responsible for, or even knew of, the presence of such substances. The presence of such substances may adversely affect the owner’s ability to rent or sell the property or to borrow using such property as collateral and may expose it to liability resulting from any release of, or exposure to, such substances. Persons who arrange for the disposal or treatment of hazardous or toxic substances at another location may also be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of such substances at the disposal or treatment facility, whether or not such facility is owned or operated by such person. Certain environmental laws impose liability for the release of asbestos-containing materials into the air, and third parties may also seek recovery from owners or operators of real properties for personal injury associated with asbestos-containing materials and other hazardous or toxic substances.

In connection with the ownership (direct or indirect), operation, management and development of real properties, the Company may be considered an owner or operator of such properties or as having arranged for the disposal or treatment of hazardous or toxic substances and, therefore, potentially liable for removal or remediation costs, as well as certain other related costs, including governmental penalties and injuries to persons and property.

There can be no assurance that (i) future laws, ordinances or regulations will not impose any material environmental liability, (ii) the current environmental condition of the Properties will not be affected by tenants, by the condition of land or operations in the vicinity of the Properties (such as the presence of underground storage tanks), or by third parties unrelated to the Company, or (iii) the Company’s assessments reveal all environmental liabilities and that there are no material environmental liabilities of which the Company is aware. If compliance with the various laws and regulations, now existing or hereafter adopted, exceeds the Company’s budgets for such items, the Company’s ability to make expected distributions to stockholders could be adversely affected.

There are no other laws or regulations which have a material effect on the Company’s operations, other than typical federal, state and local laws affecting the development and operation of real property, such as zoning laws.

INDUSTRY SEGMENTS

The Company operates in two industry segments: (i) commercial and other real estate and (ii) multi-family real estate and services. As of December 31, 2020, the Company does not have any foreign operations and its business is not seasonal. Please see our financial statements attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein for financial information relating to our industry segments.

SIGNIFICANT TENANTS

As of December 31, 2020, no tenant accounted for more than 10 percent of the Company’s consolidated revenues.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Properties Commencing Initial Operations

During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company commenced initial operations of a multi-family property located in Malden, Massachusetts and containing 326 apartment units, which was completed for total costs of approximately $104 million.

Consolidations

On March 12, 2020, the Company, acquired its equity partner's 80 percent interest in Port Imperial North Retail L.L.C., a ground floor retail space totaling 30,745 square feet located at Port Imperial, West New York, New Jersey for $13.3 million in cash (funded through borrowing under the Company’s unsecured credit facility.) The results of the transaction increased the Company’s interest to 100 percent. Upon the acquisition, the Company consolidated the joint venture, a voting interest entity. As an acquisition of the remaining interests in the venture which owns the Port Imperial North Retail L.L.C., the Company accounted for the transaction as an asset acquisition under a cost accumulation model, and as such no gain on change of control of interest was recognized in consolidation, resulting in total consolidated net assets of $15.0 million.

Dispositions/Real Estate Held for Sale

During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company disposed of 18 office properties, two multi-family rental properties and three developable land properties in New Jersey, New York and Maryland for net sales proceeds of approximately $389.7 million, with net gains recorded on the sales of approximately $38.2 million from the dispositions.

The Company identified 16 office properties, a retail pad leased to others and several developable land parcels as held for sale as of December 31, 2020. The total estimated sales proceeds, net of expected selling costs, from these sales are expected to be approximately $743.5 million. The Company determined that the carrying value of six of these properties and several land parcels was not expected to be recovered from estimated net sales proceeds and accordingly, during the year ended December 31, 2020, recognized an unrealized loss allowance of $15.7 million on the properties ($14 million of which are from discontinued operations), and also recorded land and other impairments of $9.5 million.

 Impairments on Properties Held and Used

The Company determined that, due to the shortening of its expected period of ownership and as a result of the adverse effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and continues to have, on its hotel operations, the Company evaluated the recoverability of the carrying values of its two adjacent hotel properties and determined that it was necessary to reduce the carrying values of its two hotel assets located in Weehawken, New Jersey to their estimated fair values.  One of these hotels has closed its rooms since March 2020. Accordingly, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $36.6 million on these hotels at September 30, 2020, which is included in property impairments on the consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2020. The Company also evaluated the recoverability of the carrying values of its land parcels and determined that it was necessary to reduce the carrying values of three held-and-used land parcels to their estimated fair values and recorded land and other impairment charges of $7.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Unconsolidated Joint Venture Activity

On December 31, 2020, the Crystal House Apartment Investors LLC, an unconsolidated joint venture property located in Arlington, Virginia sold its sole apartment property for an aggregate sales price of $376.6 million. The Company received $62.7 million for its share of net sale proceeds from the joint venture and realized its share of the gain on the property sale from the unconsolidated joint venture of $35.1 million.

On December 17, 2020, the Company sold its interest in the Hillsborough 206 Holdings joint venture which owns a developable land located in Hillsborough, New Jersey for a sale price of $2.1 million, and realized a gain on sale from unconsolidated joint ventures of $0.1 million.

Development Activity

The Company is developing a 313-unit multi-family project known as Port Imperial South 9 at Port Imperial in Weehawken, New Jersey, which began construction in third quarter 2018. The construction project, which is estimated to cost $143.8 million, of which construction costs of $98.1 million have been incurred through December 31, 2020, is expected to be ready for occupancy in the first half of 2021. The Company has funded $51.8 million as of December 31, 2020, and the remaining construction costs are expected to be funded primarily from a $92 million construction loan (of which $46.3 million was drawn as of December 31, 2020).

The Company is developing a 198-unit multi-family project known as The Upton at Short Hills located in Short Hills, New Jersey, which began construction in fourth quarter 2018. The construction project, which is estimated to cost $99.4 million, of which $77.9 million have been incurred through December 31, 2020, is expected to be ready for occupancy in first quarter 2021. The Company

has funded $35.4 million of the construction costs, and the remaining construction costs are expected to be funded primarily from a $64 million construction loan (of which $42.5 million was drawn as of December 31, 2020).

The Company is developing a 750-unit multi-family project at 25 Christopher Columbus in Jersey City, New Jersey, which began construction in first quarter 2019. The construction project, which is estimated to cost $469.5 million, of which $331 million have been incurred through December 31, 2020, is expected to be ready for occupancy in first quarter 2022. The Company has funded $169.5 million as of December 31, 2020, and the remaining construction costs are expected to be funded from a $300 million construction loan (of which $161.5 million was drawn as of December 31, 2020).

Operations

Of the Company’s office markets, most continue to show signs of rental rate improvement while the leased percentage has declined or stabilized. The percentage leased in the Company’s stabilized core operating commercial properties included in its Consolidated Properties was 78.7 percent at December 31, 2020, as compared to 80.7 percent at December 31, 2019 and 83.2 percent at December 31, 2018 (after adjusting for properties identified as non-core at the time). Percentage leased includes all leases in effect as of the period end date, some of which have commencement dates in the future and leases that expire at the period end date. Leases that expired as of December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 aggregate 145,404, 31,982 and 10,108 square feet, respectively, or 1.8, 0.3 and 0.1 percentage of the net rentable square footage, respectively. With the positive rental rate results the Company has achieved in most of its markets recently, the Company believes that rental rates on new leases will generally be, on average, not lower than rates currently being paid. If these recent leasing results do not prove to be sustaining during 2021, the Company may receive less revenue from the same space.

FINANCING ACTIVITY

In January 2020, the Company increased its borrowing on a mortgage loan to $265 million from $232 million, collateralized by the Company’s Liberty Towers property, a 648-unit multi-family rental property in Jersey City, New Jersey, and received net proceeds of $31.8 million. In November 2020, the Company modified its Monaco $165 million mortgage, extending the maturity date from February 2021 to November 2027. In December 2020, the Company obtained a $72 million mortgage loan collateralized by the Company’s Emery property, a 326-unit multi-family rental property in Malden, Massachusetts, that matures in January 2031 and received net loan proceeds of $10.4 million after repaying its construction loan. In January 2021, the Company exercised the option to extend the unsecured revolving credit facility maturity date for a period of six months to July 2021.

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

The Company’s internet website is www.mack-cali.com. The Company makes available free of charge on or through its website the annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished by the General Partner or the Operating Partnership pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as soon as reasonably practicable after it electronically files or furnishes such materials to the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the Company’s internet website includes other items related to corporate governance matters, including, among other things, the General Partner’s corporate governance principles, charters of various committees of the Board of Directors of the General Partner and the General Partner’s code of business conduct and ethics applicable to all employees, officers and directors. The General Partner intends to disclose on the Company’s internet website any amendments to or waivers from its code of business conduct and ethics as well as any amendments to its corporate governance principles or the charters of various committees of the Board of Directors. Copies of these documents may be obtained, free of charge, from our internet website. Any shareholder also may obtain copies of these documents, free of charge, by sending a request in writing to: Mack-Cali Investor Relations Department, Harborside 3, 210 Hudson St., Ste. 400, Jersey City, NJ 07311.

Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

We consider portions of this report, including the documents incorporated by reference, to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 21E of such act. Such forward-looking statements relate to, without limitation, our future economic performance, plans and objectives for future operations and projections of revenue and other financial items. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “plan,” “potential,” “projected,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “target,” “continue,” or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties, many of which we cannot predict with accuracy and some of which we might not even anticipate. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions at the time made, we can give no assurance that such expectations will be achieved. Future events and actual results, financial and otherwise, may differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Readers are

cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

In addition, the extent to which the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impacts us and our tenants and residents will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, including the scope, severity and duration of the pandemic, the actions taken to contain the pandemic or mitigate its impact, and the direct and indirect economic effects of the pandemic and containment measures, among others. Moreover, investors are cautioned to interpret many of the risks identified in the risk factors discussed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as well as the risks set forth below, as being heightened as a result of the ongoing and numerous adverse impacts of COVID-19.

Among the factors about which we have made assumptions are:

risks and uncertainties affecting the general economic climate and conditions, which in turn may have a negative effect on the fundamentals of our business and the financial condition of our tenants and residents;

the value of our real estate assets, which may limit our ability to dispose of assets at attractive prices or obtain or maintain debt financing secured by our properties or on an unsecured basis;

the extent of any tenant bankruptcies or of any early lease terminations;

our ability to lease or re-lease space at current or anticipated rents;

changes in the supply of and demand for our properties;

changes in interest rate levels and volatility in the securities markets;

our ability to complete construction and development activities on time and within budget, including without limitation obtaining regulatory permits and the availability and cost of materials, labor and equipment;

forward-looking financial and operational information, including information relating to future development projects, potential acquisitions or dispositions, leasing activities, capitalization rates, and projected revenue and income;

changes in operating costs;

our ability to obtain adequate insurance, including coverage for terrorist acts;

our credit worthiness and the availability of financing on attractive terms or at all, which may adversely impact our ability to pursue acquisition and development opportunities and refinance existing debt and our future interest expense;

changes in governmental regulation, tax rates and similar matters; and

other risks associated with the development and acquisition of properties, including risks that the development may not be completed on schedule, that the tenants or residents will not take occupancy or pay rent, or that development or operating costs may be greater than anticipated.

For further information on factors which could impact us and the statements contained herein, see Item 1A: Risk Factors. We assume no obligation to update and supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events, new information or otherwise.

ITEM 1A.    RISK FACTORS

Our results from operations and ability to make distributions on our equity and debt service on our indebtedness may be affected by the risk factors set forth below. All investors should consider the following risk factors before deciding to purchase securities of the Company. The Company refers to itself as “we” or “our” in the following risk factors.

OPERATING RISKS

The ongoing coronavirus ("COVID-19") pandemic and measures intended to prevent its spread present material uncertainty and risk and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

The global outbreak of COVID-19 across many countries around the globe, including the United States, has significantly slowed global economic activity, caused significant volatility in financial markets, and resulted in unprecedented job losses causing many to fear an imminent global recession. Certain states and cities, including all of the jurisdictions in which our properties are located, have taken measures to prevent or slow the spread of COVID-19, including by instituting quarantines, restrictions on travel, "stay-at-home" rules, restrictions on types of business that may continue to operate and/or restrictions on the types of construction projects that may continue.  As a result, the COVID-19 pandemic is negatively impacting almost every industry directly or indirectly, including industries in which we and our customers operate.  We have modified, and might further modify, our business practices as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic and social ramification of the disease, and the societal and governmental responses in the communities in which we operate. In addition, we have adapted our operations to protect our employees, including by implementing a work from home policy.  As a result, many of our employees are currently working remotely.  An extended period of remote work arrangements could

strain our business continuity plans, introduce operational risk, including but not limited to cybersecurity risks, and impair our ability to manage our business.

The COVID-19 pandemic presents material uncertainty and risk with respect to our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and performance.  The COVID-19 pandemic could negatively impact our business in a number of ways, including:

a complete or partial closure of, or other operational issues at, one or more of our properties resulting from government or customer action;

deterioration in the financial condition or liquidity of our tenants, customers or other counterparties, which could result in their inability to pay rents or failure to meet their contractual obligations to us;

the potential negative impact on our ability to complete planned acquisitions or dispositions of assets on expected terms or timelines, or at all;

reduced demand for space at our office properties and units at our multifamily residential properties, which could have a negative impact on our prospects for leasing current or additional space and/or renewing leases with existing tenants;

difficulty accessing debt and equity capital on attractive terms, or at all, which could result in reduced availability and increased cost of capital necessary to fund business operations, finance our development pipeline or address maturing liabilities on a timely basis;

costs associated with construction delays and cost overruns at our development and redevelopment projects;

unanticipated costs and operating expenses associated with remote work arrangements, sanitation measures performed at each of our properties, and other measures to protect the welfare of our employees and tenants; and

the potential negative impact on the health of our employees, particularly if a significant number of them are impacted, which could result in a deterioration in our ability to ensure business continuity during this disruption.

The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic may adversely affect our business will depend on future developments, including, among others, the severity and duration of the pandemic, the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines and their effectiveness in curbing the spread of the virus, the nature and duration of other measures taken to contain the pandemic or mitigate its impact, and the direct and indirect economic impact of the pandemic and containment measures on the industries in which we and our customers operate.  Among other things COVID-19 and government and our responses to the virus could (1) adversely affect the ability of our suppliers and vendors to provide products and services to us; (2) make it more difficult for us to serve our tenants, including as a result of delays or suspensions in the issuance of permits or other authorizations needed to conduct our business; and (3) increase our cost of capital and adversely impact our access to capital. Due to factors beyond our knowledge or control, including the duration and severity of COVID-19, as well as third-party actions taken to contain its spread and mitigate its public health effects, at this time we cannot estimate or predict with certainty the impact of COVID-19 or the measures the government and we take in response thereto on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Adverse economic and geopolitical conditions in general and the Northeastern office markets in particular could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and our ability to pay distributions to you.

Our business may be affected by the continuing volatility in the financial and credit markets, the general global economic conditions, continuing high unemployment, and other market or economic challenges experienced by the U.S. economy or the real estate industry as a whole. Our business also may be adversely affected by local economic conditions, as substantially all of our revenues are derived from our properties located in New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts. Because our portfolio currently consists primarily of office and multi-family rental buildings (as compared to a more diversified real estate portfolio) located in the Northeast, if economic conditions persist or deteriorate, then our results of operations, financial condition and ability to service current debt and to pay distributions to our shareholders may be adversely affected by the following, among other potential conditions:

significant job losses in the financial and professional services industries may occur, which may decrease demand for our office space, causing market rental rates and property values to be negatively impacted;

our ability to borrow on terms and conditions that we find acceptable, or at all, may be limited, which could reduce our ability to pursue acquisition and development opportunities and refinance existing debt, reduce our returns from both our existing operations and our acquisition and development activities and increase our future interest expense;

reduced values of our properties may limit our ability to dispose of assets at attractive prices or to obtain debt financing secured by our properties and may reduce the availability of unsecured loans;

the value and liquidity of our short-term investments and cash deposits could be reduced as a result of a deterioration of the financial condition of the institutions that hold our cash deposits or the institutions or assets in which we have made short-term investments, the dislocation of the markets for our short-term investments, increased volatility in market rates for such investments or other factors;

reduced liquidity in debt markets and increased credit risk premiums for certain market participants may impair our ability to access capital; and

one or more lenders under our line of credit could refuse or be unable to fund their financing commitment to us and we may not be able to replace the financing commitment of any such lenders on favorable terms, or at all.

These conditions, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and ability to pay distributions, may continue or worsen in the future.

Our performance is subject to risks associated with the real estate industry.

General: Our business and our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors depend on the ability of our properties to generate funds in excess of operating expenses (including scheduled principal payments on debt and capital expenditures). Events or conditions that are beyond our control may adversely affect our operations and the value of our properties. Such events or conditions could include:

changes in the general economic climate and conditions;

changes in local conditions, such as an oversupply of office space, a reduction in demand for office space, or reductions in office market rental rates;

an oversupply or reduced demand for multi-family apartments caused by a decline in household formation, decline in employment or otherwise;

decreased attractiveness of our properties to tenants and residents;

competition from other office and multi-family properties;

development by competitors of competing multi-family communities;

unwillingness of tenants to pay rent increases;

rent control or rent stabilization laws, or other housing laws and regulations that could prevent us from raising multi-family rents to offset increases in operating costs;

our inability to provide adequate maintenance;

increased operating costs, including insurance premiums, utilities and real estate taxes, due to inflation and other factors which may not necessarily be offset by increased rents;

changes in laws and regulations (including tax, environmental, zoning and building codes, landlord/tenant and other housing laws and regulations) and agency or court interpretations of such laws and regulations and the related costs of compliance;

changes in interest rate levels and the availability of financing;

the inability of a significant number of tenants or residents to pay rent;

our inability to rent office or multi-family rental space on favorable terms; and

civil unrest, earthquakes, acts of terrorism and other natural disasters or acts of God that may result in uninsured losses.

We may suffer adverse consequences if our revenues decline since our operating costs do not necessarily decline in proportion to our revenue: We earn a significant portion of our income from renting our properties. Our operating costs, however, do not necessarily fluctuate in relation to changes in our rental revenue. This means that our costs will not necessarily decline even if our revenues do. Our operating costs could also increase while our revenues do not. If our operating costs increase but our rental revenues do not, we may be forced to borrow to cover our costs and we may incur losses. Such losses may adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors.

Financially distressed tenants may be unable to pay rent: If a tenant defaults, we may experience delays and incur substantial costs in enforcing our rights as landlord and protecting our investments. If a tenant files for bankruptcy, we cannot evict the tenant solely because of the bankruptcy and a potential court judgment rejecting and terminating such tenant’s lease (which would subject all future unpaid rent to a statutory cap) could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors as we may be unable to replace the defaulting tenant with a new tenant at a comparable rental rate without incurring significant expenses or a reduction in rental income.

Renewing leases or re-letting space could be costly: If a tenant does not renew its lease upon expiration or terminates its lease early, we may not be able to re-lease the space on favorable terms or at all. If a tenant does renew its lease or we re-lease the space, the terms of the renewal or new lease, including the cost of required renovations or concessions to the tenant, may be less favorable than the current lease terms, which could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors.

Adverse developments concerning some of our major tenants and industry concentrations could have a negative impact on our revenue: We have tenants concentrated in various industries that may be experiencing adverse effects of current economic conditions. For instance, 27.5 percent of our revenue is derived from tenants in the Securities, Commodity Contracts and Other Financial industry, 15.1 percent from tenants in the Credit Intermediation and Related Activities industry and 11.3 percent from tenants in the Insurance Carriers and Related Activities industry. Our business could be adversely affected if any of these industries suffered a downturn and/or these tenants or any other tenants became insolvent, declared bankruptcy or otherwise refused to pay rent in a timely manner or at all.

Our insurance coverage on our properties may be inadequate or our insurance providers may default on their obligations to pay claims: We currently carry comprehensive insurance on all of our properties, including insurance for liability, fire and flood. We cannot guarantee that the limits of our current policies will be sufficient in the event of a catastrophe to our properties. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to renew or duplicate our current insurance coverage in adequate amounts or at reasonable prices. In addition, while our current insurance policies insure us against loss from terrorist acts and toxic mold, in the future, insurance companies may no longer offer coverage against these types of losses, or, if offered, these types of insurance may be prohibitively expensive. If any or all of the foregoing should occur, we may not have insurance coverage against certain types of losses and/or there may be decreases in the limits of insurance available. Should an uninsured loss or a loss in excess of our insured limits occur, we could lose all or a portion of the capital we have invested in a property or properties, as well as the anticipated future revenue from the property or properties. Nevertheless, we might remain obligated for any mortgage debt or other financial obligations related to the property or properties. We cannot guarantee that material losses in excess of insurance proceeds will not occur in the future. If any of our properties were to experience a catastrophic loss, it could seriously disrupt our operations, delay revenue and result in large expenses to repair or rebuild the property. Such events could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors. If one or more of our insurance providers were to fail to pay a claim as a result of insolvency, bankruptcy or otherwise, the nonpayment of such claims could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, if one or more of our insurance providers were to become subject to insolvency, bankruptcy or other proceedings and our insurance policies with the provider were terminated or

canceled as a result of those proceedings, we cannot guarantee that we would be able to find alternative coverage in adequate amounts or at reasonable prices. In such case, we could experience a lapse in any or adequate insurance coverage with respect to one or more properties and be exposed to potential losses relating to any claims that may arise during such period of lapsed or inadequate coverage.

Illiquidity of real estate limits our ability to act quickly: Real estate investments are relatively illiquid. Such illiquidity may limit our ability to react quickly in response to changes in economic and other conditions. If we want to sell an investment, we might not be able to dispose of that investment in the time period we desire, and the sales price of that investment might not recoup or exceed the amount of our investment. The prohibition in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “IRS Code”), and related regulations on a real estate investment trust holding property for sale also may restrict our ability to sell property. In addition, we acquired a significant number of our properties from individuals to whom the Operating Partnership issued Units as part of the purchase price. In connection with the acquisition of these properties, in order to preserve such individual’s income tax deferral, we contractually agreed not to sell or otherwise transfer the properties for a specified period of time, except in a manner which does not result in recognition of any built-in-gain (which may result in an income tax liability) or which reimburses the appropriate individuals for the income tax consequences of the recognition of such built-in-gains. These restrictions expired in February 2016. Upon the expiration of such restrictions we are generally required to use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent any sale, transfer or other disposition of the subject properties from resulting in the recognition of built-in gain to the appropriate individuals. After the effects of tax-free exchanges on certain of the originally contributed properties, either wholly or partially, over time, 16 of our properties, as well as certain land and development projects, including properties classified as held for sale as of December 31, 2020, with an aggregate carrying value of approximately $1.5 billion, are subject to these conditions. The above limitations on our ability to sell our investments could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors.

We may not be able to dispose of non-core office assets within our anticipated timeframe or at favorable prices: The Company has determined to sell over time properties at total estimated sales proceeds of up to $800 million, comprised primarily from the sale of the Suburban Office Portfolio. While we intend to dispose of these properties opportunistically over time, there can be no assurance that these dispositions will be completed during the period of our strategic initiative. In addition, market conditions will impact our ability to dispose of these properties, and there can be no assurance that we will be successful in disposing of these properties for their estimated sales prices. A failure to dispose of these properties for their estimated market values as planned, or unfavorable tax consequences of the disposition of these properties could have a material adverse effect on our ability to finance our acquisition and development plans and could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors.

New acquisitions, including acquisitions of multi-family rental properties, may fail to perform as expected and will subject us to additional new risks and could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors: We intend to and may acquire new properties, primarily in the multi-family rental sector, assuming that we are able to obtain capital on favorable terms. Such newly acquired properties may not perform as expected and may subject us to unknown liability with respect to liabilities relating to such properties for clean-up of undisclosed environmental contamination or claims by tenants, residents, vendors or other persons against the former owners of the properties. Inaccurate assumptions regarding future rental or occupancy rates could result in overly optimistic estimates of future revenues. In addition, future operating expenses or the costs necessary to bring an acquired property up to standards established for its intended market position may be underestimated. The search for and process of acquiring such properties will also require a substantial amount of management’s time and attention. As our portfolio shifts from primarily commercial office properties to increasingly more multi-family rental properties we will face additional and new risks such as:

shorter-term leases of one-year on average for multi-family rental communities, which allow residents to leave after the term of the lease without penalty;

increased competition from other housing sources such as other multi-family rental communities, condominiums and single-family houses that are available for rent as well as for sale;

dependency on the convenience and attractiveness of the communities or neighborhoods in which our multi-family rental properties are located and the quality of local schools and other amenities;

dependency on the financial condition of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac which provide a major source of financing to the multi-family rental sector; and

compliance with housing and other new regulations.

The above factors could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors.

Americans with Disabilities Act compliance could be costly: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”), all public accommodations and commercial facilities must meet certain federal requirements related to access and use by disabled persons. Compliance with the ADA requirements could involve removal of structural barriers from certain disabled persons’ entrances. Other federal, state and local laws may require modifications to or restrict further renovations of our properties with respect to such accesses.

Although we believe that our properties are substantially in compliance with present requirements, noncompliance with the ADA or related laws or regulations could result in the United States government imposing fines or private litigants being awarded damages against us. Such costs may adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors.

Environmental problems are possible and may be costly: Various federal, state and local laws and regulations subject property owners or operators to liability for the costs of removal or remediation of certain hazardous or toxic substances located on or in the property. These laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner or operator was responsible for or even knew of the presence of such substances. The presence of or failure to properly remediate hazardous or toxic substances (such as toxic mold, lead paint and asbestos) may adversely affect our ability to rent, sell or borrow against contaminated property and may impose liability upon us for personal injury to persons exposed to such substances. Various laws and regulations also impose liability on persons who arrange for the disposal or treatment of hazardous or toxic substances at another location for the costs of removal or remediation of such substances at the disposal or treatment facility. These laws often impose liability whether or not the person arranging for such disposal ever owned or operated the disposal facility. Certain other environmental laws and regulations impose liability on owners or operators of property for injuries relating to the release of asbestos-containing or other materials into the air, water or otherwise into the environment. As owners and operators of property and as potential arrangers for hazardous substance disposal, we may be liable under such laws and regulations for removal or remediation costs, governmental penalties, property damage, personal injuries and related expenses. Payment of such costs and expenses could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors.

We face risks associated with property acquisitions: We have acquired in the past, and our long-term strategy is to continue to pursue the acquisition of rental properties, primarily in New Jersey, particularly multi-family rental properties. We may be competing for investment opportunities with entities that have greater financial resources. Several developers and real estate companies may compete with us in seeking properties for acquisition, land for development and prospective tenants. Such competition may adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors by:

reducing the number of suitable investment opportunities offered to us;

increasing the bargaining power of property owners;

interfering with our ability to attract and retain tenants;

increasing vacancies which lowers market rental rates and limits our ability to negotiate rental rates; and/or

adversely affecting our ability to minimize expenses of operation.

Our acquisition activities and their success are subject to the following risks:

adequate financing to complete acquisitions may not be available on favorable terms or at all as a result of the continuing volatility in the financial and credit markets;

even if we enter into an acquisition agreement for a property, we may be unable to complete that acquisition and risk the loss of certain non-refundable deposits and incurring certain other acquisition-related costs;

the actual costs of repositioning or redeveloping acquired properties may be greater than our estimates;

any acquisition agreement will likely contain conditions to closing, including completion of due diligence investigations to our satisfaction or other conditions that are not within our control, which may not be satisfied; and

we may be unable to quickly and efficiently integrate new acquisitions, particularly acquisitions of portfolios of properties, into our existing operations, and acquired properties may fail to perform as expected; which may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

Development of real estate, including the development of multi-family rental real estate could be costly: As part of our operating strategy, we may acquire land for development or construct on owned land, under certain conditions. Included among the risks of the real estate development business are the following, which may adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors:

financing for development projects may not be available on favorable terms;

long-term financing may not be available upon completion of construction;

failure to complete construction and lease-up on schedule or within budget may increase debt service expense and construction and other costs; and

failure to rent the development at all or at rent levels originally contemplated.

Property ownership through joint ventures could subject us to the contrary business objectives of our co-venturers: We, from time to time, invest in joint ventures or partnerships in which we do not hold a controlling interest in the assets underlying the entities in which we invest, including joint ventures in which (i) we own a direct interest in an entity which controls such assets, or (ii) we own a direct interest in an entity which owns indirect interests, through one or more intermediaries, of such assets. These investments involve risks

that do not exist with properties in which we own a controlling interest with respect to the underlying assets, including the possibility that (i) our co-venturers or partners may, at any time, become insolvent or otherwise refuse to make capital contributions when due, (ii) we may be responsible to our co-venturers or partners for indemnifiable losses, (iii) we may become liable with respect to guarantees of payment or performance by the joint ventures, (iv) we may become subject to buy-sell arrangements which could cause us to sell our interests or acquire our co-venturer’s or partner’s interests in a joint venture, or (v) our co-venturers or partners may, at any time, have business, economic or other objectives that are inconsistent with our objectives. Because we lack a controlling interest, our co-venturers or partners may be in a position to take action contrary to our instructions or requests or contrary to our policies or objectives. While we seek protective rights against such contrary actions, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in procuring any such protective rights, or if procured, that the rights will be sufficient to fully protect us against contrary actions. Our organizational documents do not limit the amount of available funds that we may invest in joint ventures or partnerships. If the objectives of our co-venturers or partners are inconsistent with ours, it may adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors.

CAPITAL AND FINANCING RISKS

Our performance is subject to risks associated with repositioning a significant portion of the Company’s portfolio from office to multi-family rental properties, including the sale of the Suburban Office Portfolio.

Repositioning the Company’s office portfolio may result in impairment charges or less than expected returns on office properties and could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors: There can be no assurance that the Company, as it seeks to reposition a portion of its portfolio from office to the multi-family rental sector, including the sale of the Suburban Office Portfolio, will be able to sell office properties and purchase multi-family rental properties at prices that in the aggregate are profitable for the Company or are efficient uses of its capital or that would not result in a reduction of the Company’s cash flow, and such transactions could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors. Because real estate investments are relatively illiquid, it also may be difficult for the Company to promptly sell its office properties that are held or may be designated for sale promptly or on favorable terms, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition. In addition, as the Company identifies non-core office properties that may be held for sale or that it intends to hold for a shorter period of time than previously, it may determine that the carrying value of a property is not recoverable over the anticipated holding period of the property. As a result, the Company may incur impairment charges for certain of these properties to reduce their carrying values to the estimated fair market values. Moreover, as the Company seeks to reposition a portion of its portfolio from office to the multi-family rental sector, the Company may be subject to a Federal income tax on gain from sales of properties due to limitations in the IRS Code and related regulations on a real estate investment trust’s ability to sell properties. The Company intends to structure its property dispositions in a tax-efficient manner and avoid the prohibition in the IRS Code against a real estate investment trust holding properties for sale. There is no guaranty, however, that such dispositions can be achieved without the imposition of federal income tax on any gain recognized.

Unfavorable changes in market and economic conditions could adversely affect multi-family rental occupancy, rental rates, operating expenses, and the overall market value of our assets, including joint ventures. Local conditions that may adversely affect conditions in multi-family residential markets include the following:

plant closings, industry slowdowns and other factors that adversely affect the local economy;

an oversupply of, or a reduced demand for, apartment units;

a decline in household formation or employment or lack of employment growth;

the inability or unwillingness of residents to pay rent increases;

rent control or rent stabilization laws, or other laws regulating housing, that could prevent us from raising rents to offset increases in operating costs; and

economic conditions that could cause an increase in our operating expenses, such as increases in property taxes, utilities, compensation of on-site associates and routine maintenance.

Changes in applicable laws, or noncompliance with applicable laws, could adversely affect our operations or expose us to liability: We must develop, construct and operate our communities in compliance with numerous federal, state and local laws and regulations, some of which may conflict with one another or be subject to limited judicial or regulatory interpretations. These laws and regulations may include zoning laws, building codes, landlord tenant laws and other laws generally applicable to business operations. Noncompliance with applicable laws could expose us to liability. Lower revenue growth or significant unanticipated expenditures may result from our need to comply with changes in (i) laws imposing remediation requirements and the potential liability for environmental conditions existing on properties or the restrictions on discharges or other conditions, (ii) rent control or rent stabilization laws or other residential landlord/tenant laws, or (iii) other governmental rules and regulations or enforcement policies affecting the development, use and operation of our communities, including changes to building codes and fire and life-safety codes.

Failure to succeed in new markets, or with new brands and community formats, or in activities other than the development, ownership and operation of residential rental communities may have adverse consequences: We are actively engaged in development and acquisition activity in new submarkets within our core, Northeast markets where we have owned and operated our historical portfolio of office properties. Our historical experience with properties in our core, Northeast markets in developing, owning and operating properties does not ensure that we will be able to operate successfully in the new multi-family submarkets. We will be exposed to a variety of risks in the multi-family submarkets, including:

an inability to accurately evaluate local apartment market conditions;

an inability to obtain land for development or to identify appropriate acquisition opportunities;

an acquired property may fail to perform as we expected in analyzing our investment;

our estimate of the costs of repositioning or developing an acquired property may prove inaccurate; and

lack of familiarity with local governmental and permitting procedures.

Debt financing could adversely affect our economic performance.

Scheduled debt payments and refinancing could adversely affect our financial condition: We are subject to the risks normally associated with debt financing. These risks, including the following, may adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors:

our cash flow may be insufficient to meet required payments of principal and interest;

payments of principal and interest on borrowings may leave us with insufficient cash resources to pay operating expenses;

we may not be able to refinance indebtedness on our properties at maturity; and

if refinanced, the terms of refinancing may not be as favorable as the original terms of the related indebtedness.

As of December 31, 2020, we had total outstanding indebtedness of $2.8 billion comprised of $573 million of senior unsecured notes, outstanding borrowings of $25 million under our unsecured revolving credit facility, and approximately $2.2 billion of mortgages, loans payable and other obligations. We may have to refinance the principal due on our current or future indebtedness at maturity, and we may not be able to do so.

If we are unable to refinance our indebtedness on acceptable terms, or at all, events or conditions that may adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors include the following:

we may need to dispose of one or more of our properties upon disadvantageous terms or adjust our capital expenditures in general or with respect to our strategy of acquiring multi-family residential properties and development opportunities in particular;

prevailing interest rates or other factors at the time of refinancing could increase interest rates and, therefore, our interest expense;

we may be subject to an event of default pursuant to covenants for our indebtedness;

if we mortgage property to secure payment of indebtedness and are unable to meet mortgage payments, the mortgagee could foreclose upon such property or appoint a receiver to receive an assignment of our rents and leases; and

foreclosures upon mortgaged property could create taxable income without accompanying cash proceeds and, therefore, hinder our ability to meet the real estate investment trust distribution requirements of the IRS Code.

We are obligated to comply with financial covenants in our indebtedness that could restrict our range of operating activities: The mortgages on our properties contain customary negative covenants, including limitations on our ability, without the prior consent of the lender, to further mortgage the property, to enter into new leases outside of stipulated guidelines or to materially modify existing leases. In addition, our unsecured revolving credit facility and term loans each contains customary requirements, including restrictions and other limitations on our ability to incur debt, debt to assets ratios, secured debt to total assets ratios, interest coverage ratios and minimum ratios of unencumbered assets to unsecured debt. The indentures under which our senior unsecured debt have been issued contain financial and operating covenants including coverage ratios and limitations on our ability to incur secured and unsecured debt. These covenants limit our flexibility in conducting our operations and create a risk of default on our indebtedness if we cannot continue to satisfy them. Some of our debt instruments are cross-collateralized and contain cross default provisions with other debt instruments. Due to this cross-collateralization, a failure or default with respect to certain debt instruments or properties could have an adverse impact on us or our properties that are subject to the cross-collateralization under the applicable debt instrument. Failure to comply with these covenants could cause a default under the agreements and, in certain circumstances, our lenders may be entitled to accelerate our debt obligations. Defaults under our debt agreements could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Rising interest rates may adversely affect our cash flow: As of December 31, 2020, outstanding borrowings of approximately $25 million under our unsecured revolving credit facility and approximately $402 million of our mortgage indebtedness bear interest at variable rates. We may incur additional indebtedness in the future that bears interest at variable rates. Variable rate debt creates higher debt service requirements if market interest rates increase. Higher debt service requirements could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors and/or cause us to default under certain debt covenants.

Our degree of leverage could adversely affect our cash flow: We fund acquisition opportunities and development partially through short-term borrowings (including our unsecured revolving credit facility), as well as from proceeds from property sales and undistributed cash. We expect to refinance projects purchased with short-term debt either with long-term indebtedness or equity financing depending upon the economic conditions at the time of refinancing. The Board of Directors has a general policy of limiting the ratio of our indebtedness to total undepreciated assets (total debt as a percentage of total undepreciated assets) to 50 percent or less, although there is no limit in our organizational documents on the amount of indebtedness that we may incur. However, we have entered into certain financial agreements which contain financial and operating covenants that limit our ability under certain circumstances to incur additional secured and unsecured indebtedness. The Board of Directors could alter or eliminate its current policy on borrowing at any time at its discretion. If this policy were changed, we could become more highly leveraged, resulting in an increase in debt service that could adversely affect our cash flow and our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors and/or could cause an increased risk of default on our obligations.

We are dependent on external sources of capital for future growth: To qualify as a real estate investment trust under the IRS Code, the General Partner must distribute to its shareholders each year at least 90 percent of its net taxable income, excluding any net capital gain. Because of this distribution requirement, it is not likely that we will be able to fund all future capital needs, including for acquisitions and developments, from income from operations. Therefore, we will have to rely on third-party sources of capital, which may or may not be available on favorable terms or at all. Our access to third-party sources of capital depends on a number of things, including the market’s perception of our growth potential and our current and potential future earnings. Moreover, additional equity offerings may result in substantial dilution of our shareholders’ interests, and additional debt financing may substantially increase our leverage.

Adverse changes in our credit ratings could adversely affect our business and financial condition: The credit ratings assigned to our senior unsecured notes by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (the “NRSROs”) are based on our operating performance, liquidity and leverage ratios, overall financial position and other factors employed by the NRSROs in their rating analyses of us.  These ratings and similar ratings of us and any debt or preferred securities we may issue are subject to ongoing evaluation by the NRSROs, and we cannot assure you that any such ratings will not be changed by the NRSROs if, in their judgment, circumstances warrant.  Our credit ratings can affect the amount of capital we can access, as well as the terms of any financings we may obtain. There can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain our current credit ratings, and in the event our current credit ratings are downgraded, we would likely incur higher borrowing costs and may encounter difficulty in obtaining additional financing. See “Item 7. Management’s Discussion & Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Executive Overview” for a discussion of the Company’s current credit ratings.”  

MANAGEMENT RISKS

Competition for skilled personnel could increase our labor costs.

We compete with various other companies in attracting and retaining qualified and skilled personnel. We depend on our ability to attract and retain skilled management personnel who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of our company. Competitive pressures may require that we enhance our pay and benefits package to compete effectively for such personnel. We may not be able to offset such added costs by increasing the rates we charge our tenants. If there is an increase in these costs or if we fail to attract and retain qualified and skilled personnel, our business and operating results could be harmed. 

We are dependent on our key personnel whose continued service is not guaranteed.

We are dependent upon key personnel for strategic business direction and real estate experience, including our interim chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief investments officer, chief accounting officer, general counsel, and chairman of Roseland Residential Trust. While we believe that we could find replacements for these key personnel, loss of their services could adversely affect our operations. We do not have key man life insurance for our key personnel. In addition, as the Company seeks to reposition a portion of its portfolio from office to the multi-family rental sector, the Company may become increasingly dependent on non-executive personnel with residential development and leasing expertise to effectively execute the Company’s long-term strategy.

Our real estate construction management activities are subject to risks particular to third-party construction projects.

As we may perform fixed price construction services for third parties, we are subject to a variety of risks unique to these activities. If construction costs of a project exceed original estimates, such costs may have to be absorbed by us. In addition, a construction project may be delayed due to circumstances beyond our control, or the time required to complete a construction project may be greater than originally anticipated. If any such excess costs or project delays were to be material, such events may adversely affect our cash flow and liquidity and thereby impact our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors.

INVESTMENT RISKS

Certain provisions of Maryland law and the General Partner’s charter and bylaws could hinder, delay or prevent changes in control.

Certain provisions of Maryland law and General Partner's charter and bylaws have the effect of discouraging, delaying or preventing transactions that involve an actual or threatened change in control. These provisions include the following:

Removal of Directors: Under the General Partner's charter, subject to the rights of one or more classes or series of preferred stock to elect one or more directors, a director may be removed only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of all votes entitled to be cast by our stockholders generally in the election of directors. Neither the Maryland General Corporation Law nor the General Partner's charter define the term “cause.” As a result, removal for “cause” is subject to Maryland common law and to judicial interpretation and review in the context of the facts and circumstances of any particular situation.

Number of Directors, Board Vacancies, Terms of Office: The General Partner has, in its bylaws, elected to be subject to certain provisions of Maryland law which vest in the Board of Directors the exclusive right to determine the number of directors and the exclusive right, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, to fill vacancies on the board. These provisions of Maryland law, which are applicable even if other provisions of Maryland law or the charter or bylaws provide to the contrary, also provide that any director elected to fill a vacancy shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred, rather than the next annual meeting of stockholders as would otherwise be the case, and until his or her successor is elected and qualifies. The General Partner has, in its corporate governance principles, adopted a mandatory retirement age of 80 years old for directors.

Stockholder Requested Special Meetings: The General Partner’s bylaws provide that its stockholders have the right to call a special meeting only upon the written request of the stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast by the stockholders at such meeting.

Advance Notice Provisions for Stockholder Nominations and Proposals: The General Partner's bylaws require advance written notice for stockholders to nominate persons for election as directors at, or to bring other business before, any meeting of stockholders. This bylaw provision limits the ability of stockholders to make nominations of persons for election as directors or to introduce other proposals unless we are notified in a timely manner prior to the meeting.

Preferred Stock: Under the General Partner's charter, its Board of Directors has authority to issue preferred stock from time to time in one or more series and to establish the terms, preferences and rights of any such series of preferred stock, all without approval of its stockholders. As a result, its Board of Directors may establish a series of preferred stock that could delay or prevent a transaction or a change in control.

Duties of Directors with Respect to Unsolicited Takeovers: Maryland law provides protection for Maryland corporations against unsolicited takeovers by limiting, among other things, the duties of the directors in unsolicited takeover situations. The duties of directors of Maryland corporations do not require them to (a) accept, recommend or respond to any proposal by a person seeking to acquire control of the corporation, (b) authorize the corporation to redeem any rights under, or modify or render inapplicable, any stockholders rights plan, (c) make a determination under the Maryland Business Combination Act or the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act, or (d) act or fail to act solely because of the effect the act or failure to act may have on an acquisition or potential acquisition of control of the corporation or the amount or type of consideration that may be offered or paid to the stockholders in an acquisition. Maryland law also contains a statutory presumption that an act of a director of a Maryland corporation satisfies the applicable standards of conduct for directors under Maryland law.

Ownership Limit: In order to preserve the General Partner's status as a real estate investment trust under the IRS Code, its charter generally prohibits any single stockholder, or any group of affiliated stockholders, from beneficially owning more than 9.8 percent of its outstanding capital stock unless its Board of Directors waives or modifies this ownership limit.

Maryland Business Combination Act: The Maryland Business Combination Act provides that unless exempted, a Maryland corporation may not engage in certain business combinations, including mergers, consolidations, share exchanges or, in circumstances specified in the statute, asset transfers, issuances or reclassifications of shares of stock and other specified transactions, with an “interested stockholder” or an affiliate of an interested stockholder, for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder became an interested stockholder, and thereafter unless specified criteria are met. An interested stockholder is generally a person owning or controlling, directly or indirectly, 10 percent or more of the voting power of the outstanding stock of the Maryland corporation. The General Partner's board of directors has exempted from this statute business combinations between the Company and certain affiliated individuals and entities. However, unless its board adopts other exemptions, the provisions of the Maryland Business Combination Act will be applicable to business combinations with other persons.

Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act: Maryland law provides that holders of “control shares” of a corporation acquired in a “control share acquisition” shall have no voting rights with respect to the control shares except to the extent approved by a vote of two-thirds of the votes eligible to cast on the matter under the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act. “Control shares” means shares of stock that, if aggregated with all other shares of stock previously acquired by the acquirer, would entitle the acquirer to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of the voting power: one-tenth or more but less than one-third, one-third or more but less than a majority or a majority or more of all voting power. A “control share acquisition” means the acquisition of control shares, subject to certain exceptions.

If voting rights of control shares acquired in a control share acquisition are not approved at a stockholder’s meeting, then subject to certain conditions and limitations, the issuer may redeem any or all of the control shares for fair value. If voting rights of such control shares are approved at a stockholder’s meeting and the acquirer becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares of stock entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. In 2018, the General Partner's bylaws were amended to exempt any acquisition of the General Partner’s shares from the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act. If the General Partner’s bylaws are amended to repeal or limit the exemption from the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act, it may make it more difficult for a third party to obtain control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating a change in control.

Changes in market conditions could adversely affect the market price of the General Partner’s common stock.

As with other publicly traded equity securities, the value of the General Partner's common stock depends on various market conditions, which may change from time to time. The market price of the General Partner's common stock could change in ways that may or may not be related to our business, the General Partner's industry or our operating performance and financial condition. Among the market conditions that may affect the value of the General Partner's common stock are the following:

the general reputation of REITs and the attractiveness of the General Partner's equity securities in comparison to other equity securities, including securities issued by other real estate-based companies;

our financial performance; and

general stock and bond market conditions.

The market value of the General Partner's common stock is based primarily upon the market’s perception of our growth potential and our current and potential future earnings and cash dividends. Consequently, the General Partner's common stock may trade at prices that are higher or lower than its net asset value per share of common stock.

REIT STATUS RISKS

The enactment of significant new tax legislation, generally effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, could have a material and adverse effect on us and the market price of our shares.

On December 22, 2017, Pub. L. No. 15-97 (informally known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”)) was enacted into law. The Act made major changes to the Code, including a number of provisions of the Code that affect the taxation of REITs and their stockholders. The long-term effect of the significant changes made by the Act remains uncertain, and additional administrative guidance will be required in order to fully evaluate the effect of many provisions. The effect of any technical corrections with respect to the Act could have an adverse effect on us or our stockholders or holders of our debt securities.”

Consequences of the General Partner's failure to qualify as a real estate investment trust could adversely affect our financial condition.

Failure to maintain ownership limits could cause the General Partner to lose its qualification as a real estate investment trust: In order for the General Partner to maintain its qualification as a real estate investment trust under the IRS Code, not more than 50 percent in value of its outstanding stock may be actually and/or constructively owned by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the IRS Code to include certain entities). The General Partner has limited the ownership of its outstanding shares of common stock by any single stockholder to 9.8 percent of the outstanding shares of its common stock. Its Board of Directors could waive this restriction if it was satisfied, based upon the advice of tax counsel or otherwise, that such action would be in the best interests of the General Partner and its stockholders and would not affect its qualification as a real estate investment trust under the IRS Code. Common stock acquired or transferred in breach of the limitation may be redeemed by us for the lesser of the price paid and the average closing price for the 10 trading days immediately preceding redemption or sold at the direction of the General Partner. The General Partner may elect to redeem such shares of common stock for Units, which are nontransferable except in very limited circumstances. Any transfer of shares of common stock which, as a result of such transfer, causes the General Partner to be in violation of any ownership limit, will be deemed void. Although the General Partner currently intends to continue to operate in a manner which will enable it to continue to qualify as a real estate investment trust under the IRS Code, it is possible that future economic, market, legal, tax or other considerations may cause its Board of Directors to revoke the election for the General Partner's to qualify as a real estate investment trust. Under the General Partner's organizational documents, its Board of Directors can make such revocation without the consent of its stockholders.

In addition, the consent of the holders of at least 85 percent of the Operating Partnership’s partnership units is required: (i) to merge (or permit the merger of) the Operating Partnership with another unrelated person, pursuant to a transaction in which the Operating Partnership is not the surviving entity; (ii) to dissolve, liquidate or wind up the Operating Partnership; or (iii) to convey or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of the Operating Partnership’s assets. As of February 23, 2021, the General Partner owned approximately 91 percent of the Operating Partnership’s outstanding common partnership units.

Tax liabilities as a consequence of failure to qualify as a real estate investment trust: The General Partner has elected to be treated and has operated so as to qualify as a real estate investment trust for federal income tax purposes since the General Partner's taxable year ended December 31, 1994. Although the General Partner believes it will continue to operate in such manner, it cannot guarantee that it will do so. Qualification as a real estate investment trust involves the satisfaction of various requirements (some on an annual and some on a quarterly basis) established under highly technical and complex tax provisions of the IRS Code. Because few judicial or administrative interpretations of such provisions exist and qualification determinations are fact sensitive, the General Partner cannot assure you that it will qualify as a real estate investment trust for any taxable year.

If the General Partner fails to qualify as a real estate investment trust in any taxable year, it will be subject to the following:

it will not be allowed a deduction for dividends paid to shareholders;

it will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates, including any alternative minimum tax, if applicable; and

unless it is entitled to relief under certain statutory provisions, it will not be permitted to qualify as a real estate investment trust for the four taxable years following the year during which was disqualified.

A loss the General Partner's status as a real estate investment trust could have an adverse effect on us. Failure to qualify as a real estate investment trust also would eliminate the requirement that the General Partner pay dividends to its stockholders. In addition, any such dividends that the General Partner does pay to its stockholders would not constitute qualified REIT dividends and would accordingly not qualify for a deduction of up to 20 percent.

Other tax liabilities: Even if the General Partner qualifies as a real estate investment trust under the IRS Code, its subject to certain federal, state and local taxes on our income and property and, in some circumstances, certain other state and local taxes. From time to time changes in state and local tax laws or regulations are enacted, which may result in an increase in our tax liability. A shortfall in tax revenues for states and municipalities in which we operate may lead to an increase in the frequency and amount of such increase. These actions could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, our taxable REIT subsidiaries will be subject to federal, state and local income tax for income received in connection with certain non-customary services performed for tenants and/or third parties.

Risk of changes in the tax law applicable to real estate investment trusts: Since the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Treasury Department and Congress frequently review federal income tax legislation, we cannot predict whether, when or to what extent new federal tax laws, regulations, interpretations or rulings will be adopted. Any such legislative action may prospectively or retroactively modify our tax treatment and, therefore, may adversely affect taxation of us, and/or our investors.

OTHER RISKS

Security breaches and other disruptions could compromise our information and expose us to liability, which would cause our business and reputation to suffer.

In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store sensitive data, including intellectual property, our proprietary business information and that of our tenants and business partners, including personally identifiable information of our tenants and employees, in our data centers and on our networks. Despite our security measures, our information technology and infrastructure may be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or breached due to employee error, malfeasance or other disruptions. Any such breach could compromise our networks and the information stored there could be accessed, publicly disclosed, lost or stolen. Any such access, disclosure or other loss of information could result in legal claims or proceedings, liability under laws that protect the privacy of personal information, disrupt our operations, and damage our reputation, which could adversely affect our business.

We face possible risks associated with the physical effects of climate change.

We cannot predict with certainty whether climate change is occurring and, if so, at what rate. However, the physical effects of climate change could have a material adverse effect on our properties, operations and business. For example, all of our properties are located along the East coast, particularly those in New Jersey and Massachusetts. To the extent climate change causes changes in weather patterns, our markets could experience increases in storm intensity and rising sea-levels. Over time, these conditions could result in declining demand for office space in our buildings or the inability of us to operate the buildings at all. Climate change may also have indirect effects on our business by increasing the cost of (or making unavailable) property insurance on terms we find acceptable, increasing the cost of energy and increasing the cost of snow removal or related costs at our properties. Proposed legislation to address climate change could increase utility and other costs of operating our properties which, if not offset by rising rental income, would reduce our net income. There can be no assurance that climate change will not have a material adverse effect on our properties, operations or business.

ITEM 1B.    UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.
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ITEM 2.    PROPERTIES

PROPERTY LIST

As of December 31, 2020, the Company’s Consolidated Properties consisted of 27 in-service commercial properties, as well as 13 multi-family rental properties and two hotels. The Consolidated Properties are located primarily in the Northeast. The Consolidated Properties are easily accessible from major thoroughfares and are in close proximity to numerous amenities. The Consolidated Properties contain a total of approximately 7.9 million square feet of commercial space and 4,039 apartment units with the individual commercial properties ranging from 8,400 to 1,246,283 square feet. The Consolidated Properties, managed by on-site employees, generally have attractively landscaped sites and atriums in addition to quality design and construction. The Company’s commercial tenants include many service sector employers, including a large number of professional firms and national and international businesses. The Company believes that all of its in-service properties are well-maintained and do not require significant capital improvements.

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