Office Properties Income Trust (OPI) 10-K2023 FY Annual report

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other securities laws that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These statements may include words such as “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “plan”, “estimate”, “will”, “may” and negatives or derivatives of these or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements about: our leverage levels and possible future financings; demand for office space; our future leasing activity, commitments and obligations; economic and market conditions; our liquidity needs and sources; our capital expenditure plans and commitments; acquisitions and our pending or potential dispositions; our redevelopment and construction activities and plans; and the amount and timing of future distributions.

Forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations, are based on judgments and assumptions, are inherently uncertain and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from expected future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in those forward-looking statements. Some of the risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following:

These risks, uncertainties, and other factors are not exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with other cautionary statements that are included in our periodic filings. The information contained elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K or in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, including under the caption “Risk Factors,” or incorporated herein or therein, identifies other important factors that could cause differences from our forward-looking statements. Our filings with the SEC are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

You should not place undue reliance upon our forward-looking statements.

Except as required by law, we do not intend to update or change any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

The amended and restated declaration of trust establishing Office Properties Income Trust, dated June 8, 2009, as amended, as filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland, provides that no trustee, officer, shareholder, employee or agent of Office Properties Income Trust shall be held to any personal liability, jointly or severally, for any obligation of, or claim against, Office Properties Income Trust. All persons dealing with Office Properties Income Trust in any way shall look only to the assets of Office Properties Income Trust for the payment of any sum or the performance of any obligation.

We are a real estate investment trust, or REIT, formed in 2009 under Maryland law. As of December 31, 2023, our wholly owned properties were comprised of 152 properties containing approximately 20.5 million rentable square feet (all square footage amounts included within this Annual Report on Form 10-K are unaudited) and we had noncontrolling ownership interests of 51% and 50% in two unconsolidated joint ventures that owned three properties containing approximately 0.5 million rentable square feet. As of December 31, 2023, our properties have an undepreciated carrying value of approximately $4.1 billion and a depreciated carrying value of approximately $3.4 billion, excluding properties classified as held for sale. As of December 31, 2023, our properties were leased to 258 different tenants, with a weighted average remaining lease term (based on annualized rental income as defined below) of approximately 6.4 years. The U.S. government is our largest tenant, representing approximately 19.5% of our annualized rental income as of December 31, 2023. The term annualized rental income as used herein is defined as the annualized contractual base rents from our tenants pursuant to our lease agreements as of December 31, 2023, plus straight line rent adjustments and estimated recurring expense reimbursements to be paid to us, and excluding lease value amortization.

Our principal executive offices are located at Two Newton Place, 255 Washington Street, Suite 300, Newton, Massachusetts 02458-1634, and our telephone number is (617) 219-1440.

Our business plan is to focus on owning and leasing high-quality office and mixed-use properties in select, growth-oriented U.S. markets. We seek to diversify our revenue base across geographies with ownership in central business district, urban infill and suburban locations. Our approach emphasizes properties, markets or locations with high barriers to entry, qualities and characteristics to attract and retain talent and investment toward sustainability efforts.

Our internal growth strategy is to increase the rents and corresponding cash flows we receive from our current properties and to increase occupancy by leasing vacant space. To achieve these increases, we may invest in our properties through improvements requested by existing tenants or induce lease renewals or new tenant leases when our current leases expire or through development, redevelopment or repositioning activities. As our lease expirations approach, we will attempt to evaluate the highest and best use for a property and focus on proactive asset management to renew our leases with existing tenants or to enter leases with new tenants to enhance long-term cash flow growth and asset values. Our ability to renew leases with our existing tenants or to enter new leases with new tenants and the rents we are able to charge will depend in large part upon market conditions, which are beyond our control. We believe that if a property previously occupied by a single or majority tenant becomes vacant, it may be capital and time intensive to restabilize, redevelop or reposition depending on various factors including market conditions.

Our external growth strategy is defined by our acquisition, disposition and financing policies as described below. Our investment, financing and disposition policies and business strategies are established by our Board of Trustees and may be changed by our Board of Trustees at any time without shareholder approval.

Certain changes in office space utilization, including increased remote work arrangements and tenants consolidating their real estate footprint, continue to impact the market. The utilization and demand for office space continues to face headwinds and the duration and ultimate impact of current trends on the demands for office space at our properties remains uncertain and subject to change. Accordingly, we do not yet know what the full extent of the impacts will be on our or our tenants’ businesses and operations nor the long-term outlook for leasing our properties. Higher interest rates, inflationary pressures, geopolitical hostilities and tensions, and concerns that the U.S. economy may enter an economic recession have caused disruptions in the financial markets and these factors could adversely affect our and our tenants’ financial condition and the ability or willingness of our tenants to renew our leases or pay rent to us. Deteriorating office fundamentals, high interest rates and market sentiment towards the office sector may restrict our access to, and would likely increase our cost of, capital and may cause the values of our properties and our securities to decline.

Our primary investment objectives include increasing cash flows from operations from stable and diverse sources. We seek to acquire properties or portfolios that enhance our overall portfolio composition and produce greater returns than those

We expect to use the extensive nationwide resources of our manager, RMR, to locate and manage the acquisition of such properties. We expect most of our future acquisitions will be office properties; however, we may consider acquiring other types of properties. We also expect to further diversify our sources of rents, which we expect would improve the security of our revenues.

In implementing our acquisition strategy, we consider a range of factors relating to proposed property purchases, including:

We have in the past considered, and may in the future consider, the possibility of entering into mergers or strategic combinations with other companies. The principal goals of any such transaction will be to increase our cash flow from operations and to further diversify our revenue sources.

We have no policies which specifically limit the percentage of our assets that may be invested in any individual property, in any one type of property, in properties managed by or leased to any one entity, in properties managed by or leased to any affiliated group of entities or in securities of one or more other persons.

Our Board of Trustees may change our acquisition policies without a vote of, or notice to, our shareholders.

For more information regarding our investing activities, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included in Part II, Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

To qualify for taxation as a REIT under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the IRC, we must distribute at least 90% of our annual REIT taxable income (excluding net capital gains). Accordingly, we generally will not be able to retain sufficient cash to fund our operations, repay our debts, invest in our properties and fund acquisitions and development, redevelopment and repositioning efforts. We expect to repay our debts, invest in our properties and fund acquisitions and development, redevelopment and repositioning efforts with borrowings under our revolving credit facility, proceeds from debt or equity securities we may issue, proceeds from our asset sales or retained cash from operations that may exceed our distributions paid. To the extent we obtain additional debt financing, we may do so on an unsecured or a secured basis. We may seek to obtain lines of credit or to issue securities senior to our common shares, including preferred shares or debt securities, which may be convertible into our common shares or be accompanied by warrants to purchase our common shares or to pursue joint venture financing arrangements. We may also finance acquisitions by assuming debt or through the issuance of equity or other securities. The proceeds from any of our financings may be used to provide working capital, to refinance existing indebtedness or to finance acquisitions or property developments, redevelopments or repositionings or pay distributions.

Although there are no limitations in our organizational documents on the type or amount of indebtedness we may incur, the borrowing limitations established by the covenants in our credit agreement (as defined below) and our senior notes indentures and their supplements currently restrict our ability to incur indebtedness and require us to comply with certain financial and other covenants.

For more information regarding our financing sources and activities, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included in Part II, Item 7 and Note 9 to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Generally, we intend to manage our leverage in a way that may allow us to achieve “investment grade” ratings from nationally recognized rating organizations. However, we cannot be sure that we will be able to achieve investment grade ratings in the future.

Our Board of Trustees may change our financing policies at any time without a vote of, or notice to, our shareholders.

RMR is an alternative asset management company that is focused on commercial real estate and related businesses. RMR or its subsidiaries also act as a manager to other publicly traded real estate companies, privately held real estate funds and real estate related operating businesses. As of February 14, 2024, the executive officers of RMR are: Adam D. Portnoy, President and Chief Executive Officer; Christopher J. Bilotto, Executive Vice President; Jennifer B. Clark, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary; Matthew P. Jordan, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer; and John G. Murray, Executive Vice President. Our President and Chief Operating Officer, Yael Duffy, and our Chief Financial Officer

We believe corporate sustainability is a strategic part of our focus on operational practices, enhancing our competitive position, development and redevelopment efforts and economic performance. Our sustainability practices, which align with those of our manager, RMR — minimizing our impact on the environment, embracing the communities where we operate and attracting top professionals — are critical elements supporting our long-term success.

We recognize our responsibility to minimize the impact of our business on the environment and seek to preserve natural resources and maximize efficiencies in order to reduce the impact our properties have on the planet. Our environmental sustainability strategies and best practices help to mitigate our properties’ environmental footprint, optimize operational efficiency and enhance our competitiveness in the marketplace. Our sustainability and community engagement strategies focus on a complementary set of objectives, including the following:

For more information, see “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—Sustainability initiatives, requirements and market expectations may impose additional costs and expose us to new risks.” included in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The following summary of material United States federal income tax considerations is based on existing law and is limited to investors who own our shares as investment assets rather than as inventory or as property used in a trade or business. The summary does not discuss all of the particular tax considerations that might be relevant to you if you are subject to special rules under federal income tax law, for example if you are:

The sections of the IRC that govern the federal income tax qualification and treatment of a REIT and its shareholders are complex. This presentation is a summary of applicable IRC provisions, related rules and regulations, and administrative and

Your federal income tax consequences generally will differ depending on whether or not you are a “U.S. shareholder.” For purposes of this summary, a “U.S. shareholder” is a beneficial owner of our shares that is:

If any entity (or other arrangement) treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes holds our shares, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend upon the tax status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Any entity (or other arrangement) treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes that is a holder of our shares and the partners in such a partnership (as determined for federal income tax purposes) are urged to consult their own tax advisors about the federal income tax consequences and other tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our shares.

We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the IRC, commencing with our 2009 taxable year. Our REIT election, assuming continuing compliance with the then applicable qualification tests, has continued and will continue in effect for subsequent taxable years. Although we cannot be sure, we believe that from and after our 2009 taxable year we have been organized and have operated, and will continue to be organized and to operate, in a manner that qualified us and will continue to qualify us to be taxed as a REIT under the IRC.

As a REIT, we generally are not subject to federal income tax on our net income distributed as dividends to our shareholders. Distributions to our shareholders generally are included in our shareholders’ income as dividends to the extent of our available current or accumulated earnings and profits. Our dividends are not generally entitled to the preferential tax rates on qualified dividend income, but a portion of our dividends may be treated as capital gain dividends or as qualified dividend income, all as explained below. In addition, for taxable years beginning before 2026 and pursuant to the deduction-without-outlay mechanism of Section 199A of the IRC, our noncorporate U.S. shareholders that meet specified holding period requirements are generally eligible for lower effective tax rates on our dividends that are not treated as capital gain dividends or as qualified dividend income. No portion of any of our dividends is eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders. Distributions in excess of our current or accumulated earnings and profits generally are treated for federal income tax purposes as returns of capital to the extent of a recipient shareholder’s basis in our shares, and will reduce this basis. Our current or accumulated earnings and profits are generally allocated first to distributions made on our preferred shares, of which there are none outstanding at this time, and thereafter to distributions made on our common shares. For all these purposes, our

Our counsel, Sullivan & Worcester LLP, is of the opinion that we have been organized and have qualified for taxation as a REIT under the IRC for our 2009 through 2023 taxable years, and that our current and anticipated investments and plan of operation will enable us to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the IRC. Our counsel’s opinions are conditioned upon the assumption that our leases, our declaration of trust, and all other legal documents to which we have been or are a party have been and will be complied with by all parties to those documents, upon the accuracy and completeness of the factual matters described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and upon representations made by us to our counsel as to certain factual matters relating to our organization and operations and our expected manner of operation. If this assumption or a description or representation is inaccurate or incomplete, our counsel’s opinions may be adversely affected and may not be relied upon. The opinions of our counsel are based upon the law as it exists today, but the law may change in the future, possibly with retroactive effect. Given the highly complex nature of the rules governing REITs, the ongoing importance of factual determinations, and the possibility of future changes in our circumstances, neither Sullivan & Worcester LLP nor we can be sure that we will qualify as or be taxed as a REIT for any particular year. Any opinion of Sullivan & Worcester LLP as to our qualification or taxation as a REIT will be expressed as of the date issued. Our counsel will have no obligation to advise us or our shareholders of any subsequent change in the matters stated, represented or assumed, or of any subsequent change in the applicable law. Also, the opinions of our counsel are not binding on either the IRS or a court, and either could take a position different from that expressed by our counsel.

Our continued qualification and taxation as a REIT will depend upon our compliance with various qualification tests imposed under the IRC and summarized below. While we believe that we have satisfied and will satisfy these tests, our counsel does not review compliance with these tests on a continuing basis. If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any year, then we will be subject to federal income taxation as if we were a corporation taxed under subchapter C of the IRC, or a C corporation, and our shareholders will be taxed like shareholders of a regular C corporation, meaning that federal income tax generally will be applied at both the corporate and shareholder levels. In this event, we could be subject to significant tax liabilities, and the amount of cash available for distribution to our shareholders could be reduced or eliminated.

If we continue to qualify for taxation as a REIT and meet the tests described below, then we generally will not pay federal income tax on amounts that we distribute to our shareholders. However, even if we continue to qualify for taxation as a REIT, we may still be subject to federal tax in the following circumstances, as described below:

If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any year, then we will be subject to federal income tax in the same manner as a regular C corporation. Further, as a regular C corporation, distributions to our shareholders will not be deductible by us, nor will distributions be required under the IRC. Also, to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, all distributions to our shareholders will generally be taxable as ordinary dividends potentially eligible for the preferential tax rates discussed below under the heading “—Taxation of Taxable U.S. Shareholders” and, subject to limitations in the IRC, will be potentially eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders. Finally, we will generally be disqualified from taxation as a REIT for the four taxable years following the taxable year in which the termination of our REIT status is effective. Our failure to qualify for taxation as a REIT for even one year could result in us reducing or eliminating distributions to our shareholders, or in us incurring substantial indebtedness or liquidating substantial investments in order to pay the resulting corporate-level income taxes. Relief provisions under the IRC may allow us to continue to qualify for taxation as a REIT even if we fail to comply with various REIT requirements, all as discussed in more detail below. However, it is impossible to state whether in any particular circumstance we would be entitled to the benefit of these relief provisions.

Section 856(b) of the IRC provides that conditions (1) through (4) must be met during the entire taxable year and that condition (5) must be met during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months, or during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than 12 months. Although we cannot be sure, we believe that we have met conditions (1) through (7) during each of the requisite periods ending on or before the close of our most recently completed taxable year, and that we will continue to meet these conditions in our current and future taxable years. To help comply with condition (6), our declaration of trust restricts transfers of our shares that would otherwise result in concentrated ownership positions. These restrictions, however, do not ensure that we have previously satisfied, and may not ensure that we will in all cases be able to continue to satisfy, the share ownership requirements described in condition (6). If we comply with applicable Treasury regulations to ascertain the ownership of our outstanding shares and do not know, or by exercising reasonable diligence would not have known, that we failed condition (6), then we will be treated as having met condition (6). Accordingly, we have complied and will continue to comply with these regulations, including by requesting annually from holders of significant percentages of our shares information regarding the ownership of our shares. Under our declaration of trust, our shareholders are required to respond to these requests for information. A shareholder that fails or refuses to comply with the request is required by Treasury regulations to submit a statement with its federal income tax return disclosing its actual ownership of our shares and other information.

For purposes of condition (6), an “individual” generally includes a natural person, a supplemental unemployment compensation benefit plan, a private foundation, or a portion of a trust permanently set aside or used exclusively for charitable purposes, but does not include a qualified pension plan or profit-sharing trust. As a result, REIT shares owned by an entity that is not an “individual” are considered to be owned by the direct and indirect owners of the entity that are individuals (as so defined), rather than to be owned by the entity itself. Similarly, REIT shares held by a qualified pension plan or profit-sharing trust are treated as held directly by the individual beneficiaries in proportion to their actuarial interests in such plan or trust. Consequently, five or fewer such trusts could own more than 50% of the interests in an entity without jeopardizing that entity’s qualification for taxation as a REIT.

The IRC provides that we will not automatically fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT if we do not meet conditions (1) through (6), provided we can establish that such failure was due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect. Each such excused failure will result in the imposition of a $50,000 penalty instead of REIT disqualification. This relief provision may apply to a failure of the applicable conditions even if the failure first occurred in a year prior to the taxable year in which the failure was discovered.

We have invested and may in the future invest in real estate through one or more entities that are treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. In the case of a REIT that is a partner in a partnership, Treasury regulations under the IRC provide that, for purposes of the REIT qualification requirements regarding income and assets described below, the REIT is generally deemed to own its proportionate share, based on respective capital interests, of the income and assets of the partnership (except that for purposes of the 10% value test, described below, the REIT’s proportionate share of the partnership’s assets is based on its proportionate interest in the equity and specified debt securities issued by the partnership). In addition, for these purposes, the character of the assets and items of gross income of the partnership generally remains the same in the hands of the REIT. In contrast, for purposes of the distribution requirements discussed below, we must take into account as a partner our share of the partnership’s income as determined under the general federal income tax rules governing partners and partnerships under Subchapter K of the IRC.

In addition, any corporation (other than a REIT and other than a QRS) in which a TRS directly or indirectly owns more than 35% of the voting power or value of the outstanding securities is automatically a TRS (excluding, for this purpose, certain “straight debt” securities). Subject to the discussion below, we believe that we and each of our TRSs have complied with, and will continue to comply with, the requirements for TRS status at all times during which the subsidiary’s TRS election is intended to be in effect, and we believe that the same will be true for any TRS that we later form or acquire.

As discussed below, TRSs can perform services for our tenants without disqualifying the rents we receive from those tenants under the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test discussed below. Moreover, because our TRSs are taxed as C corporations that are separate from us, their assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction and credit generally are not imputed to us for purposes of the REIT qualification requirements described in this summary. Therefore, our TRSs may generally conduct activities that would be treated as prohibited transactions or would give rise to nonqualified income if conducted by us directly.

Restrictions and sanctions are imposed on TRSs and their affiliated REITs to ensure that the TRSs will be subject to an appropriate level of federal income taxation. For example, if a TRS pays interest, rent or other amounts to its affiliated REIT in an amount that exceeds what an unrelated third party would have paid in an arm’s length transaction, then the REIT generally will be subject to an excise tax equal to 100% of the excessive portion of the payment. Further, if in comparison to an arm’s length transaction, a third-party tenant has overpaid rent to the REIT in exchange for underpaying the TRS for services rendered, and if the REIT has not adequately compensated the TRS for services provided to or on behalf of the third-party tenant, then the REIT may be subject to an excise tax equal to 100% of the undercompensation to the TRS. A safe harbor exception to this excise tax applies if the TRS has been compensated at a rate at least equal to 150% of its direct cost in furnishing or rendering the service. Finally, the 100% excise tax also applies to the underpricing of services provided by a TRS to its affiliated REIT in contexts where the services are unrelated to services for REIT tenants. We cannot be sure that arrangements involving our TRSs will not result in the imposition of one or more of these restrictions or sanctions, but we do not believe that we or our TRSs are or will be subject to these impositions.

In order to qualify as “rents from real property” within the meaning of Section 856(d) of the IRC, several requirements must be met:

We believe that all or substantially all of our rents and related service charges have qualified and will continue to qualify as “rents from real property” for purposes of Section 856 of the IRC.

Absent the “foreclosure property” rules of Section 856(e) of the IRC, a REIT’s receipt of active, nonrental gross income from a property would not qualify under the 75% and 95% gross income tests. But as foreclosure property, the active, nonrental gross income from the property would so qualify. Foreclosure property is generally any real property, including interests in real property, and any personal property incident to such real property:

Any gain that a REIT recognizes on the sale of foreclosure property held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers, plus any income it receives from foreclosure property that would not otherwise qualify under the 75% gross income test in the absence of foreclosure property treatment, reduced by expenses directly connected with the production of those items of income, would be subject to federal income tax at the highest regular corporate income tax rate under the foreclosure property income tax rules of Section 857(b)(4) of the IRC. Thus, if a REIT should lease foreclosure property in exchange for rent that qualifies as “rents from real property” as described above, then that rental income is not subject to the foreclosure property income tax.

Property generally ceases to be foreclosure property at the end of the third taxable year following the taxable year in which the REIT acquired the property, or longer if an extension is obtained from the IRS. However, this grace period terminates and foreclosure property ceases to be foreclosure property on the first day:

Other than sales of foreclosure property, any gain that we realize on the sale of property held as inventory or other property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business, together known as dealer gains, may be treated as income from a prohibited transaction that is subject to a penalty tax at a 100% rate. The 100% tax does not apply to gains from the sale of property that is held through a TRS, although such income will be subject to tax in the hands of the TRS at regular corporate income tax rates; we may therefore utilize our TRSs in transactions in which we might otherwise recognize dealer gains. Whether property is held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business is a question of fact that depends on all the facts and circumstances surrounding each particular transaction. Sections 857(b)(6)(C) and (E) of the IRC provide safe harbors pursuant to which limited sales of real property held for at least two years and meeting specified additional requirements will not be treated as prohibited transactions. However, compliance with the safe harbors is not always achievable in practice. We attempt to structure our activities to avoid transactions that are prohibited transactions, or otherwise conduct such activities through TRSs; but, we cannot be sure whether or not the IRS might successfully assert that we are subject to the 100% penalty tax with respect to any particular transaction. Gains subject to the 100% penalty tax are excluded from the 75% and 95% gross income tests, whereas real property gains that are not dealer gains or that are exempted from the 100% penalty tax on account of the safe harbors are considered qualifying gross income for purposes of the 75% and 95% gross income tests.

We believe that any gain that we have recognized, or will recognize, in connection with our disposition of assets and other transactions, including through any partnerships, will generally qualify as income that satisfies the 75% and 95% gross income tests, and will not be dealer gains or subject to the 100% penalty tax. This is because our general intent has been and is to: (a) own our assets for investment (including through joint ventures) with a view to long-term income production and capital appreciation; (b) engage in the business of developing, owning, leasing and managing our existing properties and acquiring, developing, owning, leasing and managing new properties; and (c) make occasional dispositions of our assets consistent with our long-term investment objectives.

If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test in any taxable year, we may nevertheless qualify for taxation as a REIT for that year if we satisfy the following requirements: (a) our failure to meet the test

Based on the discussion above, we believe that we have satisfied, and will continue to satisfy, the 75% and 95% gross income tests outlined above on a continuing basis beginning with our first taxable year as a REIT.

Our counsel, Sullivan & Worcester LLP, is of the opinion that, although the matter is not free from doubt, our investments in the equity or debt of a TRS of ours, to the extent that and during the period in which they qualify as temporary investments of new capital, will be treated as real estate assets, and not as securities, for purposes of the above REIT asset tests.

The above REIT asset tests must be satisfied at the close of each calendar quarter of each taxable year as a REIT. After a REIT meets the asset tests at the close of any quarter, it will not lose its qualification for taxation as a REIT in any subsequent quarter solely because of fluctuations in the values of its assets. This grandfathering rule may be of limited benefit to a REIT such as us that makes periodic acquisitions of both qualifying and nonqualifying REIT assets. When a failure to satisfy the above asset tests results from an acquisition of securities or other property during a quarter, the failure can be cured by disposition of sufficient nonqualifying assets within thirty days after the close of that quarter.

In addition, if we fail the 5% asset test, the 10% vote test or the 10% value test at the close of any quarter and we do not cure such failure within thirty days after the close of that quarter, that failure will nevertheless be excused if (a) the failure is de minimis and (b) within six months after the last day of the quarter in which we identify the failure, we either dispose of the assets causing the failure or otherwise satisfy the 5% asset test, the 10% vote test and the 10% value test. For purposes of this relief provision, the failure will be de minimis if the value of the assets causing the failure does not exceed the lesser of (a) 1% of the total value of our assets at the end of the relevant quarter or (b) $10,000,000. If our failure is not de minimis, or if any of the other REIT asset tests have been violated, we may nevertheless qualify for taxation as a REIT if (a) we provide the IRS with a description of each asset causing the failure, (b) the failure was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, (c) we pay a tax equal to the greater of (1) $50,000 or (2) the highest regular corporate income tax rate imposed on the net income generated by the assets causing the failure during the period of the failure, and (d) within six months after the last day of the quarter in which we identify the failure, we either dispose of the assets causing the failure or otherwise satisfy all of the REIT asset tests. These relief provisions may apply to a failure of the applicable asset tests even if the failure first occurred in a year prior to the taxable year in which the failure was discovered.

The IRC also provides an excepted securities safe harbor to the 10% value test that includes among other items (a) “straight debt” securities, (b) specified rental agreements in which payment is to be made in subsequent years, (c) any obligation to pay “rents from real property,” (d) securities issued by governmental entities that are not dependent in whole or in part on the profits of or payments from a nongovernmental entity, and (e) any security issued by another REIT. In addition, any debt instrument issued by an entity classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, and not otherwise excepted from the definition of a security for purposes of the above safe harbor, will not be treated as a security for purposes of the 10% value test if at least 75% of the partnership’s gross income, excluding income from prohibited transactions, is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test.

We have maintained and will continue to maintain records of the value of our assets to document our compliance with the above asset tests and intend to take actions as may be required to cure any failure to satisfy the tests within thirty days after the close of any quarter or within the six month periods described above.

Based on the discussion above, we believe that we have satisfied, and will continue to satisfy, the REIT asset tests outlined above on a continuing basis beginning with our first taxable year as a REIT.

For these purposes, our “real estate investment trust taxable income” is as defined under Section 857 of the IRC and is computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction and our net capital gain and will generally be reduced by specified corporate-level income taxes that we pay (e.g., taxes on built-in gains or foreclosure property income).

The IRC generally limits the deductibility of net interest expense paid or accrued on debt properly allocable to a trade or business to 30% of “adjusted taxable income,” subject to specified exceptions. Any deduction in excess of the limitation is carried forward and may be used in a subsequent year, subject to that year’s 30% limitation. Provided a taxpayer makes an election (which is irrevocable), the limitation on the deductibility of net interest expense does not apply to a trade or business involving real property development, redevelopment, construction, reconstruction, acquisition, conversion, rental, operation, management, leasing, or brokerage, within the meaning of Section 469(c)(7)(C) of the IRC. Treasury regulations provide that a real property trade or business includes a trade or business conducted by a REIT. We have made an election to be treated as a real property trade or business and accordingly do not expect the foregoing interest deduction limitations to apply to us or to the calculation of our “real estate investment trust taxable income.”

Distributions must be paid in the taxable year to which they relate, or in the following taxable year if declared before we timely file our federal income tax return for the earlier taxable year and if paid on or before the first regular distribution payment after that declaration. If a dividend is declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record during one of those months and is paid during the following January, then for federal income tax purposes such dividend will be treated as having been both paid and received on December 31 of the prior taxable year to the extent of any undistributed earnings and profits.

The 90% distribution requirements may be waived by the IRS if a REIT establishes that it failed to meet them by reason of distributions previously made to meet the requirements of the 4% excise tax discussed below. To the extent that we do not distribute all of our net capital gain and all of our “real estate investment trust taxable income,” as adjusted, we will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate income tax rates on undistributed amounts. In addition, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax to the extent we fail within a calendar year to make required distributions to our shareholders of 85% of our ordinary income and 95% of our capital gain net income plus the excess, if any, of the “grossed up required distribution” for the preceding calendar year over the amount treated as distributed for that preceding calendar year. For this purpose, the term “grossed up required distribution” for any calendar year is the sum of our taxable income for the calendar year without regard to the deduction for dividends paid and all amounts from earlier years that are not treated as having been distributed under the provision. We will be treated as having sufficient earnings and profits to treat as a dividend any distribution by us up to the amount required to be distributed in order to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax.

If we do not have enough cash or other liquid assets to meet our distribution requirements, or if we so choose, we may find it necessary or desirable to arrange for new debt or equity financing to provide funds for required distributions in order to

We may be able to rectify a failure to pay sufficient dividends for any year by paying “deficiency dividends” to shareholders in a later year. These deficiency dividends may be included in our deduction for dividends paid for the earlier year, but an interest charge would be imposed upon us for the delay in distribution. While the payment of a deficiency dividend will apply to a prior year for purposes of our REIT distribution requirements and our dividends paid deduction, it will be treated as an additional distribution to the shareholders receiving it in the year such dividend is paid.

In addition to the other distribution requirements above, to preserve our qualification for taxation as a REIT we are required to timely distribute all C corporation earnings and profits that we inherit from acquired corporations, as described below.

We may elect to retain, rather than distribute, some or all of our net capital gain and pay income tax on such gain. In addition, if we so elect by making a timely designation to our shareholders, our shareholders would include their proportionate share of such undistributed capital gain in their taxable income, and they would receive a corresponding credit for their share of the federal corporate income tax that we pay thereon. Our shareholders would then increase the adjusted tax basis of their shares by the difference between (a) the amount of capital gain dividends that we designated and that they included in their taxable income, and (b) the tax that we paid on their behalf with respect to that capital gain.

We may in the future engage in transactions where we acquire all of the outstanding stock of a C corporation. Upon these acquisitions, except to the extent we make an applicable TRS election, each of our acquired entities and their various wholly-owned corporate and noncorporate subsidiaries will become our QRSs. Thus, after such acquisitions, all assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction and credit of the acquired and then disregarded entities will be treated as ours for purposes of the various REIT qualification tests described above. In addition, we generally will be treated as the successor to the acquired (and then disregarded) entities’ federal income tax attributes, such as those entities’ (a) adjusted tax bases in their assets and their depreciation schedules; and (b) earnings and profits for federal income tax purposes, if any. The carryover of these attributes creates REIT implications such as built-in gains tax exposure and additional distribution requirements, as described below. However, when we make an election under Section 338(g) of the IRC with respect to corporations that we acquire, we generally will not be subject to such attribute carryovers in respect of attributes existing prior to such election.

Our initial tax bases in our assets will generally be our acquisition cost. We will generally depreciate our depreciable real property on a straight-line basis over forty years and our personal property over the applicable shorter periods. These

We are entitled to depreciation deductions from our properties only if we are treated for federal income tax purposes as the owner of the properties. This means that the leases of our properties must be classified for U.S. federal income tax purposes as true leases, rather than as sales or financing arrangements, and we believe this to be the case.

As described above, we expect to make distributions to our shareholders from time to time. These distributions may include cash distributions, in kind distributions of property, and deemed or constructive distributions resulting from capital market activities. The U.S. federal income tax treatment of our distributions will vary based on the status of the recipient shareholder as more fully described below under the headings “—Taxation of Taxable U.S. Shareholders,” “—Taxation of Tax-Exempt U.S. Shareholders,” and “—Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders.”

Section 302 of the IRC treats a redemption of our shares for cash only as a distribution under Section 301 of the IRC, and hence taxable as a dividend to the extent of our available current or accumulated earnings and profits, unless the redemption satisfies one of the tests set forth in Section 302(b) of the IRC enabling the redemption to be treated as a sale or exchange of the shares. The redemption for cash only will be treated as a sale or exchange if it (a) is “substantially disproportionate” with respect to the surrendering shareholder’s ownership in us, (b) results in a “complete termination” of the surrendering shareholder’s entire share interest in us, or (c) is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to the surrendering shareholder, all within the meaning of Section 302(b) of the IRC. In determining whether any of these tests have been met, a shareholder must generally take into account shares considered to be owned by such shareholder by reason of constructive ownership rules set forth in the IRC, as well as shares actually owned by such shareholder. In addition, if a redemption is treated as a distribution under the preceding tests, then a shareholder’s tax basis in the redeemed shares generally will be transferred to the shareholder’s remaining shares in us, if any, and if such shareholder owns no other shares in us, such basis generally may be transferred to a related person or may be lost entirely. Because the determination as to whether a shareholder will satisfy any of the tests of Section 302(b) of the IRC depends upon the facts and circumstances at the time that our shares are redeemed, we urge you to consult your own tax advisor to determine the particular tax treatment of any redemption.

For noncorporate U.S. shareholders, to the extent that their total adjusted income does not exceed applicable thresholds, the maximum federal income tax rate for long-term capital gains and most corporate dividends is generally 15%. For those noncorporate U.S. shareholders whose total adjusted income exceeds the applicable thresholds, the maximum federal income tax rate for long-term capital gains and most corporate dividends is generally 20%. However, because we are not generally subject to federal income tax on the portion of our “real estate investment trust taxable income” distributed to our shareholders, dividends on our shares generally are not eligible for these preferential tax rates, except that any distribution of C corporation earnings and profits and taxed built-in gain items will potentially be eligible for these preferential tax rates. As a result, our ordinary dividends generally are taxed at the higher federal income tax rates applicable to ordinary income (subject to the lower effective tax rates applicable to qualified REIT dividends via the deduction-without-outlay mechanism of Section 199A of the IRC, which is generally available to our noncorporate U.S. shareholders that meet specified holding period requirements for taxable years before 2026). To summarize, the preferential federal income tax rates for long-term capital gains and for qualified dividends generally apply to:

As long as we qualify for taxation as a REIT, a distribution to our U.S. shareholders that we do not designate as a capital gain dividend generally will be treated as an ordinary income dividend to the extent of our available current or accumulated earnings and profits (subject to the lower effective tax rates applicable to qualified REIT dividends via the deduction-without-outlay mechanism of Section 199A of the IRC, which is generally available to our noncorporate U.S. shareholders that meet

If for any taxable year we designate capital gain dividends for our shareholders, then a portion of the capital gain dividends we designate will be allocated to the holders of a particular class of shares on a percentage basis equal to the ratio of the amount of the total dividends paid or made available for the year to the holders of that class of shares to the total dividends paid or made available for the year to holders of all outstanding classes of our shares. We will similarly designate the portion of any dividend that is to be taxed to noncorporate U.S. shareholders at preferential maximum rates (including any qualified dividend income and any capital gains attributable to real estate depreciation recapture that are subject to a maximum 25% federal income tax rate) so that the designations will be proportionate among all outstanding classes of our shares.

We may elect to retain and pay income taxes on some or all of our net capital gain. In addition, if we so elect by making a timely designation to our shareholders:

Distributions in excess of our current or accumulated earnings and profits will not be taxable to a U.S. shareholder to the extent that they do not exceed the shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in our shares, but will reduce the shareholder’s basis in such shares. To the extent that these excess distributions exceed a U.S. shareholder’s adjusted basis in such shares, they will be included in income as capital gain, with long-term gain generally taxed to noncorporate U.S. shareholders at preferential maximum rates. No U.S. shareholder may include on its federal income tax return any of our net operating losses or any of our capital losses. In addition, no portion of any of our dividends is eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders.

If a dividend is declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record during one of those months and is paid during the following January, then for federal income tax purposes the dividend will be treated as having been both paid and received on December 31 of the prior taxable year.

A U.S. shareholder will generally recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and the shareholder’s adjusted basis in our shares that are sold or exchanged. This gain or loss will be capital gain or loss, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shareholder’s holding period in our shares exceeds one year. In addition, any loss upon a sale or exchange of our shares held for six months or less will generally be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any long-term capital gain dividends we paid on such shares during the holding period.

U.S. shareholders who are individuals, estates or trusts are generally required to pay a 3.8% Medicare tax on their net investment income (including dividends on our shares (without regard to any deduction allowed by Section 199A of the IRC) and gains from the sale or other disposition of our shares), or in the case of estates and trusts on their net investment income that is not distributed, in each case to the extent that their total adjusted income exceeds applicable thresholds. U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the 3.8% Medicare tax.

If a U.S. shareholder recognizes a loss upon a disposition of our shares in an amount that exceeds a prescribed threshold, it is possible that the provisions of Treasury regulations involving “reportable transactions” could apply, with a resulting requirement to separately disclose the loss-generating transaction to the IRS. These Treasury regulations are written quite broadly, and apply to many routine and simple transactions. A reportable transaction currently includes, among other things, a sale or exchange of our shares resulting in a tax loss in excess of (a) $10 million in any single year or $20 million in a prescribed combination of taxable years in the case of our shares held by a C corporation or by a partnership with only C corporation partners or (b) $2 million in any single year or $4 million in a prescribed combination of taxable years in the case of

Noncorporate U.S. shareholders who borrow funds to finance their acquisition of our shares could be limited in the amount of deductions allowed for the interest paid on the indebtedness incurred. Under Section 163(d) of the IRC, interest paid or accrued on indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase or carry property held for investment is generally deductible only to the extent of the investor’s net investment income. A U.S. shareholder’s net investment income will include ordinary income dividend distributions received from us and, only if an appropriate election is made by the shareholder, capital gain dividend distributions and qualified dividends received from us; however, distributions treated as a nontaxable return of the shareholder’s basis will not enter into the computation of net investment income.

The rules governing the federal income taxation of tax-exempt entities are complex, and the following discussion is intended only as a summary of material considerations of an investment in our shares relevant to such investors. If you are a tax-exempt shareholder, we urge you to consult your own tax advisor to determine the impact of federal, state, local and foreign tax laws, including any tax return filing and other reporting requirements, with respect to your acquisition of or investment in our shares.

We expect that shareholders that are tax-exempt pension plans, individual retirement accounts or other qualifying tax-exempt entities, and that receive (a) distributions from us, or (b) proceeds from the sale of our shares, should not have such amounts treated as UBTI, provided in each case (x) that the shareholder has not financed its acquisition of our shares with “acquisition indebtedness” within the meaning of the IRC, (y) that the shares are not otherwise used in an unrelated trade or business of the tax-exempt entity, and (z) that, consistent with our present intent, we do not hold a residual interest in a real estate mortgage investment conduit or otherwise hold mortgage assets or conduct mortgage securitization activities that generate “excess inclusion” income.

The rules governing the U.S. federal income taxation of non-U.S. shareholders are complex, and the following discussion is intended only as a summary of material considerations of an investment in our shares relevant to such investors. If you are a non-U.S. shareholder, we urge you to consult your own tax advisor to determine the impact of U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax laws, including any tax return filing and other reporting requirements, with respect to your acquisition of or investment in our shares.

We expect that a non-U.S. shareholder’s receipt of (a) distributions from us, and (b) proceeds from the sale of our shares, will not be treated as income effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business and a non-U.S. shareholder will therefore not be subject to the often higher federal tax and withholding rates, branch profits taxes and increased reporting and filing requirements that apply to income effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. This expectation and a number of the determinations below are predicated on our shares being listed on a U.S. national securities exchange, such as The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, or Nasdaq. Each class of our shares has been listed on a U.S. national securities exchange; however, we cannot be sure that our shares will continue to be so listed in future taxable years or that any class of our shares that we may issue in the future will be so listed.

For so long as a class of our shares is listed on a U.S. national securities exchange, capital gain dividends that we declare and pay to a non-U.S. shareholder on those shares, as well as dividends to such a non-U.S. shareholder on those shares attributable to our sale or exchange of “United States real property interests” within the meaning of Section 897 of the IRC, or USRPIs, will not be subject to withholding as though those amounts were effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business, and non-U.S. shareholders will not be required to file U.S. federal income tax returns or pay branch profits tax in respect of these dividends. Instead, these dividends will generally be treated as ordinary dividends and subject to withholding in the manner described above.

Tax treaties may reduce the withholding obligations on our distributions. Under some treaties, however, rates below 30% that are applicable to ordinary income dividends from U.S. corporations may not apply to ordinary income dividends from a REIT or may apply only if the REIT meets specified additional conditions. A non-U.S. shareholder must generally use an applicable IRS Form W-8, or substantially similar form, to claim tax treaty benefits. If the amount of tax withheld with respect to a distribution to a non-U.S. shareholder exceeds the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability with respect to the distribution, the non-U.S. shareholder may file for a refund of the excess from the IRS. Treasury regulations also provide special rules to determine whether, for purposes of determining the applicability of a tax treaty, our distributions to a non-U.S. shareholder that is an entity should be treated as paid to the entity or to those owning an interest in that entity, and whether the entity or its owners are entitled to benefits under the tax treaty.

If, contrary to our expectation, a class of our shares was not listed on a U.S. national securities exchange and we made a distribution on those shares that was attributable to gain from the sale or exchange of a USRPI, then a non-U.S. shareholder holding those shares would be taxed as if the distribution was gain effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States conducted by the non-U.S. shareholder. In addition, the applicable withholding agent would be required to withhold from a distribution to such a non-U.S. shareholder, and remit to the IRS, up to 21% of the maximum amount of any distribution that was or could have been designated as a capital gain dividend. The non-U.S. shareholder also would generally be subject to the same treatment as a U.S. shareholder with respect to the distribution (subject to any applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of a nonresident alien individual), would be subject to fulsome U.S. federal income tax return reporting requirements, and, in the case of a corporate non-U.S. shareholder, may owe the up to 30% branch profits tax under Section 884 of the IRC (or lower applicable tax treaty rate) in respect of these amounts.

Although the law is not entirely clear on the matter, it appears that amounts designated by us as undistributed capital gain in respect of our shares that are held by non-U.S. shareholders generally should be treated in the same manner as actual distributions by us of capital gain dividends. Under this approach, the non-U.S. shareholder would be able to offset as a credit against its resulting U.S. federal income tax liability its proportionate share of the tax paid by us on the undistributed capital gain treated as distributed to the non-U.S. shareholder, and receive from the IRS a refund to the extent its proportionate share of the tax paid by us were to exceed the non-U.S. shareholder’s actual U.S. federal income tax liability on such deemed distribution. If we were to designate any portion of our net capital gain as undistributed capital gain, a non-U.S. shareholder should consult its tax advisors regarding taxation of such undistributed capital gain.

First, for so long as a class of our shares is listed on a U.S. national securities exchange, a non-U.S. shareholder’s gain on the sale of those shares will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation as a sale of a USRPI. Second, our shares will not constitute USRPIs if we are a “domestically controlled” REIT. We will be a “domestically controlled” REIT if less than 50% of the value of our shares (including any future class of shares that we may issue) is held, directly or indirectly, by non-U.S. shareholders at all times during the preceding five years, after applying specified presumptions regarding the ownership of our shares as described in Section 897(h)(4)(E) of the IRC. For these purposes, we believe that the statutory ownership presumptions apply to validate our status as a “domestically controlled” REIT. Accordingly, we believe that we are and will remain a “domestically controlled” REIT.

If, contrary to our expectation, a gain on the sale of our shares is subject to U.S. federal income taxation (for example, because neither of the above exemptions were then available, i.e., that class of our shares were not then listed on a U.S. national securities exchange and we were not a “domestically controlled” REIT), then (a) a non-U.S. shareholder would generally be subject to the same treatment as a U.S. shareholder with respect to its gain (subject to any applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals), (b) the non-U.S. shareholder would also be

Information reporting, backup withholding, and foreign account withholding may apply to distributions or proceeds paid to our shareholders under the circumstances discussed below. If a shareholder is subject to backup or other U.S. federal income tax withholding, then the applicable withholding agent will be required to withhold the appropriate amount with respect to a deemed or constructive distribution or a distribution in kind even though there is insufficient cash from which to satisfy the withholding obligation. To satisfy this withholding obligation, the applicable withholding agent may collect the amount of U.S. federal income tax required to be withheld by reducing to cash for remittance to the IRS a sufficient portion of the property that the shareholder would otherwise receive or own, and the shareholder may bear brokerage or other costs for this withholding procedure.

Amounts withheld under backup withholding are generally not an additional tax and may be refunded by the IRS or credited against the shareholder’s federal income tax liability, provided that such shareholder timely files for a refund or credit with the IRS. A U.S. shareholder may be subject to backup withholding when it receives distributions on our shares or proceeds upon the sale, exchange, redemption, retirement or other disposition of our shares, unless the U.S. shareholder properly executes, or has previously properly executed, under penalties of perjury an IRS Form W-9 or substantially similar form that:

If the U.S. shareholder has not provided and does not provide its correct taxpayer identification number and appropriate certifications on an IRS Form W-9 or substantially similar form, it may be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS, and the applicable withholding agent may have to withhold a portion of any distributions or proceeds paid to such U.S. shareholder. Unless the U.S. shareholder has established on a properly executed IRS Form W-9 or substantially similar form that it comes within an enumerated exempt category, distributions or proceeds on our shares paid to it during the calendar year, and the amount of tax withheld, if any, will be reported to it and to the IRS.

Distributions on our shares to a non-U.S. shareholder during each calendar year and the amount of tax withheld, if any, will generally be reported to the non-U.S. shareholder and to the IRS. This information reporting requirement applies regardless of whether the non-U.S. shareholder is subject to withholding on distributions on our shares or whether the withholding was reduced or eliminated by an applicable tax treaty. Also, distributions paid to a non-U.S. shareholder on our shares will generally be subject to backup withholding, unless the non-U.S. shareholder properly certifies to the applicable withholding agent its non-U.S. shareholder status on an applicable IRS Form W-8 or substantially similar form. Information reporting and backup withholding will not apply to proceeds a non-U.S. shareholder receives upon the sale, exchange, redemption, retirement or other disposition of our shares, if the non-U.S. shareholder properly certifies to the applicable withholding agent its non-U.S. shareholder status on an applicable IRS Form W-8 or substantially similar form. Even without having executed an applicable IRS Form W-8 or substantially similar form, however, in some cases information reporting and backup withholding will not apply to proceeds that a non-U.S. shareholder receives upon the sale, exchange, redemption, retirement or other disposition of our shares if the non-U.S. shareholder receives those proceeds through a broker’s foreign office.

Non-U.S. financial institutions and other non-U.S. entities are subject to diligence and reporting requirements for purposes of identifying accounts and investments held directly or indirectly by U.S. persons. The failure to comply with these additional information reporting, certification and other requirements could result in a 30% U.S. withholding tax on applicable payments to non-U.S. persons, notwithstanding any otherwise applicable provisions of an income tax treaty. In particular, a payee that is a foreign financial institution that is subject to the diligence and reporting requirements described above must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by “specified United States persons” or “United States owned foreign entities” (each as defined in the IRC and administrative guidance thereunder), annually report information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on applicable payments to noncompliant foreign financial institutions and account holders. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States with respect to these requirements may be subject to different rules. The foregoing withholding regime generally applies to payments of dividends on our shares. In general, to avoid withholding, any

Our tax treatment and that of our shareholders may be modified by legislative, judicial or administrative actions at any time, which actions may have retroactive effect. The rules dealing with federal income taxation are constantly under review by the U.S. Congress, the IRS and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and statutory changes, new regulations, revisions to existing regulations and revised interpretations of established concepts are issued frequently. Likewise, the rules regarding taxes other than U.S. federal income taxes may also be modified. No prediction can be made as to the likelihood of passage of new tax legislation or other provisions, or the direct or indirect effect on us and our shareholders. Revisions to tax laws and interpretations of these laws could adversely affect our ability to qualify and be taxed as a REIT, as well as the tax or other consequences of an investment in our shares. We and our shareholders may also be subject to taxation by state, local or other jurisdictions, including those in which we or our shareholders transact business or reside. These tax consequences may not be comparable to the U.S. federal income tax consequences discussed above.

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or ERISA, the IRC and similar provisions to those described below under applicable foreign or state law, individually and collectively, impose certain duties on persons who are fiduciaries of any employee benefit plan subject to Title I of ERISA, or an ERISA Plan, or an individual retirement account or annuity, or an IRA, a Roth IRA, a tax-favored account (such as an Archer MSA, Coverdell education savings account or health savings account), a Keogh plan or other qualified retirement plan not subject to Title I of ERISA, each a Non-ERISA Plan. Under ERISA and the IRC, any person who exercises any discretionary authority or control over the administration of, or the management or disposition of the assets of, an ERISA Plan or Non-ERISA Plan, or who renders investment advice for a fee or other compensation to an ERISA Plan or Non-ERISA Plan, is generally considered to be a fiduciary of the ERISA Plan or Non-ERISA Plan.

Fiduciaries of an ERISA Plan must consider whether:

Fiduciaries of an ERISA Plan may incur personal liability for any loss suffered by the ERISA Plan on account of a violation of their fiduciary responsibilities. In addition, these fiduciaries may be subject to a civil penalty of up to 20% of any amount recovered by the ERISA Plan on account of a violation. Fiduciaries of any Non-ERISA Plan should consider that the Non-ERISA Plan may only make investments that are authorized by the appropriate governing instrument and applicable law.

Fiduciaries considering an investment in our securities should consult their own legal advisors if they have any concern as to whether the investment is consistent with the foregoing criteria or is otherwise appropriate. The sale of our securities to an ERISA Plan or Non-ERISA Plan is in no respect a representation by us or any underwriter of the securities that the investment meets all relevant legal requirements with respect to investments by the arrangements generally or any particular arrangement, or that the investment is appropriate for arrangements generally or any particular arrangement.

Fiduciaries of ERISA Plans and persons making the investment decision for Non-ERISA Plans should consider the application of the prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA and the IRC in making their investment decision. Sales and other transactions between an ERISA Plan or a Non-ERISA Plan and disqualified persons or parties in interest, as applicable, are prohibited transactions and result in adverse consequences absent an exemption. The particular facts concerning the

The U.S. Department of Labor has issued a regulation defining “plan assets.” The regulation, as subsequently modified by ERISA, generally provides that when an ERISA Plan or a Non-ERISA Plan otherwise subject to Title I of ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the IRC acquires an interest in an entity that is neither a “publicly offered security” nor a security issued by an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the assets of the ERISA Plan or Non-ERISA Plan include both the equity interest and an undivided interest in each of the underlying assets of the entity, unless it is established either that the entity is an operating company or that equity participation in the entity by benefit plan investors is not significant. We are not an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Each class of our equity (that is, our common shares and any other class of equity that we may issue) must be analyzed separately to ascertain whether it is a publicly offered security. The regulation defines a publicly offered security as a security that is “widely held,” “freely transferable” and either part of a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act, or sold under an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, provided the securities are registered under the Exchange Act within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year of the issuer during which the offering occurred. Each class of our outstanding shares has been registered under the Exchange Act within the necessary time frame to satisfy the foregoing condition.

The regulation provides that a security is “widely held” only if it is part of a class of securities that is owned by 100 or more investors independent of the issuer and of one another. However, a security will not fail to be “widely held” because the number of independent investors falls below 100 subsequent to the initial public offering as a result of events beyond the issuer’s control. Although we cannot be sure, we believe our common shares have been and will remain widely held, and we expect the same to be true of any future class of equity that we may issue.

The regulation provides that whether a security is “freely transferable” is a factual question to be determined on the basis of all relevant facts and circumstances. The regulation further provides that, where a security is part of an offering in which the minimum investment is $10,000 or less, some restrictions on transfer ordinarily will not, alone or in combination, affect a finding that these securities are freely transferable. The restrictions on transfer enumerated in the regulation as not affecting that finding include:

We believe that the restrictions imposed under our declaration of trust on the transfer of shares do not result in the failure of our shares to be “freely transferable.” Furthermore, we believe that no other facts or circumstances limiting the transferability of our shares exist, other than those that are enumerated under the regulation as not affecting the free transferability of shares. In addition, we do not expect or intend to impose in the future, or to permit any person to impose on our behalf, any limitations or restrictions on transfer that would not be among the enumerated permissible limitations or restrictions.

Assuming that each class of our shares will be “widely held” and that no other facts and circumstances exist that restrict transferability of these shares, our counsel, Sullivan & Worcester LLP, is of the opinion that our shares will not fail to be “freely transferable” for purposes of the regulation due to the restrictions on transfer of our shares in our declaration of trust and that under the regulation each class of our currently outstanding shares is publicly offered and our assets will not be deemed to be “plan assets” of any ERISA Plan or Non-ERISA Plan that acquires our shares in a public offering. This opinion is conditioned upon certain assumptions and representations, as discussed above under the heading “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—Taxation as a REIT.”

Our business is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. The following is a summary of the principal risk factors described in this section:

The risks described below may not be the only risks we face, but are risks we believe may be material at this time. Other risks of which we are not yet aware, or that we currently believe are not material, may also materially and adversely impact our business operations or financial results. If any of the events or circumstances described below occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations or ability to pay distributions to our shareholders could be adversely impacted and the value of an investment in our securities could decline. Investors and prospective investors should consider the risks described below and the information contained under the caption “Warning Concerning Forward-Looking Statements” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K before deciding whether to invest in our securities. We may update these risk factors in our future periodic reports.

As of December 31, 2023, our consolidated debt was $2.6 billion.

We are subject to numerous risks associated with our debt, including our ability to refinance maturing debt and the cost of any refinancing, the risk that our liquidity could remain insufficient for us to make required payments and risks associated with high interest rates. For example, we currently do not have sufficient sources of liquidity to repay our $650.0 million senior unsecured notes due 2025, and while we believe it is probable that we can obtain new debt financing, we cannot be sure that we will be successful in doing so. We have engaged a financial advisor to assist in evaluating our options to address our upcoming debt maturities. There can be no assurance our advisor will be successful in assisting us with our debt maturities. There are also no limits in our organizational documents on the amount of debt we may incur, and, subject to any limitations in our debt agreements, we may incur additional debt. Our debt may increase our vulnerability to adverse market and economic conditions, limit our flexibility in planning for changes in our business and place us at a disadvantage in relation to competitors that have lower debt levels. Our debt could increase our cost of capital, limit our ability to incur additional debt in the future, and increase our exposure to floating interest rates or expose us to potential events of default (if not cured or waived) under covenants contained in debt instruments that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results. High interest rates have significantly increased our borrowing costs. Although we have an option to extend the maturity date of certain of our debt upon payment of a fee and meeting other conditions, the applicable conditions may not be met, and we may be required to repay or refinance our existing debt with new debt at less favorable terms. Excessive or expensive debt could reduce the available cash flow to fund, or limit our ability to obtain financing for, lease obligations, working capital, capital expenditures, refinancing, acquisitions, development or redevelopment projects or other purposes and hinder our ability to pay distributions to our shareholders.

If we default under any of our debt obligations, we may be in default under other debt agreements of ours that have cross default provisions, including our credit agreement and our senior notes indentures and their supplements. In such case, our lenders or noteholders may demand immediate payment of any outstanding debt and could seek payment from the subsidiary guarantors under our credit agreement or our 9.000% senior secured notes due 2029, or the 2029 Notes, seek to sell any pledged equity interests of certain subsidiaries or the mortgaged properties owned by certain pledged subsidiaries, or we could be forced to liquidate our assets for less than the values we would receive in a more orderly process.

Certain changes in office space utilization, including increased remote and other alternative work arrangements and tenants consolidating their real estate footprints, continue to impact the market for both private sector and government tenants. It is uncertain to what extent and for how long such remote or other alternative work arrangements may continue. In addition, it is possible that hybrid work arrangements could continue or increase, such as workspace sharing or hoteling of office space. To the extent these practices become permanent or further increase, demand for office space, including at our properties, may decline. As a result of these factors, our tenant retention levels could decline and we may experience reduced rent or incur increased costs under future new or renewal leases.

As of December 31, 2023, 44.4% of our annualized rental income was from our properties leased to private sector single tenants or majority occupied tenants. The value of the properties leased to these tenants is materially dependent on their performance under their respective leases. These tenants face competition within their industries and other factors that could reduce their ability to pay us rent based on market and economic conditions, such as high interest rates, prolonged high inflation, supply chain challenges and economic downturns or a possible recession. A default by a single or majority tenant, the failure of a guarantor to fulfill its obligations or other premature termination of a lease to such a tenant or such tenant’s election not to extend a lease upon its expiration could have an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and ability to pay distributions to our shareholders.

As of December 31, 2023, we derived approximately 22.2% of our annualized rental income from our consolidated properties located in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. market area. In addition, the three properties owned by two joint ventures in which we owned 51% and 50% interests are also located in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. market area. A downturn in economic conditions in this area or a possible recession, including as a result of prolonged high inflation or otherwise, could result in reduced demand from tenants for our properties, reduced rents that our tenants in this area are willing to pay when our leases expire and increased lease concessions for new leases and renewals. Additionally, there has been a decrease in demand for new leased space by the U.S. government in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. market area, and that could increase competition for government tenants and adversely affect our ability to retain government tenants when our leases expire. Thus, adverse developments and/or conditions in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. market area could reduce demand for space, impact the creditworthiness of our tenants or force our tenants to curtail operations, which could impair their ability to meet their rent obligations to us and, accordingly, could have an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and ability to pay distributions to our shareholders.

Our business and operations may be adversely affected by market and economic volatility experienced by the U.S. and global economies, the commercial real estate industry and/or the local economies in the markets in which our properties are located. Unfavorable economic and industry conditions may be due to, among other things, high interest rates, prolonged high inflation, labor market challenges, supply chain disruptions, volatility in the public equity and debt markets, pandemics, geopolitical instability and tensions, economic downturns or a possible recession, changes in real estate utilization and other

Our business depends on our tenants satisfying their lease obligations. The financial capacities of our private sector tenants to pay us rent will depend upon their abilities to successfully operate their businesses, which may be adversely affected by factors over which we and they have no control, including market and economic conditions, such as high interest rates, prolonged high inflation, supply chain challenges and economic downturns or a possible recession. The failure of our private sector tenants and any applicable parent guarantor to satisfy their lease obligations to us, whether due to a downturn in their business or otherwise, could materially and adversely affect us.

In addition, our government tenants are subject to discretionary funding from federal, state and local governments, as applicable. Federal government programs are subject to annual congressional budget authorization and appropriation processes, and state and local government programs are often subject to similar processes. For many federal programs, Congress appropriates funds on a fiscal year basis even though the program performance period may extend over several years. Laws and plans adopted by federal, state and local governments relating to, along with pressures on and uncertainty surrounding, budgets, potential changes in priorities and spending levels, sequestration, the appropriations process and the permissible debt limits, could adversely affect the funding for our government tenants. The budget environment and uncertainty surrounding the appropriations processes remain significant long term risks as budget cuts could adversely affect the ability of our government tenants to pay us rent.

We believe that recent government budgetary and spending priorities and enhancements in technology have resulted in a decrease in government office use for employees. Furthermore, over the past several years, government tenants have reduced their space utilization per employee and consolidated government tenants into existing government owned properties. This activity has reduced the demand for government leased space. Our historical experience with respect to properties of the type we own that are majority leased to government tenants has been that government tenants have generally renewed leases to avoid the costs and disruptions that may result from relocating their operations. However, efforts to manage space utilization rates may result in our tenants exercising early termination rights under their leases, vacating our properties upon expiration of their leases in order to relocate to government owned properties or consolidate leased space within a market, or renew their leases for less space than they currently occupy. Also, our government tenants’ desire to reconfigure office space to manage utilization per employee may require us to spend significant amounts for tenant improvements, and tenant relocations are often more prevalent in those circumstances. Increasing uncertainty with respect to government agency budgets and funding to implement relocations, consolidations and reconfigurations has, in some instances, resulted in delayed decisions by some of our government tenants and more focus on short term lease renewals. Given the significant uncertainties, including the extent to which remote or alternative work arrangements may continue or increase, we are unable to reasonably project what the financial

Under our leases with the U.S. government, the tenants pay us rent monthly in arrears. If the U.S. government experiences a prolonged shutdown, these tenants may not pay us rent during the pendency of the shutdown. Although we expect that these tenants would pay us any outstanding rents after the shutdown ends, our available cash and leverage targets may be adversely impacted during the period we do not receive rents from these tenants. A failure to receive rents during a government shutdown may impair our ability to fund our operations and investments, pay our debt obligations, make capital expenditures and pay distributions to our shareholders. In addition, the impact of a prolonged government shutdown on government personnel resources could hinder our ability to renew expiring leases or initiate or complete renovation, construction and other capital maintenance of the affected properties. Moreover, some of our tenants are government contractors that rely on government business. If a government shutdown results in our government contractor tenants not paying us rent, the negative impact on us from a government shutdown may be compounded.

We plan to selectively sell certain properties from time to time to reduce our leverage, fund capital expenditures and strategically update, rebalance and reposition our investment portfolio, with the goal of (1) improving the asset quality of our portfolio through diversification of property types, by reducing the average age of our properties, lengthening the weighted average lease term of our leases and increasing the likelihood of retaining our tenants and (2) increasing our cash available for distribution. Our ability to sell properties, and the prices we may receive in any such sales may be affected by various factors. In particular, these factors could arise from, among other things:

For example, current market conditions have caused, and may continue to cause, increased capitalization rates which, together with high interest rates, has resulted in reduced commercial real estate transaction volume, and such conditions may continue or worsen. We may not succeed in selling properties and any sales may be delayed or may not occur or, if sales do occur, the terms may not meet our expectations and we may incur losses in connection with any sales. If we are unable to realize proceeds from the sale of assets sufficient to allow us to reduce our leverage to a level we, or ratings agencies or possible financing sources, believe appropriate, we may be unable to fund capital expenditures or future acquisitions to grow our business. In addition, we may elect to change or abandon our strategy and forego or abandon property or other asset sales.

We currently have properties under development and we may engage in additional development, redevelopment and repositioning activities with respect to our properties in the future, and, as a result, we are subject to certain risks. These risks include cost overruns and untimely completion of construction due to, among other things, weather conditions, inflation, labor or material shortages or delays in receiving permits or other governmental approvals, as well as the availability and pricing of financing on favorable terms or at all. The global economy continues to experience commodity pricing and other inflation,

Our business plan includes the acquisition of additional properties. Our ability to make profitable acquisitions is subject to risks, including, but not limited to, risks associated with:

These risks may limit our ability to grow our business by acquiring additional properties. In addition, we might encounter unanticipated difficulties and expenditures relating to our acquired properties. For example:

For these reasons, among others, we might not realize the anticipated benefits of our acquisitions, and our business plan to acquire additional properties may not succeed or may cause us to experience losses.

To maintain our qualification for taxation as a REIT under the IRC, we are required to satisfy distribution requirements imposed by the IRC. See “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—REIT Qualification Requirements—Annual Distribution Requirements” included in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Accordingly, we may not be able to retain sufficient cash to fund our operations, repay our debts, invest in our properties or fund our acquisitions or development, redevelopment or repositioning efforts. Our business strategies therefore depend, in part, upon our ability to raise additional capital at reasonable costs. We may also be unable to raise capital at reasonable costs or at all because of reasons related to our business, market perceptions of our prospects, the terms of our debt, the extent of our leverage or for reasons beyond our control, such as capital market volatility, high interest rates and other market conditions. For example, decreased demand for leased space and increased vacancies due to continued increases in remote and other alternative work arrangements and changes in space utilization, as well as current economic conditions, have negatively impacted the availability of debt capital to office REITs on reasonable terms or at all. Because the earnings we are permitted to retain are limited by the rules

We face competition for tenants at our properties. Some competing properties may be newer, better located or more attractive to tenants. Competing properties may have lower rates of occupancy than our properties, which may result in competing owners offering available space at lower rents than we offer at our properties. Development activities may increase the supply of properties of the type we own in the leasing markets in which we own properties and increase the competition we face. Competition may make it difficult for us to attract and retain tenants and may reduce the rents we are able to charge and the values of our properties.

We also face significant competition for acquisition opportunities from other investors, including publicly traded and private REITs, numerous financial institutions, individuals, foreign investors and other public and private companies. Some of our competitors may have greater financial and other resources than us and may be able to accept more risk than we can prudently manage, including risks with respect to the creditworthiness of tenants and guarantors and the extent of leverage used in their capital structure. Because of competition for acquisitions, we may be unable to acquire desirable properties or we may pay higher prices for, and realize lower net cash flows than we hope to achieve from, acquisitions.

Some of our leases allow the tenants to vacate the leased premises before the stated terms of the leases expire with little or no liability. In particular:

For various reasons, some or all of our tenants may decide to exercise early termination rights under our leases or vacate our properties upon expiration of our leases. If a significant number of our leases are terminated pursuant to these termination rights, our income and cash flow may materially decline, our ability to pay distributions to our shareholders may be negatively impacted and the values of our properties may decline.

Our debt agreements include various conditions, covenants and events of default. We may not be able to satisfy all of these conditions or may default on some of these covenants for various reasons, including for reasons beyond our control. If any of the covenants in these debt agreements are breached and not cured within the applicable cure period, we could be required to repay the debt immediately, even in the absence of a payment default, or be prevented from refinancing maturing debt. Complying with these covenants may limit our ability to take actions that may be beneficial to us and our security holders.

In the future, we may obtain additional debt financing, and the covenants and conditions applicable to that debt may be more restrictive than the covenants and conditions that are contained in our existing debt agreements.

We have a substantial amount of debt that is secured by properties that we own or by a pledge of the equity interests of certain of our subsidiaries. Secured debt, including mortgage debt, increases our risk of asset and property losses because defaults on debt secured by our assets may result in foreclosure actions initiated by lenders and ultimately our loss of the property or other assets securing any loans for which we are in default. Any foreclosure on a mortgaged property or group of properties could have a material adverse effect on the overall value of our portfolio of properties and more generally on us. For tax purposes, a foreclosure of any of our properties would be treated as a sale of the property for a purchase price equal to the outstanding balance of the debt secured by the mortgage. If the outstanding balance of the debt secured by the mortgage exceeds our tax basis in the property, we would recognize taxable income on foreclosure, but would not receive any cash proceeds, which could materially and adversely affect us.

In response to significant and prolonged increases in inflation, the U.S. Federal Reserve has raised interest rates multiple times since the beginning of 2022, which has significantly increased our interest expense. Although the U.S. Federal Reserve has indicated that it may lower interest rates in 2024, we cannot be sure that it will do so, and interest rates may continue to increase. High interest rates may materially and negatively affect us in several ways, including:

In determining our credit ratings, rating agencies consider a number of both quantitative and qualitative factors, including earnings, fixed charges, cash flows, total debt outstanding, total secured debt, off balance sheet obligations, total capitalization and various ratios calculated from these factors. The rating agencies also consider predictability of cash flows, business strategy, joint venture activity, property development risks, industry conditions and contingencies. Downgrades in our current credit ratings by rating agencies could adversely affect our cost and access to sources of liquidity and capital, adversely impact our ability to obtain unsecured debt or refinance our unsecured debt on competitive terms in the future, or require us to take certain actions to support our obligations, any of which would adversely affect our business and financial condition.

Ownership of real estate is subject to risks associated with environmental hazards. Under various laws, owners as well as tenants of real estate may be required to investigate and clean up or remove hazardous substances present at or migrating from properties they own, lease or operate and may be held liable for property damage or personal injuries that result from hazardous substances. These laws also expose us to the possibility that we may become liable to government agencies or third parties for costs and damages they incur in connection with hazardous substances. The costs and damages that may arise from environmental hazards may be substantial and are difficult to assess and estimate for numerous reasons, including uncertainty about the extent of contamination, alternative treatment methods that may be applied, the location of the property which subjects it to differing local laws and regulations and their interpretations, as well as the time it may take to remediate contamination. In addition, these laws also impose various requirements regarding the operation and maintenance of properties and recordkeeping and reporting requirements relating to environmental matters that require us or the tenants of our properties to incur costs to comply with.

While our leases with non-government tenants generally require our tenants to operate in compliance with applicable laws and to indemnify us against any environmental liabilities arising from their activities on our properties, applicable laws may make us subject to strict liability by virtue of our ownership interests. Also, our tenants may have insufficient financial resources to satisfy their indemnification obligations under our leases or they may resist doing so. The U.S. government is not required to indemnify us for environmental hazards they create at our properties and therefore could hold us liable for environmental hazards they create at our properties and we could have no recourse to them. We may incur substantial liabilities and costs for environmental matters.

We are subject to risks and could be exposed to additional costs from adverse weather, natural disasters and adverse impacts from global climate change. For example, our properties could be severely damaged or destroyed from either singular extreme weather events (such as floods, storms and wildfires) or through long term impacts of climatic conditions (such as precipitation frequency, weather instability and rise of sea levels). Such events could also adversely impact us or the tenants of our properties if we or they are unable to operate our or their businesses due to damage resulting from such events. Insurance may not adequately cover all losses sustained by us or the tenants of our properties. If we fail to adequately prepare for such events, our revenues, results of operations and financial condition may be impacted. In addition, we may incur significant costs in preparing for possible future climate change or in response to our tenants’ requests for such investments and we may not realize desirable returns on those investments.

RMR relies on information technology and systems, including the Internet and cloud-based infrastructures and services, commercially available software and its internally developed applications, to process, transmit, store and safeguard information and to manage or support a variety of its business processes (including managing our building systems), including financial transactions and maintenance of records, which may include personal identifying information of employees, tenants and guarantors and lease data. If we or our third party vendors experience material security or other failures, inadequacies or interruptions in our or their information technology systems, we could incur material costs and losses and our operations could be disrupted. RMR takes various actions, and incurs significant costs, to maintain and protect the operation and security of information technology and systems, including the data maintained in those systems. However, these measures may not prevent the systems’ improper functioning or a compromise in security such as in the event of a cyberattack or the improper disclosure of personally identifiable information.

Security breaches, computer viruses, attacks by hackers, online fraud schemes and similar breaches have created and can create significant system disruptions, shutdowns, fraudulent transfer of assets or unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. The risk of a security breach or disruption, particularly through cyberattack or cyber intrusion, including by computer hackers, foreign governments and cyber terrorists, has generally increased as the intensity and sophistication of attempted attacks and intrusions from around the world have increased. The cybersecurity risks to us or our third party vendors are heightened by, among other things, the evolving nature of the threats faced, advances in computer capabilities, new discoveries in the field of cryptography and new and increasingly sophisticated methods used to perpetrate illegal or fraudulent activities, including cyberattacks, email or wire fraud and other attacks exploiting security vulnerabilities in RMR’s or other third parties’ information technology networks and systems or operations. Although most of RMR’s staff returned to its offices during the pandemic, flexible working arrangements have resulted in a higher extent of remote working than it experienced prior to the pandemic. This and other possible changing work practices have adversely impacted, and may in the future

There continues to be increased focus from regulators, investors, tenants, including the General Services Administration, and other stakeholders concerning corporate sustainability. The SEC is considering climate change related regulations and certain states have enacted climate focused disclosure laws and we may incur significant costs in compliance with such rules. Some investors may use ESG factors to guide their investment strategies and, in some cases, may choose not to invest in us, or otherwise do business with us, if they believe our or RMR’s policies relating to corporate sustainability are inadequate. Third party providers of corporate sustainability ratings and reports on companies have increased in number, resulting in varied and, in some cases, inconsistent standards. In addition, the criteria by which companies’ corporate sustainability practices are assessed are evolving, which could result in greater expectations of us and RMR and cause us and RMR to undertake costly initiatives to satisfy such new criteria. Alternatively, if we or RMR elect not to or are unable to satisfy such new criteria or do not meet the criteria of a specific third party provider, some investors may conclude that our or RMR’s policies with respect to corporate sustainability are inadequate. Pursuant to RMR’s zero emissions goal, RMR has pledged to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 emissions to net zero by 2050 with a 50% reduction commitment by 2030 from a 2019 baseline. We and RMR may face reputational damage in the event that our or their corporate sustainability procedures or standards do not meet the goals that we or RMR have set or the standards set by various constituencies. If we and RMR fail to comply with ESG related regulations and to satisfy the expectations of investors and our tenants and other stakeholders or our or RMR’s announced goals and other initiatives are not executed as planned, our and RMR’s reputation could be adversely affected, and our revenues, results of operations and ability to grow our business may be negatively impacted. In addition, we may incur significant costs in attempting to comply with regulatory requirements, ESG policies or third party expectations or demands.

We have no employees. Personnel and services that we require are provided to us by RMR pursuant to our management agreements with RMR. Our ability to achieve our business objectives depends on RMR and its ability to effectively manage our properties, to appropriately identify and complete our acquisitions and dispositions and to execute our growth strategy. Accordingly, our business is dependent upon RMR’s business contacts, its ability to successfully hire, train, supervise and manage its personnel and its ability to maintain its operating systems. If we lose the services provided by RMR or its key personnel, our business and growth prospects may decline. We may be unable to duplicate the quality and depth of management

Our manager, RMR, is authorized to follow broad operating and investment guidelines and, therefore, has discretion in identifying the properties that will be appropriate investments for us, as well as our individual operating and investment decisions. Our Board of Trustees periodically reviews our operating and investment guidelines and our operating activities and investments but it does not review or approve each decision made by RMR on our behalf. In addition, in conducting periodic reviews, our Board of Trustees relies primarily on information provided to it by RMR. RMR may exercise its discretion in a manner that results in investment returns that are substantially below expectations or that results in losses.

RMR is a majority owned subsidiary of RMR Inc. The Chair of our Board of Trustees and one of our Managing Trustees, Adam Portnoy, is the sole trustee, an officer and the controlling shareholder of ABP Trust, which is the controlling shareholder of RMR Inc., chair of the board of directors, a managing director and the president and chief executive officer of RMR Inc. and an officer and employee of RMR. RMR or its subsidiaries also act as the manager to certain other Nasdaq listed companies and private companies, and Mr. Portnoy serves as a managing director, managing trustee, director or trustee, as applicable, of those companies, and as chair of the board of trustees or board of directors, as applicable, of those Nasdaq listed companies.

Jennifer Clark, our other Managing Trustee, Yael Duffy, our President and Chief Operating Officer, and Brian Donley, our Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, are also officers and employees of RMR. Ms. Duffy is also the president and chief operating officer of Industrial Logistics Properties Trust, or ILPT, and Mr. Donley is also the chief financial officer and treasurer of Service Properties Trust, or SVC, other REITs managed by RMR. Messrs. Portnoy and Donley and Mses. Clark and Duffy have duties to RMR, Ms. Duffy has duties to ILPT and Mr. Donley has duties to SVC, as well as to us, and we do not have their undivided attention. They and other RMR personnel may have conflicts in allocating their time and resources between us and RMR and other companies to which RMR or its subsidiaries provide services. Some of our Independent Trustees also serve as independent trustees of other public companies to which RMR or its subsidiaries provide management services.

In addition, we may in the future enter into additional transactions with RMR, its affiliates or entities managed by it or its subsidiaries. In addition to his investments in RMR Inc. and RMR, Mr. Portnoy holds equity investments in other companies to which RMR or its subsidiaries provide management services and some of these companies have significant cross ownership interests. Our executive officers also own equity investments in other companies to which RMR or its subsidiaries provide management services. These multiple responsibilities, relationships and cross ownerships may give rise to conflicts of interest or the perception of such conflicts of interest with respect to matters involving us, RMR Inc., RMR, our Managing Trustees, the other companies to which RMR or its subsidiaries provide management services and their related parties. Conflicts of interest or the perception of conflicts of interest could have a material adverse impact on our reputation, business and the market price of our common shares and other securities and we may be subject to increased risk of litigation as a result.

In our management agreements with RMR, we acknowledge that RMR may engage in other activities or businesses and act as the manager to any other person or entity (including other REITs) even though such person or entity has investment policies and objectives similar to our policies and objectives and we are not entitled to preferential treatment in receiving information, recommendations and other services from RMR. Accordingly, we may lose investment opportunities to, and may compete for tenants with, other businesses managed by RMR or its subsidiaries. We cannot be sure that our Code of Conduct or our governance guidelines, or other procedural protections we adopt will be sufficient to enable us to identify, adequately address or mitigate actual or alleged conflicts of interest or ensure that our transactions with related persons are made on terms that are at least as favorable to us as those that would have been obtained with an unrelated person.

As a result of our relationships with RMR and its current and former controlling shareholder(s), our management agreements with RMR were not negotiated on an arm’s length basis between unrelated parties, and therefore, while such agreements were negotiated with the use of a special committee and disinterested Trustees, the terms, including the fees payable to RMR, may be different from those negotiated on an arm’s length basis between unrelated parties. Our property management

The terms of our management agreements with RMR automatically extend on December 31 of each year so that such terms thereafter end on the 20th anniversary of the date of the extension. We have the right to terminate these agreements: (1) at any time on 60 days’ written notice for convenience, (2) immediately upon written notice for cause, as defined in the agreements, (3) on written notice given within 60 days after the end of any applicable calendar year for a performance reason, as defined in the agreements, and (4) by written notice during the 12 months following a manager change of control, as defined in the agreements. However, if we terminate a management agreement for convenience, or if RMR terminates a management agreement with us for good reason, as defined in such agreement, we are obligated to pay RMR a termination fee in an amount equal to the sum of the present values of the monthly future fees, as defined in the applicable agreement, payable to RMR for the term that was remaining before such termination, which, depending on the time of termination, would be between 19 and 20 years. Additionally, if we terminate a management agreement for a performance reason, as defined in the agreement, we are obligated to pay RMR the termination fee calculated as described above, but assuming a remaining term of 10 years. These provisions substantially increase the cost to us of terminating the management agreements without cause, which may limit our ability to end our relationship with RMR as our manager. The payment of the termination fee could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, including our ability to pay distributions to our shareholders.

Our management agreements with RMR have continuing 20 year terms that renew annually. As noted in the preceding risk factor, if we terminate either of these management agreements other than for cause or upon a change of control of our manager, we are obligated to pay RMR a substantial termination fee. For these reasons, our management agreements with RMR may discourage a change of control of us, including a change of control which might result in payment of a premium for our common shares.

We are party to transactions with related parties, including with entities controlled by Adam Portnoy or to which RMR or its subsidiaries provide management services. Our agreements with related parties or in respect of transactions among related parties may not be on terms as favorable to us as they would have been if they had been negotiated among unrelated parties. Our shareholders or the shareholders of RMR Inc. or other related parties may challenge any such related party transactions. If any challenges to related party transactions were to be successful, we might not realize the benefits expected from the transactions being challenged. Moreover, any such challenge could result in substantial costs and a diversion of our management’s attention, could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business and growth and could adversely affect our ability to realize the benefits expected from the transactions, whether or not the allegations have merit or are substantiated.

Companies with business dealings with related persons and entities may more often be the target of dissident shareholder trustee nominations, dissident shareholder proposals and shareholder litigation alleging conflicts of interest in their business dealings. The various relationships noted above may precipitate such activities. Certain proxy advisory firms which have significant influence over the voting by shareholders of public companies have, in the past, recommended, and in the future may recommend, that shareholders withhold votes for the election of our incumbent Trustees, vote against our say on pay vote or other management proposals or vote for shareholder proposals that we oppose. These recommendations by proxy advisory

Our Board of Trustees determines our operational, financing and investment policies and may amend or revise our policies, including our policies with respect to our intention to remain qualified for taxation as a REIT, acquisitions, dispositions, growth, operations, indebtedness, capitalization and distributions, or approve transactions that deviate from these policies, without a vote of, or notice to, our shareholders. Policy changes could adversely affect the market price of our common shares and our ability to pay distributions to our shareholders. Further, our organizational documents do not limit the amount or percentage of indebtedness, funded or otherwise, that we may incur; however, provisions in our debt agreements may limit us from incurring additional debt. Our Board of Trustees may alter or eliminate our current policy on borrowing at any time without shareholder approval. In addition, a change in our investment policies, including the manner in which we allocate our resources across our portfolio or the types of assets in which we seek to invest, may increase our exposure to interest rate risk, real estate market fluctuations and liquidity risk.

Our declaration of trust prohibits any shareholder, other than RMR and its affiliates (as defined under Maryland law) and certain persons who have been exempted by our Board of Trustees, from owning, directly and by attribution, more than 9.8% of the number or value of shares (whichever is more restrictive) of any class or series of our outstanding shares of beneficial interest, including our common shares. This provision of our declaration of trust is intended to, among other purposes, assist with our REIT compliance under the IRC and otherwise promote our orderly governance. However, this provision may also inhibit acquisitions of a significant stake in us and may deter, delay or prevent a change in control of us or unsolicited acquisition proposals that a shareholder may consider favorable. Additionally, provisions contained in our declaration of trust and bylaws or under Maryland law may have a similar impact, including, for example, provisions relating to:

As changes occur in the marketplace for corporate governance policies, the above provisions may change, be removed, or new ones may be added.

Our declaration of trust limits the liability of our Trustees and officers to us and our shareholders for money damages to the maximum extent permitted under Maryland law. Under current Maryland law, our Trustees and officers will not have any liability to us and our shareholders for money damages other than liability resulting from:

Our declaration of trust authorizes us, and our bylaws and indemnification agreements require us, to indemnify, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, any present or former Trustee or officer who is made or threatened to be made a party to a proceeding by reason of his or her service in these and certain other capacities. In addition, we may be obligated to pay or reimburse the expenses incurred by our present and former Trustees and officers without requiring a preliminary determination of their ultimate entitlement to indemnification. As a result of these limitations on liability and indemnification obligations, we and our shareholders may have more limited rights against our present and former Trustees and officers than might exist with other companies, which could limit shareholder recourse in the event of actions which some shareholders may believe are not in our best interest.

Our shareholders agree, by virtue of becoming shareholders, that they are bound by our governing documents, including the arbitration provisions of our declaration of trust and bylaws, as they may be amended from time to time. Our governing documents provide that certain actions by one or more of our shareholders against us or any of our Trustees, officers, manager or other agents, other than disputes, or any portion thereof, regarding the meaning, interpretation or validity of any provision of our declaration of trust or bylaws, will be referred to mandatory, binding and final arbitration proceedings if we, or any other party to such dispute, including any of our Trustees, officers, manager or other agents unilaterally so demands. As a result, we and our shareholders would not be able to pursue litigation in state or federal court against us or our Trustees, officers, manager or other agents, including, for example, claims alleging violations of federal securities laws or breach of fiduciary duties or similar director or officer duties under Maryland law, if we or any of our Trustees, officers, manager or other agents against whom the claim is made unilaterally demands the matter be resolved by arbitration. Instead, our shareholders would be required to pursue such claims through binding and final arbitration.

Our governing documents provide that such arbitration proceedings would be conducted in accordance with the procedures of the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association, as modified in our bylaws. These procedures may provide materially more limited rights to our shareholders than litigation in a federal or state court. For example, arbitration in accordance with these procedures does not include the opportunity for a jury trial, document discovery is limited, arbitration hearings generally are not open to the public, there are no witness depositions in advance of arbitration hearings and arbitrators may have different qualifications or experiences than judges. In addition, although our governing documents’ arbitration provisions contemplate that arbitration may be brought in a representative capacity or on behalf of a class of our shareholders, the rules governing such representation or class arbitration may be different from, and less favorable to shareholders than, the rules governing representative or class action litigation in courts. Our governing documents also generally provide that each party to such an arbitration is required to bear its own costs in the arbitration, including attorneys’ fees, and that the arbitrators may not render an award that includes shifting of such costs or, in a derivative or class proceeding, award any portion of our award to any shareholder or such shareholder’s attorneys. The arbitration provisions of our governing documents may discourage our shareholders from bringing, and attorneys from agreeing to represent our shareholders wishing to bring, litigation against us or our Trustees, officers, manager or other agents. Our agreements with RMR have similar arbitration provisions to those in our governing documents.

We believe that the arbitration provisions in our governing documents are enforceable under both state and federal law, including with respect to federal securities laws claims. We are a Maryland real estate investment trust and Maryland courts have upheld the enforceability of arbitration bylaws. In addition, the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld agreements to arbitrate other federal statutory claims, including those that implicate important federal policies. However, some academics, legal practitioners and others are of the view that charter or bylaw provisions mandating arbitration are not enforceable with respect to federal securities laws claims. It is possible that the arbitration provisions of our governing documents may ultimately be determined to be unenforceable.

By agreeing to the arbitration provisions of our governing documents, shareholders will not be deemed to have waived compliance by us with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Our bylaws currently provide that, unless the dispute has been referred to binding arbitration, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland will be the sole and exclusive forum for: (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; (2) any action asserting a claim for breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our Trustees, officers, manager or other agents to us or our shareholders; (3) any action asserting a claim against us or any of our Trustees, officers, manager or other agents arising pursuant to Maryland law, our declaration of trust or bylaws brought by or on behalf of a shareholder, either on such shareholder’s own behalf, on our behalf or on behalf of any series or class of shares of beneficial interest of ours or by our shareholders against us or any of our Trustees, officers, manager or other agents, including any disputes, claims or controversies relating to the meaning, interpretation, effect, validity, performance or enforcement of our declaration of trust or bylaws; or (4) any action asserting a claim against us or any of our Trustees, officers, manager or other agents that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the State of Maryland. Our bylaws currently also provide that the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland will be the sole and exclusive forum for any dispute, or portion thereof, regarding the meaning, interpretation or validity of any provision of our declaration of trust or bylaws. The exclusive forum provision of our bylaws does not apply to any action for which the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland does not have jurisdiction or to a dispute that has been referred to binding arbitration in accordance with our bylaws. The exclusive forum provision of our bylaws does not establish exclusive jurisdiction in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland for claims that arise under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal securities laws if there is exclusive or concurrent jurisdiction in the federal courts. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in our shares of beneficial interest shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to these provisions of our bylaws, as they may be amended from time to time. The arbitration and exclusive forum provisions of our bylaws may limit a shareholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that the shareholder believes is favorable for disputes with us or our Trustees, officers, manager or other agents, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our Trustees, officers, manager or other agents.

Our agreements with RMR provide that any dispute arising thereunder will be referred to mandatory, binding and final arbitration proceedings if we, or any other party to such dispute, unilaterally so demands. As a result, we and our shareholders would not be able to pursue litigation in state or federal court against RMR if we or any other parties against whom the claim is made unilaterally demands the matter be resolved by arbitration. In addition, the ability to collect attorneys’ fees or other damages may be limited in the arbitration proceedings, which may discourage attorneys from agreeing to represent parties wishing to bring such litigation.

As a REIT, we generally do not pay federal or most state income taxes as long as we distribute all of our REIT taxable income and meet other qualifications set forth in the IRC. However, actual qualification for taxation as a REIT under the IRC depends on our satisfying complex statutory requirements, for which there are only limited judicial and administrative interpretations. We believe that we have been organized and have operated, and will continue to be organized and to operate, in a manner that qualified and will continue to qualify us to be taxed as a REIT under the IRC. However, we cannot be sure that the IRS, upon review or audit, will agree with this conclusion. Furthermore, we cannot be sure that the federal government, or any state or other taxation authority, will continue to afford favorable income tax treatment to REITs and their shareholders.

Maintaining our qualification for taxation as a REIT under the IRC will require us to continue to satisfy tests concerning, among other things, the nature of our assets, the sources of our income and the amounts we distribute to our shareholders. In order to meet these requirements, it may be necessary for us to sell or forgo attractive investments.

If we cease to qualify for taxation as a REIT under the IRC, then our ability to raise capital might be adversely affected, we will be in breach under our credit agreement, we may be subject to material amounts of federal and state income taxes, our cash available for distribution to our shareholders could be reduced, and the market price of our common shares could decline. In addition, if we lose or revoke our qualification for taxation as a REIT under the IRC for a taxable year, we will generally be prevented from requalifying for taxation as a REIT for the next four taxable years.

Dividends payable by U.S. corporations to noncorporate shareholders, such as individuals, trusts and estates, are generally eligible for reduced federal income tax rates applicable to “qualified dividends.” Distributions paid by REITs generally are not treated as “qualified dividends” under the IRC and the reduced rates applicable to such dividends do not generally apply. However, for tax years beginning before 2026, REIT dividends paid to noncorporate shareholders are generally taxed at an effective tax rate lower than applicable ordinary income tax rates due to the availability of a deduction under the IRC for specified forms of income from passthrough entities. More favorable rates will nevertheless continue to apply to regular corporate “qualified” dividends, which may cause some investors to perceive that an investment in a REIT is less attractive than an investment in a non-REIT entity that pays dividends, thereby reducing the demand and market price of our common shares.

We generally must distribute annually at least 90% of our REIT taxable income, subject to specified adjustments and excluding any net capital gain, in order to maintain our qualification for taxation as a REIT under the IRC. To the extent that we satisfy this distribution requirement, federal corporate income tax will not apply to the earnings that we distribute, but if we distribute less than 100% of our REIT taxable income, then we will be subject to federal corporate income tax on our undistributed taxable income. We intend to pay distributions to our shareholders to comply with the REIT requirements of the IRC. In addition, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax if the actual amount that we pay to our shareholders in a calendar year is less than a minimum amount specified under federal tax laws.

From time to time, we may generate taxable income greater than our income for financial reporting purposes prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, or differences in timing between the recognition of taxable income and the actual receipt of cash may occur. If we do not have other funds available in these situations, among other things, we may borrow funds on unfavorable terms, sell investments at disadvantageous prices or distribute amounts that would otherwise be invested in future acquisitions in order to pay distributions sufficient to enable us to distribute enough of our taxable income to satisfy the REIT distribution requirement and to avoid corporate income tax and the 4% excise tax in a particular year. These alternatives could increase our costs or reduce our shareholders’ equity. Thus, compliance with the REIT distribution requirements may hinder our ability to grow, which could cause the market price of our common shares to decline.

Even if we remain qualified for taxation as a REIT under the IRC, we may be subject to federal, state and local taxes on our income and assets, including taxes on any undistributed income, excise taxes, state or local income, property and transfer taxes and other taxes. Also, some jurisdictions may in the future limit or eliminate favorable income tax deductions, including the dividends paid deduction, which could increase our income tax expense. In addition, in order to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the IRC, prevent the recognition of particular types of non-cash income, or avert the imposition of a 100% tax that applies to specified gains derived by a REIT from dealer property or inventory, we may hold or dispose of some of our assets and conduct some of our operations through our TRSs or other subsidiary corporations that will be subject to corporate level income tax at regular rates. In addition, while we intend that our transactions with our TRSs will be conducted on arm’s length bases, we may be subject to a 100% excise tax on a transaction that the IRS or a court determines was not conducted at arm’s length. Any of these taxes would decrease cash available for distribution to our shareholders.

The rules dealing with U.S. federal, state, and local taxation are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the IRS, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and other taxation authorities. Changes to the tax laws, with or without retroactive application, could materially and adversely affect us and our shareholders. We cannot predict how changes in the tax laws might affect us or our shareholders. New legislation, Treasury regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions could significantly and negatively affect our ability to remain qualified for taxation as a REIT or the tax consequences of such qualification to us and our shareholders.

Beginning with the first quarter of 2024, we have reduced our quarterly cash distribution rate on our common shares to $0.01 per common share in order to increase our liquidity and financial flexibility when addressing future leasing costs, capital

For these reasons, among others, our distribution rate may not increase for an indefinite period or we may cease paying distributions to our shareholders.

Further, in order to preserve liquidity, we may elect to, in part, pay distributions to our shareholders in a form other than cash, such as issuing additional common shares to our shareholders, as permitted by the applicable tax rules.

We are the sole obligor on our outstanding senior unsecured notes, the 2029 Notes and any notes or other debt securities we may issue in the future, or, together with our outstanding senior unsecured notes and the 2029 Notes, the Notes. Our subsidiaries that guarantee the 2029 Notes are the sole obligors on the guarantees of such notes, or the Guarantees. The subsidiaries that guarantee the 2029 Notes do not currently guarantee any of our other Notes. Our non-guarantor subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to pay any amounts due on the Notes or the Guarantees, or to make any funds available therefor, whether by dividend, distribution, loan or other payments. The rights of holders of the Notes to benefit from any of the assets of our non-guarantor subsidiaries are subject to the prior satisfaction of claims of our non-guarantor subsidiaries’ creditors. As a result, the Notes and the Guarantees are, and, except to the extent that future Notes are guaranteed by our subsidiaries, will be, structurally subordinated to all indebtedness and other liabilities of our subsidiaries that do not guarantee the 2029 Notes, including guarantees of or pledges under other indebtedness of ours, payment obligations under lease agreements, trade payables and preferred equity. As of December 31, 2023, our non-guarantor subsidiaries had total indebtedness and other liabilities (excluding security and other deposits and guaranties) of $270.8 million (including guarantees of other indebtedness and trade payables, but excluding liabilities to us or by a subsidiary guarantor), which are structurally senior to the 2029 Notes.

The outstanding Unsecured Notes are not secured and any Unsecured Notes we may issue in the future may not be secured. Upon any distribution to our creditors in a bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or similar proceeding relating to us or our property, the holders of our secured debt, including debt under our credit agreement, the 2029 Notes and our $177.3 million in aggregate principal amount of mortgage notes (to the extent such debt remains outstanding and is still then secured), will be entitled to exercise the remedies available to a secured lender under applicable law and pursuant to the instruments governing such debt and to be paid in full, from the assets securing that secured debt before any payment may be made with respect to the Unsecured Notes that are not secured by those assets. In that event, because such Unsecured Notes will not be secured by any of our assets, it is possible that there will be no assets from which claims of holders of such Unsecured Notes can be satisfied or, if any assets remain, that the remaining assets will be insufficient to satisfy those claims in full. If the value of such remaining assets is less than the aggregate outstanding principal amount of such Unsecured Notes and accrued interest and all future debt ranking equally with such Unsecured Notes, we will be unable to fully satisfy our obligations under such Unsecured Notes. In addition, if we fail to meet our payment or other obligations under our secured debt, the holders of that secured debt would be entitled to foreclose on our assets securing that secured debt and liquidate those assets. Accordingly, we may not have sufficient funds to pay amounts due on such Unsecured Notes. As a result, note holders may lose a portion or the entire value of their

Under the federal bankruptcy law and comparable provisions of state fraudulent transfer laws, the Guarantees and the related liens (or any future notes that are guaranteed by our subsidiaries) could be voided, or claims in respect of a guarantee and the related lien could be subordinated to all other debts of that guarantor if, among other things, the guarantor, at the time it incurred the debt evidenced by its guarantee and related lien:

In addition, any payment by that guarantor pursuant to its guarantee could be voided and required to be returned to the guarantor, or to a fund for the benefit of our creditors or the creditors of the guarantor.

The measures of insolvency for purposes of these fraudulent transfer laws will vary depending upon the law applied in any proceeding to determine whether a fraudulent transfer has occurred. Generally, however, a guarantor would be considered insolvent if:

We cannot be sure as to what standard a court would apply in making these determinations. In addition, each Guarantee contains, and any future guarantees may contain, a provision intended to limit the guarantor’s liability to the maximum amount that it could incur without causing the incurrence of obligations under its guarantee to be a fraudulent transfer. This provision may not be effective to protect the Guarantees or any future guarantees from being voided under fraudulent transfer laws, or may eliminate the guarantor’s obligations or reduce the guarantor’s obligations to an amount that effectively makes the guarantee worthless.

We have not applied for listing of certain of the Notes on any securities exchange or for quotation on any automatic dealer quotation system, and we may not do so for Notes issued in the future. We cannot be sure of the liquidity of any market that may develop for such Notes, the ability of any holder to sell such Notes or the price at which holders would be able to sell such Notes. If a market for such Notes does not develop, holders may be unable to resell such Notes for an extended period of time, if at all. If a market for such Notes does develop, it may not continue or it may not be sufficiently liquid to allow holders to resell such Notes. Consequently, holders of the Notes may not be able to liquidate their investment readily, and lenders may not readily accept such Notes as collateral for loans.

The Notes may trade at a discount from their initial issue price or principal amount, depending upon many factors, including prevailing interest rates, the ratings assigned by rating agencies, the market for similar securities and other factors, including general economic conditions and our financial condition, performance and prospects. Any decline in market prices, regardless of cause, may adversely affect the liquidity and trading markets for the Notes.

A subsidiary guarantor may be released from its Guarantee under certain circumstances. Such release may occur at any time upon, among other things, the sale of all or substantially all of the assets or capital stock of the subsidiary guarantor or upon the sale or release of the properties that are owned directly or indirectly by such subsidiary guarantor that serve as collateral for the 2029 Notes, in each case in compliance with the provisions of the indenture governing the 2029 Notes. Accordingly, the 2029 Notes may not at all times be guaranteed by some or all of the subsidiaries which guaranteed the 2029 Notes on the date they were initially issued.

None.

We rely on the information technology and systems maintained by our manager, RMR, and rely on our manager to identify and manage material risks from cybersecurity threats. RMR takes various actions, and incurs significant costs, to maintain and protect the operation and security of information technology and systems, including the data maintained in those systems. Our Audit Committee oversees cybersecurity matters, including the material risks related thereto, and regularly receives updates from RMR’s Chief Information Officer regarding the development and advancement of its cybersecurity strategy, as well as the related risks. In the event of a cybersecurity incident, RMR has a detailed incident response plan in place for contacting authorities and informing key stakeholders, including our management. We have not been materially affected and do not believe we are reasonably likely to be materially affected by any risks from cybersecurity threats, including as a result of previous incidents.

As of December 31, 2023, seven of our properties with an undepreciated carrying value of $226.3 million, were encumbered by mortgages with an aggregate principal balance of $177.3 million. As of December 31, 2023, the three properties owned by our two unconsolidated joint ventures in which we owned 51% and 50% interests were encumbered by two mortgages totaling $82.0 million. In January 2024, we entered into an amended and restated credit agreement, or our credit agreement, and certain of our subsidiaries pledged all of their respective equity interests in certain of our direct and indirect property owning subsidiaries and the pledged subsidiaries provided first mortgage liens on 19 properties that had an undepreciated carrying value of $758.6 million as of December 31, 2023. In February 2024, we issued the 2029 Notes. The 2029 Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a joint, several and senior secured basis by certain of our subsidiaries

From time to time, we may become involved in litigation matters incidental to the ordinary course of our business. Although we are unable to predict with certainty the eventual outcome of any litigation, we are currently not a party to any litigation which we expect to have a material adverse effect on our business.

Not applicable.

Our common shares are traded on Nasdaq (symbol: OPI).

As of February 8, 2024, there were 1,813 shareholders of record of our common shares.

Our current cash distribution rate to common shareholders is $0.01 per share per quarter, or $0.04 per share per year. However, the timing, amount and form of future distributions will be determined at the discretion of our Board of Trustees and will depend upon various factors that our Board of Trustees deems relevant, including, but not limited to, our historical and projected income, Normalized FFO, CAD, the then current and expected needs and availability of cash to pay our obligations and fund our investments, requirements to maintain our qualification as a REIT, limitations in our debt agreements, including our credit agreement, which requires us to obtain lender approval for any increase in our distribution rate above the current level, and other factors deemed relevant by our Board of Trustees. Therefore, we cannot be sure that we will continue to pay distributions in the future or that the amount of any distributions we do pay will not decrease.

The following information should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes included in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We are a REIT organized under Maryland law. As of December 31, 2023, our wholly owned properties were comprised of 152 properties and we had noncontrolling ownership interests of 51% and 50% in two unconsolidated joint ventures that owned three properties containing approximately 468,000 rentable square feet. As of December 31, 2023, our properties are located in 30 states and the District of Columbia and contain approximately 20,541,000 rentable square feet. As of December 31, 2023, our properties were leased to 258 different tenants, with a weighted average remaining lease term (based on annualized rental

Leases representing approximately 15.5% and 10.6% of our annual rental income are scheduled to expire in each of 2024 and 2025, respectively, and we may be unable to renew leases or find replacement tenants. Certain changes in office space utilization, including increased remote work arrangements and tenants consolidating their real estate footprint, continue to impact the market. The utilization and demand for office space continues to face headwinds and the duration and ultimate impact of current trends on the demands for office space at our properties remains uncertain and subject to change. Accordingly, we do not yet know what the full extent of the impacts will be on our or our tenants’ businesses and operations or the long-term outlook for leasing our properties. Higher interest rates, inflationary pressures, geopolitical hostilities and tensions, and concerns that the U.S. economy may enter an economic recession have caused disruptions in the financial markets and these factors could adversely affect our and our tenants’ financial condition and the ability or willingness of our tenants to renew our leases or pay rent to us. We have a significant amount of debt maturing in the next twelve months. Deteriorating office fundamentals, high interest rates and market sentiment towards the office sector may restrict our access to, and likely increase our cost of, capital as we seek to refinance our debts.

For more information about the risks relating to these dynamics and conditions and their impacts on us and our business, see elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including “Warning Concerning Forward-Looking Statements” and Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors”.

Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this section includes properties classified as held for sale as of December 31, 2023 and excludes three properties owned by two unconsolidated joint ventures in which we owned 51% and 50% interests as of December 31, 2023. For more information regarding our properties classified as held for sale and our two unconsolidated joint ventures, see Note 4 to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Occupancy data for our properties as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 was as follows (square feet in thousands):

The average effective rental rate per square foot for our properties for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 were as follows:

During the year ended December 31, 2023, changes in rentable square feet leased and available for lease at our properties were as follows (square feet in thousands):

During the year ended December 31, 2023, we entered into new and renewal leases as summarized in the following table (square feet in thousands):

During the year ended December 31, 2023, changes in effective rental rates per square foot achieved for new leases and lease renewals at our properties that commenced during the year ended December 31, 2023, when compared to prior effective rental rates per square foot in effect for the same space (and excluding space acquired vacant), were as follows (square feet in thousands):

During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, amounts capitalized at our properties for lease related costs, building improvements and development, redevelopment and other activities were as follows:

In addition to the capital expenditures described above, we contributed $5,213 and $3,851 to one of our unconsolidated joint ventures during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Also, as of December 31, 2023, we had estimated unspent leasing related obligations of $109,309, of which we expect to spend $67,705 over the next 12 months.

As of December 31, 2023, our lease expirations by year were as follows (square feet in thousands):

We generally will seek to renew or extend the terms of leases at properties with tenants when they expire. However, market and economic factors, along with increases in remote work, changes in space utilization and government spending and budget priorities may cause our tenants not to renew or extend their leases when they expire, or to seek to renew their leases for less space than they currently occupy. If we are unable to extend or renew our leases, or we renew leases for reduced space, it may be time consuming and expensive to relet some of these properties.

As of December 31, 2023, we derived 22.2% of our annualized rental income from our properties located in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. market area, which includes Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland. Current economic conditions in this area or a possible recession, including as a result of current inflationary conditions or otherwise, could reduce demand from tenants for our properties, reduce rents that our tenants in this area are willing to pay when our leases expire and increase lease concessions for new leases and renewals. Additionally, there has been a decrease in demand for new leased office space by the U.S. government, including in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. market area, and that could increase competition for government tenants and adversely affect our ability to retain government tenants or maintain or increase our rents when our leases expire.

Our manager, RMR, employs a tenant review process for us. RMR assesses tenants on an individual basis based on various applicable credit criteria. In general, depending on facts and circumstances, RMR evaluates the creditworthiness of a tenant based on information concerning the tenant that is provided by the tenant and, in some cases, information that is publicly available or obtained from third party sources. We consider investment grade tenants to include: (a) investment grade rated tenants; (b) tenants with investment grade rated parent entities that guarantee the tenant’s lease obligations; and/or (c) tenants with investment grade rated parent entities that do not guarantee the tenant’s lease obligations. As of December 31, 2023, tenants contributing 54.0% of annualized rental income were investment grade rated (or their payment obligations were guaranteed by an investment grade rated parent) and tenants contributing an additional 9.7% of annualized rental income were subsidiaries of an investment grade rated parent (although these parent entities were not liable for the payment of rents).

During the year ended December 31, 2023, we acquired a vacant land parcel adjacent to an office park we own for a purchase price of $2,750, excluding acquisition related costs.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, we sold eight properties containing approximately 553,000 rentable square feet for an aggregate sales price of $44,874, excluding closing costs. The net proceeds from these sales were used to repay amounts outstanding under our prior $750,000 unsecured revolving credit facility, or our prior revolving credit facility.

For more information about our disposition activities, see “Business —Disposition Policies” in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and Note 4 to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Mortgage Note Repayment

In June 2023, we repaid at maturity, a mortgage note secured by one property with an outstanding principal balance of $50,000 and an annual interest rate of 3.70%, using cash on hand and borrowings under our prior revolving credit facility.

Mortgage Notes Issuances

During the year ended December 31, 2023, we issued six fixed rate, interest-only mortgage notes with an aggregate principal balance of $177,320 and a weighted average interest rate of 7.8%. The net proceeds from these mortgage loans were used to repay amounts outstanding under our prior revolving credit facility.

Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

In January 2024, we entered into our credit agreement governing a new $325,000 secured revolving credit facility and a $100,000 secured term loan. Our credit agreement replaced our prior revolving credit facility, which had a maturity date of January 31, 2024. As collateral for all loans and other obligations under our credit agreement, certain of our subsidiaries pledged all of their respective equity interests in certain of our direct and indirect property owning subsidiaries, and our pledged subsidiaries provided first mortgage liens on 19 properties that had an undepreciated carrying value, including lease intangibles, other assets and other liabilities, of $941,937 as of December 31, 2023. We can borrow, repay, and reborrow funds available under our revolving credit facility until maturity and no principal repayments on borrowings under our credit agreement are due until maturity. The maturity date of our credit agreement is January 29, 2027 and, subject to the payment of an extension fee and meeting certain other requirements, we can extend the stated maturity date of our revolving credit facility by one year. Our credit agreement contains a number of covenants, including covenants that require us to maintain certain financial ratios, restrict our ability to incur additional debt in excess of calculated amounts and, subject to limited exceptions, restrict our ability to increase our distribution rate above the current level of $0.01 per common share per quarter and enter into share repurchases, through the maturity date of the agreement. Availability of borrowings under our credit agreement is subject to ongoing minimum performance and market values of the 19 collateral properties, our satisfying certain financial covenants and other credit facility conditions. Interest payable on borrowings under our credit agreement is at a rate of the secured overnight financing rate, or SOFR, plus a margin of 350 basis points. On January 29, 2024, we borrowed the full amount of our term loan and $132,000 under our revolving credit facility. We used the proceeds from these borrowings to repay all outstanding borrowings under our prior revolving credit facility, to fund transaction related costs relating to our credit agreement and for general business purposes.

For more information about our financing activities, see “Business —Our Financing Policies” in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and Note 9 to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We operate in one business segment: ownership of real estate properties.

References to changes in the income and expense categories below relate to the comparison of consolidated results for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the year ended December 31, 2022. For a comparison of consolidated results for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the year ended December 31, 2021, see Part II, Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.

We present certain “non-GAAP financial measures” within the meaning of the applicable SEC rules, including the calculations below of NOI, funds from operations, or FFO, and Normalized FFO. These measures do not represent cash generated by operating activities in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered alternatives to net loss as indicators of our operating performance or as measures of our liquidity. These measures should be considered in conjunction with net loss as presented in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss). We consider these non-GAAP measures to be appropriate supplemental measures of operating performance for a REIT, along with net loss. We believe these measures provide useful information to investors because by excluding the effects of certain historical amounts, such as depreciation and amortization expense, they may facilitate a comparison of our operating performance between periods and with other REITs and, in the case of NOI, reflecting only those income and expense items that are generated and incurred at the property level may help both investors and management to understand the operations of our properties.

Net Operating Income

The calculation of NOI excludes certain components of net loss in order to provide results that are more closely related to our property level results of operations. We calculate NOI as shown below. We define NOI as income from our rental of real estate less our property operating expenses. NOI excludes amortization of capitalized tenant improvement costs and leasing commissions that we record as depreciation and amortization expense. We use NOI to evaluate individual and company-wide property level performance. Other real estate companies and REITs may calculate NOI differently than we do.

The following table presents the reconciliation of net loss to NOI for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:

Funds From Operations and Normalized Funds From Operations

We calculate FFO and Normalized FFO as shown below. FFO is calculated on the basis defined by The National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, which is net loss, calculated in accordance with GAAP, plus real estate depreciation and amortization of consolidated properties and our proportionate share of the real estate depreciation and amortization of unconsolidated joint venture properties, but excluding impairment charges on real estate assets and any gain or loss on sale of real estate, as well as certain other adjustments currently not applicable to us. In calculating Normalized FFO, we adjust for the other items shown below. FFO and Normalized FFO are among the factors considered by our Board of Trustees when determining the amount of distributions to our shareholders. Other factors include, but are not limited to, requirements to maintain our qualification for taxation as a REIT, limitations in our credit agreement and public debt covenants, the availability to us of debt and equity capital, our expectation of our future capital requirements and operating performance and our expected needs for and availability of cash to pay our obligations. Other real estate companies and REITs may calculate FFO and Normalized FFO differently than we do.

The following table presents the reconciliation of net loss to FFO and Normalized FFO for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:

Our principal sources of funds to meet operating and capital expenses, pay debt service obligations and make distributions to our shareholders are the operating cash flows we generate from our properties, net proceeds from property sales and borrowings under our revolving credit facility. We believe that these sources of funds will be sufficient to meet our operating and capital expenses, pay debt service obligations and make distributions to our shareholders for the next 12 months and for the foreseeable future thereafter. Our future cash flows from operating activities will depend primarily upon:

The following is a summary of our sources and uses of cash flows for the periods presented, as reflected in our consolidated statements of cash flows:

The decrease in cash provided by operating activities in 2023 compared to 2022 was primarily due to decreases in NOI in 2023 due to property dispositions, reductions in occupied space at certain of our properties and an increase in costs incurred in connection with the terminated merger with DHC and related transactions. The increase in cash used in investing activities in 2023 compared to 2022 is primarily due to lower proceeds received from property sales in 2023 and increased capital expenditures in 2023 related to our redevelopment activities. The change from cash flows used in financing activities in 2022 to cash flows provided by financing activities in 2023 was primarily due to the redemption of $300,000 of our senior unsecured notes in 2022 as compared with the issuance of $177,320 of mortgage notes and decreased distributions to our common shareholders in 2023.

In order to meet cash needs that may result from our desire or need to make distributions or pay operating or capital expenses or to fund acquisitions, we maintain a revolving credit facility which is governed by our credit agreement. Our credit agreement replaced our prior revolving credit facility, which had a maturity date of January 31, 2024. Our obligations under our credit agreement are secured by a pledge by certain of our subsidiaries of all of their respective equity interests in certain of our direct and indirect property owning subsidiaries and first mortgage liens on 19 properties owned by the pledged subsidiaries with an undepreciated carrying value, including lease intangibles, other assets and other liabilities, of $941,937 as of December 31, 2023. We can borrow, repay, and reborrow funds available under our revolving credit facility until maturity and no principal repayments are due until maturity. The maturity date of our credit agreement is January 29, 2027, and, subject to the payment of an extension fee and meeting certain other requirements, we can extend the stated maturity date of our revolving credit facility by one year. Our credit agreement contains a number of covenants, including covenants that require us to maintain certain financial ratios, restrict our ability to incur additional debt in excess of calculated amounts and, subject to limited exceptions, restrict our ability to increase our distribution rate above the current level of $0.01 per common share per quarter and enter into share repurchases. Availability of borrowings under our credit agreement is subject to ongoing minimum performance and market values of the 19 collateral properties, our satisfying certain financial covenants and other credit facility conditions.

Interest payable on borrowings under our credit agreement is based on a rate of SOFR plus a margin of 350 basis points. We are also required to pay an unused facility fee on the amount of total lending commitments, which was 35 basis points per annum at February 14, 2024. As of February 14, 2024, the annual interest rate payable on borrowings under our credit agreement was 8.8%. As of February 14, 2024, we had $132,000 outstanding under our revolving credit facility, $100,000 outstanding under our term loan and $193,000 available for borrowing under our revolving credit facility.

Prior Revolving Credit Facility

Under our prior revolving credit facility, we were required to pay interest at a rate of SOFR plus a premium, which was 145 basis points per annum at December 31, 2023, on the amount outstanding under our prior revolving credit facility, as well as a facility fee on the total amount of lending commitments, which was 30 basis points per annum at December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the annual interest rate payable on borrowings under our prior revolving credit facility was 6.9% and 5.4%, respectively. The weighted average annual interest rate for borrowings under our prior revolving credit facility was 6.5%, 4.0% and 1.2% for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, we had $205,000 outstanding under our prior revolving credit facility.

Mortgage Notes Issuances

During the year ended December 31, 2023, we issued six mortgage notes with an aggregate principal balance of $177,320 and a weighted average interest rate of 7.8%. The net proceeds from these mortgage notes were used to repay amounts outstanding under our prior revolving credit facility. See Note 9 to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more information regarding our mortgage note issuances.

Mortgage Note Repayment