Certain factors may have a material adverse effect on our
business, financial condition, and results of operations. You should consider
carefully the risks and uncertainties described below, in addition to other
information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our
consolidated financial statements and related notes. The risks and
uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks
and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not
material, may also become important factors that adversely affect our business.
If any of the following risks actually occurs, our business, financial
condition, results of operations, and future prospects could be materially and
adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our common stock could
decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment.
For purposes of this section, the term "stockholders"
means the holders of shares of Video River Networks, Inc.’s common stock. Set
forth below are the risks that we believe are material to Video River Networks,
Inc.’s stockholders. You should carefully consider the following factors in
evaluating our Company, our properties and our business.
Our business, operating results, cash flows and financial
condition are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including, without
limitation, those set forth below, any one of which could cause our actual
operating results to vary materially from recent results or from our
anticipated future results.
Risks Related to Our Business
We have a limited operating history, and
may not be able to operate our business successfully or generate sufficient
cash flow to sustain distributions to our stockholders.
We have a limited operating history. We currently own three investment
properties. We are subject to many of the business risks and uncertainties
associated with any new business enterprise. We cannot assure you that we will
be able to operate our business successfully or profitably or find additional
suitable investments. Our ability to provide attractive risk-adjusted returns
to our stockholders over the long term is dependent on our ability both to
generate sufficient cash flow to pay an attractive dividend and to achieve
capital appreciation, and we cannot assure you we will do either. There can be
no assurance that we will be able to continue to generate sufficient revenue
from operations to pay our operating expenses and make distributions to stockholders.
The results of our operations and the execution on our business plan depend on
several factors, including the availability of additional opportunities for
investment, the performance of our existing properties and tenants, the
availability of adequate equity and debt financing, the federal and state
regulatory environment relating to the medical-use cannabis industry,
conditions in the financial markets and economic conditions.
Risks Related to Our Real Estate Investments and Operations
Our current real estate portfolio consists
of three investment properties and will likely continue to be concentrated in a
limited number of properties in the future, which subjects us to an increased
risk of significant loss if any property declines in value or if we are unable
to lease a property.
As at December 31, 2019, we currently own
three investment properties. We have no tenant nor rental revenues for the year
ended December 31, 2019. Lease payment defaults by any of our future tenants
or a significant decline in the value of any single property would materially
adversely affect our business, financial position and results of operations,
including our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
A lack of diversification may also increases the potential that a single
underperforming investment could have a material adverse effect on our cash
flows and the price we could realize from the sale of our properties. Any
adverse change in the financial condition of any of our future tenants,
including but not limited to the state medical-use cannabis markets not
developing and growing in ways that we or our future tenants projected, or any
adverse change in the political climate regarding medical-use cannabis where
our properties are located, would subject us to a significant risk of loss.
In addition, failure by any our future
tenants to comply with the terms of its lease agreement with us could require
us to find another lessee for the applicable property. We may experience delays
in enforcing our rights as landlord and may incur substantial costs in
protecting our investment and re-leasing that property. Furthermore, we cannot
assure you that we will be able to re-lease that property for the rent we
currently receive, or at all, or that a lease termination would not result in
our having to sell the property at a loss. The result of any of the foregoing
risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition
and results of operations and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
General real estate investment risks may adversely affect property
income and values.
Real estate investments are subject to a
variety of risks. If the multifamily properties and other real estate
investments do not generate sufficient income to meet operating expenses,
including debt service and capital expenditures, cash flow and the ability to
make distributions to NIHK's stockholders or the Operating Partnership's
unitholders will be adversely affected. Income from the multifamily properties
may be further adversely affected by, among other things, the following
factors:
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changes in the general or local
economic climate, including layoffs, plant closings, industry slowdowns,
relocations of significant local employers and other events negatively
impacting local employment rates and wages and the local economy;
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local economic conditions in which the
multifamily properties are located, such as oversupply of housing or a
reduction in demand for rental housing;
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the attractiveness and desirability of
our multifamily properties to tenants, including, without limitation, our
technology offerings and our ability to identify and cost effectively
implement new, relevant technologies, and to keep up with constantly changing
consumer demand for the latest innovations;
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inflationary environments in which the
costs to operate and maintain multifamily properties increase at a rate
greater than our ability to increase rents, or deflationary environments
where we may be exposed to declining rents more quickly under our short-term
leases;
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competition from other available
housing alternatives;
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changes in rent control or
stabilization laws or other laws regulating housing;
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the Company’s ability to provide for
adequate maintenance and insurance;
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declines in the financial condition of
our tenants, which may make it more difficult for us to collect rents from
some tenants;
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tenants' perceptions of the safety,
convenience and attractiveness of our multifamily properties and the
neighborhoods where they are located; and
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changes in interest rates and
availability of financing.
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As leases at the multifamily properties expire, tenants may enter into new
leases on terms that are less favorable to the Company. Income and real estate
values also may be adversely affected by such factors as applicable laws,
including, without limitation, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (the
"Disabilities Act"), Fair Housing Amendment Act of 1988 (the
"FHAA"), permanent and temporary rent control laws, rent
stabilization laws, other laws regulating housing that may prevent the Company
from raising rents to offset increased operating expenses, and tax laws.
Short-term leases expose us to the effects
of declining market rents, and the Company may be unable to renew leases or
relet units as leases expire.
Substantially all of our apartment leases are for a term of one
year or less. If the Company is unable to promptly renew the leases or relet the
units, or if the rental rates upon renewal or reletting are significantly lower
than expected rates, then the Company’s results of operations and financial
condition will be adversely affected. With these short term leases, our rental
revenues are impacted by declines in market rents more quickly than if our
leases were for longer terms.
National and regional economic
environments can negatively impact the Company’s liquidity and operating
results.
The Company's forecast for the national economy assumes growth
of the gross domestic product of the national economy and the economies of the
west coast states. In the event of a recession, the Company could incur
reductions in rental rates, occupancy levels, property valuations and increases
in operating costs such as advertising and turnover expenses. A recession may
affect consumer confidence and spending and negatively impact the volume and
pricing of real estate transactions, which could negatively affect the
Company’s liquidity and its ability to vary its portfolio promptly in response
to changes to the economy. Furthermore, if residents do not experience
increases in their income, they may be unable or unwilling to pay rent
increases, and delinquencies in rent payments and rent defaults may increase.
Rent control, or other changes in
applicable laws, or noncompliance with applicable laws, could adversely affect
the Company's operations or expose us to liability.
The Company must own, operate, manage, acquire, develop and
redevelop its properties 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, rent control or stabilization laws,
federal, state and local tax laws, landlord tenant laws, environmental laws,
employment laws, immigration laws and other laws regulating housing or that are
generally applicable to the Company's business and operations. Noncompliance
with laws could expose the Company to liability. If the Company does not comply
with any or all of these requirements, it may have to pay fines to government
authorities or damage awards to private litigants, and/or may have to decrease
rents in order to comply with such requirements. The Company does not know
whether these requirements will change or whether new requirements will be
imposed. Changes in, or noncompliance with, these regulatory requirements could
require the Company to make significant unanticipated expenditures, which could
have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition, results of
operations or cash flows.
In addition, rent control or rent stabilization laws and other
regulatory restrictions may limit our ability to increase rents and pass
through new or increased operating costs to our tenants. There has been a
recent increase in municipalities, including those in which we own properties,
considering or being urged by advocacy groups to consider rent control or rent
stabilization laws and regulations or take other actions which
could limit our ability to raise rents based solely on market conditions. These
initiatives and any other future enactments of rent control or rent
stabilization laws or other laws regulating multifamily housing, as well as any
lawsuits against the Company arising from such rent control or other laws, may
reduce rental revenues or increase operating costs. Such laws and regulations
limit our ability to charge market rents, increase rents, evict tenants or
recover increases in our operating expenses and could reduce the value of our
multifamily properties or make it more difficult for us to dispose of
properties in certain circumstances. Expenses associated with our investment in
these multifamily properties, such as debt service, real estate taxes,
insurance and maintenance costs, are generally not reduced when circumstances
cause a reduction in rental income from the community. Furthermore, such
regulations may negatively impact our ability to attract higher-paying tenants
to such multifamily properties.
Acquisitions of multifamily properties
involve various risks and uncertainties and may fail to meet expectations.
The Company intends to continue to acquire apartment multifamily
properties. However, there are risks that acquisitions will fail to meet the
Company’s expectations. The Company’s estimates of future income, expenses and
the costs of improvements or redevelopment that are necessary to allow the
Company to market an acquired apartment community as originally intended may
prove to be inaccurate. In addition, following an acquisition, the value and
operational performance of an apartment community may be diminished if
obsolescence or neighborhood changes occur before we are able to redevelop or
sell the community. Also, in connection with such acquisitions, we may assume
unknown liabilities, which could ultimately lead to material costs for us that
we did not expect to incur. The Company expects to finance future acquisitions,
in whole or in part, under various forms of secured or unsecured financing or
through the issuance of partnership units by the Operating Partnership or
related partnerships or joint ventures or additional equity by the Company. The
use of equity financing, rather than debt, for future developments or
acquisitions could dilute the interest of the Company’s existing stockholders.
If the Company finances new acquisitions under existing lines of credit, there
is a risk that, unless the Company obtains substitute financing, the Company
may not be able to undertake additional borrowing for further acquisitions or
developments or such borrowing may be not available on advantageous terms.
Development and redevelopment
activities may be delayed, not completed, and/or not achieve expected results.
The Company pursues development and redevelopment projects and
these projects generally require various governmental and other approvals,
which have no assurance of being received and/or the timing of which may be
delayed from the Company’s expectations. The Company defines development
projects as new multifamily properties that are being constructed or are newly
constructed and are in a phase of lease-up and have not yet reached stabilized
operations, and redevelopment projects as existing properties owned or recently
acquired that have been targeted for additional investment by the Company with
the expectation of increased financial returns through property improvement.
The Company’s development and redevelopment activities generally
entail certain risks, including, among others:
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funds may be expended and management's time devoted to
projects that may not be completed on time or at all;
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construction costs of a project may exceed original estimates
possibly making the project economically unfeasible;
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projects
may be delayed due to, without limitation, adverse weather conditions, labor
or material shortage, or environmental remediation;
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occupancy
rates and rents at a completed project may be less than anticipated;
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expenses
at completed development or redevelopment projects may be higher than
anticipated, including, without limitation, due to
costs of environmental remediation or increased costs for labor, materials
and leasing;
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we
may be unable to obtain, or experience a delay in obtaining, necessary
zoning, occupancy, or other required governmental or third party permits and
authorizations, which could result in increased costs or delay or abandonment
of opportunities;
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we
may be unable to obtain financing with favorable terms, or at all, for the
proposed development or redevelopment of a community, which may cause us to
delay or abandon an opportunity; and
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we
may incur liabilities to third parties during the development process, for
example, in connection with managing existing improvements on the site prior
to tenant terminations and demolition (such as commercial space) or in connection
with providing services to third parties (such as the construction of shared
infrastructure or other improvements.)
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These
risks may reduce the funds available for distribution to Essex’s stockholders
and the Operating Partnership's unitholders. Further, the development and
redevelopment of multifamily properties is also subject to the general risks
associated with real estate investments. For further information regarding
these risks, please see the risk factor above titled "General real
estate investment risks may adversely affect property income and values."
Our
apartment multifamily properties may be subject to unknown or contingent
liabilities which could cause us to incur substantial costs.
The
properties that the Company owns or may acquire are or may be subject to
unknown or contingent liabilities for which the Company may have no recourse,
or only limited recourse, against the sellers. In general, the representations
and warranties provided under the transaction agreements related to the sales
of the properties may not survive the closing of the transactions. While the
Company will seek to require the sellers to indemnify us with respect to
breaches of representations and warranties that survive, such indemnification
may be limited and subject to various materiality thresholds, a significant
deductible or an aggregate cap on losses. As a result, there is no guarantee
that we will recover any amounts with respect to losses due to breaches by the
sellers of their representations and warranties. In addition, the total amount
of costs and expenses that may be incurred with respect to liabilities
associated with apartment multifamily properties may exceed our expectations,
and we may experience other unanticipated adverse effects, all of which may adversely
affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The
geographic concentration of the Company’s multifamily properties and
fluctuations in local markets may adversely impact the Company’s financial
condition and operating results.
The
geographic concentration of our properties could present risks if local
property market performance falls below expectations. In general, factors that
may adversely affect local market and economic conditions include, among
others, the following:
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the
economic climate, which may be adversely impacted by a reduction in jobs or
income levels, industry slowdowns, changing demographics and other factors;
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local
conditions, such as oversupply of, or reduced demand for, apartment homes;
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declines
in household formation or employment or lack of employment growth;
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rent
control or stabilization laws, or other laws regulating rental housing, which
could prevent the Company from raising rents to offset increases in operating
costs, or the inability or unwillingness of tenants to pay rent increases;
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competition
from other available apartments and other housing alternatives and changes in
market rental rates;
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economic
conditions that could cause an increase in our operating expenses, including
increases in property taxes, utilities and routine maintenance; and
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regional
specific acts of nature (e.g., earthquakes, fires, floods, etc.).
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Because
the Company’s multifamily properties are primarily located in Southern California,
Northern California and the Seattle metropolitan area, the Company is exposed
to greater economic concentration risks than if it owned a more geographically
diverse portfolio. The Company is susceptible to adverse developments in
California and Washington economic and regulatory environments, such as
increases in real estate and other taxes, and increased costs of complying with
governmental regulations. In addition, the State of California is generally
regarded as more litigious and more highly regulated and taxed than many
states, which may reduce demand for the Company’s properties. Any adverse
developments in the economy or real estate markets in California or Washington,
or any decrease in demand for the Company’s multifamily properties resulting
from the California or Washington regulatory or business environments, could
have an adverse effect on the Company’s business and results of operations.
Risks Related to Our Specialized Industrial Properties and
Operations
Competition for the acquisition of
properties suitable for the cultivation and production of medical-use cannabis
may impede our ability to make acquisitions or increase the cost of these
acquisitions, which could adversely affect our operating results and financial
condition.
We compete for the acquisition of
properties suitable for the cultivation and production of medical-use cannabis
with other entities engaged in agricultural and real estate investment
activities, including corporate agriculture companies, cultivators and
producers of medical-use cannabis, private equity investors, and other real
estate investors (including public and private REITs). We also compete as a
provider of capital to medical-use cannabis operators with alternative
financing sources to these companies, including both equity and debt financing
alternatives. These competitors may prevent us from acquiring desirable
properties, may cause an increase in the price we must pay for properties or
may result in us having to lease our properties on less favorable terms than we
expect. Our competitors may have greater financial and operational resources
than we do and may be willing to pay more for certain assets or may be willing
to accept more risk than we believe can be prudently managed. In particular, larger
companies may enjoy significant competitive advantages that result from, among
other things, a lower cost of capital and enhanced operating efficiencies. Our
competitors may also adopt transaction structures similar to ours, which would
decrease our competitive advantage in offering flexible transaction terms. In
addition, due to a number of factors, including but not limited to potential
greater clarity of the laws and regulations governing medical-use cannabis by
state and federal governments, the number of entities and the amount of funds
competing for suitable investment properties may increase, resulting in
increased demand and increased prices paid for these properties. If we pay
higher prices for properties or enter into leases for such properties on less
favorable terms than we expect, our profitability and ability to generate cash
flow and make distributions to our stockholders may decrease. Increased
competition for properties may also preclude us from acquiring those properties
that would generate attractive returns to us.
Our growth will depend upon
future acquisitions of multifamily properties, hemp farms, CBD processing and
medical-use cannabis facilities, and we may be unable to consummate
acquisitions on advantageous terms.
Our growth strategy will be focused on the acquisition of
specialized industrial real estate assets on favorable terms as opportunities
arise. Our ability to acquire these real estate assets on favorable terms is
subject to the following risks:
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competition
from other potential acquirers or increased availability of alternative debt
and equity financing sources for tenants may significantly increase the
purchase price of a desired property;
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we
may not successfully purchase and lease our properties to meet our
expectations;
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we
may be unable to obtain the necessary equity or debt financing to consummate
an acquisition on satisfactory terms or at all;
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agreements
for the acquisition of properties are typically subject to closing
conditions, including satisfactory completion of due diligence
investigations, and we may spend significant time and money and divert
management attention on potential acquisitions that we do not consummate; and
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we
may acquire properties without any recourse, or with only limited recourse,
for liabilities, whether known or unknown, against the former owners of the
properties.
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Our failure to consummate acquisition on advantageous terms
without substantial expense or delay would impede our growth and negatively
affect our results of operations and our ability to generate cash flow and make
distributions to our stockholders.
There may only be a limited number of multifamily properties, hemp
farms, CBD processing and medical-use cannabis facilities operated by suitable
tenants available for us to acquire, which could adversely affect the return on
our common stock.
We target multifamily properties, hemp farms, CBD processing and
medical-use cannabis facilities for acquisition and leasing to licensed growers
under triple-net lease agreements. We also target properties owned by growers
that have been among the top candidates in the rigorous state licensing process
and have been granted one or more licenses to operate multiple facilities. In
light of the current regulatory landscape regarding medical-use cannabis,
including but not limited to, the rigorous state licensing processes, limits on
the number of licenses granted in certain states and in counties within such states,
zoning regulations related to multifamily properties, hemp farms, CBD
processing and medical-use cannabis facilities, the inability of potential
tenants to open bank accounts necessary to pay rent and other expenses and the
ever-changing federal and state regulatory landscape, we may have only a
limited number of multifamily properties, hemp farms, CBD processing and
medical-use cannabis facilities available to purchase that are operated by
licensees that we believe would be suitable tenants. These tenants may also
have increased access to alternative equity and debt financing sources over
time, which may limit our ability to negotiate leasing arrangements that meet
our investment criteria. Our inability to locate suitable investment properties
and tenants would have a material adverse effect on our ability to generate
cash flow and make distributions to our stockholders.
We may acquire our properties "as-is," which increases
the risk of an investment that requires us to remedy defects or costs without
recourse to the prior owner.
We may acquire other real estate properties, "as is"
with only limited representations and warranties from the property seller
regarding matters affecting the condition, use and ownership of the property.
There may also be environmental conditions associated with properties we
acquire of which we are unaware despite our diligence efforts. In particular,
multifamily properties, hemp farms, CBD processing and medical-use cannabis
facilities may present environmental concerns of which we are not currently
aware. If environmental contamination exists on properties we acquire or
develops after acquisition, we could become subject to liability for the
contamination. As a result, if defects in the property (including any building on
the property) or other matters adversely affecting the property are discovered,
including but not limited to environmental matters, we may not be able to
pursue a claim for any or all damages against the property seller. Such a
situation could harm our business, financial condition, liquidity and results
of operations.
We face significant
risks associated with the development and redevelopment of properties that we
acquire.
We may, from time to time, engage in development or redevelopment
of properties that we acquire. Development and redevelopment activities entail
risks that could adversely impact our financial condition and results of
operations, including:
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construction
costs, which may exceed our original estimates due to increases in materials,
labor or other costs, which could make the project less profitable;
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permitting
or construction delays, which may result in increased project costs, as well
as deferred revenue;
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unavailability
of raw materials when needed, which may result in project delays, stoppages
or interruptions, which could make the project less profitable;
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claims
for warranty, product liability and construction defects after a property has
been built;
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health
and safety incidents and site accidents;
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poor
performance or nonperformance by, or disputes with, any of our contractors,
subcontractors or other third parties on whom we rely;
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unforeseen
engineering, environmental or geological problems, which may result in delays
or increased costs;
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labor
stoppages, slowdowns or interruptions;
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liabilities,
expenses or project delays, stoppages or interruptions as a result of
challenges by third parties in legal proceedings; and
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weather-related
and geological interference, including landslides, earthquakes, floods,
drought, wildfires and other events, which may result in delays or increased
costs.
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Failure to complete development or redevelopment activities on
budget or on schedule may adversely affect our financial condition and results of
operations and the ability of our future tenants at such properties to make
payments under their leases with us.
Liability for uninsured losses could
adversely affect our financial condition.
While the terms of our leases with our
future tenants would generally require property and casualty insurance, losses
from disaster-type occurrences, such as earthquakes, floods and weather-related
disasters, and other types of insurance, such as landlord's rental loss
insurance, may be either uninsurable or not insurable on economically viable
terms. Should an uninsured loss occur, we could lose our capital investment or
anticipated profits and cash flows from one or more properties.
Contingent or unknown liabilities could
materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity
and results of operations.
We may in the future acquire properties,
subject to liabilities and without any recourse, or with only limited recourse,
with respect to unknown liabilities. As a result, if a claim were asserted
against us based on ownership of any of these properties, we may have to pay
substantial amounts to defend or settle the claim. If the magnitude of such
unknown liabilities is high, individually or in the aggregate, our business,
financial condition, liquidity and results of operations would be materially
and adversely affected.
The assets we acquire may be subject to
impairment charges.
We would periodically evaluate the real
estate investments we acquire and other assets for impairment indicators. The
judgment regarding the existence of impairment indicators is based upon factors
such as market conditions, tenant performance and legal structure. For example,
the termination of a lease by a tenant may lead to an
impairment charge. If we determine that an impairment has occurred, we would be
required to make an adjustment to the net carrying value of the asset which
could have an adverse effect on our results of operations in the period in
which the impairment charge is recorded.
Due to our involvement in the regulated
medical-use cannabis industry, we may have a difficult time obtaining the
various insurance policies that are desired to operate our business, which may
expose us to additional risks and financial liabilities.
Insurance that is otherwise readily
available, such as workers' compensation, general liability, and directors' and
officers' insurance, could be more difficult for us to find and more expensive,
because we lease our properties to companies in the regulated medical-use cannabis
industry. There are no guarantees that we will be able to find such insurance
in the future, or that the cost will be affordable to us. If we are forced to
go without such insurance, it may prevent us from entering into certain
business sectors, may inhibit our growth, and may expose us to additional risk
and financial liabilities.
We may purchase properties subject to
ground leases that expose us to the loss of such properties upon breach or
termination of the ground leases.
A ground lease agreement permits a tenant
to develop and/or operate a land parcel (property) during the lease period,
after which the land parcel and all improvements revert back to the property
owner. Under a ground lease, property improvements are owned by the property owner
unless an exception is created and all relevant taxes incurred during the lease
period are paid for by the tenant. Ground leases typically have a long duration
generally ranging from 50 to 99 years with additional extension options. As a
lessee under a ground lease, we would be exposed to the possibility of losing
the property upon termination, or an earlier breach by us, of the ground lease,
which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition
and results of operations, our ability to make distributions to our
stockholders and the trading price of our common stock.
The occurrence of cyber incidents or cyber
attacks could disrupt our operations, result in the loss of confidential
information and/or damage our business relationships and reputation.
We rely on technology to run our business,
and as such we are subject to risk from cyber incidents, including cyber
attacks attempting to gain unauthorized access to our systems to disrupt
operations, corrupt data or steal confidential information, and other
electronic security breaches. While we have implemented measures to help
mitigate these threats, such measures cannot guarantee that we will be
successful in preventing a cyber incident. The occurrence of a cyber
incident or cyber attack could disrupt our operations, compromise the
confidential information of our employees or tenants, and/or damage our
business relationships and reputation.
We cannot predict every event and
circumstance that may affect our business, and therefore, the risks and
uncertainties discussed herein may not be the only ones you should consider.
We are not aware of any other community development holding
company that focuses on the acquisition, ownership and management of
multifamily properties, hemp farms, CBD processing and medical-use cannabis
facilities. Therefore, we may encounter risks of which we are not aware at this
time, which could have a material adverse impact on our business.
Risks Related to Regulation
Cannabis
remains illegal under federal law, and therefore, strict enforcement of federal
laws regarding cannabis would likely result in our inability and the inability
of our future tenants to execute our respective business plans.
Cannabis is a Schedule I controlled
substance under the CSA. Even in those jurisdictions in which the manufacture
and use of cannabis has been legalized at the state level, the possession, use
and cultivation all remain violations of federal law that are punishable by
imprisonment, substantial fines and forfeiture. Moreover, individuals and
entities may violate federal law if they intentionally aid and abet another in
violating these federal controlled substance laws, or conspire with another to
violate them. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in United States v.
Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Coop. and Gonzales v. Raich that
it is the federal government that has the right to regulate and criminalize the
sale, possession and use of cannabis, even for medical purposes. We would
likely be unable to execute our business plan if the federal government were to
strictly enforce federal law regarding cannabis.
In January 2018, the DOJ rescinded certain
memoranda, including the so-called “Cole Memo” issued on August 29, 2013 under
the Obama Administration, which had characterized enforcement of federal
cannabis prohibitions under the CSA to prosecute those complying with state
regulatory systems allowing the use, manufacture and distribution of medical
cannabis as an inefficient use of federal investigative and prosecutorial
resources when state regulatory and enforcement efforts are effective with
respect to enumerated federal enforcement priorities under the CSA. The impact
of the DOJ's recent rescission of the Cole Memo and related memoranda is
unclear, but may result in the DOJ increasing its enforcement actions against
the regulated cannabis industry generally, including our future tenants and us.
Congress previously enacted an omnibus
spending bill that includes a provision prohibiting the DOJ (which includes the
DEA) from using funds appropriated by that bill to prevent states from
implementing their medical-use cannabis laws. This provision, however, expires
on September 30, 2019, and must be renewed by Congress. In USA vs.
McIntosh, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that this
provision prohibits the DOJ from spending funds from relevant appropriations
acts to prosecute individuals who engage in conduct permitted by state
medical-use cannabis laws and who strictly comply with such laws. However, the
Ninth Circuit's opinion, which only applies to the states of Alaska, Arizona,
California, Hawaii, and Idaho, also held that persons who do not strictly
comply with all state laws and regulations regarding the distribution,
possession and cultivation of medical-use cannabis have engaged in conduct that
is unauthorized, and in such instances the DOJ may prosecute those individuals.
Furthermore, while we target the acquisition of multifamily properties, hemp
farms, CBD processing and medical-use cannabis facilities, our leases do not
prohibit cannabis cultivation for adult-use that is permissible under the state
and local laws where our facilities are located, such as in California,
Colorado, Massachusetts and Michigan. Consequently, certain of our future
tenants currently (and additional tenants may in the future) cultivate
adult-use cannabis in our multifamily properties, hemp farms, CBD processing
and medical-use cannabis facilities, as permitted by such state and local laws
now or in the future, which may in turn subject the tenant, us and our
properties to greater and/or different federal legal and other risks as
compared to facilities where cannabis is cultivated exclusively for medical
use, including not providing protection under the Congressional spending bill
provision described above.
Additionally, financial transactions involving proceeds generated
by cannabis-related conduct can form the basis for prosecution under the
federal money laundering statutes, unlicensed money transmitter statutes and
the Bank Secrecy Act. The penalties for violation of these laws include
imprisonment, substantial fines and forfeiture. Prior to the DOJ's rescission
of the Cole Memo, supplemental guidance from the DOJ issued under the Obama
administration directed federal prosecutors to consider the federal enforcement
priorities enumerated in the Cole Memo when determining whether to charge
institutions or individuals with any of the financial crimes described above
based upon cannabis-related activity. With the rescission of the Cole Memo,
there is increased uncertainty and added risk that federal law enforcement authorities could seek to pursue money
laundering charges against entities or individuals engaged in supporting the
cannabis industry.
Federal prosecutors have significant discretion and no assurance
can be given that the federal prosecutor in each judicial district where we
purchase a property will not choose to strictly enforce the federal laws
governing cannabis production or distribution. Any change in the federal
government's enforcement posture with respect to state-licensed cultivation of
cannabis, including the enforcement postures of individual federal prosecutors
in judicial districts where we purchase properties, would result in our
inability to execute our business plan, and we would likely suffer significant
losses with respect to our investment in cannabis facilities in the United
States, which would adversely affect the trading price of our securities.
Furthermore, following any such change in the federal government's enforcement
position, we could be subject to criminal prosecution, which could lead to
imprisonment and/or the imposition of penalties, fines, or forfeiture.
Certain of our future tenants engage in operations for the
adult-use cannabis industry in addition to or in lieu of operations for the
medical-use cannabis industry, and such tenants, we and our properties may be
subject to additional risks associated with such adult-use cannabis operations.
We expect that leases that we enter into with future tenants at
other properties we acquire will not, prohibit cannabis cultivation for
adult-use that is permissible under state and local laws where our facilities
are located and certain of our future tenants are currently engaged in
operations for the adult-use cannabis industry, which may subject our future
tenants, us and our properties to different and greater risks, including
greater prosecution risk for aiding and abetting violation of the CSA and
federal laws governing money laundering. For example, the prohibition in the current
omnibus spending bill that prohibits the DOJ from using funds appropriated by
Congress to prevent states from implementing their medical-use cannabis laws
does not extend to adult-use cannabis laws. In addition, while we may purchase
properties in states that only permit medical-use cannabis at the time of
acquisition, such states may in the future authorize by state legislation or
popular vote the legalization of adult-use cannabis, thus permitting our future
tenants to engage in adult-use cannabis operations at our properties. For
example, the voters of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed an initiative
to legalize cannabis for adult-use in 2016, having previously voted to legalize
medical-use cannabis in 2012. Massachusetts began issuing licenses to operators
for the sale of adult-use cannabis in July 2018. Our existing leases at our
Massachusetts properties do not prohibit our future tenants from conducting
adult-use cannabis cultivation, processing or dispensing that is permissible
under state and local laws. Similarly, the states of California and Colorado
permit licensed adult-use cannabis cultivation, processing and dispensing, and
our leases with tenants in California and Colorado allow for adult-use cannabis
operations to be conducted at the properties in compliance with state and local
laws. In addition, Michigan voters passed an initiative in November 2018 to
legalize cannabis for adult-use.
New laws that are adverse to the business of our future tenants
may be enacted, and current favorable national, state or local laws or
enforcement guidelines relating to cultivation and production of cannabis may
be modified or eliminated in the future.
We are targeting for acquisition properties that are owned by
state-licensed cultivators and producers of cannabis. Relevant state or local
laws may be amended or repealed, or new laws may be enacted in the future to
eliminate existing laws permitting cultivation and production of cannabis. If
our future tenants were forced to close their operations, we would need to
replace those tenants with tenants who are not engaged in the cannabis
industry, who may pay significantly lower rents. Moreover, any changes in state
or local laws that reduce or eliminate the ability to cultivate and produce
cannabis would likely result in a high vacancy rate for the kinds of properties
that we seek to acquire, which would depress our lease rates and property values. In addition, we would realize an
economic loss on any and all improvements made to properties that were specific
to the cannabis industry.
Our ability to grow our business depends on state laws pertaining
to the cannabis industry.
Continued development of the medical-use cannabis industry depends
upon continued legislative authorization of cannabis at the state level. The
status quo of, or progress in, the regulated medical-use cannabis industry is
not assured and any number of factors could slow or halt further progress in
this area. While there may be ample public support for legislative action
permitting the manufacture and use of cannabis, numerous factors impact the
legislative process. For example, many states that voted to legalize medical
and/or adult-use cannabis have seen significant delays in the drafting and
implementation of industry regulations and issuance of licenses. In addition,
burdensome regulation at the state level could slow or stop further development
of the medical-use cannabis industry, such as limiting the medical conditions
for which medical cannabis can be recommended by physicians for treatment,
restricting the form in which medical cannabis can be consumed, imposing
significant registration requirements on physicians and patients or imposing
significant taxes on the growth, processing and/or retail sales of cannabis,
which could have the impact of dampening growth of the cannabis industry and
making it difficult for cannabis businesses, including our future tenants, to
operate profitably in those states. Any one of these factors could slow or halt
additional legislative authorization of medical-use cannabis, which could harm
our business prospects.
FDA regulation of medical-use cannabis and the possible
registration of facilities where medical-use cannabis is grown could negatively
affect the medical-use cannabis industry, which would directly affect our
financial condition.
Should the federal government legalize cannabis for medical-use,
it is possible that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA")
would seek to regulate it under the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act of 1938. Additionally,
the FDA may issue rules and regulations including certified good manufacturing
practices, or cGMPs, related to the growth, cultivation, harvesting and
processing of medical cannabis. Clinical trials may be needed to verify
efficacy and safety. It is also possible that the FDA would require that
facilities where medical-use cannabis is grown register with the FDA and comply
with certain federally prescribed regulations. In the event that some or all of
these regulations are imposed, we do not know what the impact would be on the
medical-use cannabis industry, including what costs, requirements and possible
prohibitions may be enforced. If we or our future tenants are unable to comply
with the regulations or registration as prescribed by the FDA, we and or our
future tenants may be unable to continue to operate their and our business in
its current form or at all.
We and our future tenants may have difficulty accessing the
service of banks, which may make it difficult to contract for real estate needs.
Financial transactions involving proceeds generated by
cannabis-related conduct can form the basis for prosecution under the federal
money laundering statutes, unlicensed money transmitter statute and the Bank
Secrecy Act. Previous guidance issued by the FinCen, a division of the U.S.
Department of the Treasury, clarifies how financial institutions can provide
services to cannabis-related businesses consistent with their obligations under
the Bank Secrecy Act. Prior to the DOJ’s announcement in January 2018 of the
rescission of the Cole Memo and related memoranda, supplemental guidance from
the DOJ directed federal prosecutors to consider the federal enforcement
priorities enumerated in the Cole Memo when determining whether to charge
institutions or individuals with any of the financial crimes described above
based upon cannabis-related activity. It is unclear what impact the rescission
of the Cole Memo will have, but federal prosecutors may increase enforcement
activities against institutions or individuals that are conducting financial
transactions related to cannabis activities. The increased uncertainty
surrounding financial transactions related to cannabis activities may also
result in financial institutions discontinuing services to the cannabis
industry.
Consequently, those businesses involved in
the regulated medical-use cannabis industry continue to encounter difficulty
establishing banking relationships, which may increase over time. Our inability
to maintain our current bank accounts would make it difficult for us to operate
our business, increase our operating costs, and pose additional operational,
logistical and security challenges and could result in our inability to
implement our business plan.
The terms of our leases require that our
future tenants make rental payments via check or wire transfer. The inability
of our current and potential tenants to open accounts and continue using the
services of banks will limit their ability to enter into triple-net lease
arrangements with us or may result in their default under our lease agreements,
either of which could materially harm our business and the trading price of our
securities.
Owners of properties located in close
proximity to our properties may assert claims against us regarding the use of
the property as a medical cannabis cultivation and processing facility, which
if successful, could materially and adversely affect our business.
Owners of properties located in close
proximity to our properties may assert claims against us regarding the use of
our properties for medical cannabis cultivation and processing, including
assertions that the use of the property constitutes a nuisance that diminishes
the market value of such owner's nearby property. Such property owners may also
attempt to assert such a claim in federal court as a civil matter under the
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. If a property owner were to
assert such a claim against us, we may be required to devote significant
resources and costs to defending ourselves against such a claim, and if a
property owner were to be successful on such a claim, our future tenants may be
unable to continue to operate their business in its current form at the
property, which could materially adversely impact the tenant's business and the
value of our property, our business and financial results and the trading price
of our securities.
Laws and regulations affecting the
regulated cannabis industry are constantly changing, which could materially
adversely affect our proposed operations, and we cannot predict the impact that
future regulations may have on us.
Local, state and federal cannabis laws and
regulations are broad in scope and subject to evolving interpretations, which
could require us to incur substantial costs associated with compliance or alter
our business plan. In addition, violations of these laws, or allegations of
such violations, could disrupt our business and result in a material adverse
effect on our operations. It is also possible that regulations may be enacted
in the future that will be directly applicable to our proposed business. We
cannot predict the nature of any future laws, regulations, interpretations or
applications, nor can we determine what effect additional governmental
regulations or administrative policies and procedures, when and if promulgated,
could have on our business.
Applicable state laws may prevent us from
maximizing our potential income.
Depending on the laws of each particular
state, we may not be able to fully realize our potential to generate profit.
For example, some states have residency requirements for those directly
involved in the medical-use cannabis industry, which may impede our ability to
contract with cannabis businesses in those states. Furthermore, cities and counties
are being given broad discretion to ban certain cannabis activities. Even if
these activities are legal under state law, specific cities and counties may
ban them.
Assets
leased to cannabis businesses may be forfeited to the federal government.
Any assets used in conjunction with the
violation of federal law are potentially subject to federal forfeiture, even in
states where cannabis is legal. In July 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice
issued a new policy directive regarding asset forfeiture, referred to as the
"equitable sharing program." Under this new policy directive, federal
authorities may adopt state and local forfeiture cases and prosecute them at
the federal level, allowing for state and local agencies to keep up to 80% of
any forfeiture revenue. This policy directive represents a reversal of the
DOJ's policy under the Obama administration, and allows for forfeitures to
proceed that are not in accord with the limitations imposed by state-specific
forfeiture laws. This new policy directive may lead to increased use of asset
forfeitures by local, state and federal enforcement agencies. If the federal
government decides to initiate forfeiture proceedings against cannabis
businesses, such as the multifamily properties, hemp farms, CBD processing and
medical-use cannabis facilities that we have acquired and intend to acquire,
our investment in those properties may be lost.
We may have difficulty accessing
bankruptcy courts.
As discussed above, the cannabis is
illegal under federal law. Therefore, there is a compelling argument that the
federal bankruptcy courts cannot provide relief for parties who engage in the
cannabis or cannabis related businesses. Recent bankruptcy rulings have denied
bankruptcies for dispensaries upon the justification that businesses cannot
violate federal law and then claim the benefits of federal bankruptcy for the
same activity and upon the justification that courts cannot ask a bankruptcy
trustee to take possession of, and distribute cannabis assets as such action would
violate the CSA. Therefore, we may not be able to seek the protection of the
bankruptcy courts and this could materially affect our business or our ability
to obtain credit.
The properties that we acquire are subject
to extensive regulations, which may result in significant costs and materially
and adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity and results
of operations.
Our properties are and other properties
that we expect to acquire will be subject to various local laws and regulatory
requirements. Local property regulations, including restrictive covenants of
record, may restrict the use of properties we acquire and may require us to
obtain approval from local authorities with respect to the properties that we
expect to acquire, including prior to acquiring a property or when developing
or undertaking renovations. Among other things, these restrictions may relate
to cultivation of medical-use cannabis, the use of water and the discharge of
waste water, fire and safety, seismic conditions, asbestos-cleanup or hazardous
material abatement requirements. We cannot assure you that existing regulatory
policies will not materially and adversely affect us or the timing or cost of
any future acquisitions, developments or renovations, or that additional
regulations will not be adopted that would increase such delays or result in
additional costs. Our failure to obtain such regulatory approvals could have a
material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity and
results of operations.
Compliance with environmental laws could
materially increase our operating expenses.
There may be environmental conditions
associated with properties we acquire of which we are unaware. If environmental
contamination exists on properties we acquire, we could become subject to
liability for the contamination. The presence of hazardous substances on a
property may materially and adversely affect our ability to sell the property
and we may incur substantial remediation costs. In addition, although we may
require in our leases that tenants operate in compliance with all applicable
laws and indemnify us against any environmental liabilities arising from a
tenant's activities on the property, we could nonetheless be subject to
liability by virtue of our ownership interest and we cannot be sure that our
future tenants would satisfy their indemnification
obligations to us. Such environmental liability exposure associated with
properties we acquire could harm our business, financial condition, liquidity
and results of operations.
Risks Related to Financing Our Business
Our growth depends on external sources of
capital, which may not be available on favorable terms or at all. In addition,
banks and other financial institutions may be reluctant to enter into lending
transactions with us, including secured lending, because we acquire properties
used in the cultivation and production of medical-use cannabis. If this source
of funding is unavailable to us, our growth may be limited and our levered return
on the properties we purchase may be lower.
We expect to acquire additional real
estate assets, which we intend to finance primarily through newly issued equity
or debt. We may not be in a position to take advantage of attractive investment
opportunities for growth if we are unable, due to global or regional economic
uncertainty, changes in the state or federal regulatory environment relating to
the medical-use cannabis industry, our own operating or financial performance
or otherwise, to access capital markets on a timely basis and on favorable
terms or at all.
Our access to capital will depend upon a number of factors over
which we have little or no control, including general market conditions and the
market's perception of our current and potential future earnings. If general
economic instability or downturn leads to an inability to borrow at attractive
rates or at all, our ability to obtain capital to finance the purchase of real
estate assets could be negatively impacted. In addition, banks and other
financial institutions may be reluctant to enter into lending transactions with
us, particularly secured lending, because we intend to acquire properties used
in the cultivation and production of medical-use cannabis. If this source of
funding is unavailable to us, our growth may be limited and our levered return
on the properties we purchase may be lower.
If we are unable to obtain capital on terms and conditions that we
find acceptable, we likely will have to reduce the number of properties we can
purchase. In addition, our ability to refinance all or any debt we may incur in
the future, on acceptable terms or at all, is subject to all of the above
factors, and will also be affected by our future financial position, results of
operations and cash flows, which additional factors are also subject to
significant uncertainties, and therefore we may be unable to refinance any debt
we may incur in the future, as it matures, on acceptable terms or at all. All
of these events would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition, liquidity and results of operations.
Any future indebtedness reduces our cash available for
distribution and may expose us to the risk of default.
Payments of principal and interest on our borrowings that we may
incur in the future may leave us with insufficient cash resources to operate
the properties that we expect to acquire. Our level of debt and the limitations
imposed on us by debt agreements could have significant material and adverse
consequences, including the following:
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our
cash flow may be insufficient to meet our required principal and interest
payments;
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we
may be unable to borrow additional funds as needed or on favorable terms, or
at all;
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we
may be unable to refinance our indebtedness at maturity or the refinancing
terms may be less favorable than the terms of our original indebtedness;
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to
the extent we borrow debt that bears interest at variable rates, increases in
interest rates could materially increase our interest expense;
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we
may be forced to dispose of one or more of the properties that we expect to
acquire, possibly on disadvantageous terms;
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we
may default on our obligations or violate restrictive covenants, in which
case the lenders may accelerate these debt obligations; and
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our
default under any loan with cross default provisions could result in a
default on other indebtedness.
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If any one of these events were to occur, our financial condition,
results of operations, cash flow, and our ability to make distributions to our
stockholders could be materially and adversely affected.
Risks Related to Our Organization and Structure
We are dependent on our key personnel for our success.
We depend upon the efforts, experience, diligence, skill and
network of business contacts of our senior management team, and our success
will depend on their continued service. The departure of any of our executive
officers or key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business.
If any of our key personnel were to cease their employment, our operating
results could suffer. Further, we do not intend to maintain key person life
insurance that would provide us with proceeds in the event of death or
disability of any of our key personnel.
We believe our future success depends upon our senior management
team's ability to hire and retain highly skilled managerial, operational and
marketing personnel. Competition for such personnel is intense, and we cannot
assure you that we will be successful in attracting and retaining such skilled
personnel. If we lose or are unable to obtain the services of key personnel,
our ability to implement our investment strategies could be delayed or
hindered, and the value of our common stock may decline.
Furthermore, we may retain independent contractors to provide
various services for us, including administrative services, transfer agent
services and professional services. Such contractors have no fiduciary duty to
us and may not perform as expected or desired.
Our senior management team would manage our portfolio subject to
very broad investment guidelines.
Our senior management team will have broad discretion over our
investments, and our stockholders will have no opportunity to evaluate the
terms of transactions or other economic or financial data concerning our
investments that are not described in periodic filings with the SEC. We will
rely on the senior management team's ability to execute acquisitions and
dispositions of multifamily properties, hemp farms, CBD processing and medical-use
cannabis facilities, subject to the oversight and approval of our board of
directors. Our senior management team will be authorized to pursue acquisitions
and dispositions of real estate investments in accordance with very broad
investment guidelines, subject to approval of our board of directors.
Our board of directors may change our investment objectives and
strategies without stockholder consent.
Our board of directors determines our major policies, including
with regard to financing, growth, debt capitalization and distributions. Our
board of directors may amend or revise these and other policies without a vote
of the stockholders. Our stockholders generally have a right to vote only on
the following matters:
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the
election or removal of directors;
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the
amendment of our charter, except that our board of directors may amend our
charter without stockholder approval to:
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change
the name or other designation or the par value of any class or series of
stock and the aggregate par value of our stock;
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increase
or decrease the aggregate number of shares of stock that we have the
authority to issue;
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increase
or decrease the number of our shares of any class or series of stock that we
have the authority to issue; and
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effect
certain reverse stock splits;
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our
liquidation and dissolution; and
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our
being a party to a merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of all or
substantially all of our assets or statutory share exchange.
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All other matters are subject to the discretion of our board of
directors.
Our authorized but unissued shares of common and preferred stock
may prevent a change in our control.
Our Articles of Incorporation permits our board of directors to
authorize us to issue additional shares of our authorized but unissued common
or preferred stock. In addition, our board of directors may, without
stockholder approval, amend our Articles of Incorporation to increase the
aggregate number of our shares of stock or the number of shares of stock of any
class or series that we have the authority to issue and classify or reclassify
any unissued shares of common or preferred stock and set the terms of the
classified or reclassified shares. As a result, our board of directors may establish
a class or series of shares of common or preferred stock that could delay or
prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price
for shares of our common stock or otherwise be in the best interest of our
stockholders.
Severance agreements with our executive officers could be costly
and prevent a change in our control.
The severance agreements that we entered into with our executive
officers provide that, if their employment with us terminates under certain
circumstances (including upon a change in our control), we may be required to
pay them significant amounts of severance compensation, including accelerated
vesting of equity awards, thereby making it costly to terminate their
employment. Furthermore, these provisions could delay or prevent a transaction
or a change in our control that might involve a premium paid for our common
stock or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.
Because of our holding company structure, we depend on our
Operating Partnership and its subsidiaries for cash flow and we will be
structurally subordinated in right of payment to the obligations of such
operating subsidiary and its subsidiaries.
We are a holding company with no business operations of our own.
Our only significant asset is and will be the general and limited partnership
interests in our Operating Partnership. We conduct, and intend to conduct, all
of our business operations through our Operating Partnership. Accordingly, our
only source of cash to pay our obligations is distributions from our Operating
Partnership and its subsidiaries of their net earnings and cash flows. We
cannot assure our stockholders that our Operating Partnership or its
subsidiaries will be able to, or be permitted to, make distributions to us that
will enable us to make distributions to our stockholders from cash flows from
operations. Each of our Operating Partnership's subsidiaries is or will be a
distinct legal entity and, under certain circumstances, legal and contractual
restrictions may limit our ability to obtain cash from such entities. In
addition, because we are a holding company, your claims as stockholders will be
structurally subordinated to all existing and future liabilities and
obligations of our Operating Partnership and its subsidiaries. Therefore, in
the event of our bankruptcy, liquidation or
reorganization, our assets and those of our Operating Partnership and its
subsidiaries will be able to satisfy your claims as stockholders only after all
of our and our Operating Partnership's and its subsidiaries' liabilities and
obligations have been paid in full. Furthermore, U.S. bankruptcy courts have
generally refused to grant bankruptcy protections to cannabis businesses.
Our Operating Partnership may issue additional limited partnership
interests to third parties without the consent of our stockholders, which would
reduce our ownership percentage in our Operating Partnership and would have a
dilutive effect on the amount of distributions made to us by our Operating
Partnership and, therefore, the amount of distributions we can make to our
stockholders.
We are the sole general partner of our Operating Partnership and
own, directly or through a subsidiary, 100% of the outstanding partnership
interests in our Operating Partnership. We may, in connection with our
acquisition of properties or otherwise, cause our Operating Partnership to
issue additional limited partnership interests to third parties. Such issuances
would reduce our ownership percentage in our Operating Partnership and affect
the amount of distributions made to us by our Operating Partnership and,
therefore, the amount of distributions we can make to our stockholders. Because
our stockholders will not directly own any interest in our Operating
Partnership, our stockholders will not have any voting rights with respect to
any such issuances or other partnership level activities of our Operating
Partnership.
If we issue limited partnership interests in our Operating
Partnership in exchange for property, the value placed on such partnership
interests may not accurately reflect their market value, which may dilute your
interest in us.
If we issue limited partnership interests in our Operating
Partnership in exchange for property, the per unit value attributable to such
interests will be determined based on negotiations with the property seller
and, therefore, may not reflect the fair market value of such limited
partnership interests if a public market for such limited partnership interests
existed. If the value of such limited partnership interests is greater than the
value of the related property, your interest in us may be diluted.
Our rights and the rights of our stockholders to take action
against our directors and officers are limited, which could limit your recourse
in the event of actions not in your best interests.
We intend to enter into indemnification agreements with each of
our executive directors and officers that provide for indemnification to the
maximum extent permitted by Nevada law.
We plan to continue to operate our business so that we are not
required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.
We intend to engage primarily in the business of investing in real
estate and we have not and do not intend to register as an investment company
under the Investment Company Act. If our primary business were to change in a
manner that would require us register as an investment company under the Investment
Company Act, we would have to comply with substantial regulation under the
Investment Company Act which could restrict the manner in which we operate and
finance our business and could materially and adversely affect our business
operations and results.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock
There currently is only a minimal public
market for our common stock. Failure to develop or maintain a trading market
could negatively affect the value of our common stock and make it difficult or
impossible for you to sell your shares.
There currently is only a minimal public
market for shares of our common stock and an active market may never develop.
Our common stock is quoted on the OTC Pink Market operated by the OTC Market’s
Group, Inc. under the symbol “NIHK”. We may not ever be able to satisfy the
listing requirements for our common stock to be listed on any stock exchange,
including the trading platforms of the NASDAQ Stock Market which are often more
widely-traded and liquid markets. Some, but not all, of the factors which may
delay or prevent the listing of our common stock on a more widely-traded and
liquid market include the following: our stockholders’ equity may be
insufficient; the market value of our outstanding securities may be too low;
our net income from operations may be too low; our common stock may not be
sufficiently widely held; we may not be able to secure market makers for our
common stock; and we may fail to meet the rules and requirements mandated by,
any of the several exchanges and markets to have our common stock listed.
Some of the factors that could negatively affect the share price
or result in fluctuations in the price or trading volume of our common stock
include:
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our
actual or projected operating results, financial condition, cash flows and
liquidity or changes in business strategy or prospects;
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changes
in government policies, regulations or laws;
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our
ability to make acquisitions on preferable terms or at all;
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the
performance of our current properties and additional properties that we
acquire;
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equity
issuances by us, or share resales by our stockholders, or the perception that
such issuances or resales may occur;
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actual
or anticipated accounting problems;
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publication
of research reports about us, the real estate industry or the cannabis
industry;
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changes
in market valuations of similar companies;
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adverse
market reaction to any increased indebtedness we may incur in the future;
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additions
to or departures of our senior management team;
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speculation
in the press or investment community or negative press in general;
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our
failure to meet, or the lowering of, our earnings estimates or those of any
securities analysts;
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refusal
of securities clearing firms to accept deposits of our securities;
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the
realization of any of the other risk factors presented in this report;
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actions
by institutional stockholders;
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price
and volume fluctuations in the stock market generally; and
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market
and economic conditions generally, including the current state of the credit
and capital markets and the market and economic conditions.
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Market factors unrelated to our performance could also negatively
impact the market price of our common stock. One of the factors that investors
may consider in deciding whether to buy or sell our common stock.
The market price for our common stock is
particularly volatile given our status as a relatively unknown company with a
small and thinly traded public float, limited operating history and lack of
profits which could lead to wide fluctuations in our share price. You may be
unable to sell your common stock at or above your conversion price, which may
result in substantial losses to you.
The market for our common stock is characterized by significant
price volatility when compared to seasoned issuers, and we expect that our
share price will continue to be more volatile than a seasoned issuer for the
indefinite future. The volatility in our share price is attributable to a
number of factors. First, as noted above, our common stock are sporadically and
thinly traded. As a consequence of this lack of liquidity,
the trading of relatively small quantities of shares by our shareholders may
disproportionately influence the price of those shares in either direction. The
price for our shares could, for example, decline precipitously in the event
that a large number of our common stock are sold on the market without
commensurate demand, as compared to a seasoned issuer which could better absorb
those sales without adverse impact on its share price. Secondly, we are a
speculative or “risky” investment due to our limited operating history and lack
of profits to date, and uncertainty of future market acceptance for our
potential products and services. As a consequence of this enhanced risk, more
risk-adverse investors may, under the fear of losing all or most of their
investment in the event of negative news or lack of progress, be more inclined
to sell their shares on the market more quickly and at greater discounts than
would be the case with the stock of a seasoned issuer. Many of these factors
are beyond our control and may decrease the market price of our common stock,
regardless of our operating performance. We cannot make any predictions or
projections as to what the prevailing market price for our common stock will be
at any time, including as to whether our common stock will sustain their
current market prices, or as to what effect that the sale of shares or the
availability of common stock for sale at any time will have on the prevailing
market price.
The application of the “penny stock”
rules could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and increase
your transaction costs to sell those shares.
The SEC has adopted rule 3a51-1 which establishes the definition
of a “penny stock,” for the purposes relevant to us, as any equity security
that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share or with an exercise price
of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. For any
transaction involving a penny stock, unless exempt, Rule 15g-9 requires:
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that a broker or dealer approve a person’s account for
transactions in penny stocks, and
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the broker or dealer receives from the investor a written
agreement to the transaction, setting forth the identity and quantity of the
penny stock to be purchased.
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In order to approve a person’s account for transactions in penny
stocks, the broker or dealer must:
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obtain financial information and investment experience
objectives of the person, and
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make a reasonable determination that the transactions in penny
stocks are suitable for that person and the person has sufficient knowledge
and experience in financial matters to be capable of evaluating the risks of
transactions in penny stocks.
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The broker or dealer must also deliver, prior to any transaction
in a penny stock, a disclosure schedule prescribed by the SEC relating to the
penny stock market, which, in highlight form:
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sets forth the basis on which the broker or dealer made the
suitability determination, and
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that the broker or dealer received a signed, written agreement
from the investor prior to the transaction.
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Generally, brokers may be less willing to execute transactions in
securities subject to the “penny stock” rules. This may make it more difficult
for investors to dispose of our common stock and cause a decline in the market
value of our stock.
The application of Rule 144 creates some
investment risk to potential investors; for example, existing shareholders may
be able to rely on Rule 144 to sell some of their holdings, driving down the
price of the shares you purchased.
The SEC adopted
amendments to Rule 144 which became effective on February 15, 2008 that apply
to securities acquired both before and after that date. Under these amendments,
a person who has beneficially owned restricted shares of our common stock for
at least six months would be entitled to sell their securities provided that:
(i) such person is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of,
or at any time during the three months preceding a sale, (ii) we are subject to
the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least 90 days before
the sale and (iii) if the sale occurs prior to satisfaction of a one-year
holding period, we provide current information at the time of sale.
Persons who have beneficially owned restricted shares of our
common stock for at least six months but who are our affiliates at the time of,
or at any time during the three months preceding a sale, would be subject to
additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within
any three-month period only a number of securities that does not exceed the
greater of either of the following:
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1% of the total number of securities of the same class then
outstanding (shares of common stock as of the date of this Report); or
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the average weekly trading volume of such securities during the
four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect
to the sale;
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provided, in each case, that we are subject to the Exchange Act
periodic reporting requirements for at least three months before the sale. Such
sales by affiliates must also comply with the manner of sale, current public
information and notice provisions of Rule 144.
Frank I Igwealor, our majority
stockholder, director and executive officer, owns a large percentage of our
voting stock, which allows him to exercise significant influence over matters
subject to stockholder approval.
Frank I Igwealor, our majority stockholder, director and executive
officer, will have substantial influence over the outcome of corporate actions
requiring shareholder approval, including the election of directors, any
merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets or any
other significant corporate transaction. In particular, because our President,
Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Secretary and a
director, Mr. Igwealor, who controls 60% of our voting stock as of November 21,
2019, will be able to exert such influence. This shareholder may also delay or
prevent a change of control or otherwise discourage a potential acquirer from
attempting to obtain control of us, even if such a change of control would
benefit our other shareholders. This significant concentration of stock and
voting ownership may adversely affect the value of our common stock due to
investors’ perception that conflicts of interest may exist or arise.
We do not intend to pay dividends on our
common stock.
We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock
in the foreseeable future. We currently anticipate that we will retain all of
our available cash, if any, for use as working capital and for other general
corporate purposes. Any payment of future dividends will be at the discretion
of our Board of Directors and will depend upon, among other things, our
earnings, financial condition, capital requirements, level of indebtedness,
statutory and contractual restrictions applying to the payment of dividends and
other considerations that the Board of Directors deems relevant. Investors must
rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation, which may never
occur, as the only way to realize a return on their investment. Investors seeking
cash dividends should not purchase our common stock.
We may enter into acquisitions and take
actions in connection with such transactions that could adversely affect our
business and results of operations.
Our future growth
rate depends in part on our selective acquisition of additional businesses and
assets. We may be unable to identify suitable targets for acquisition or make
further acquisitions at favorable prices. If we identify a suitable acquisition
candidate, our ability to successfully complete the acquisition would depend on
a variety of factors, and may include our ability to obtain financing on
acceptable terms and requisite government approvals. In addition, any credit
agreements or credit facilities that we may enter into in the future may
restrict our ability to make certain acquisitions. In connection with future
acquisitions, we could take certain actions that could adversely affect our
business, including:
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using a significant portion of our available cash;
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issuing equity securities, which would dilute current
stockholders’ percentage ownership;
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incurring substantial debt;
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incurring or assuming contingent liabilities, known or unknown;
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incurring amortization expenses related to intangibles; and
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incurring large accounting write-offs or impairments.
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We may also enter into joint ventures, which involve certain
unique risks, including, among others, risks relating to the lack of full
control of the joint venture, potential disagreements with our joint venture
partners about how to manage the joint venture, conflicting interests of the
joint venture, requirement to fund the joint venture and its business not being
profitable.
In addition, we cannot be certain that the due diligence
investigation that we conduct with respect to any investment or acquisition
opportunity will reveal or highlight all relevant facts that may be necessary
or helpful in evaluating such investment opportunity. For example, instances of
fraud, accounting irregularities and other deceptive practices can be difficult
to detect. Executive officers, directors and employees may be named as
defendants in litigation involving a company we are acquiring or have acquired.
Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a particular investment or
acquisition, we may fail to uncover all material issues relating to such
investment, including regarding controls and procedures of a particular target
or the full scope of its contractual arrangements. We rely on our due diligence
to identify potential liabilities in the businesses we acquire, including such
things as potential or actual lawsuits, contractual obligations or liabilities
imposed by government regulation. However, our due diligence process may not
uncover these liabilities, and where we identify a potential liability, we may
incorrectly believe that we can consummate the acquisition without subjecting
ourselves to that liability. Therefore, it is possible that we could be subject
to litigation in respect of these acquired businesses. If our due diligence
fails to identify issues specific to an investment or acquisition, we may
obtain a lower return from that transaction than the investment would return or
otherwise subject ourselves to unexpected liabilities. We may also be forced to
write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations or incur impairment
or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Charges of this
nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our shares
of common stock.
Social Media Presents Risks.
The use of social media could cause us to suffer brand damage or
unintended information disclosure. Negative posts or communications about us on
a social networking website could damage our reputation. Further, employees or
others may disclose non-public information regarding us or our business or
otherwise make negative comments regarding us on social networking or other
websites, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
As social media evolves we will be presented with new risks and challenges.