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Commitments and Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2016
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies Employment Agreements and Arrangements The Company had employment agreements with two executive officers which expired on December 31, 2015, in accordance with their terms. At December 31, 2016, the Company does not have any employment agreements with executive officers. The standard restricted stock and option agreements used by the Company in its compensation program provide that upon an employee's termination without cause or the employee's Retirement (as defined in the agreement), all outstanding stock options and restricted shares of stock held by the employee will vest, and the employee will have up to 12 months to exercise any options then held. Under the agreements, Retirement generally means a termination of employment and other business relationships, other than for cause, after attainment of age 50, provided that (i) the employee has worked for the Company for at least 10 years, (ii) the employee's age at Retirement plus years of employment with the Company equals at least 70, (iii) the employee provides at least six months written notice of his intent to retire, and (iv) the employee enters into a one year non-compete and employee non-solicitation agreement. The Company also has an Officer Severance Program (the “Program”), which applies only in connection with a sale of the Company for the benefit of those officers of the Company who do not have employment agreements. Under the Program, in the event an officer who is not otherwise covered by a severance arrangement is terminated (other than for cause), or chooses to terminate his or her employment for good reason (as defined), in either case within 18 months following a sale event (as defined) of the Company, such officer will generally receive a cash lump sum payment equal to a multiple of the officer's covered compensation (base salary plus annual cash bonus). The multiple is one times for vice presidents and senior vice presidents, and two times for executive vice presidents. The officer's restricted stock and options would also vest. Costs related to the Company's employment agreements and the Program are deferred and recognized over the requisite service period when considered by management to be probable and estimable. Legal Contingencies The Company accounts for recoveries from legal matters as a reduction in the legal and related costs incurred associated with the matter, with recoveries in excess of these costs reported as a gain or, where appropriate, a reduction in the basis of a community to which the suit related. During the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2014, the Company received $417,000 and $1,933,000 in legal recoveries. There were no material receipts during the year ended December 31, 2015, excluding amounts for the Residual JV. In conjunction with legal matters associated with the Edgewater casualty loss, the Company has established protocols for processing claims from third parties who suffered losses as a result of the fire, and many third parties have contacted the Company's insurance carrier and settled their claims. Three class action lawsuits have been filed against the Company on behalf of occupants of the destroyed building and consolidated in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The Company has agreed with class counsel to the terms of a proposed settlement which would provide a claims process (with agreed upon protocols for instructing the adjuster as to how to evaluate claims) and, if needed, an arbitration process to determine damage amounts to be paid to individual claimants covered by the class settlement. On December 9, 2016, class counsel re-filed with the court a motion for preliminary approval of this class settlement, and the Company did not oppose such motion. The Company cannot predict when or if the court will approve the settlement. A fourth class action, being heard in the same federal court, was filed against the Company on behalf of residents of the second Edgewater building that suffered minimal damage. Recently, a fifth class action lawsuit was filed against the Company seeking to certify a class on behalf of both buildings and other third parties. The Company removed this action to the same federal court as the other four and is currently seeking to consolidate it with the fourth class action lawsuit (referenced above). In addition to the class action lawsuits described above, 21 lawsuits representing approximately 150 individual plaintiffs have been filed in the Superior Court of New Jersey Bergen County - Law Division and 20 of these lawsuits are currently pending. Most of the state court cases have been consolidated by the court and the Company expects all of them to be consolidated shortly. The Company believes that it has meritorious defenses to the extent of damages claimed in all of the suits. There are also five subrogation lawsuits that have been filed against the Company by insurers of Edgewater residents who obtained renters insurance; it is the Company’s position that in the majority of the applicable leases the residents waived subrogation rights. One of these lawsuits has been dismissed on that basis and the other four are currently pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The District Court recently denied the Company's motion to dismiss which was filed in one of these lawsuits and the Company is currently seeking reconsideration of that decision as well as certification to appeal. Having settled many third party claims through the insurance claims process, the Company currently believes that any potential remaining liability to third parties (including any potential liability to third parties determined in accordance with the class settlement described above, if approved) will not be material to the Company and will in any event be substantially covered by the Company's insurance policies. However, the Company can give no assurances in this regard and continues to evaluate this matter. The Company is involved in various other claims and/or administrative proceedings unrelated to the Edgewater casualty loss that arise in the ordinary course of its business. While no assurances can be given, the Company does not currently believe that any of these other outstanding litigation matters, individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations. Lease Obligations The Company owns 16 apartment communities and two commercial properties located on land subject to land leases expiring between October 2026 and March 2142. The leases for 13 apartment communities, of which two represent dual-branded communities with one underlying land lease, and the two commercial properties, are accounted for as operating leases recognizing rental expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. These leases have varying escalation terms, and five of these leases have purchase options exercisable through 2095. The Company incurred costs of $23,343,000, $21,295,000 and $21,664,000 in the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively, related to operating leases. Three apartment communities are located on land subject to a land lease which are accounted for as capital leases, of which two represent dual-branded communities with one underlying capital land lease. In addition, the Company is party to a lease for a portion of the parking garage adjacent to a lease-up community, accounted for as a capital lease. The Company has a total lease obligation of $37,458,000 reported as a component of accrued expenses and other liabilities. Each of these land leases accounted for as capital leases have options for the Company to purchase the land at some point during the lease terms which expire in 2046 and 2086. In addition, the Company is party to 13 leases for its corporate and regional offices with varying terms through 2027, all of which are accounted for as operating leases. The following table details the future minimum lease payments under the Company's current leases (dollars in thousands):
| Payments due by period
| 2017 |  | 2018 |  | 2019 |  | 2020 |  | 2021 |  | Thereafter
Operating Lease Obligations | $ | 22,818 |  |  | $ | 23,348 |  |  | $ | 23,449 |  |  | $ | 21,245 |  |  | $ | 19,776 |  |  | $ | 1,203,957 |
Capital Lease Obligations (1) (2) | 18,874 |  |  | 1,073 |  |  | 1,075 |  |  | 1,077 |  |  | 1,080 |  |  | 45,058 |
| $ | 41,692 |  |  | $ | 24,421 |  |  | $ | 24,524 |  |  | $ | 22,322 |  |  | $ | 20,856 |  |  | $ | 1,249,015 |
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(1) | Aggregate capital lease payments include $27,374 in interest costs, with the timing of certain lease payments for capital land leases determined by completion of the construction of the associated apartment community.
(2) | Capital lease assets of $39,015 and $39,019 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, are included as a component of land and improvements or building and improvements on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

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