Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 39, September 25, 2024
Plans submitted pursuant to this Part must comply with the
format and minimal disclosure requirements set forth in subdivisions (a)
through (bb) of this section in addition to the requirements of article 23-A of
the General Business Law.
(a)
Cover.
The outside front cover of the offering plan shall contain
the following information:
(1) the
title in bold face type: COOPERATIVE OFFERING PLAN followed by the address of
the property and the number of units being offered;
(2) the cash amount of the offering which
shall be based on the aggregate price at which the shares are initially
offered. State the number of shares and the approximate number of
units;
(3) amount of the
outstanding mortgage(s) which shall be based on the projected unpaid balance of
all mortgages encumbering the property at the time it is acquired by the
apartment corporation;
(4) the
total offering price which shall include the reserve fund (if any) and the
working capital fund (if any);
(5)
the name and principal business address of the sponsor and selling agent.
Telephone numbers may also be included;
(6) the approximate date of first offering
which shall not be earlier than the date the Department of Law files the plan.
The term of the initial offer is 12 months commencing on the date indicated in
the letter from the Department of Law stating that the plan is filed. The term
may be extended by an amendment to the offering plan. The dates should be left
blank at printing and completed after the plan is filed;
(7) the following statement in capital
letters, printed in bold face common type at least as large as 10-point modern
type and at least 2 points leaded:
THIS OFFERING PLAN IS THE SPONSOR'S ENTIRE OFFER TO SELL
THESE COOPERATIVE UNITS. NEW YORK LAW REQUIRES THE SPONSOR TO DISCLOSE ALL
MATERIAL INFORMATION IN THIS PLAN AND TO FILE THIS PLAN WITH THE NEW YORK STATE
DEPARTMENT OF LAW PRIOR TO SELLING OR OFFERING TO SELL ANY UNIT. FILING WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE DEPARTMENT OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT
AGENCY HAS APPROVED THIS OFFERING;
(8) if the plan contains any special risks,
as defined in subdivision (c) of this section, the following statement in
capital letters printed in bold face common type at least as large as 10-point
modern type and at least 2 points leaded:
THIS PLAN CONTAINS SPECIAL RISKS TO PURCHASERS SEE PAGE
__.
(b)
Table of contents.
The format and order set forth in this subdivision must be
followed in the table of contents. Include headings for the subjects not marked
with an asterisk except that:
(1) a
limited number of headings may be added to the plan; and
(2) headings for subjects that are marked
with an asterisk may be omitted if the subject matter is not applicable to the
offering.
Omissions and additions should be expressly noted and
explained in the transmittal letter. Alternative wording for headings to meet
particular facts are set forth in parentheses.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I PAGE ____________________________________
*SPECIAL RISKS
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
DEFINITIONS
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
INTRODUCTION
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
PURCHASE PRICE OF SHARES, SCHEDULE A
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
PROJECTED BUDGET FOR FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION SCHEDULE
B
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
CHANGES IN PRICES AND UNITS
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
OPINION OF REASONABLE RELATIONSHIP
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
ATTORNEY'S INCOME TAX OPINION
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
*REAL ESTATE TAX BENEFITS OPINION
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
PROCEDURE TO PURCHASE
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
*FINANCING THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE TO PURCHASERS
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
EFFECTIVE DATE
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
UNSOLD SHARES
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
FINANCIAL FEATURES
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
*TERMS OF MORTGAGES
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
SUMMARY OF PROPRIETARY LEASE
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
APARTMENT CORPORATION
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
*RESERVE FUND AND WORKING CAPITAL FUND
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
CONTRACT OF SALE (OR EXCHANGE)
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
*MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT AND OTHER CONTRACTUAL
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
ARRANGEMENTS
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
IDENTITY OF PARTIES
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
OBLIGATIONS OF SPONSOR
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
DOCUMENTS ON FILE
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
GENERAL
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
*SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF BUILDING CONDITION
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
PART II
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY (AND SPECIFICATIONS) (AND BUILDING
CONDITION)
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
FLOOR PLANS
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
PROPRIETARY LEASE
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
*HOUSE RULES
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
BYLAWS
CERTIFICATIONS
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
SPONSOR AND PRINCIPALS
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
SPONSOR'S ENGINEER (OR ARCHITECT)
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
SPONSOR'S EXPERT CONCERNING ADEQUACY OF BUDGET
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
(c)
Special risks.
This section, if applicable, must be on a separate page,
immediately following the table of contents. All features of a plan which
involve significant risk or will disproportionately or unusually affect
maintenance charges or obligations of shareholders in future years of
cooperative operation must be conspicuously disclosed and highlighted. A brief
description of the risk should be given in this section and a more thorough
description should be given in a referenced later section. Questions as to
whether a risk should be highlighted in this section should be resolved in
favor of inclusion.
(1) Disclose
whether sponsor is reserving the right to rent rather than sell units
appurtenant to its unsold shares (hereinafter "units") and whether there are
any limits placed on sponsor's right rent rather than sell under the terms of
the construction loan for the project or whether sponsor is limiting its right
to rent rather than sell based on objective articulable criteria, such as a
significant decline in market prices of a specific percentage and the
conditions upon which the sponsor would resume sales. If sponsor is reserving
an unconditional right to rent without committing itself to sell at least 51
percent of the units, the cover of the plan must state in bold print:
BECAUSE SPONSOR IS RETAINING THE RIGHT TO RENT MORE
THAN 49 PERCENT OF THE UNITS IN THE BUILDING OR BUILDINGS BEING CONSTRUCTED FOR
COOPERATIVE OWNERSHIP, FUTURE MARKETABILITY OF THE UNITS MAY BE ADVERSELY
AFFECTED AND PURCHASERS MAY NEVER GAIN EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF THE COOP BOARD.
(SEE SPECIAL RISKS SECTION.)
Disclose that as a result of sponsor retaining more than 49
percent of the units, marketability of the units may be adversely affected.
Explain that certain institutional lenders may be unwilling to make loans for
the purchase of units in a cooperative in which the sponsor and/or holders of
unsold shares retain more than 49 percent of the units and that purchasers may
therefore for unable to obtain institutional financing for their own purchase.
Disclose that if they do close title and subsequently seek to sell their
apartments, prospective purchasers may be unable to obtain institutional
financing solely on the basis of sponsor's holding more than 49 percent of the
units in the cooperative corporation, regardless of the credit worthiness of
the prospective purchaser. If the sponsor is able to demonstrate that an
institutional lender has approved the project for coop loans to qualified
purchasers, a disclosure identifying the lender, the terms of the loans to be
offered, eligibility criteria and other material aspects of the lender's
commitment to the project should be included.
(2) If sponsor represents that it will set 51
percent of the units, to purchasers for personal occupancy, disclose whether
sponsor further represents that it will endeavor in good faith to sell, in a
reasonably timely manner, all remaining unsold units to purchasers for personal
occupancy, in the building or building being converted to cooperative
ownership. If sponsor intends to sell fewer than all of the units, disclose
this fact and the number and percentage which sponsor does intend to sell, in
bold print as the first special risk. Disclose that the units reserved by
sponsor may remain unsold indefinitely and sponsor may dispose of such units as
it chooses, including selling to investors, renting to tenants, permitting
occupancy by relatives or others, allowing them to remain vacant or selling to
purchasers for personal occupancy. If the sponsor later chooses to sell a
greater number and percentage of units to the public for personal occupancy
than disclosed in the initial offering plan, the plan must be amended to
disclose that fact.
If sponsor makes a bulk sale of all or some of its unsold
shares, the transferee is bound by sponsor's representations regarding its
commitment to sell units.
(3) If the bylaws of the cooperative do not
include a provision that after the initial sponsor voting control period, a
majority of the Board of Directors must be owner-occupants or members of
owner-occupants' households, who are unrelated to the sponsor and its
principals, this fact must be disclosed as a special risk and the following
warning must be placed on the cover:
THIS PLAN DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT OWNER-OCCUPANTS
WILL EVER CONSTITUTE A MAJORITY OF THE COOP BOARD OF DIRECTORS. (SEE SPECIAL
RISKS SECTION OF PLAN.)
Disclose that unless and until a majority of the Board are
residents of the building unrelated to the sponsor, owner-occupants will not
gain effective control and management of the cooperative. Disclose that
owner-occupants and non-resident shareholders, including sponsor, may have
inherent conflicts on how the cooperative should be managed because of their
different reasons for purchasing, i.e. purchase as a home as opposed to as an
investment.
(d)
Definitions.
Important terms, terms that are not likely to be understood
by the general public, and terms that have special meaning or are used as
proper nouns should be defined and explained. Such terms include but are not
limited to: closing; closing date; tenant-shareholder; sponsor; selling agent;
cooperative apartment or unit; maintenance charges; filing; proprietary lease;
effective date; assessments; and holder of unsold shares. Terms must be used
consistently throughout the offering plan.
(e)
Introduction.
The introduction should:
(1) explain that the purpose of the offering
plan is to set forth all the terms of the offer. Explain that the plan may be
amended from time to time when an amendment is filed with the New York State
Department of Law. State that amendments will be served on purchasers and
shareholders;
(2) describe the type
of interest that the apartment corporation is to acquire in the land and
building(s) and appurtenances thereto;
(3) identify the sponsor, state when the
sponsor acquired the property or sponsor's interest as a contract
vendee;
(4) disclose sponsor's
intent with regard to the sale of apartments offered in the plan. Disclose
whether sponsor represents that it will endeavor in good faith to sell, in a
reasonably timely manner, all residential units to purchasers for personal
occupancy in the building or buildings being constructed for cooperative
ownership. If sponsor has obtained construction financing, disclose the terms
of the construction loan as they apply to the sponsor's obligation to market
the units for sale, including any minimum number or percentage of units which
must be under contract before the plan can be declared effective, the existence
of either a minimum release price set by the lender or a required minimum
payment per sale which must be made to the lender and limits or requirements
imposed by the lender for sponsor to rent rather than sell under specified
market conditions. If sponsor has not obtained construction financing or if the
construction loan agreement does not include provisions on the terms set forth
in the previous sentence, disclose the conditions under which sponsor reserves
the right to rent rather than sell based on objective articulable criteria,
such as a significant decline in market prices of a specific percentage and the
conditions under which sponsor would resume sales. If sponsor represents an
intent to sell fewer than all of the units in the building or buildings being
constructed for cooperative ownership, disclose the number and percentage which
sponsor does intend to sell. Disclose whether sponsor represents that it will
decline to rent apartments, until it has sold at least 51 percent of the units
to purchasers for personal occupancy. If sponsor reserves the right to rent
rather than sell after reaching the 51 percent sales level, disclose the
conditions under which sponsor would rent rather than sell based on objective
articulable criteria, such as a significant decline in market prices of a
specific percentage and the conditions under which sponsor would resume its
good faith efforts to sell rather than rent. If sponsor does not represent its
good faith intent to sell and to obtain sales of 51 percent of the units prior
to renting, include on the cover of the plan the warning set forth in paragraph
(c)(1) of this section and discuss as a special risk;
(5) summarize the number of shares and units
being offered in this offering plan, whether the units are residential or
otherwise, any parking and recreational facilities and refer to schedule A for
prices. Identify any units or property interests that are not being offered. If
the building is an existing building, state whether it is being
rehabilitated;
(6) state that the
prices were approved by the sponsor and are not subject to approval by the
Department of Law or any other government agency;
(7) state that the plan, including all
schedules and parts A, B and C of the exhibits, constitute the entire offer and
that copies of the plan and parts A, B and C of the exhibits will be available
for inspection without charge to prospectus purchasers at the site whenever the
on- site sales office is open and at the office of the selling agent or
sponsor;
(8) if the plan involves
new construction or rehabilitation, state the approximate construction
timetable for completion of the cooperative;
(9) outline the basic aspects of cooperative
ownership, including the following:
(i) that
the apartment corporation will purchase the property and will sell shares to
purchasers to raise funds;
(ii)
each shareholder will enter into a proprietary lease;
(iii) any restrictions on using,
transferring, leasing or mortgaging the units and shares;
(iv) control of the apartment corporation
will be in the hands of the board of directors; disclose whether sponsor
represents and provides in the bylaws, that a majority of the apartment
corporation board must be owner-occupants of the building or members of an
owner-occupant's household, who are unrelated to the sponsor or its principals,
after the end of the sponsor control period. If sponsor does not make this
representation, include the warning set forth in paragraph (c)(3) of this
section and discuss as a special risk;
(v) each shareholder will have the right to
vote for members of the board of directors;
(vi) each shareholder will be responsible for
the payment of maintenance charges and assessments;
(vii) the apartment corporation, as the fee
owner of the entire building, is assessed for the real estate taxes on the
property and may be the mortgagor on a mortgage encumbering the entire
property. As a result, sharesholders are co-dependent on each other and on the
sponsor for payment of the mortgage and taxes, default on which will jeopardize
each shareholder's equity in his/her shares and unit. Where the sponsor owns a
substantial percentage of the units, a default in payment of maintenance by
sponsor jeopardizes the equity interest of other sharesholders;
(10) state any limitations on who
may purchase units provided that such limitations do not violate applicable
laws;
(11) include the following
paragraph printed in bold face common type at least as large as 10-point modern
type and at least 2 points leaded:
THE PURCHASE OF A COOPERATIVE HAS MANY SIGNIFICANT LEGAL
AND FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES AND MAY BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FINANCIAL
TRANSACTIONS OF YOUR LIFE. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL STRONGLY URGES YOU TO READ THIS
OFFERING PLAN CAREFULLY AND TO CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY BEFORE SIGNING A
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT.
(f)
Purchase prices and share
allocation (schedule A).
(1) Schedule A
must appear on a separate page entitled schedule A and list the following
information for each unit in columnar form. Include a footnote on schedule A
indicating that all projected charges are for a stated 12-month period,
e.g., January 1, 20__ to December 31, 20__:
(i) unit identification;
(ii) number of rooms and baths or usable
space in square feet;
(iii) share
allocation;
(iv) cash purchase
price;
(v) approximate amount of
mortgage applicable to a block of shares (if applicable);
(vi) projected maintenance charges for the
first year of operation at $__ per share (annual and monthly); and
(vii) projected annual income tax deduction
at $__ per share for the first year of operation (if applicable).
(2) Shares must be allocated in
whole shares.
(3) Detailed
footnotes must support and explain the information in schedule A. These
footnotes should include but are not limited to the following:
(i) for the number of rooms and baths, state
the method of calculating the number of rooms or area of each unit. If rooms or
area are calculated in accordance with an industry standard, it is sufficient
to refer to the industry standard employed;
(ii) for the number of rooms and baths,
identify the rooms or area within each unit or model (e.g.,
line G:2 BR, LR, K. 11/2 B, balcony);
(iii) for the share allocation, disclose the
basis for calculating the share allocation;
(iv) for the cash purchase price, refer to
the portion of the plan that discloses and explains any closing costs or
adjustments that a purchaser may have to pay and project approximate amount due
for closing costs;
(v) for cash
purchase price, refer to the portion of the plan that discloses and explains
any closing costs or adjustments that a purchaser may have to pay and project
approximate amount due for closing costs;
(vi) for approximate amount of mortgage
applicable to shares, explain that although shareholders will not be personally
liable to pay the mortgage(s), the apartment corporation will be responsible
and shareholders' maintenance charges include amounts to pay debt
service;
(vii) for projected
maintenance charges, disclose, that if the purchaser obtains financing, debt
service will be an additional expense. Disclose that projected maintenance
charges do not include certain costs for which the shareholder is responsible
such as (where applicable) repairs to the interior of the unit, separately
metered gas, electricity, hot water, heat and air conditioning. Disclose any
built-in increases in future years resulting from a fixed amount increase in
mortgage debt service and state the dollar per share impact;
(viii) for projected income tax deduction,
explain that the projected tax deduction may vary in future years (where
applicable) due to changes in the interest rate on the existing mortgage (if
any) or on a refinanced mortgage, due to the allocation of constant debt
service payments to interest and principal, due to the expiration of real
estate tax benefits or due to changes in the assessed value, the tax rate or in
the method of assessing real property which result in a change in real property
taxes. State the percentage of the budget for the first year of operation
represented by the deductible items.
(g)
Projected budget for first year of
operation of cooperative (schedule B).
The plan must describe all projected income and expenses
for the first year of cooperative operation in schedule B. The budget must be
based upon a specified 12-month period which should be a realistic projection
of when cooperative operations will begin. If the projected commencement of the
budget year in the offering plan differs by six months or more from the
anticipated date of closing, the plan must be amended to include a revised
budget disclosing current projections. If such amended projections exceed the
original projections by 25 percent or more, the sponsor must offer all
purchasers the right, for a specified reasonable period of time, to rescind
their offer to purchase and have their deposits refunded. Sponsor's guaranty of
the budget will not avoid an offer of rescission. The budget for the
cooperative must be in the following format. Headings marked with an asterisk
may be omitted if not applicable to the offering. Additional income, expense or
cost items unique to a building should be added whenever appropriate to reflect
additional sources of income, expense, cost or unique circumstances.
SCHEDULE B
Projected Budget for First Year of Operation
Beginning __1, 20
Income
Maintenance Charges
* Commercial_ $ __
______________________________________________________
* Laundry_ $ __
______________________________________________________
* Other (explain)_ $ __
______________________________________________________
TOTAL_ $ __
______________________________________________________
Expenses
* Salaries and wages_ $ __
______________________________________________________
Heating_ $ __
______________________________________________________
Electricity and gas_ $ __
______________________________________________________
Water charge and sewer rent_ $ __
______________________________________________________
* Telephone_ $ __
______________________________________________________
Repairs and maintenance_ $ __
______________________________________________________
Services and supplies_ $ __
______________________________________________________
Insurance_ $ __
______________________________________________________
* Management fees_ $ __
______________________________________________________
Legal fees and audit fees_ $ __
______________________________________________________
Franchise and corporate taxes_ $ __
______________________________________________________
* Contingency_ $ __
______________________________________________________
* Other (explain)_ $ __
______________________________________________________
Real estate taxes_ $ __
______________________________________________________
* Mortgage interest and amortization_ $ __
______________________________________________________
TOTAL_ $ __
______________________________________________________
(1) Detailed footnotes must support and
explain the information in schedule B. The footnotes must set forth the basis
or assumptions for each projection.
(i)
Commercial income. Describe any contracts or leases, other than proprietary
leases, that will be binding on the apartment corporation and refer to the
section of the plan on management agreements and other contractual
arrangements.
(ii) Labor costs.
State the number of full- and part-time staff projected for the cooperative and
whether the staff will be union members.
(a)
State whether such level of staffing complies with all applicable housing and
labor laws.
(b) The labor budget
must include benefits required by Federal, State, or local law or required by
contract such as workers' compensation, disability insurance, welfare and
pension contributions by employers, unemployment insurance and payroll taxes.
The budget must reflect current wage rates and reasonably anticipated
increases.
(iii)
Heating, cooling and hot water costs. State the type and quantity of energy
estimated to be used during the year and the cost per gallon or other measure,
inclusive of sales tax, for all energy costs for providing heat, air
conditioning and hot water for the building. Explain any energy costs that are
shared between the shareholders and the apartment corporation. The Department
of Law may, from time to time, issue pricing guidelines to reflect minimum fuel
and utility costs.
(iv) Utilities.
State the basis for the projected cost-consumption and unit cost for utilities.
Unit cost should be based on the current tariff plus a reasonably anticipated
increase which should be set forth (e.g., estimates based on
current tariffs plus 12 percent increase).
(v) Insurance. The budget for insurance must
provide for fire and casualty insurance under an agreed amount replacement
value policy or under a policy including an 80 percent coinsurance provision so
that the insured shall not be a coinsurer. Discuss the adequacy of the
insurance to replace the building in the event of total loss and/or to avoid
being a coinsurer in the event of partial loss.
(a) State whether the insurance coverage
satisfies the requirements of any mortgage lender procured by sponsor or any
requirements of a managing agent contract.
(b) Fire, casualty and general liability
insurance must provide that there will be no cancellation without notice to the
board of directors and waive subrogation.
(c) If the following items are not covered
and are applicable to the offering, state that coverage for them is not
included and may be available at extra cost: officers and directors liability,
rent insurance, water damage; elevator collision; boiler and machinery; excess
liability; auto liability, fidelity bond and garage keeper's liability. The
plan must alert shareholders to the desirability of obtaining additional
insurance at their own cost to cover such risks as fire and casualty losses to
unit contents, replacements, additions, upgraded fixtures and improvements; and
liability coverage for occurrences within the unit.
(vi) Real estate taxes. State the projected
assessed valuation after completion of construction and the projected tax rate
used to calculate the budget item. Include the present assessed valuation if
the cooperative is an existing building being sold without rehabilitation or is
undergoing minimum rehabilitation.
(vii) Tax exemption/tax abatement benefits.
If the plan represents that the cooperative may or will receive tax benefits,
the plan must state that the sponsor will use best efforts to obtain the
benefits, and project the amount, commencement and duration of the benefits.
(a) Highlight as a special risk if the plan
states that the apartment corporation may or will receive tax benefits, and the
sponsor does not anticipate obtaining the benefits before the closing. Describe
the effect on the budget and maintenance charges with and without the tax
benefits. If full tax benefits may be available for only part of the first year
of operation, the budget may either reflect:
(1) partial benefits and footnote to explain
the timing of full benefits; or
(2)
full benefits and footnote to explain that the sponsor agrees to pay all taxes
in excess of the budgeted figure for the first year of operation and project
approximately when full benefits will be available.
(viii) Management and service
contracts. State the basis for projected management fees and service contracts.
Conspicuously disclose in the footnotes and highlight as a special risk if the
cost of the management contract or any other contract which will be binding on
the apartment corporation exceeds or is substantially less than the prevailing
cost for similar services.
(ix)
State that the contingency fund (if any) is intended to provide for any
unanticipated expenses or unanticipated increases in the projected
expenses.
(x) Mortgage interest and
amortization. Describe how the mortgage is payable during the budget year and
the allocation of payments to interest and principal. Refer to the "Terms of
Mortgages" section for further explanation of all mortgage
terms.
(2) If units are
individually heated so that shareholders must pay heating costs directly to the
supplier, projections for heat, hot water and electricity should be set forth
and explained in Schedule B-1. Each item in Schedule B-1 must be supported by
detailed footnotes containing information similar to the corresponding
footnotes described in this Part for Schedule B.
(h)
Changes in prices and units.
(1) The offering prices set forth in schedule
A must be decreased or increased by a duly filed amendment to the plan when the
change in price is an across-the-board change affecting one or more lines of
units or unit models or is to be advertised. However, the sponsor may enter
into an agreement with a purchaser to sell one or more units at prices
different from those set forth in Schedule A without filing an amendment before
entering the agreement if the plan discloses in the footnotes to schedule A and
in this section that the prices are negotiable. Sponsor must file an amendment
to the plan that reflects any changes in price negotiated with individual
purchasers within 10 days after entering into such agreements. State whether
the sponsor will obtain a further opinion as to reasonable relationship prior
to the closing.
(2) State that no
change will be made in the size or number of units, the share allocations, the
total number of shares or in the size or quality of public areas except by
amendment to the plan. Holders of unsold shares must comply with this
provision.
(3) State that unless an
affected purchaser consents, no change will be made in unit size, layout, or
share allocation if a subscription agreement has been executed and delivered to
the sponsor for that unit and the purchaser is not in default.
(4) State that no change will be made in the
total number of shares or in the size or quality of public areas unless
purchasers who executed and delivered subscription agreements to the sponsor
and are not in default receive a right to rescind and a reasonable and
specified period in which to exercise the right.
(i)
Opinion of reasonable
relationship.
Include an opinion from a licensed real estate broker or
appraiser stating whether the cash purchase price to be paid for each unit is
not less than an amount which bears a reasonable relationship to the portion of
the value of the apartment corporation's equity in the property which is
attributable to each such unit.
(1)
The opinion must be signed by a duly authorized signatory or by the
firm.
(2) The opinion must include
consent to copy the opinion in the plan.
(j)
Attorney's income tax
opinion.
Discuss in easily understandable language the specific
requirements of Internal Revenue Code section 216 for the apartment corporation
to qualify as a cooperative housing corporation and for tenant-shareholders to
deduct real estate taxes and interest.
(1) Unless highlighted as a special risk,
counsel for sponsor or independent counsel must render an affirmative,
unqualified opinion that under present law, regulations, rulings and decisional
law and based on the terms of the offering plan:
(i) the apartment corporation will qualify at
closing as a cooperative housing corporation under Internal Revenue Code
section 216; and
(ii) tenant
stockholders will be entitled to deduct for income tax purpose their
proportionate share of the interest and real estate taxes paid by the apartment
corporation. Highlight as a special risk if there are unusual features of the
plan which may jeopardize the apartment corporation's qualification or the
deductability of interest and taxes by tenant-stockholders who itemize
deductions in the first year of cooperative operation or thereafter.
(2) If a permanent, temporary or
partial certificate of occupancy has not been issued prior to closing for
offering plans subject to the provisions of General Business Law section 352-e
e, discuss whether the apartment corporation is a cooperative corporation
within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code section 216, including whether
tenant-stockholders are entitled to occupy units for dwelling
purposes.
(3) Tax counsel's opinion
may not contain a general disclaimer of liability. It may limit liability if
the facts represented by sponsor and sponsor's experts are not true or if there
are changes in the applicable law and regulations, decisional law or Internal
Revenue Service rulings. It may state that it is an opinion, not a guarantee
that the apartment corporation will qualify as a cooperative corporation or
that deductions will be available to stockholders.
(4) Suggested language for the disclaimer of
liability is set forth below.
(i) This is an
opinion, not a guarantee, that the apartment corporation will qualify as a
cooperative corporation and that tenant-stockholders will be entitled to income
tax deduction. This opinion is based solely on the facts and documents referred
to above. No warranties are made that the tax laws upon which counsel base this
opinion will not change. In no event will the sponsor, the sponsor's counsel,
the apartment corporation, counsel to the apartment corporation, the selling
agent or any other person be liable if the apartment corporation ceases to meet
the requirements of section 216 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the New York State Tax Law, as amended, by
reason of future changes in fact or applicable law, regulations, decisional law
or Internal Revenue Service rulings.
(5) The opinion should be signed by a duly
authorized signatory or by counsel's firm.
(6) The opinion must include counsel's
consent to include a copy of the opinion in the plan.
(k)
Real estate tax benefits.
If the plan represents that the apartment corporation may
or will receive tax benefits, state that the sponsor will use best efforts to
obtain the benefits and project the amount, commencement and duration of the
benefits and describe the benefits. Highlight as a special risk if the plan
states that the apartment corporation may or will receive tax benefits and the
sponsor does not anticipate obtaining the tax benefits before the closing.
Describe the efforts the sponsor will make to obtain the tax benefits after
closing and the approximate timetable for obtaining the benefits. Highlight as
a special risk if any construction or rehabilitation to the interior of units
is the responsibility of shareholders and failure to complete such work may
have an adverse impact on the availability of tax benefits.
(1) An opinion from sponsor's counsel or
independent counsel must support sponsor's representations.
(2) Counsel's opinion may not contain a
general disclaimer of liability. It may limit liability if the facts
represented by sponsor and sponsor's experts are not true or if there are
changes in the applicable law, regulations or decisional law.
(3) The opinion must include counsel's
consent to include a copy of the opinion in the plan.
(4) The opinion must be signed by a duly
authorized signatory or by counsel's firm.
(l)
Procedure to purchase.
Describe the essential terms of the subscription agreement
which must comply with this Part and contain the following provisions.
(1) State the amount or the percentage of the
deposit.
(2) Statutory requirement.
The sponsor shall comply with the escrow and trust fund
requirements of GBL sections 352-e(2-b) and 352-h and these regulations, and
all funds paid by subscribers or purchasers shall be handled in accordance with
these statutes and regulations.
(3) Escrow, trust fund.
The following requirements shall apply to all offerings and
shall be fully disclosed in all offering plans subject to this Part:
(i) Mandatory escrow agreement. All deposits,
down payments, or advances made by subscribers or purchasers prior to closing
of each individual transaction shall be held pursuant to a written agreement
entered into between the sponsor, the subscriber or purchaser, and the escrow
agent. Said provisions may be included in a separate escrow agreement or in the
subscription or purchase agreement, and are referred to in this paragraph as
the "escrow agreement." The plan must set forth the material terms of the
escrow agreement. The sponsor shall specify the exhibit in Part II of the plan
that contains the escrow agreement. If a separate escrow agreement is used, a
copy of the full agreement must be contained as a separate exhibit to the plan
in Part II. Disclose, without limitation, any indemnity by the sponsor in favor
of the escrow agent, provision for discharge of the escrow agent's obligations
by the sponsor upon payment of the deposit and interest in accordance with
these regulations, any right of the escrow agent to represent the sponsor in
any lawsuit, any compensation by the sponsor to the depository bank, any
provision for payments by the sponsor under an indemnity in favor of the escrow
agent and whether the sponsor will compensate the escrow agent for acting as
such. The plan and escrow agreement must include language conforming to
subparagraphs (v)-(vii) of this paragraph. However, the failure to include such
language in the plan or escrow agreement shall not excuse the sponsor and the
escrow agent from compliance with said subparagraphs.
(ii) Payments. All funds received from
subscribers or purchasers whether in the form of checks, drafts, money orders,
wire transfers, or other instruments which identify the payor, shall be made
payable to or endorsed by the subscriber or purchaser to the order of the
attorney or law firm as escrow agent.
(iii) The escrow agent. The escrow agent must
be an attorney or firm of attorneys to practice in the State of New York or an
attorney admitted in a foreign jurisdiction who submits to the jurisdiction of
the State of New York for any cause of action arising out of the escrow
provisions set forth in the escrow agreement. The authorized signatories on the
escrow account must be attorneys admitted to practice in the State of New York
or admitted in a foreign jurisdiction who submit to the jurisdiction of the
State of New York for any cause of action arising out of the escrow provisions
set forth in the escrow agreement. Neither the escrow agent nor any authorized
signatory on any account may be the sponsor, the selling agent, the managing
agent, or a principal thereof. However, a law firm that has a member who is a
principal may be the escrow agent provided that members of the firm who are
signatories on any account are not themselves principals. Only an attorney or a
member of a firm acting as escrow agent shall be a signatory on any account and
only such attorney shall be authorized to release funds. The name, address and
telephone number of the escrow agent and of each attorney who is a signatory
must be stated in the plan.
(iv)
The account(s). All deposits, down payments, or advances made by subscribers or
purchasers prior to closing of each individual transaction, whether received
before or after the date of consummation of the plan, must be placed within
five business days after the escrow agreement is signed by all necessary
parties in an attorney's segregated special escrow account or accounts in a
bank or banks doing business in the State of New York which account(s) is/are
insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"). Sponsor shall
state the applicable limits for federal deposit insurance, whether and to what
extent the deposits, down payments, or advances are insured, and whether
sponsor may utilize more than one segregated special escrow account for each
deposit, down payment, or advance. Include as a special risk that deposits in
excess of said limits will not be federally insured. An attorney shall open and
maintain such account in his or her own name, or in the name of a firm of
attorneys of which he or she is a member, or in the name of the attorney or
firm of attorneys by whom he or she is employed, separate from such attorney's
personal accounts or from any accounts in which assets belonging to the firm
are deposited, and separate from any accounts maintained in the capacity of
executor, guardian, trustee or receiver. A master escrow account with a
sub-account for each subscriber or purchaser is acceptable. The name of any
account, the bank, and the bank address must be stated in the plan. The word
"escrow" must be included as part of the name of any account. Funds from any
account may be released only by signature of the attorney who is named as
escrow agent. Neither the sponsor nor any principal of the sponsor may be a
signatory on any account. Funds must be placed in an interest-bearing account
or accounts, with all interest credited to the subscriber or purchaser, unless
either the subscriber or purchaser defaults and the plan is consummated, or the
sponsor elects to place the funds in a separate Interest-On-Lawyer's-Account
("IOLA") for each plan pursuant to Judiciary Law section 497. T he plan shall
indicate whether the interest rate to be earned will be the prevailing rate for
such accounts. State the current prevailing rate and when interest will begin
to accrue. No fees of any kind may be deducted from e account principal or any
interest earned thereon. Sponsor shall bear any administrative cost for
maintenance of any account.
(v)
Notification to purchaser. Within 10 business days after the escrow agreement
is signed by all necessary parties, the escrow agent shall notify the
subscriber or purchaser that such funds have been deposited in the bank
indicated in the plan, and shall provide any account number and the initial
interest rate. If the subscriber or purchaser does not receive notice of such
deposit within 15 business days after tender of the deposit, he or she may
cancel the subscription or purchase and rescind within 90 days after tender of
the deposit. Complaints concerning the failure to honor such cancellation
requests may be referred to the New York State Department of Law, Real Estate
Finance Bureau, 28 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10005. Rescission may not be
afforded where proof satisfactory to the Attorney General is submitted
establishing that the escrowed funds were timely deposited in accordance with
these regulations and requisite notice was timely mailed to the subscriber or
purchaser.
(vi) Escrow revisions.
Before funds are transferred to any new escrow account, or if the escrow agent
is replaced, the plan must be amended to provide the same full disclosure with
respect to any new account, the escrow agent and the escrow agreement as was
originally provided. A bond, letter of credit or other security may be
substituted for any escrow account only after the Department of Law approves in
writing the use of such alternate form of security, pursuant to the provisions
of paragraph (l)(4) of this section.
(vii) Release of funds. The escrow agreement
and the plan must set forth the requirements and procedures for the release of
the escrowed funds. These shall include:
(a)
Under no circumstances shall sponsor seek release of the escrowed funds of a
defaulting subscriber or purchaser until after consummation of the plan.
Consummation of the plan does not relieve the sponsor of its obligations
pursuant to GBL section 352-h.
(b)
The escrow agent shall release the funds in escrow if so directed:
(1) pursuant to terms and conditions set
forth in the escrow agreement upon closing of the individual
transaction;
(2) in a subsequent
writing signed by both sponsor and subscriber or purchaser; or
(3) by a final, non-appealable order or
judgment of a court; or
(4) by a
final, non-reviewable determination of the Attorney General pursuant to
subparagraph (viii) of this paragraph so long as the purchase agreement
provides for dispute resolution by the Attorney General and was signed on or
before March 1, 2013.
(c) If the escrowed funds are not released
pursuant to clause (b) of this subparagraph, and the escrow
agent receives a request by either party to release the funds, the escrow agent
must give both parties prior written notice of not fewer than 30 days before
releasing said funds. If the escrow agent has not received notice of objection
to the release of the funds at the expiration of the 30-day period, the funds
shall be released and the escrow agent shall provide further written notice to
both parties informing them of such release. If the escrow agent receives a
written notice from either party objecting to the release of the escrowed funds
within said 30 day period, the escrow agent shall continue to hold said funds
until otherwise directed pursuant to clause (b) of this
subparagraph. However, the escrow agent shall also have the right at any time
to deposit the funds contained in the escrow account with the clerk of a court
in the county in which the interest offered pursuant to the plan is located and
shall give written notice to both parties of such deposit.
(d) The sponsor shall not object to the
release of the escrowed funds to:
(1) a
subscriber or purchaser who timely rescinds in accordance with an offer of
rescission contained in the plan or an amendment to the plan; or
(2) all subscribers or purchasers after an
amendment abandoning the plan is accepted for filing by the Department of
Law.
(viii)
Disputes.
(a) In the event of a dispute
arising in connection with a subscription or purchase agreement providing for
dispute resolution by the Attorney General that was signed on or before March
1, 2013, the sponsor shall apply and the subscriber or purchaser or the escrow
agent holding the down payments in escrow may apply to the Attorney General for
a determination on the disposition of the down payment and any interest earned
thereon. Forms for this purpose will be available from the Department of Law.
The party applying shall contemporaneously send to all other parties a copy of
such application.
(b) Pending the
determination of the Attorney General to grant or deny the application, the
sponsor, the subscriber or purchaser and the escrow agent shall abide by any
interim directive issued by the Attorney General.
(c) If the application permitting release of
funds is granted, the deposit and any interest earned thereon shall be disposed
of in accordance with a final, non-reviewable determination of the Attorney
General, subject to any court action in which preliminary relief is
granted.
(d) The Attorney General
shall act upon the application within 30 days after its submission to the
Department of Law, by either making a determination or notifying the parties
that an extension of time in which to do so is necessary for stated
reasons.
(e) If the application
seeking release of funds is denied, the escrow agent shall continue to hold the
deposit and any interest earned thereon until:
(1) both the sponsor and subscriber or
purchaser direct payment to a specified party in accordance with a written
direction signed by both the sponsor and subscriber or purchaser; or
(2) a final, non-appealable order or judgment
of a court is served on the escrow agent; or
(3) the escrow agent deposits the disputed
amount into court.
(ix) Exhibits to plan. Copies of the forms
provided by the bank for opening any escrow account and the form of escrow
agreement, if separate from the subscription or purchase agreement, must be
included as Exhibit B-19 of the submission.
(x) Records on file. The escrow agent shall
maintain all records concerning any escrow account for seven years after
release of the funds. Upon the dissolution of any law firm which was the escrow
agent, the former partners or members of the firm shall make appropriate
arrangements for the maintenance of these records by one of them or by the
successor firm and shall notify the Department of Law of such
transfer.
(xi) Review and audit.
The Department of Law may perform random reviews and audits of any records
involving escrow accounts to determine compliance with statute and
regulation.
(xii) Waiver void. Any
provision of any contract or agreement, whether oral or in writing, by which a
subscriber or purchaser purports to waive or indemnify any obligation of the
escrow agent holding trust funds is absolutely void. The provisions of this
section of the regulations shall prevail over any conflicting or inconsistent
provision in the offering plan or in a subscription or purchase
agreement.
(xiii) Trust obligation
of sponsor. Nothing contained herein shall diminish or impair the sponsor's
statutory obligation to each subscriber or purchaser pursuant to GBL section
352-h to hold in trust all deposits, advances or payments made in connection
with the offer until consummation of the transaction with such subscriber or
purchaser. Consummation of the plan does not relieve sponsor of its obligations
pursuant to GBL section 352-h. Funds from any escrow account remain the
property of the subscriber or purchaser until employed in connection with the
consummation of the transaction. Such funds shall not be a part of the estate
of the sponsor or the escrow agent upon any bankruptcy, incapacity or
death.
(xiv) Transition. All funds
required to be held pursuant to GBL sections 352-e (2-b) and 352-h on the
effective date of this section shall be transferred into escrow accounts in
compliance with this regulation within 60 days thereafter.
(4) Alternatives to escrow account.
A sponsor may apply to the Attorney General to use security
in the form of surety bonds or a letter of credit in lieu of escrow of such
funds for use in newly constructed or gut rehabilitated developments upon
showing of adequate insurance of such funds to the satisfaction of the Attorney
General.
(i) Application for alternate
security. Sponsor must submit an affidavit which contains full information as
to the proposed usage of such funds, the sponsor's financing of construction or
rehabilitation work, expected completion date, the terms and conditions of the
proposed surety bonds or letter of credit, and required undertakings and
covenants.
(ii) Documentation. The
proposed form of surety bond or letter of credit, any underlying agreement or
related agreement, and any undertaking or covenant required hereunder, shall be
appended to the application and also filed as Exhibits to the plan in Exhibits
Part B section
21.2(c)(3)(ii)
(r)(B-19), or as exhibits to an amendment to the
plan.
(iii) Change from escrow
account. Where surety bonds are or a letter of credit is to be provided under
an amendment to the plan calling for release of funds already deposited in
escrow, the amendment shall provide for, and annex a form for, the written
consent of each affected subscriber or purchaser and shall provide for
continuation of escrow of funds of any subscriber or purchaser who does not
execute and deliver such written consent to the sponsor.
(iv) Disclosure. If an application for
alternate security is approved, the terms of such alternate security shall be
disclosed in the plan or in an amendment to the plan promptly
submitted.
(5) Surety
bonds.
A sponsor whose application to use alternate security is
approved by the Attorney General, may meet its obligation to insure the
availability of such funds to subscribers or purchasers by effectuating the
issuance of surety bonds to such subscribers or purchasers by a licensed
insurance company which agrees to act as surety for the amount of such down
payments or deposits.
(i) Deposits
into escrow account. All down payments and deposits, received after the
Attorney General's approval of the use of surety bonds as alternate security,
shall be placed, within five business days after escrow agreement is signed by
all necessary parties, in an attorney's segregated special escrow account or
accounts, established pursuant to and in compliance with paragraph (3) of this
subdivision. Such funds shall be released by the escrow agent to the sponsor
upon receipt by the escrow agent of a copy of the surety bond issued to the
subscriber or purchaser whose funds are being released.
(ii) Payments. All funds received from
subscribers or purchasers whether in the form of checks, drafts, money orders,
wire transfers, or other instruments which identify the payor, shall be made
payable to or endorsed by the subscriber or purchaser to the order of the
attorney or law firm as escrow agent.
(iii) Requirements to act as surety. The
surety company must be licensed to write insurance in the State of New York by
the New York State Department of Financial Services, whether or not the
property which is the subject of the plan is located in the State of New York
unless the law of the State where the property is located requires otherwise.
If the property is located outside New York State and the sponsor claims that
the law of such state conflicts and is controlling, the sponsor's application
must specify the conflicting law. In order for the application for alternate
security to be approved by the Attorney General, the applicant must show that
the surety company with which the sponsor proposes to contract has a current
rating for debt securities no lower than the third highest grade conferred by
at least two of the national reporting services regularly evaluating insurance
companies.
(iv) Agreement between
sponsor and surety. The plan must fully disclose the material terms of the
agreement between the insurance company as surety and the sponsor, including
the premium to be paid by the sponsor, any agreement by which sponsor provides
collateral to secure its obligations to the surety and any agreement by the
sponsor indemnifying the surety. The agreement must provide that the surety
will abide by directives in conformity with these regulations.
(v) Provisions of the bond. The surety bond
must specify the name and address of the sponsor as principal; the name and
address of the surety company to which claims for payment may be made;
provision for the name and address of the subscriber or purchaser as obligee on
the bond; provision for the amount of the down payment or deposit secured and
the rate of interest, if any, to accrue on such funds; the term of the bond,
and, if the bond is for a finite period, a guarantee by the surety that it will
pay the amount secured to the subscriber-obligee prior to expiration of the
bond or a guarantee by the sponsor that the bond will be renewed before
expiration.
(vi) Term and
continuation. Each surety bond and any accompanying agreement shall provide
that it will continue in effect or that it will be renewed periodically until
consummation and closing of the sale of the respective shares the down payment
for which is secured by such surety bond or until the secured funds of a
subscriber or purchaser have been returned in full, or until the funds secured
by the surety bond have been placed in any escrow account pursuant to paragraph
(7) of this subdivision or until there is an undisputed subscriber or purchaser
default or a final, non-reviewable determination by the Attorney General or
final, non-appealable order or judgment of a court that the subscriber or
purchaser has defaulted and that the sponsor is entitled to the secured
funds.
(vii) Delivery of the surety
bond. The sponsor shall cause the surety to mail or personally deliver the
surety bond to the subscriber-obligee before the funds are released to the
sponsor from any escrow account. The sponsor, the escrow agent and the surety
company shall each retain a copy of the surety bond.
(viii) Invoking the bond. The
subscriber-obligee shall have the right to demand payment of the amount secured
by the surety bond directly from the surety, without first requesting payment
from the sponsor. The surety shall be obligated to pay the amount secured by
the bond to the subscriber-obligee without the consent or despite the objection
of the sponsor, upon the following events or circumstances:
(a) timely rescission of a subscription or
purchase agreement by a subscriber or purchaser pursuant to an offer of
rescission contained in the plan or an amendment to the plan;
(b) acceptance for filing by the Department
of Law of an amendment abandoning the plan;
(c) pursuant to terms and conditions set
forth in the escrow agreement, upon closing of the individual
transaction;
(d) in a subsequent
writing signed by both sponsor and subscriber or purchaser;
(e) by a final, non-appealable order or
judgment of a court; or
(f) for
subscription or purchase agreements providing for dispute resolution by the
Attorney General that were signed on or before March 1, 2013, by final,
non-reviewable determinations by the Attorney General pursuant to subparagraph
(x) of this paragraph that rescission or the return of funds is
required;
(g) failure by the
sponsor to obtain a commitment by the surety company to renew the surety bond
60 days prior to its expiration; or
(h) direction by the sponsor upon request by
the subscriber or purchaser.
(ix) Failure by subscriber-obligee or
purchaser-obligee to produce a copy of the bond. A subscriber's or purchaser's
inability to produce a copy of the surety bond shall not be a basis for the
surety to reject the subscriber's or purchaser's claim. The surety shall retain
a copy of the bond and shall pay the secured funds to the subscriber-obligee or
purchaser-obligee without a copy of the bond as long as the subscriber or
purchaser is able to provide proof of identity as the obligee on the
bond.
(x) Disputes.
(a) In the event of a dispute arising in
connection with a subscription or purchase agreement providing for dispute
resolution by the Attorney General that was signed on or before March 1, 2013,
the sponsor shall apply and the subscriber or purchaser or the surety issuing
the bond may apply to the Attorney General for a determination on the
disposition of the down payment secured by the bond and any interest earned
thereon. Forms for this purpose will be available from the Department of Law.
The party applying shall contemporaneously send to all other parties a copy of
such application.
(b) Pending the
determination of the Attorney General to grant or deny the application, the
sponsor, the subscriber or purchaser and the surety shall abide by any interim
directive issued by the Attorney General.
(c) If the Attorney General determines:
(1) that the subscriber or purchaser is
entitled to the disputed funds secured by the surety bond, the Attorney General
shall direct that the surety pay the funds to the subscriber or purchaser;
or
(2) that the subscriber or
purchaser is not entitled to the disputed funds secured by the surety bond, the
Attorney General shall direct either that the surety bond shall be continued in
effect or that the surety bond shall be cancelled.
(d) The Attorney General shall act upon the
application within 30 days after its submission to the Department of Law, by
either making a determination or notifying the parties that an extension of
time in which to do so is necessary for stated reasons.
(e) In no event shall the funds secured by
the bond be paid to the subscriber or purchaser nor shall the surety bond be
discharged until any dispute is finally resolved either by written agreement of
the parties directing payment of the funds or discharge of the surety bond, or,
for purchase agreements providing for dispute resolution by the Attorney
General that were signed on or before March 1, 2013, by a final, non-reviewable
determination of the Attorney General or by a final, non-appealable order or
judgment of a court.
(6) Letters of credit.
A sponsor whose application to use alternate security is
approved by the Attorney General, may meet its obligation to insure the
availability of such funds to subscribers or purchasers by effectuating the
issuance of a letter of credit for the benefit of the subscribers or purchasers
by an issuer qualifying hereunder.
(i)
Amount. The amount of the letter of credit shall be at least 125 percent of the
aggregate of all subscription deposits or down payments or payments expected to
be received from subscribers or purchasers, and not retained in escrow, during
such period of time as the letter of credit will be needed, as estimated by the
sponsor in the application to the Department of Law. The amount of the letter
of credit may be reduced or increased as warranted by circumstances and
pursuant to a filed amendment to the plan.
(ii) Irrevocability. The letter of credit
must he irrevocable during the stated term and any renewal term.
(iii) Beneficiary. The beneficiary must be an
attorney, or firm of attorneys, acting as or qualified under paragraph (3)(iii)
of this subdivision to act as escrow agent under the plan, who shall act as a
fiduciary for the benefit of subscribers and purchasers under the
plan.
(iv) Authority to draw. The
letter of credit must provide that the beneficiary shall have sole power to
draw upon the letter of credit without the consent or despite the objection of
the sponsor or of any provider of underlying credit, at such times or upon such
events as are set forth in subparagraph (ix) of this paragraph.
(v) Issuer. The issuer must be a bank
authorized to act as a commercial bank or savings institution under supervision
of the New York State Department of Financial Services or a federally
supervised banking institution located in the State of New York, unless the
property is located in another state and the letter of credit is issued by a
bank located within such state. In order for the application for alternate
security to be approved by the Attorney General the applicant must show that
the issuer bank has surplus funds and net worth of at least ten times the
amount of the letter of credit, and must have a current rating with respect to
its debt securities that is within "investment grade" by one of the generally
accepted national reporting services regularly rating the debt securities of
banking institutions and that the provisions of the letter of credit include
the right of the beneficiary to draw down the letter of credit in conformity
with these regulations.
(vi) Term
and continuation. The letter of credit and related agreement and any
accompanying undertaking shall provide that it will continue in effect or that
it shall be periodically renewed until consummation and closings of sales of
all shares referred to in the application for alternate security pursuant to
subparagraph (4)(i) of this subdivision or until the covered funds of
subscribers and purchasers have been returned to them in full.
(vii) Undertaking. If the letter of credit
will expire prior to the latest date of closings of sales of all such shares,
provision for renewal of the letter of credit without loss of irrevocability
and without any change of terms shall be afforded by:
(a) an "evergreen" or automatic renewal
clause, if obtainable; and
(b) the
irrevocable undertaking and covenant of the sponsor and by any other provider
of underlying credit to provide successive renewals thereof until consummation
and closings of sales of all shares or until the covered funds of subscribers
and purchasers have been returned in full.
(viii) Operative provisions. Upon approval of
a sponsor's application for use of a letter of credit as alternate security:
(a) Deposits into escrow account. All down
payments and deposits received shall be placed, within five business days after
the escrow agreement is signed by all necessary parties, in an attorney's
segregated special escrow account or accounts established pursuant to and in
compliance with paragraph (3) of this subdivision. The escrow agent shall
release such funds to the sponsor provided that the escrow agent has
documentation showing that the letter of credit or a renewal or replacement
letter of credit has been issued and is in effect. Such escrow agent shall no
longer release funds from escrow if the escrow agent receives notice or
information warranting draw down of the letter of credit under subparagraph
(ix) of this paragraph.
(b)
Payments. All funds received from subscribers or purchasers whether in the form
of checks, drafts, money orders, wire transfers, or other instruments which
identify the payor, shall be made payable to or endorsed by the subscriber or
purchaser to the order of the attorney or law firm as escrow agent.
(ix) Right to draw upon letter of
credit. The escrow agent as the beneficiary of the letter of credit, acting as
a fiduciary for the benefit of subscribers and purchasers under the plan whose
funds were released from escrow by reason of the grant of sponsor's
application, shall have the duty and the right to draw upon and collect the
proceeds of the letter of credit, 10 business days after notice to the sponsor
and sponsor's failure or refusal to restore such funds to the escrow agent,
without the consent or despite the objection of the sponsor or the provider of
the credit, upon the following events or circumstances:
(a) timely rescission of a subscription or
purchase agreement by a subscriber or purchaser pursuant to an offer of
rescission contained in the plan or an amendment to the plan;
(b) acceptance for filing by the Department
of Law of an amendment abandoning the plan;
(c) pursuant to terms and conditions set
forth in the escrow agreement upon closing of title to the unit;
(d) in a subsequent writing signed by both
sponsor and subscriber or purchaser;
(e) by a final, non-appealable order or
judgment of a court;
(f) for
purchase agreements providing for dispute resolution by the Attorney General
that were signed on or before March 1, 2013, by a final, non-reviewable
determination by the Attorney General pursuant to subparagraph (x) of this
paragraph mandating that rescission or the return of funds is
required;
(g) failure by the
sponsor to obtain a renewal or replacement letter of credit no later than 60
days prior to the expiration of the existing letter of credit;
(h) direction by the sponsor upon request of
the subscriber or purchaser; or
(i)
notice of impending cancellation of the letter of credit has been given or
received, or the issuer has filed a bankruptcy or insolvency petition or has
been taken over by a Federal or state authority, and no proper replacement of
the letter of credit has been furnished although continuation of the same in
effect is required under subparagraph (4)(i) of this subdivision or
subparagraph (vi) of this paragraph.
(x) Disputes.
(a) In the event of a dispute dispute arising
in connection with a subscription or purchase agreement providing for dispute
resolution by the Attorney General that was signed on or before March 1, 2013,
the sponsor shall apply, and the subscriber or purchaser, the escrow agent or
the bank issuing the letter of credit may apply to the Attorney General for a
determination on the disposition of funds secured by the letter of credit, the
deposit and any interest earned thereon. Forms for this purpose shall be
available from the Department of Law. The party making such application shall
contemporaneously send to the other three parties a copy of such
application.
(b) Pending the
determination of the Attorney General to grant or deny the application, the
sponsor, the subscriber or purchaser, the escrow agent and the bank shall abide
by any interim directive issued by the Attorney General.
(c) If the Attorney General determines:
(1) that the subscriber or purchaser is
entitled to the disputed funds secured by the letter of credit, the Attorney
General shall direct that the issuer of the letter of credit pay the funds to
the subscriber or purchaser; or
(2)
that the subscriber or purchaser is not entitled to the disputed funds secured
by the letter of credit, the Attorney General shall direct either that the
letter of credit shall be continued in effect or that the letter of credit
shall be cancelled.
(d)
The Attorney General shall act upon the application within 30 days after its
submission to the Department of Law, by either making a determination or
notifying the parties that an extension of time in which to do so is necessary
for stated reasons.
(e) In no event
shall the disputed funds secured by the letter of credit be paid to the
subscriber or purchaser nor shall the letter of credit be terminated until any
dispute is finally resolved either by written agreement of the parties
directing payment of the funds, or by a final, non-appealable order or judgment
of a court, or, for subscription or purchase agreements providing for dispute
resolution by the Attorney General that were signed on or before March 1, 2013,
a final, non-reviewable determination of the Attorney General.
(7) Change to escrow
account.
Where alternate security as provided under a filed offering
plan is no longer needed by the sponsor, or new or additional alternate
security cannot be obtained by a sponsor or its successor, sponsor shall submit
an amendment for filing which provides that any future subscription or purchase
deposits or down payments shall be held in any escrow account in accordance
with paragraph (3) of this subdivision. Such amendment shall not affect the
sponsor's obligation to account for funds previously released to the sponsor
unless the funds representing all such deposits or down payments are restored
to the escrow account.
(8)
Highlight as a special risk any provision allowing sums in excess of 10 percent
of the cash purchase price to be retained as liquidated damages other than the
actual cost incurred for any special work ordered by the purchaser. Highlight
as a special risk if sponsor may seek specific performance.
(9) State that the balance of the purchase
price is to be paid after written demand is made and specify the minimum number
of days to make the payment after sending the demand notice. If payment is due
in advance of the closing, state the maximum number of days between the
scheduled closing date and the date payment is due.
(10) Any "time is of the essence" provision
concerning purchaser's obligations must be explained in easily understandable
terms and be highlighted as a special risk.
(11) Purchasers must be given written notice
of the closing date, of their obligation to pay the balance of the purchase
price, and of their right to inspect the unit and property a specified number
of days in advance of the closing date.
(12) Sponsor must make a written demand for
payment 30 days before a purchaser is declared to be in default.
(13) Disclose whether the risk of loss from
fire or other casualty remains with the sponsor unless and until either a
purchaser is given the right to possession of a unit pursuant to a written
agreement with the sponsor or legal title to the property has been conveyed to
the apartment corporation. Highlight as a special risk and explain the need for
insurance if the risk of loss passes to the purchaser before closing except
where the purchaser is given the right to possession prior to
closing.
(14) Purchasers must be
afforded either (i) not less than three days to review the offering plan and
all filed amendments prior to executing a subscription agreement; or (ii) not
less than seven days after delivering an executed subscription agreement
together with the required deposit to rescind the subscription agreement and
have the full deposit refunded promptly.
(15) A complete copy of the subscription
agreement must be inserted in the plan.
(16) Highlight as a special risk if
purchaser's obligation to purchase is not contingent on obtaining financing. If
purchaser's obligations are contingent upon obtaining a commitment for
financing or actually obtaining financing, the details must be fully disclosed
and explained. State the time the purchaser has to notify sponsor of inability
to obtain financing. Include the purchaser's time to obtain financing or a
commitment and the risk, if any, that the commitment may expire or that the
terms of the commitment may change prior to actual closing and the purchaser's
obligations in either event.
(17)
The plan and subscription agreement must provide that any conflict between the
plan and the subscription agreement will be resolved in favor of the
plan.
(18) Within a specified
number of days after the purchaser delivers an executed subscription agreement
together with the required deposit, the sponsor must either accept the
subscription agreement and return a fully executed counterpart to the purchaser
or reject the subscription agreement and refund the full deposit previously
tendered.
(19) The subscription
agreement may not contain, or be modified to contain, a provision waiving
purchaser's rights or abrogating sponsor's obligations under the offering plan
or under article 23-A of the General Business Law.
(m)
Financing that may be available to
purchasers.
Fully disclose the terms of any commitment by sponsor or a
lender procured by sponsor to finance the purchase of shares allocated to
units. If any of the terms of the financing are not known at the time the
offering plan is submitted to the Department of Law, sponsor must agree to
amend the plan promptly when the terms are firm. The terms shall include but
are not limited to:
(1) Name and
address of lender.
(2) Amount and
term.
State the maximum amount (which may be expressed as a
percentage of the cash purchase price) available for shares allocated to a unit
and the minimum term of the loan. If the financing offered is not
self-liquidating over the term, project the amount of the balance or "balloon"
due on maturity, and set forth and explain the risk that refinancing may not be
available on the same or better terms. State the maximum amount of financing
available to purchasers generally through a bulk commitment. If sponsor is not
making financing available to all purchasers who qualify, the limitations and
the method of allocation must be fully explained. If sponsor procures financing
with an institutional lender, it is sufficient to refer to the institution's
credit standards.
(3)
Interest rate.
State the annual interest rate over the term of the loan.
If the loan has a variable or adjustable rate, indicate the initial interest
rate or (if not a fixed rate) explain how it will be established, the method of
calculating adjustments, any limits on increases or decreases, when adjustments
may be made, and the impact adjustments will have on debt service payments and
the principal balance. If sponsor structures the financial terms of the
transaction in such a manner as to result in taxable income to a purchaser, the
financial and legal implications of such structuring must be disclosed and
explained. If the sponsor procures cooperative financing at an interest rate
that is below the prevailing rate offered by the lender, disclose the interest
rate to the sponsor and the interest rate offered to purchasers and disclose
any income tax consequences and any limitation on the ability of the purchasers
to refinance on the same or better terms.
(4) Payments.
State the amount of each payment, when payments are due,
and how payments are applied to interest and principal. For variable rate or
adustable rate loans, disclose how initial payments are allocated to interest
and principal, disclose and explain the affect of interest rate changes on the
allocation of payments to interest and principal and affect on itemized
deductions available to shareholders.
(5) Prepayment.
State whether the unpaid principal balance may be prepaid
in whole or in part, the number of days of prior notice that must be given, and
any charges for prepayment. Disclose any restrictions on the ability of a
purchaser to prepay the entire unpaid principal at any time.
(6) Term of commitment.
State when the financing commitment expires.
(7) Late charges.
Describe the amount of late charges and how they are
assessed.
(8) Additional
financing costs.
Disclose the amount of additional costs or charges to
purchasers in connection with such financing including, for example, points,
origination fees, lender's legal fees, processing fees, application fees,
insurance and appraisal fees.
(9) Restrictions.
Describe all restrictions on a shareholder's right to
alter, improve, sell, sublease, purchase, own, occupy, finance or otherwise
acquire, use or dispose of a unit.
(10) Events of default.
Describe the events of default entitling the lender to
accelerate the principal indebtedness and describe grace periods granted to
purchasers. Sponsor must either state affirmatively that there is not a
due-on-sale clause or disclose the existence of a due-on-sale clause and
explain the consequences to a purchaser.
(n)
Effective date.
The plan must explain that the offer to sell is contingent
upon the plan being declared effective and compliance with the relevant
conditions and time periods. Sponsor must conform with the following provisions
in determining whether, when and how the plan will be declared
effective:
(1) The plan may not be
declared effective until executed subscription agreements of bona fide
purchasers for occupancy have been accepted by sponsor for not less than 15
percent of the units offered under the plan.
(2) The plan must be declared effective when
subscription agreements are accepted for the sale of 80 percent or more of the
units offered under the plan.
(3)
The plan may be abandoned by sponsor, at its option, before it is declared
effective or before 80 percent of the units have been purchased. Within a
specified number of days after abandonment, all monies paid by purchasers shall
be refunded to them in full with interest earned if the plan provides for
interest. Sponsor promptly shall file a notice of abandonment on form RS-3 or
such other form as the Department of Law may require and explain the reasons
for the abandonment and disposition of all funds received.
(4) The plan must explain under what limited
circumstances the plan may be abandoned after the plan has been declared
effective or 80 percent of the units have been purchased.
(5) Highlight as a special risk if sponsor
may abandon the plan after it is declared effective for any reasons other than:
(i) a defect in title which cannot be cured
without litigation or cannot be cured for less than a stated amount;
(ii) substantial damage or destruction of the
building by fire or other casualty which cannot be cured for less than a stated
amount; or
(iii) the taking of any
material portion of the property by condemnation or eminent domain.
(6) The plan may be declared
effective by duly filed amendment or by service of written notice to all
purchasers.
(7) If the plan is
declared effective by notice, sponsor must submit an amendment to the
Department of Law within three business days after service of the
notice.
(8) Conveyance of the
property to the apartment corporation may not occur before the amendment
declaring the plan effective or reflecting it has been declared effective is
filed with the Department of Law.
(9) Sponsor must submit to the Department of
Law, if requested, copies of subscription agreements (and any amendments or
modifications) within five business days after the request is made.
(10) On the closing date, and not sooner,
title to the property will be conveyed to the apartment corporation.
Certificates for the shares of the apartment corporation and the accompanying
proprietary leases will be delivered promptly thereafter to each purchaser who
has paid the cash purchase price and complied with all of purchaser's
obligations under the subscription agreement.
(o)
Unsold shares.
Unsold shares (including those subscribed but not fully
paid at closing) must be purchased or acquired by sponsor or financially
responsible individuals produced by sponsor at the closing.
(1) Sponsor must guarantee payment of all
maintenance charges and assessments due from a holder of unsold shares,
regardless of transfer, until purchased by a bona fide purchaser for occupancy.
If the holder of unsold shares or a person related by blood or marriage to the
holder of unsold shares takes occupancy as a bona fide resident, the sponsor
will be relieved of further obligations. The apartment corporation will have a
lien upon the shares to secure performance of all obligations of sponsor and
holders of unsold shares under the proprietary lease.
(2) Sponsor must represent that is has the
financial resources to enable it to meet its obligations with respect to unsold
shares and state the means by which it will fund its financial obligations to
the cooperative. If the funding source is stated as income from projected
sales, disclose other sources of funding, if any, that will be utilized if such
projected sales are not made. Disclose whether any bond or security has been
furnished to secure sponsor's obligations.
(3) If not indicated in the opinion of
reasonable relationship, state whether the consideration for the unsold shares
at closing will be approved by a qualified expert as meeting the reasonable
relationship standard of Internal Revenue Code section 216.
(4) State whether unsold shares will be sold
only to persons who purchase for their own account and whether the holder will
pool profits or losses with other holders of unsold shares.
(p)
Financial
features.
Set forth the basic outline of the major financial features
of the plan.
(q)
Terms of mortgages.
Fully disclose the terms of all mortgages that will
encumber the property on the closing date including:
(1) Name and address of mortgagee and the
current holder of the mortgage if different.
(2) Amount and term.
State the date of the mortgage, original principal amount,
estimated balance at date of closing, maturity date, total scheduled unpaid
balance at maturity and amount per share. If any mortgage has been extended,
consolidated or otherwise modified or changed, explain the present terms of the
mortgage as modified. If the mortgage is not self-liquidating over the term,
project the amount of the balance or "balloon" due on maturity, and set forth
and explain the risk that refinancing may not be available on the same or
better terms. Highlight as a special risk if the term is for less than five
years.
(3) Interest rate.
State the annual interest rate over the term of the loan.
If the loan has a variable or adjustable rate, indicate the initial interest
rate or (if not a fixed rate) explain how it will be established, the method of
calculating adjustments, any limits on increases or decreases, when adjustments
may be made, and the impact adjustments will have on payments and the principal
balance. If the sponsor procures financing at an interest rate that is below
the prevailing rate offered by the lender, disclose the interest rate to the
sponsor and the interest on the loan to the apartment corporation and disclose
the limitations on the ability of the apartment corporation to refinance on the
same or better terms.
(4)
Payments.
State the amount of each payment, when payments are due,
and how payments are applied to interest and principal. For variable rate or
adjustable rate mortgages, disclose how initial payments are allocated to
interest and principal, disclose and explain the affect of interest rate
changes on the allocation of payments to interest and principal and affect on
itemized deductions available to shareholders. Highlight as a special risk if
payments will increase in future years due to a fixed amount increase.
(5) Prepayment.
State whether the unpaid principal balance may be prepaid
in whole or in part, the number of days of prior notice that must be given, and
any charges for prepayment. Disclose any restrictions on the ability of the
apartment corporation to prepay the entire unpaid principal at any time.
(6) Insurance.
State the amount and type of any insurance required to be
carried for the benefit of the mortgagee. The insurance coverage reflected in
schedule B must be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the
mortgagee.
(7) Escrow and
reserve requirements.
Describe all requirements for escrow and reserve deposits
including any for taxes, water and sewer charges, insurance, capital reserves
or otherwise and whether and how such requirements may be increased or
modified.
(8) Late charges.
Describe the amount of late charges and how they are
assessed.
(9) Additional
financing costs.
Disclose the amount of additional costs or charges to the
apartment corporation including, for example, points, origination fees,
lender's legal fees and insurance fees.
(10) Refinancing and subordinate mortgages.
Discuss whether junior mortgages are subordinate to
refinancing if prior mortgages come due first in time and fully disclose any
limitations on refinancing.
(11) Subordinate mortgages.
State whether subordinate mortgages are permitted. Describe
and explain the lien priority of all subordinate mortgages. If any mortgage is
a "wraparound" mortgage, explain fully the meaning of a "wraparound" mortgage
and all additional risks and costs as a result of such wraparound mortgage. Any
wraparound mortgage must be specifically noted in the transmittal letter from
the attorney who prepared the offering plan to the Department of Law.
(12) Events of default.
Describe the important events of default entitling the
lender to accelerate the mortgage indebtedness and describe grace periods
granted to the apartment corporation. Sponsor must either state affirmatively
that there is not a due on sale clause in the mortgage and that it is not a
default under the mortgage to alter the building or disclose the existence of
such clauses, and explain the consequences to the apartment corporation and
state that the sponsor has obtained the necessary consents or that sponsor will
satisfy the mortgage at closing if the consents are not obtained.
(13) Restrictions.
Describe all restrictions on the apartment corporation's
right to alter, improve, sell, occupy or mortgage the property.
(r)
Summary of
proprietary lease.
Summarize the important provisions of the proprietary lease
including:
(1) greater rights or
exceptions for the benefit of holders of unsold shares;
(2) restrictions on the shareholder's right
to use, sell, lease or mortgage a unit;
(3) the events of default under the
lease;
(4) the procedure to modify
the terms of the proprietary lease; and
(5) highlight as a special risk if the
following provision or a provision of the same substance is not part of the
proprietary lease. Holders of unsold shares may not cancel their proprietary
leases unless:
(i) shareholders owning a
majority of the apartment corporation's outstanding shares (other than unsold
shares) shall have given notice of intent to cancel; or
(ii) all unsold shares constitute 15 percent
or less of the apartment corporation's outstanding shares, at least five years
have elapsed since the apartment corporation acquired title to the building and
on the effective date of cancellation holders of unsold shares shall pay to the
apartment corporation a sum equal to the product of the then current monthly
rent (maintenance charges) payable under the proprietary lease multiplied by
24.
(s)
Apartment corporation.
Describe the manner in which the apartment corporation will
be organized and how its affairs will be governed. Summarize the important
sections of the bylaws and other relevant documents.
(1) Among the topics that must be disclosed
and explained are:
(i) the date and statutory
authority under which the apartment corporation was incorporated and the number
of shares authorized and issued;
(ii) the composition of the board of
directors, eligibility requirements, elections, and removal of
members;
(iii) the powers, duties
and potential personal liability of the board of directors and
officers;
(iv) the allocation of
responsibility between shareholders and the board of directors for repairs,
replacement and maintenance;
(v)
repair or restoration after fire or other casualty and whether insurance
proceeds are dedicated to repair restoration;
(vi) insurance provided by the apartment
corporation;
(vii) reports to
shareholders including notice of meetings and availability of books and
records;
(viii) how to amend the
apartment corporation's certificate of incorporation, bylaws and other relevant
documents;
(ix) termination of
apartment corporation;
(x) the
right to accumulate reserves for capital replacements or otherwise and any
restrictions imposed on such right;
(xi) the names of the officers and directors
and their relationship, if any, to sponsor, sponsor's principals and sponsor's
agents;
(xii) the extent to which
sponsor will or may control the board of directors after closing and the
consequences to purchasers of such reservation of control;
(a) sponsor and sponsor's designees may not
retain voting control of the board of directors or veto power over expenditures
for more than two years after closing or whenever 50 percent of the units have
been closed, whichever is sooner. Disclose whether sponsor represents and
provides in the bylaws, that a majority of the apartment corporation board must
be owner-occupants of the building or members of an owner-occupant's household,
who are unrelated to the sponsor or its principals, after the end of the
sponsor control period. If sponsor does not make this representation, include
the warning set forth paragraph (c)(3) of this section and discuss as a special
risk;
(b) sponsor and sponsor's
designees may not exercise veto power over expenses described in schedule B,
capital repairs, or over expenses required to comply with applicable laws or
regulations;
(c) state whether
officers and members of the board of directors serve with or without
compensation; and
(d) state whether
and under what circumstances officers and any manager or managing agent may be
removed by the board of directors or shareholders;
(xiii) disclose and explain the manner in
which the apartment secures a lien on each block of shares to secure payments
of maintenance charges and assessments and the consequences of such
lien;
(xiv) rights and procedure of
the apartment corporation upon the sale of shares including right to approve or
impose a charge or fee on such approval of sale or lease. Disclose whether
corporate documents impose greater fees or charges (however denominated on
shareholders than on sponsor or holders of unsold shares). If the plan or
bylaws grant sponsor or holders of unsold shares greater freedom in selling
shares or leasing units, such fact must be specifically disclosed and
explained;
(xv) state that a copy
of the bylaws is set forth in part II of the plan;
(xvi) if any construction or rehabilitation
to the interior of units is the responsibility of shareholders, state whether
the shareholder's obligation to perform that work is an obligation under the
proprietary lease, state whether and when the apartment corporation may enter
the unit to complete the work and whether the apartment corporation may place a
lien on shares for the cost of completing work.
(t)
Reserve fund and working capital
fund.
The offering plan must state whether there is a working
capital fund and whether there is a reserve fund to be used by the apartment
corporation. If funds are provided, state the amount of the funds; whether the
sponsor and purchasers contribute to the funds; what restrictions are on the
use of each fund; and when the funds will be available to the apartment
corporation. Discuss whether the reserve fund (if any) will be sufficient to
pay for major capital repairs or replacement items likely to be needed within
the first five years of operation.
(1)
Unless highlighted as a special risk, while the sponsor is in control of the
board of directors, the working capital fund may not be used to reduce
maintenance charges.
(2) If the
offering plan provides for a reserve fund or a working capital fund, the plan
must state that neither the Department of Law nor any other government agency
has passed upon the adequacy of the funds.
(3) Closing costs and adjustments must be
deducted from the working capital fund. Disclose how the net closing
adjustments, if in favor of the sponsor, are to be paid. State whether the
working capital fund will not be reduced below a stated amount.
(u)
Contract of sale (or
exchange).
(1) State the material terms
of the contract of sale or exchange between the sponsor and the apartment
corporation, including (unless stated elsewhere in the plan):
(i) state the date of the agreement, purchase
price of the property and how and when it is to be paid;
(ii) describe any leases, mortgages and other
liens, encumbrances and title exceptions affecting the property. Title
exceptions may include the state of facts shown on a stated survey, and any
additional state of facts a subsequent accurate survey would show, provided
that the title exceptions do not render title uninsurable if the building
remains standing. Highlight as a special risk if any title exception impairs
the mortgagability of the property;
(iii) state that the sponsor will procure
title insurance, identify the title company, state the amount of the coverage,
and whether the sponsor or the apartment corporation will pay for the
insurance;
(iv) list the personal
propety included in the conveyance;
(v) describe fully all estimated costs, fees,
and charges to be paid or apportioned in connection with the closing and
specify whether they will be paid by the apartment corporation or sponsor.
Include fee and mortgage title insurance charges, state and local transfer
taxes, mortgage recording taxes, recording fees for the deed and any mortgage,
power of attorney and any other documents, apportionment of taxes, water and
sewer charges, contributions to working capital fund or reserve fund, brokerage
commissions, attorneys fees and all other closing costs or adjustments. For all
items to be apportioned, set forth the basis for apportionment;
(vi) describe the type of deed. Highlight as
a special risk if the deed is not a bargain and sale deed with covenants
against grantors acts or with full warranties;
(vii) describe whether the sponsor is
obligated to repair any damage from a casualty or other cause that occurs
before the closing and the rights and obligations of purchasers of damaged
units;
(viii) the plan and contract
of sale or exchange must provide that any conflict between the plan and the
contract will be resolved in favor of the plan;
(viii) the plan and contract of sale or
exchange must provide that any conflict between the plan and the contract will
be resolved in favor of the plan;
(ix) state those obligations under the
offering plan to be performed subsequent to closing that survive delivery of
the deed;
(x) sponsor must assign
any manufacturer's warranties with respect to equipment and appliances
installed in a unit to the purchaser of the shares for that unit and assign any
warranties with respect to equipment and appliances installed in public areas
to the apartment corporation; and
(xi) for a contract of exchange, disclose the
approximate amount of the sponsor's tax basis and discuss the tax consequences
of the exchange to the apartment corporation.
(v)
Management agreement and other
contractual arrangements.
(1) Summarize
the important terms of the management agreement including:
(i) the name and address of the managing
agent;
(ii) the term of the
management agreement;
(iii) all
fees and other compensation for services;
(iv) the major duties and services to be
performed by the managing agent;
(v) the obligation (if any) of the apartment
corporation to reimburse the agent for expenses incurred or to indemnify the
agent against liability for acts properly performed by it pursuant to the
agreement; and
(vi) whether the
management agreement is assignable by the agent and what restrictions are
imposed or assignability.
(2) Summarize all agreements that will be
binding on the apartment corporation such as labor union contracts, laundry
contracts, and extermination services.
(3) Highlight as a special risk if any
contract is binding on the apartment corporation for more than three years
following the closing.
(4) Describe
the apartment corporation's right to cancel any contract including the notice
needed.
(5) Disclose material terms
of all leases other than proprietary leases including the following:
(i) State the date and term of each lease,
the identity of the lessee and sublessee(s), if any, and the rent and any
additional rent payable thereunder, the present and permitted use for the
space, the security deposited, and the space leased.
(ii) State whether the present and future
rent payable by the lessee is sufficient to cover the expenses fairly
attributable to the leased space.
(iii) Highlight as a special risk if
(a) any lease has a term exceeding 10 years;
(b) if the lease generates less income than the pro
rata share of expenses attributable to the leased space now or in the
future; or (c) if the ratio of income generated by the lease
to the share of expenses fairly attributable to the leased space may decline in
the future. Describe the potential burden to the apartment corporation of these
risks, disclose the basis for projecting the share of expenses attributable to
the leased space, and estimate the income and expenses for the lease
term.
(iv) Explain the apartment
corporation's rights and obligations under the lease with regard to making
ordinary or structural repairs, rebuilding after a casualty, retaining
insurance or condemnation proceeds, limiting use to those compatible with a
first class residential building, barring offensive uses, and whether consent
of the apartment corporation is required before the lessee can assign or sublet
space or change the current use.
(v) If the offering plan is subject to the
provisions of General Business Law section 352-e e, disclose whether units are
offered subject to the rights of existing commercial tenants and whether
existing tenants could impair the completion of any rehabilitation.
(w)
Identity of
parties.
(1) State the names and
business address, background and experience of sponsors, and principals of
sponsor. Describe any prior convictions, injunctions and judgments against
sponsor and or principals of sponsor which may be relevant or material to the
offering plan or an offering of securities generally.
(2) List all properties offered for sale by
sponsor or sponsor's principals as cooperatives, condominiums or planned unit
developments homes within the past five years by address and the date they
first became available for occupancy. If the number of such properties or
projects exceeds 10 for the sponsor or a principal, the 10 most recent
properties may be listed.
(3)
Identify each cooperative, condominium or homeowners association, other than
the subject building(s), where the sponsor, general partner or principal of the
sponsor, or the holder of unsold shares, owns 10 percent or more of the unsold
shares or units as an individual, general partner or principal, and state
whether the sponsor, general partner, principal or holder of unsold shares is
current in its financial obligations, including, but not limited to, payment of
maintenance or common charges, taxes, reserve or working capital fund payments,
assessments, payments for repairs and improvements promised in the plan,
payment of underlying mortgages, and payment of loans for which shares or units
have been pledged as collateral or mortgaged. If not current, state the
identity of the property and the date and amount of each delinquency, together
with any additional relevant facts.
(4) State the name and address of sponsor's
attorney and the apartment corporation's attorney, if any. The same attorney
may not represent both the sponsor and the apartment corporation. If an
attorney represents the apartment corporation, describe the scope of the
attorney's responsibilities. If there is or will be a managing agent or manager
for the property, include the name, address and experience of the managing
agent or manager and a representative list of other properties being managed by
the managing agent or manager.
(5)
State the relationship (if any) between the sponsor or its principals and (i)
the selling agent, (ii) the managing agent, and (iii) any person or firm who
will provide service to the apartment corporation subsequent to the
commencement of cooperative operation.
(x)
Obligations of sponsor.
Describe the rights and obligations of sponsor under the
plan and applicable law with respect to the offering including the following
elements:
(1) Disclose sponsor's
intent with regard to the sale of apartments offered in the plan. Disclose
whether sponsor represents that it will endeavor in good faith to sell, in a
reasonably timely manner, all residential units to purchasers for personal
occupancy in the building or buildings being constructed for cooperative
ownership. If sponsor has obtained construction financing, disclose the terms
of the construction loan as they apply to the sponsor's obligation to market
the units for sale, including any minimum number or percentage of units which
must be under contract before the plan can be declared effective, the existence
of either a minimum release price set by the lender or a required minimum
payment per sale which must be made to the lender and limits or requirements
imposed by the lender for sponsor to rent rather than sell under specified
market conditions. If sponsor has not obtained construction financing or if the
construction loan agreement does not include provisions on the terms set forth
in the previous sentence, disclose the conditions under which sponsor reserves
the right to rent rather than sell based on objective articulable criteria,
such as a significant decline in market prices of a specific percentage and the
conditions under which sponsor would resume sales. If sponsor represents an
intent to sell fewer than all of the units in the building or buildings being
constructed for cooperative ownership, disclose the number and percentage which
sponsor does intend to sell. Disclose whether sponsor represents that it will
decline to rent apartments, until it has sold at least 51 percent of the units
to purchasers for personal occupancy. If sponsor reserves the right to rent
rather than sell after reaching the 51 percent sales level, disclose the
conditions under which sponsor would rent rather than sell based on objective
articulable criteria, such as a significant decline in market prices of a
specific percentage and the conditions under which sponsor would resume its
good faith efforts to sell rather than rent. If sponsor does not represent its
good faith intent to sell and to obtain sales of 51 percent of the units prior
to renting, include on the cover of the plan the warning set forth in paragraph
(c)(1) of this section and discuss as a special risk.
(2) For offering plans involving construction
or rehabilitation, the sponsor must state whether construction financing is
firmly committed at the time of submission of the offering plan to the
Department of Law. Disclose any conditions placed on the availability of the
construction financing and highlight as a special risk if the sponsor may not
be able to complete construction of the units offered. Project the timetable
for procuring a firm commitment of construction financing. If sponsor has
obtained construction financing, disclose the terms of the construction loan as
they apply to the sponsor's obligation to market the units for sale, including
a minimum number or percentage of units which must be under contract before the
plan can be declared effective, the existence of either a minimum release price
set by the lender or a required minimum payment per sale which must be made to
the lender, and limits or requirements imposed by the lender for sponsor to
rent rather than sell under specified market conditions. If sponsor has not
obtained construction financing at the time the plan is submitted for filing,
the plan must state that the construction lender may impose requirements
regarding sales by sponsor and the plan must be amended to disclose the
relevant terms of the construction loan agreement when financing is
obtained.
(3) For offering plans
involving construction or rehabilitation, state the sponsor's obligation to
build and complete the property in accordance with the building plans and
specifications identified in the plan and sponsor's right to substitute
equipment or materials and make modifications of layout or design; provided,
however, that sponsor may not:
(i) substitute
equipment or materials of lesser quality or design; or
(ii) change the size, location or value of
any units, or of other improvements or public areas if such changes adversely
affect public areas or adversely affect the value of any unit to which title
has closed or for which a subscription agreement has been executed and is in
effect unless all affected shareholders consent in writing to such change and
all affected contract vendees are given the right to rescind and receive any
deposit or downpayment.
(4) Except as provided in paragraph (4) of
this subdivision, prior to the closing the sponsor must obtain a permanent
certificate of occupancy for all units for which stock is offered or,
alternatively, obtain a temporary or partial certificate of occupancy for all
units for which stock is offered. The sponsor and its principals must agree to
obtain a permanent certificate of occupancy for the property within a projected
timetable after closing. Sponsor must obtain the permanent certificate of
occupancy before the partial or temporary certificate of occupancy expires,
unless extended. Highlight as a special risk if the sponsor does not anticipate
obtaining a permanent certificate of occupancy until two years or more after
closing.
(5) Notwithstanding
paragraph (2) of this subdivision, if the offering plan is subject to the
provisions of General Business Law section 352-e e, sponsor must state what
alterations and improvements to the public areas of the property will be
completed before closing.
(6) This
provision shall apply if the closing may take place prior to the issuance of a
permanent certificate of occupancy for the property.
(i) Sponsor is required to maintain all
deposits and funds in any special escrow account required by General Business
Law section 352-e (2)(b) unless the sponsor's engineer or architect certifies
that a lesser amount will be reasonably necessary to complete the work needed
to obtain a permanent certificate of occupancy, in which case the sum exceeding
the amount so certified by the sponsor's engineer or architect may be released
from any special escrow account. Alternatively, sponsor must deposit with an
escrow agent an unconditional, irrevocable letter of credit or post a surety
bond in the amount so certified.
(ii) Notwithstanding subparagraph (i) of this
paragraph, if the offering plan is subject to the provisions of General
Business Law section 352-e e, sponsor is required to maintain all deposits and
funds in any special escrow account required by General Business Law section
352-e (2)(b) unless the sponsor's engineer or architect certifies that a lesser
amount will be reasonably necessary to complete all alterations and
improvements to the public areas of the property, in which case the sum
exceeding the amount so certified by the sponsor's engineer or architect may be
released from any special escrow account. Alternatively, sponsor must deposit
with an escrow agent an unconditional, irrevocable letter of credit or post a
surety bond in the amount so certified.
(7) State whether the sponsor agrees to
warrant the materials or workmanship of each unit or public areas. Fully
disclose the terms of the warranties.
(8) State that the sponsor agrees to pay for
the authorized and proper work involved in the construction and establishment
and sale of the cooperative that sponsor is obligated to complete under the
plan and cause all mechanics liens with respect to such construction to be
promptly discharged or bonded.
(9)
State whether sponsor has an obligation to defend any suits or proceedings
arising out of sponsor's acts or omissions and to indemnify the apartment
corporation.
(10) State those
obligations under the offering plan to be performed subsequent to closing that
survive delivery of the deed.
(11)
For offering plans involving construction or rehabilitation, the sponsor must
agree to deliver a set of "as-built" plans to the apartment
corporation.
(12) Sponsor must
disclose whether any bond or other security other than those required by this
Part has been furnished to secure sponsor's obligations including sponsor's
obligations to complete construction of the property.
(13) Sponsor must guarantee payment of all
maintenance charges and assessments with respect to unsold shares.
(14) Sponsor must agree to initially procure,
and the budget must reflect, fire and casualty insurance pursuant to an agreed
amount replacement value policy or in an amount sufficient to avoid
coinsurance.
(15) Disclose when
sponsor can dissolve or liquidate the sponsor and whether dissolution or
liquidation will have an effect on sponsor's obligations under the
plan.
(16) If the sponsor has a
right of access to complete construction of the property, describe sponsor's
obligation to repair damages and the extent to which sponsor can interfere with
the shareholders' use.
(17) If the
plan represents that the apartment corporation may or will receive tax
benefits, the plan must state that sponsor will use best efforts to obtain the
tax benefits.
(18) The sponsor must
convey the property free of all liens other than the mortgages and liens
described in the plan.
(y)
Reports to shareholders.
State that it is the obligation of the apartment
corporation to give all shareholders annually:
(1) a statement of the amount deductible for
income tax purposes by a specified date;
(2) an audited financial statement prepared
by a certified public accountant or public accountant by a specified date;
and
(3) prior notice of the annual
shareholders meeting.
(z)
Documents on file.
Sponsor must keep copies of the plan, parts A, B and C of
the exhibits and documents referred to in the plan on file and available for
inspection and copying at a specified location for six years from the date the
plan was filed.
(aa)
General.
Describe any other material facts concerning the sponsor
and its principals, the property, the offering and a prospective purchaser's
right and obligations including:
(1)
Disclose any lawsuits, administrative proceedings or other proceedings the
outcome of which may materially affect the offering, the property, sponsor's
capacity to perform all of its obligations under the plan, the apartment
corporation or the operation of the cooperative.
(2) Disclose whether the property is the
subject of any prior public offerings.
(3) Represent that the sponsor and its agents
will not discriminate against any person because of race, creed, color, sex,
disability, marital status or national origin.
(bb)
Sponsor's statement of building
condition.
Include the following provisions for existing
buildings:
(1) Sponsor must adopt the
description of property set forth in part II of the plan and state that there
are no defects or need for major repairs to the property, except as set forth
in the description of property.
(2)
If not fully reported in the description of property, sponsor must describe the
rehabilitation, if any, to be completed by sponsor; state whether major systems
such as plumbing, heating, electrical, roof and windows have been partially or
fully replaced or improved and the extend of improvement; and describe cosmetic
renovations such as painting, plastering and furnishing the floors.
(3) State whether, prior to closing, sponsor
will cause to be cured all violations of record, eliminate all dangerous and
hazardous conditions and comply with all work orders from mortgagees.
(4) Disclose the existence of any applicable
Federal, State or local laws concerning lead-based paint and whether the
sponsor will comply with such laws and regulations promulgated
thereunder.