Acadia Realty Trust - 10-K annual report 2015

Commission File Number 1-12002

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Form 10-K Report

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

PART I

Acadia Realty Trust (the "Trust") was formed on March 4, 1993 as a Maryland real estate investment trust ("REIT"). All references to "Acadia," "we," "us," "our" and "Company" refer to the Trust and its consolidated subsidiaries. We are a fully integrated REIT focused on the ownership, acquisition, redevelopment and management of high-quality retail properties located primarily in high-barrier-to-entry, supply-constrained, densely-populated metropolitan areas in the United States. We currently own, or have an ownership interest in these properties through our Core Portfolio (as defined below) and our Funds (as defined in Item 1. of this Form 10-K).

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES

Our primary business objective is to acquire and manage commercial retail properties that will provide cash for distributions to shareholders while also creating the potential for capital appreciation to enhance investor returns. We focus on the following fundamentals to achieve this objective:

The requirements that acquisitions be accretive on a long-term basis based on our cost of capital, as well as increase the overall Core Portfolio quality and value, are key strategic considerations to the growth of our Core Portfolio. As such, we constantly evaluate the blended cost of equity and debt and adjust the amount of acquisition activity to align the level of investment activity with capital flows.

Given the growing importance of technology and e-commerce, many of our retail tenants are appropriately focused on omni-channel sales and how to best utilize e-commerce initiatives to drive sales at their stores. In light of these initiatives, we have found retailers are becoming more selective as to the location, size and format of their next-generation stores and are focused on dense, high-traffic retail corridors, where they can utilize smaller and more productive formats closer to their shopping population. Accordingly, our focus for Core Portfolio and Fund acquisitions is on those properties which we believe will not only remain relevant to our tenants, but become even more so in the future.

In addition to our Core Portfolio investments in real estate assets, we have also capitalized on our expertise in the acquisition, redevelopment, leasing and management of retail real estate by establishing discretionary opportunity funds. Our Fund platform is an investment vehicle where the Operating Partnership invests, along with outside institutional investors, including, but not limited to, endowments, foundations, pension funds and investment management companies, in primarily opportunistic and value-add retail real estate. To date, we have launched four funds ("Funds"); Acadia Strategic Opportunity Fund, LP ("Fund I"), Acadia Strategic Opportunity Fund II, LLC ("Fund II"), Acadia Strategic Opportunity Fund III LLC ("Fund III") and Acadia Strategic Opportunity Fund IV LLC ("Fund IV"). Due to our level of control, we consolidate these Funds for financial reporting purposes. Fund I and Fund II also include investments in operating companies through Acadia Mervyn Investors I, LLC ("Mervyns I"), Acadia Mervyn Investors II, LLC ("Mervyns II") and, in certain instances, directly through Fund II, all on a non-recourse basis. These investments comprise and are referred to as the Company's Retailer Controlled Property Venture ("RCP Venture"). As of December 31, 2015, Fund I has been liquidated.

The Operating Partnership is the sole general partner or managing member of the Funds and Mervyns I and II and earns priority distributions or fees for asset management, property management, construction, redevelopment, leasing and legal services. Cash flows from the Funds and the RCP Venture are distributed pro-rata to their respective partners and members (including the Operating Partnership) until each receives a certain cumulative return ("Preferred Return"), and the return of all capital contributions. Thereafter, remaining cash flow is distributed 20% to the Operating Partnership ("Promote") and 80% to the partners or members (including the Operating Partnership).

See Note 1 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, which begin on page F-1 of this Form 10-K ("Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements"), for a detailed discussion of the Funds and RCP Venture.

Our primary capital objective is to maintain a strong and flexible balance sheet through conservative financial practices, including moderate use of leverage, while ensuring access to sufficient capital to fund future growth. We intend to continue financing acquisitions and property redevelopment with sources of capital determined by management to be the most appropriate based on, among other factors, availability in the current capital markets, pricing and other commercial and financial terms. The sources of capital may include the issuance of public equity, unsecured debt, mortgage and construction loans, and other capital alternatives including the issuance of OP Units. We manage our interest rate risk through the use of fixed rate debt and, where we use variable rate debt, through the use of certain derivative instruments, including London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") swap agreements and interest rate caps as discussed further in Item 7A. of this Form 10-K.

During January 2012, we launched an at-the-market ("ATM") equity issuance program which provides us an efficient and low-cost vehicle for raising public equity to fund our capital needs. Through this program, we have been able to effectively "match-fund" a portion of the required equity for our Core Portfolio and Fund acquisitions through the issuance of Common Shares over extended periods employing a price averaging strategy. In addition, from time to time, we have issued and intend to continue to issue equity in follow-on offerings separate from our ATM program. Net proceeds raised through our ATM program and follow-on offerings are primarily used for acquisitions, both for our Core Portfolio and our pro-rata share of Fund acquisitions and for other general corporate purposes.

Common Share issuances for each of the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 are summarized as follows:

Note:

During 2013 and 2014, we also issued 1.2 million and 1.6 million OP Units, respectively, in connection with the acquisition of properties. During January 2016, we issued 0.9 million OP Units in connection with the acquisition of a property.

Operating Strategy — Experienced Management Team with Proven Track Record

Our senior management team has decades of experience in the real estate industry. We have capitalized on our expertise in the acquisition, redevelopment, leasing and management of retail real estate by creating value through property redevelopment, re-tenanting and establishing joint ventures, such as the Funds, in which we earn, in addition to a return on our equity interest, Promotes, priority distributions and fees.

Operating functions such as leasing, property management, construction, finance and legal (collectively, the "Operating Departments") are generally provided by our personnel, providing for a vertically integrated operating platform. By incorporating the Operating Departments in the acquisition process, acquisitions are appropriately priced giving effect to each asset’s specific risks and returns and transition time is minimized allowing management to immediately execute on its strategic plan for each asset.

INVESTING ACTIVITIES

Our Core Portfolio consists primarily of high-quality street retail and urban assets, as well as suburban properties located in high-barrier-to-entry, densely-populated trade areas.

For the year ended December 31, 2015, we continued to execute on our strategy of owning a superior Core Portfolio by acquiring, through our Operating Partnership and its subsidiaries, properties consistent with our existing portfolio for an aggregate purchase price of $204.2 million. See Note 2 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, for a detailed discussion of these acquisitions and Item 2. Properties for a description of the other properties in our Core Portfolio. Additionally, subsequent to December 31, 2015, we acquired a 49% interest in a property for $39.8 million.

As we typically hold our Core Portfolio properties for long-term investment, we periodically review the portfolio and implement programs to renovate and re-tenant targeted properties to enhance their market position. This in turn is expected to strengthen the competitive position of the leasing program to attract and retain quality tenants, increasing cash flow, and consequently, property values. From time to time, we also identify certain properties for disposition and redeploy the capital for acquisitions and for the repositioning of existing properties with greater potential for capital appreciation. During 2015, there were no dispositions within the Core Portfolio.

We also make investments in first mortgages, preferred equity and other notes receivable collateralized by real estate, ("Structured Finance Program") either directly or through entities having an ownership interest therein. During 2015, we made investments

totaling $41.4 million in this program and as of December 31, 2015 had $147.2 million invested in this program. See Note 5 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, for a detailed discussion of our Structured Finance Program.

During 2015, the Operating Partnership acquired an additional 4.6% interest in Fund III from a limited partner for $7.3 million, giving the Company an aggregate 24.5% interest in Fund III. During January 2016, the Operating Partnership acquired an additional 8.3% interest in Fund II from a limited partner for $18.4 million, giving the Company an aggregate 28.3% interest in Fund II.

During 2015, Fund II acquired an additional 43% interest in Tower I of its City Point Development located in Brooklyn, NY. Fund II now owns 95% of this development project. See Note 2 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a detailed discussion of this acquisition.

During 2015, Fund IV acquired seven properties for an aggregate purchase price of $146.1 million. See Note 2 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a detailed discussion of these acquisitions.

During February 2016, Fund IV closed on a $14.0 million preferred equity investment in a development site in Chicago, Illinois.

During 2015, Fund II sold the residential air rights in Phase III of its City Point project located in Brooklyn, NY for a sales price of $115.6 million, and a property located in Queens, NY for $24.0 million. See Note 2 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a detailed discussion of these dispositions.

During 2015, Fund III sold three properties located in Chicago, IL, Shrewsbury, MA and Baltimore, MD for an aggregate sales price of $188.0 million. See Note 2 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, for a detailed discussion of these dispositions. Subsequent to December 31, 2015, Fund III sold a 65% interest in Cortlandt Town Center for $107.3 million.

As part of our Fund strategy, we invest in real estate assets that may require significant redevelopment. As of December 31, 2015, the Funds had 10 redevelopment projects, consisting of 30 individual properties, four of which are under construction and six are in various stages of the redevelopment process as follows:

Notes:

TBD – To be determined

Through Mervyns I and II, and in certain instances, Fund II, we have opportunistically made investments through our RCP Venture in surplus or underutilized properties owned by retailers. While we are primarily a passive partner in the investments made through the RCP Venture, historically we have provided our services in reviewing potential acquisitions and operating and redevelopment assistance in areas where we have both a presence and expertise. To date, we have invested an aggregate $63.2 million in our RCP Venture on a non-recourse basis. See Note 4 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a detailed discussion of the RCP Venture.

For information relating to environmental laws that may have an impact on our business, please see "Item 1A. Risk Factors - Possible liability relating to environmental matters."

There are numerous entities that compete with us in seeking properties for acquisition and tenants that will lease space in our properties. Our competitors include other REITs, financial institutions, insurance companies, pension funds, private companies and individuals. Our properties compete for tenants with similar properties primarily on the basis of location, total occupancy costs (including base rent and operating expenses) and the design and condition of the improvements.

We have three reportable segments: Core Portfolio, Funds and Structured Financing. Structured Financing consists of our notes receivable and related interest income. The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies set forth in Note 1 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. We evaluate property

performance primarily based on net operating income before depreciation, amortization and certain nonrecurring items. Investments in our Core Portfolio are typically held long-term. Given the contemplated finite life of our Funds, these investments are typically held for shorter terms. Priority distributions and fees earned by us as general partner or managing member of the Funds are eliminated in our Consolidated Financial Statements. See Note 3 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding, among other things, revenues from external customers, a measure of profit and loss and total assets with respect to each of our segments. Our profits and losses for both our business and each of our segments are not seasonal.

All of our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, are available at no cost at our website at www.acadiarealty.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings can also be accessed through the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, we will provide paper copies of our filings at no cost upon request. If you wish to receive a copy of the Form 10-K, you may contact Robert Masters, Corporate Secretary, at Acadia Realty Trust, 411 Theodore Fremd Avenue, Suite 300, Rye, NY 10580. You may also call (914) 288-8100 to request a copy of the Form 10-K. Information included or referred to on our website is not incorporated by reference in or otherwise a part of this Form 10-K.

The Board of Trustees adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to all employees, as well as a "Whistleblower Policy." Copies of these documents are available in the Investor Information section of our website. We intend to disclose future amendments to, or waivers from (with respect to our senior executive financial officers), our Code of Ethics in the Investor Information section of our website within four business days following the date of such amendment or waiver.

If any of the following risks occur, the impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition could be material. This section includes or refers to certain forward-looking statements. Refer to the explanation of the qualifications and limitations on such forward-looking statements discussed in the beginning of this Form 10-K.

We derive significant revenues from a concentration of certain key tenants that occupy space at more than one property. We could be adversely affected in the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of, or a downturn in the business of, any of our key tenants, or in the event that any such tenant does not renew its leases as they expire or renews such leases at lower rental rates. See "Item 2. Properties-Major Tenants" in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for quantified information with respect to the percentage of our minimum rents received from major tenants.

Anchor tenants and co-tenancy are crucial to the success of retail properties.

Vacated anchor space not only directly reduces rental revenues, but if not re-tenanted with a similar tenant, or one with equal consumer attraction, could adversely affect the entire shopping center primarily through the loss of customer drawing power. This can also occur through the exercise of the right that most anchors have, to vacate and prevent re-tenanting by paying rent for the balance of the lease term ("going dark"), as would the departure of a "shadow" anchor tenant that is owned by another landlord. In addition, in the event that certain anchor tenants cease to occupy a property, such an action may result in a significant number of other tenants having the contractual right to terminate their leases, or pay a reduced rent based on a percentage of the tenant's sales, at the affected property, which could adversely affect the future income from such property ("co-tenancy"). Although, it may not directly reduce our rental revenues, and there are no contractual co-tenancy conditions, vacant retail space adjacent to, or even on the same block as our street and urban properties may similarly affect shopper traffic and re-tenanting activities at our

properties. See "Item 2. Properties-Major Tenants" in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for quantified information with respect to the percentage of our minimum rents received from major tenants.

The bankruptcy of, or a downturn in the business of, any of our major tenants or a significant number of our smaller tenants may adversely affect our cash flows and property values.

The bankruptcy of, or a downturn in the business of, any of our major tenants causing them to reject their leases, or to not renew their leases as they expire, or renew at lower rental rates, may adversely affect our cash flows and property values. Furthermore, the impact of vacated anchor space and the potential reduction in customer traffic may adversely impact the balance of tenants at a shopping center.

Historically and from time to time, certain of our tenants experienced financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy protection, typically under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code ("Chapter 11 Bankruptcy"). Pursuant to bankruptcy law, tenants have the right to reject some or all of their leases. In the event a tenant exercises this right, the landlord generally has the right to file a claim for lost rent equal to the greater of either one year's rent (including tenant expense reimbursements) for remaining terms greater than one year, or 15% of the rent remaining under the balance of the lease term, but not to exceed three years rent. Actual amounts to be received in satisfaction of those claims will be subject to the tenant's final bankruptcy plan and the availability of funds to pay its creditors.

Although currently none of our major tenants are in bankruptcy, experience shows that there can be no assurance that one or more of our major tenants will be immune from bankruptcy.

We may not be able to renew current leases or the terms of re-letting (including the cost of concessions to tenants) may be less favorable to us than current lease terms.

Upon the expiration of current leases for space located in our properties, we may not be able to re-let all or a portion of that space, or the terms of re-letting (including the cost of concessions to tenants) may be less favorable to us than current lease terms. If we are unable to re-let promptly all or a substantial portion of the space located in our properties or if the rental rates we receive upon re-letting are significantly lower than current rates, our net income and ability to make expected distributions to our shareholders will be adversely affected due to the resulting reduction in revenues. There can be no assurance that we will be able to retain tenants in any of our properties upon the expiration of their leases. See "Item 2. Properties - Lease Expirations" in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information as to the scheduled lease expirations in our portfolio.

E-commerce can have an impact on our business.

The use of the internet by consumers continues to gain in popularity. The migration toward e-commerce is expected to continue. This increase in internet sales could result in a downturn in the business of our current tenants in their "brick and mortar" locations and could affect the way future tenants lease space.

While we devote considerable effort and resources to analyze and respond to tenant trends, preferences and consumer spending patterns, we cannot predict with certainty what future tenants will want, what future retail spaces will look like and how much revenue will be generated at traditional "bricks and mortar" locations. If we are unable to anticipate and respond promptly to trends in the market because of the illiquid nature of real estate (See the Risk Factor entitled, "Our ability to change our portfolio is limited because real estate investments are illiquid" below), our occupancy levels and financial results could suffer.

The economic environment may cause us to lose tenants and may impair our ability to borrow money to purchase properties, refinance existing debt or finance our current redevelopment projects.

Our operations and performance depend on general economic conditions, including the health of the consumer. The U.S. economy has historically experienced financial downturns from time to time, including a decline in consumer spending, credit tightening and high unemployment.

While we currently believe we have adequate sources of liquidity, there can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain secured or unsecured loan facilities to meet our needs, including to purchase additional properties, to complete current redevelopment projects, or to successfully refinance our properties as loans become due. To the extent that the availability of credit is limited, it would also adversely impact our notes receivable as counterparties may not be able to obtain the financing required to repay the loans upon maturity.

Political and economic uncertainty could have an adverse effect on us.

We cannot predict how current political and economic uncertainty, including uncertainty related to taxation, will affect our critical tenants, joint venture partners, lenders, financial institutions and general economic conditions, including the health and confidence of the consumer and the volatility of the stock market.

Political and economic uncertainty poses a risk to us in that it may cause consumers to postpone discretionary spending in response to tighter credit, reduced consumer confidence and other macroeconomic factors affecting consumer spending behavior, resulting in a downturn in the business of our tenants. In the event current political and economic uncertainty results in financial turmoil affecting the banking system and financial markets or significant financial service institution failures, there could be a new or incremental tightening in the credit markets, low liquidity, and extreme volatility in fixed income, credit, currency and equity markets. Each of these could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results.

There are risks relating to investments in real estate.

Real property investments are subject to multiple risks. Real estate values are affected by a number of factors, including: changes in the general economic climate, local conditions (such as an oversupply of space or a reduction in demand for real estate in an area), the quality and philosophy of management, competition from other available space, the ability of the owner to provide adequate maintenance and insurance and to control variable operating costs. Retail properties, in particular, may be affected by changing perceptions of retailers or shoppers regarding the safety, convenience and attractiveness of the property and by the overall climate for the retail industry. Real estate values are also affected by such factors as government regulations, interest rate levels, the availability of financing and potential liability under, and changes in, environmental, zoning, tax and other laws. A significant portion of our income is derived from rental income from real property. Our income and cash flow would be adversely affected if we were unable to rent our vacant space to viable tenants on economically favorable terms. In the event of default by a tenant, we may experience delays in enforcing, as well as incur substantial costs to enforce, our rights as a landlord. In addition, certain significant expenditures associated with each equity investment (such as mortgage payments, real estate taxes and maintenance costs) are generally not reduced even though there may be a reduction in income from the investment.

Our ability to change our portfolio is limited because real estate investments are illiquid.

Equity investments in real estate are relatively illiquid and, therefore, our ability to change our portfolio promptly in response to changed conditions is limited, which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay dividends and make distributions. Our Board of Trustees may establish investment criteria or limitations as it deems appropriate, but currently does not limit the number of properties in which we may seek to invest or on the concentration of investments in any one geographic region. As discussed under the heading "Our Board of Trustees may change our investment policy without shareholder approval" below, we could change our investment, disposition and financing policies and objectives without a vote of our shareholders, but such change may be delayed or more difficult to implement due to the illiquidity of real estate.

Although we have historically used moderate levels of leverage, if we employed higher levels of leverage, it would result in increased risk of default on our obligations and in an increase in debt service requirements, which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay dividends and make distributions. In addition, the viability of the interest rate hedges we use is subject to the strength of the counterparties.

We have incurred, and expect to continue to incur, indebtedness to support our activities. Neither our Declaration of Trust nor any policy statement formally adopted by our Board of Trustees limits either the total amount of indebtedness or the specified percentage of indebtedness that we may incur. Accordingly, we could become more highly leveraged, resulting in increased risk of default on our financial obligations and in an increase in debt service requirements. This in turn could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and our ability to make distributions.

Variable rate debt exposes us to changes in interest rates. Interest expense on our variable rate debt as of December 31, 2015 would increase by $5.6 million annually for a 100 basis point increase in interest rates. This exposure would increase if we seek additional variable rate financing based on pricing and other commercial and financial terms.

We enter into interest rate hedging transactions, including interest rate swap and cap agreements, with counterparties, generally, the same lenders who made the loan in question. There can be no guarantee that the future financial condition of these counterparties will enable them to fulfill their obligations under these agreements.

Competition may adversely affect our ability to purchase properties and to attract and retain tenants.

There are numerous commercial developers, real estate companies, financial institutions and other investors with greater financial resources than we have that compete with us in seeking properties for acquisition and tenants who will lease space in our properties. Our competitors include other REITs, financial institutions, private funds, insurance companies, pension funds, private companies, family offices, sovereign wealth funds and individuals. This competition may result in a higher cost for properties than we wish to pay. In addition, retailers at our properties (both in our Core Portfolio and in the portfolios of the Funds) face increasing competition from outlet malls, discount shopping clubs, e-commerce, direct mail and telemarketing, which could (i) reduce rents payable to us and (ii) reduce our ability to attract and retain tenants at our properties leading to increased vacancy rates at our properties.

We could be adversely affected by poor market conditions where our properties are geographically concentrated.

Our performance depends on the economic conditions in markets in which our properties are concentrated. We have significant exposure to the greater New York and Chicago metropolitan regions, from which we derive 41% and 23% of the annual base rents within our Core Portfolio, respectively and 63% and 8% of annual base rents within our Funds, respectively. Our operating results could be adversely affected if market conditions, such as an oversupply of space or a reduction in demand for real estate, in these areas occur.

We have pursued, and may in the future continue to pursue extensive growth opportunities, including investing in new markets, which may result in significant demands on our operational, administrative and financial resources.

We are pursuing extensive growth opportunities, some of which have been, and in the future may be, in locations in which we have not historically invested. This expansion places significant demands on our operational, administrative and financial resources. The continued growth of our real estate portfolio can be expected to continue to place a significant strain on our resources. Our future performance will depend in part on our ability to successfully attract and retain qualified management personnel to manage the growth and operations of our business. In addition, the acquired properties may fail to operate at expected levels due to the numerous factors that may affect the value of real estate. There can be no assurance that we will have sufficient resources to identify and manage the properties.

Our inability to carry out our growth strategy could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Our earnings growth strategy is based on the acquisition and redevelopment of additional properties, including acquisitions of core properties through our Operating Partnership and our high return investment programs through our Fund platform. The consummation of any future acquisitions will be subject to satisfactory completion of our extensive valuation analysis and due diligence review and to the negotiation of definitive documentation. We cannot be sure that we will be able to implement our strategy because we may have difficulty finding new properties, obtaining necessary entitlements, negotiating with new or existing tenants or securing acceptable financing. Furthermore, if we were unable to obtain sufficient investor capital commitments in order to initiate future Funds, this would adversely impact our current growth strategy.

Acquisitions of additional properties entail the risk that investments will fail to perform in accordance with expectations, including operating and leasing expectations. In the context of our business plan, "redevelopment" generally means an expansion or renovation of an existing property. Redevelopment is subject to numerous risks, including risks of construction delays, cost overruns or uncontrollable events that may increase project costs, new project commencement risks such as the receipt of zoning, occupancy and other required governmental approvals and permits, and incurring redevelopment costs in connection with projects that are not pursued to completion.

Historically, a component of our growth strategy has been through private-equity type investments made through our RCP Venture. These have included investments in operating retailers. The inability of the retailers to operate profitably would have an adverse impact on income realized from these investments. Through our investments in joint ventures we have also invested in operating businesses that have operational risk in addition to the risks associated with real estate investments, including among other risks, human capital issues, adequate supply of product and material, and merchandising issues.

Our redevelopment and construction activities could affect our operating results.

We intend to continue the selective redevelopment and construction of retail properties, with our project at City Point currently being our largest redevelopment project (see "Item 1. BUSINESS - INVESTING ACTIVITIES - Funds - Redevelopment Activities" for a description of the City Point project).

As opportunities arise, we may delay construction until sufficient pre-leasing is reached and financing is in place. Our redevelopment and construction activities include risks that:

Additionally, the time frame required for redevelopment, construction and lease-up of these properties means that we may not realize a significant cash return for several years. If any of the above events occur, the redevelopment of properties may hinder our growth and have an adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows. In addition, new redevelopment activities, regardless of whether or not they are ultimately successful, typically require substantial time and attention from management.

Redevelopments and acquisitions may fail to perform as expected.

Our investment strategy includes the redevelopment and acquisition of retail properties in supply constrained markets in densely populated areas with high average household incomes and significant barriers to entry. The redevelopment and acquisition of properties entails risks that include the following, any of which could adversely affect our results of operations and our ability to meet our obligations:

We operate through a partnership structure, which could have an adverse effect on our ability to manage our assets.

Our primary property-owning vehicle is the Operating Partnership, of which we are the general partner. Our acquisition of properties through the Operating Partnership in exchange for interests in the Operating Partnership may permit certain tax deferral advantages to limited partners who contribute properties to the Operating Partnership. Since properties contributed to the Operating Partnership may have unrealized gains attributable to the differences between the fair market value and adjusted tax basis in such properties prior to contribution, the sale of such properties could cause adverse tax consequences to the limited partners who contributed such properties. Although we, as the general partner of the Operating Partnership, generally have no obligation to consider the tax consequences of our actions to any limited partner, we own several properties subject to material contractual restrictions for varying periods of time designed to minimize the adverse tax consequences to the limited partners who contributed such properties. Such restrictions may result in significantly reduced flexibility to manage some of our assets.

Exclusivity obligation to our Funds.

Under the terms of our current Fund (Fund IV), our primary goal is to seek investments for the Fund, subject to certain exceptions. We may only pursue opportunities to acquire retail properties directly through the Operating Partnership if (i) the ownership of the acquisition opportunity by the Fund would create a material conflict of interest for us; (ii) we require the acquisition opportunity for a "like-kind" exchange; (iii) the consideration payable for the acquisition opportunity is our Common Shares, OP Units or other securities or (iv) the investment is outside the parameters of our investment goals for the Fund (which, in general, seeks more opportunistic level returns). As a result, we may not be able to make attractive acquisitions directly and instead may only receive a minority interest in such acquisitions through the Fund.

Risks of joint ventures.

Partnership or joint venture investments may involve risks not otherwise present for investments made solely by us, including the possibility that our partner or co-venturer might become bankrupt, and that our partner or co-venturer may take action contrary to our instructions, requests, policies or objectives, including our policy with respect to maintaining our qualification as a REIT. Other risks of joint venture investments include impasse on decisions, such as a sale, because neither we nor a joint venture partner would have full control over the joint venture. Also, there is no limitation under our organizational documents as to the amount of our funds that may be invested in joint ventures.

Additionally, our partners or co-venturers may engage in malfeasance in spite of our efforts to perform a high level of due diligence on them. Such acts may or may not be covered by insurance. Finally, partners and co-venturers may engage in illegal activities which may jeopardize an investment and/or subject us to reputational risk.

Any disputes that may arise between joint venture partners and us may result in litigation or arbitration that would increase our expenses and prevent our officers and/or directors from focusing their time and effort on our business. Consequently, actions by or disputes with joint venture partners might result in subjecting properties owned by the joint venture to additional risk. In addition, we may in certain circumstances be liable for the actions of our third-party joint venture partners.

Historically our Fund I and Mervyns I joint ventures provided Promote income. There can be no assurance that the joint ventures will continue to operate profitably and thus provide additional Promote income in the future. These factors could limit the return that we receive from such investments or cause our cash flows to be lower than our estimates. In addition, a partner or co-venturer may not have access to sufficient capital to satisfy its funding obligations to the joint venture.

We invest in notes receivables and preferred equity investments that are collateralized by the underlying real estate, a direct interest or the borrower’s ownership interest in the entities that own the properties and/or by the borrower’s personal guarantee. The underlying assets are sometimes subordinate in payment and collateral to more senior loans. The ability of a borrower or entity to make payments on these investments may be subject to the senior lender and/or the performance of the underlying real estate. In the event of a default by the borrower or entity on its senior loan, our investment will only be satisfied after the senior loan and we may not be able to recover the full value of the investment. In the event of a bankruptcy of an entity in which we have a preferred equity interest, or in which the borrower has pledged its interest, the assets of the entity may not be sufficient to satisfy our investment.

Market factors could have an adverse effect on our share price and our ability to access the public equity markets.

One of the factors that may influence the trading price of our Common Shares is the annual dividend rate on our Common Shares as a percentage of its market price. An increase in market interest rates may lead purchasers of our Common Shares to seek a higher annual dividend rate, which could adversely affect the market price of our Common Shares. A decline in our share price, as a result of this or other market factors, could unfavorably impact our ability to raise additional equity in the public markets.

The loss of a key executive officer could have an adverse effect on us.

Our success depends on the contribution of key management members. The loss of the services of Kenneth F. Bernstein, President and Chief Executive Officer, or other key executive-level employees could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. Management continues to strengthen our team and provide for succession planning, but there can be no assurance that such planning will be capable of implementation or of the success of such efforts. We have obtained key-man life insurance for Mr. Bernstein. In addition, we have entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Bernstein; however, it can be terminated by Mr. Bernstein at his discretion. We have not entered into employment agreements with other key executive-level employees.

Our Board of Trustees may change our investment policy or objectives without shareholder approval.

Our Board of Trustees may determine to change our investment and financing policies or objectives, our growth strategy and our debt, capitalization, distribution, acquisition, disposition and operating policies. Our Board of Trustees may establish investment criteria or limitations as it deems appropriate, but currently does not limit the number of properties in which we may seek to invest or on the concentration of investments in any one geographic region. Although our Board of Trustees has no present intention to revise or amend our strategies and policies, it may do so at any time without a vote by our shareholders. Accordingly, the results

of decisions made by our Board of Trustees as implemented by management may or may not serve the interests of all of our shareholders and could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations, including our ability to distribute cash to shareholders or qualify as a REIT.

Distribution requirements imposed by law limit our operating flexibility.

To maintain our status as a REIT for Federal income tax purposes, we are generally required to distribute to our shareholders at least 90% of our taxable income for each calendar year. Our taxable income is determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid and by excluding net capital gains. To the extent that we satisfy the distribution requirement, but distribute less than 100% of our taxable income, we will be subject to Federal corporate income tax on our undistributed income. In addition, we will incur a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the amount, if any, by which our distributions in any year are less than the sum of (i) 85% of our ordinary income for that year; (ii) 95% of our capital gain net income for that year; and (iii) 100% of our undistributed taxable income from prior years. We intend to continue to make distributions to our shareholders to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code and to minimize exposure to Federal income and excise taxes. Differences in timing between the receipt of income and the payment of expenses in determining our income as well as required debt amortization payments and the capitalization of certain expenses could require us to borrow funds on a short-term basis to meet the distribution requirements that are necessary to achieve the tax benefits associated with qualifying as a REIT. The distribution requirements also severely limit our ability to retain earnings to acquire and improve properties or retire outstanding debt.

There can be no assurance we have qualified or will remain qualified as a REIT for Federal income tax purposes.

We believe that we have consistently met the requirements for qualification as a REIT for Federal income tax purposes beginning with our taxable year ended December 31, 1993, and we intend to continue to meet these requirements in the future. However, qualification as a REIT involves the application of highly technical and complex provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, for which there may be only limited judicial or administrative interpretations. No assurance can be given that we have qualified or will remain qualified as a REIT. The Internal Revenue Code provisions and income tax regulations applicable to REITs differ significantly from those applicable to other corporations. The determination of various factual matters and circumstances not entirely within our control can potentially affect our ability to continue to qualify as a REIT. In addition, no assurance can be given that future legislation, regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions will not significantly change the requirements for qualification as a REIT or adversely affect the Federal income tax consequences of such qualification. Under current law, if we fail to qualify as a REIT, we would not be allowed a deduction for dividends paid to shareholders in computing our net taxable income. In addition, our income would be subject to tax at the regular corporate rates. Also, we could be disqualified from treatment as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which qualification was lost. Cash available for distribution to our shareholders would be significantly reduced for each year in which we do not qualify as a REIT. In that event, we would not be required to continue to make distributions. Although we currently intend to continue to qualify as a REIT, it is possible that future economic, market, legal, tax or other considerations may cause us, without the consent of our shareholders, to revoke the REIT election or to otherwise take action that would result in disqualification.

Legislative or regulatory tax changes could have an adverse effect on us.

There are a number of issues associated with an investment in a REIT that are related to the Federal income tax laws, including, but not limited to, the consequences of our failing to continue to qualify as a REIT. At any time, the Federal income tax laws governing REITs or the administrative interpretations of those laws may be amended or modified. Any new laws or interpretations may take effect retroactively and could adversely affect us or our shareholders. Reduced tax rates applicable to certain corporate dividends paid to most domestic noncorporate shareholders are not generally available to REIT shareholders since a REITs income generally is not subject to corporate level tax. As a result, investment in non-REIT corporations may be viewed as relatively more attractive than investment in REITs by domestic noncorporate investors. This could adversely affect the market price of our shares.

Changes in accounting standards may adversely impact our financial results.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB"), in conjunction with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, has several key projects on its agenda that could impact how we currently account for our material transactions, including, but not limited to, lease accounting and other convergence projects with the International Accounting Standards Board. In addition, the FASB has the ability to introduce new projects to its agenda which may also impact how we account for our material transactions. At this time, we are unable to predict with certainty which, if any, proposals may be passed, what new legislation may be implemented or what level of impact any such proposal could have on the presentation of our consolidated financial statements, our results of operations and our financial ratios required by our debt covenants.

Limits on ownership of our capital shares.

For us to qualify as a REIT for Federal income tax purposes, among other requirements, not more than 50% of the value of our capital shares may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Internal Revenue Code to include certain entities) at any time during the last half of each taxable year, and such capital shares must be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year (in each case, other than the first such year). Our Declaration of Trust includes certain restrictions regarding transfers of our capital shares and ownership limits that are intended to assist us in satisfying these limitations, among other purposes. These restrictions and limits may not be adequate in all cases, however, to prevent the transfer of our capital shares in violation of the ownership limitations. The ownership limit discussed above may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing someone from taking control of us.

Actual or constructive ownership of our capital shares in excess of the share ownership limits contained in our Declaration of Trust would cause the violative transfer or ownership to be null and void from the beginning and subject to purchase by us at a price equal to the fair market value of such shares (determined in accordance with the rules set forth in our Declaration of Trust). As a result, if a violative transfer were made, the recipient of the shares would not acquire any economic or voting rights attributable to the transferred shares. Additionally, the constructive ownership rules for these limits are complex and groups of related individuals or entities may be deemed a single owner and consequently in violation of the share ownership limits.

Concentration of ownership by certain investors.

As of December 31, 2015, four institutional shareholders own 5% or more individually, and 45.6% in the aggregate, of our Common Shares. A significant concentration of ownership may allow an investor or a group of investors to exert a greater influence over our management and affairs and may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of us.

Restrictions on a potential change of control.

Our Board of Trustees is authorized by our Declaration of Trust to establish and issue one or more series of preferred shares without shareholder approval. We have not established any series of preferred shares. However, the establishment and issuance of a series of preferred shares could make more difficult a change of control of us that could be in the best interests of the shareholders. In addition, we have entered into an employment agreement with our Chief Executive Officer and severance agreements are in place with our executives which provide that, upon the occurrence of a change in control of us and either the termination of their employment without cause (as defined) or their resignation for good reason (as defined), those executive officers would be entitled to certain termination or severance payments made by us (which may include a lump sum payment equal to defined percentages of annual salary and prior years' average bonuses, paid in accordance with the terms and conditions of the respective agreement), which could deter a change of control of us that could be in the best interests of the shareholders.

Certain provisions of Maryland law may limit the ability of a third party to acquire control of our Company.

Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, as amended, which we refer to as the "MGCL," as applicable to REITs, certain "business combinations," including certain mergers, consolidations, share exchanges and asset transfers and certain issuances and reclassifications of equity securities, between a Maryland REIT and any person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of the trust's outstanding voting shares or an affiliate or an associate, as defined in the MGCL, of the trust who, at any time within the two-year period immediately prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the then-outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the trust, which we refer to as an "interested shareholder," or an affiliate of the interested shareholder, are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested shareholder becomes an interested shareholder. After that five-year period, any such business combination must be recommended by the board of trustees of the trust and approved by the affirmative vote of at least (1) 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding voting shares of beneficial interest of the trust and (2) two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting shares of the trust other than shares held by the interested shareholder with whom, or with whose affiliate, the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested shareholder, unless, among other conditions, the trust's common shareholders receive a minimum price, as defined in the MGCL, for their shares and the consideration is received in cash or in the same form as previously paid by the interested shareholder for its Common Shares.

These provisions of the MGCL do not apply, however, to business combinations that are approved or exempted by the board of trustees of the trust before the interested shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, and a person is not an interested shareholder if the board of trustees approved in advance the transaction by which the person otherwise would have become an interested shareholder. In approving a transaction, our Board of Trustees may provide that its approval is subject to compliance, at or after the time of approval, with any terms and conditions determined by the Board.

The MGCL also provides that holders of "control shares" of a Maryland REIT (defined as voting shares that, when aggregated with all other shares owned by the acquirer or in respect of which the acquirer is entitled to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquirer to exercise one of three increasing ranges of voting power in electing trustees) acquired in a "control share acquisition" (defined as the direct or indirect acquisition of ownership or control of "control shares") have no voting rights except to the extent approved by the affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding shares owned by the acquirer, by officers or by employees who are also trustees of the trust. Our Bylaws contain a provision exempting from the control share acquisition statute any and all acquisitions by any person of our shares of beneficial interest. Our Bylaws can be amended by our Board of Trustees by majority vote, and there can be no assurance that this provision will not be amended or eliminated at any time in the future.

Additionally, Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the MGCL permits our Board of Trustees, without shareholder approval and regardless of what is currently provided in our Declaration of Trust or Bylaws, to elect to be subject to certain provisions relating to corporate governance that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change of control of our Company that might involve a premium to the market price of our Common Shares or otherwise be in the best interests of our shareholders. We are subject to some of these provisions (for example, a two-thirds vote requirement for removing a trustee) by provisions of our Declaration of Trust and Bylaws unrelated to Subtitle 8.

Becoming subject to, or the potential to become subject to, these provisions of the MGCL could inhibit, delay or prevent a transaction or a change of control of our Company that might involve a premium price for our shareholders or otherwise be in our or their best interests. In addition, the provisions of our Declaration of Trust on removal of trustees and the provisions of our Bylaws regarding advance notice of shareholder nominations of trustees and other business proposals and restricting shareholder action outside of a shareholders meeting unless such action is taken by unanimous written consent could have a similar effect.

Our rights and shareholders' rights to take action against trustees and officers are limited, which could limit recourse in the event of actions not in the best interests of shareholders.

As permitted by Maryland law, our Declaration of Trust eliminates the liability of our trustees and officers to the Company and its shareholders for money damages, except for liability resulting from:

In addition, our Declaration of Trust authorizes, and our Bylaws obligate, us to indemnify each present or former trustee or officer, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, who is made a party to any proceeding because of his or her service to our Company. As part of these indemnification obligations, we may be obligated to fund the defense costs incurred by our trustees and officers.

Outages, computer viruses and similar events could disrupt our operations.

We rely on information technology networks and systems, some of which are owned and operated by third parties, to process, transmit and store electronic information. Any of these systems may be susceptible to outages due to fire, floods, power loss, telecommunications failures, terrorist or cyber attacks and similar events. Despite the implementation of network security measures, our systems and those of third parties on which we rely may also be vulnerable to computer viruses and similar disruptions. If we and the third parties on whom we rely are unable to prevent such outages and breaches, our operations could be disrupted.

Cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. There have been an increased number of significant cyber attacks targeted at the retail, insurance, financial and banking industries that include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. Cyber attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as by causing denial-of-service attacks on websites. Cyber attacks by third parties or insiders utilizes techniques that range from highly sophisticated efforts to electronically circumvent network security or overwhelm website to more traditional intelligence gathering and social engineering aimed at obtaining information necessary to gain access.

Increased global IT security threats are more sophisticated and targeted computer crimes pose a risk to the security of our systems and networks and the confidentiality, availability and integrity of our data. The open nature of interconnected technologies may allow for a network or Web outage or a privacy breach that reveals sensitive data or transmission of harmful/malicious code to business partners and clients. The techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems change frequently and may be difficult to detect for long periods of time, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement adequate preventive measures.

While we attempt to mitigate these risks by employing a number of measures, including a dedicated IT team, employee training and background checks, maintenance of backup systems and utilization of third party service providers to provide redundancy over multiple locations, and comprehensive monitoring of our networks and systems along with purchasing cyber security insurance coverage, our systems, networks and services remain potentially vulnerable to advanced threats.

We are dependent and rely on third party vendors including Cloud providers for redundancy of our network, system data, security and data integrity. If a vendor fails to provide services as agreed, suffers outages, business interruptions, financial difficulties or bankruptcy we may experience service interruption, delays or loss of information. Cloud computing is dependent upon having access to an internet connection in order to retrieve data. If a natural disaster, blackout or other unforeseen event were to occur that disrupted the ability to obtain an internet connection we may experience a slowdown or delay in our operations. We conduct appropriate due diligence on all services providers and restrict access, use and disclosure of personal information. We engage vendors with formal written agreements clearly defining the roles of the parties specifying privacy and data security responsibilities.

There has been a significant increase in the use of social media platforms, including weblogs, social media websites and other forms of Internet-based communications, which allow individuals access to a broad audience including our significant business constituents. The availability of information through these platforms is virtually immediate as is its impact and may be posted at any time without affording us an opportunity to redress or correct it timely. This information may be adverse to our interests, may be inaccurate and may harm our reputation, brand image, goodwill, performance, prospects or business. Furthermore, these platforms increase the risk of unauthorized disclosure of material non-public Company information.

Climate change and catastrophic risk from natural perils.

Some of our current properties could be subject to potential natural or other disasters. We may acquire properties that are located in areas which are subject to natural disasters. Any properties located in coastal regions would therefore be affected by any future increases in sea levels or in the frequency or severity of hurricanes and tropical storms, whether such increases are caused by global climate changes or other factors.

Climate change is a long-term change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in the average weather conditions or a change in the distribution of weather events with respect to an average, for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events. Climate change may be limited to a specific region, or may occur across the whole Earth.

There may be significant physical effects of climate change that have the potential to have a material effect on our business and operations. These effects can impact our personnel, physical assets, tenants and overall operations.

Physical impacts of climate change may include:

Under various Federal, state and local environmental laws, statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations, as an owner of real property, we may be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of certain hazardous or toxic substances at, on, in or under our property, as well as certain other potential costs relating to hazardous or toxic substances (including government fines and penalties and damages for injuries to persons and adjacent property). These laws may impose liability without regard to whether, we knew of or were responsible for, the presence or disposal of those substances. This liability may be imposed on us in connection with the activities of an operator of, or tenant at, the property. The cost of any required remediation, removal, fines or personal or property damages and our liability therefore could exceed the value of the property and/or our aggregate assets. In addition, the presence of those substances, or the failure to properly dispose of or remove those substances, may adversely affect our ability to sell or rent that property or to borrow using that property as collateral, which, in turn, could reduce our revenues and affect our ability to make distributions.

A property can also be adversely affected either through physical contamination or by virtue of an adverse effect upon value attributable to the migration of hazardous or toxic substances, or other contaminants that have or may have emanated from other properties. Although our tenants are primarily responsible for any environmental damages and claims related to the leased premises, in the event of the bankruptcy or inability of any of our tenants to satisfy any obligations with respect to the property leased to that tenant, we may be required to satisfy such obligations. In addition, we may be held directly liable for any such damages or claims irrespective of the provisions of any lease.

From time to time, in connection with the conduct of our business, and prior to the acquisition of any property from a third party or as required by our financing sources, we authorize the preparation of Phase I environmental reports and, when necessary, Phase II environmental reports, with respect to our properties. Based upon these environmental reports and our ongoing review of our properties, we are currently not aware of any environmental condition with respect to any of our properties that we believe would be reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us. There can be no assurance, however, that the environmental reports will reveal all environmental conditions at our properties or that the following will not expose us to material liability in the future:

Changes in laws increasing the potential liability for environmental conditions existing on properties or increasing the restrictions on discharges or other conditions may result in significant unanticipated expenditures or may otherwise adversely affect the operations of our tenants, which could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.

Uninsured losses or a loss in excess of insured limits could adversely affect our financial condition.

We carry comprehensive general liability, all-risk property, extended coverage, loss of rent insurance, and environmental liability on our properties, with policy specifications and insured limits customarily carried for similar properties. However, with respect to those properties where the leases do not provide for abatement of rent under any circumstances, we maintain a minimum of twelve months loss of rent insurance. In addition, there are certain types of losses, such as losses resulting from wars, terrorism or acts of God that generally are not insured because they are either uninsurable or not economically insurable. Should an uninsured loss or a loss in excess of insured limits occur, we could lose capital invested in a property, as well as the anticipated future revenues from a property, while remaining obligated for any mortgage indebtedness or other financial obligations related to the property. Any loss of these types would adversely affect our financial condition.

Future terrorist attacks or civil unrest could harm the demand for, and the value of, our properties.

Future terrorist attacks, civil unrest and other acts of terrorism or war, could harm the demand for, and the value of, our properties. Terrorist attacks could directly impact the value of our properties through damage, destruction, loss or increased security costs, and the availability of insurance for such acts may be limited or may be subject to substantial cost increases. To the extent that our tenants are impacted by future attacks, their ability to continue to honor obligations under their existing leases could be adversely affected. A decrease in retail demand could make it difficult for us to renew or re-lease our properties at lease rates equal to or above historical rates. These acts might erode business and consumer confidence and spending, and might result in increased volatility in national and international financial markets and economies. Any one of these events might decrease demand for real estate, decrease or delay the occupancy of our properties, and limit our access to capital or increase our cost of raising capital.

None.

The discussion and tables in this Item 2. include properties held through our Core Portfolio and our Funds. We define our Core Portfolio as those properties either 100% owned by, or partially owned through joint venture interests by, the Operating Partnership, or subsidiaries thereof, not including those properties owned through our Funds.

Four of our Core Portfolio properties and one of our Fund properties are subject to long-term ground leases in which a third party owns and has leased the underlying land to us. We pay rent for the use of the land and are responsible for all costs and expenses associated with the building and improvements at all five locations.