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Organization and Basis of Presentation | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
Organization and Basis of Presentation | Organization and Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements present the accounts of Essex Property Trust, Inc. ("Essex" or the "Company"), which include the accounts of the Company and Essex Portfolio, L.P. and its subsidiaries (the "Operating Partnership," which holds the operating assets of the Company), prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("U.S. GAAP") for interim financial information and in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods presented have been included and are normal and recurring in nature. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. Certain reclassifications have been made to conform to the current year’s presentation. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 include the accounts of the Company and the Operating Partnership. Essex is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership, with a 96.6% general partnership interest as of both September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019. Total Operating Partnership limited partnership units ("OP Units," and the holders of such OP Units, "Unitholders") outstanding were 2,295,510 and 2,301,653 as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively, and the redemption value of the units, based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock totaled approximately $460.9 million and $692.5 million as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. As of September 30, 2020, the Company owned or had ownership interests in 247 operating apartment communities, aggregating 60,387 apartment homes, excluding the Company’s ownership interest in preferred interest co-investments, loan investments, one operating commercial building, and a development pipeline comprised of three consolidated projects and three unconsolidated joint venture projects. The operating apartment communities are located in Southern California (primarily Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and Ventura counties), Northern California (the San Francisco Bay Area) and the Seattle metropolitan areas. Accounting Pronouncements Adopted in the Current Year In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2016-13 "Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments," which amends the current approach to estimate credit losses on certain financial assets, including trade and other receivables, available-for-sale securities, and other financial instruments. Generally, this amendment requires entities to establish a valuation allowance for the expected lifetime losses of these certain financial assets. Subsequent changes in the valuation allowance are recorded in current earnings and reversal of previous losses are permitted. Previously, U.S. GAAP required entities to write down credit losses only when losses were probable and loss reversals were not permitted. The FASB additionally issued various updates to clarify and amend the guidance provided in ASU No. 2016-13. In May 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-04, "Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments," which, with respect to credit losses, among other things, clarifies and addresses issues related to accrued interest, transfers between classifications of loans or debt securities, recoveries, and variable interest rates. Additionally, in May 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-05, "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Targeted Transition Relief," which allows entities to irrevocably elect the fair value option on certain financial instruments. The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-13, ASU No. 2019-04, and ASU No. 2019-05 as of January 1, 2020, using the modified retrospective approach by applying a cumulative effect adjustment of $0.2 million representing estimated accumulated credit losses to the opening balance of retained earnings. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13 "Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement," which eliminates certain disclosure requirements affecting all levels of measurements, and modifies and adds new disclosure requirements for Level 3 measurements. The Company adopted ASU No. 2018-13 as of January 1, 2020. This adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated results of operations or financial position. In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04 "Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting," which contains practical expedients for reference rate reform related activities that impact debt, leases, derivatives and other contracts. The guidance in ASU No. 2020-04 is optional and may be elected over time as reference rate reform activities occur. During the first quarter of 2020, the Company elected to apply the hedge accounting expedients related to probability and the assessments of effectiveness for future LIBOR-indexed cash flows to assume that the index upon which future hedged transactions will be based matches the index on the corresponding derivatives. Application of these expedients preserves the presentation of derivatives consistent with past presentation. The Company continues to evaluate the impact of the guidance and may apply other elections as applicable as additional changes in the market occur. In April 2020, the FASB issued a Staff Question-and-Answer (Q&A) to clarify whether lease concessions related to the effects of COVID-19 require the application of the lease modification guidance under Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 842, Leases. The Q&A allows companies to not apply the lease modification guidance to rent concessions that result in deferred rent where the total cash flows required by the modified lease agreement are materially the same as the cash flows required under the original lease and the changes to the lease do not result in a substantial increase to the rights of the lessor or the obligations of the lessee. The Company adopted the guidance during the three months ended June 30, 2020 for eligible residential lease concessions. The lease concessions that met the criteria of the Q&A are treated as if they were part of the enforceable rights and obligations of the parties under the existing lease contract. The amount of rent concessions subject to the Q&A were not material and this adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated results of operations or financial position. Revenues and Gains on Sale of Real Estate Revenues from tenants renting or leasing apartment homes are recorded when due from tenants and are recognized monthly as they are earned which generally approximates a straight-line basis, else, adjustments are made to conform to a straight-line basis. Apartment homes are rented under short-term leases (generally, lease terms of 9 to 12 months). Revenues from tenants leasing commercial space are recorded on a straight-line basis over the life of the respective lease. See Note 3, Revenues, for additional information regarding such revenues. The Company also generates other property-related revenue associated with the leasing of apartment homes, including storage income, pet rent, and other miscellaneous revenue. Similar to rental income, such revenues are recorded when due from tenants and recognized monthly as they are earned. Apart from rental and other property-related revenue, revenues from contracts with customers are recognized as control of the promised services is passed to the customer. For customer contracts related to management and other fees from affiliates (which includes asset management and property management), the transaction price and amount of revenue to be recognized is determined each quarter based on the management fee calculated and earned for that month or quarter. The contract will contain a description of the service and the fee percentage for management services. Payments from such services are one month or one quarter in arrears of the service performed. Subsequent to the adoption of ASC 610-20 "Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets" on January 1, 2018, the Company recognizes any gains on sales of real estate when it transfers control of a property and when it is probable that the Company will collect substantially all of the related consideration. Marketable Securities The Company reports its equity securities and available for sale debt securities at fair value, based on quoted market prices (Level 1 for the common stock and investment funds, Level 2 for the unsecured bonds and Level 3 for investments in mortgage backed securities, as defined by the FASB standard for fair value measurements). As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, $2.7 million and $3.6 million, respectively, of equity securities presented within common stock and stock funds in the tables below, represent investments measured at fair value, using net asset value as a practical expedient, and are not categorized in the fair value hierarchy. Any unrealized gain or loss in debt securities classified as available for sale is recorded as other comprehensive income. Unrealized gains and losses in equity securities, realized gains and losses in debt securities, interest income, and amortization of purchase discounts are included in interest and other income on the condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income. As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, equity securities and available for sale debt securities consisted primarily of investment-grade unsecured bonds, U.S. treasury securities, common stock and stock funds. As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company classified its mortgage backed securities as held to maturity, and accordingly, the securities are stated at its amortized cost. The mortgage backed security investment which had an initial maturity date of September 2020 was partially repaid in September with the balance being extended until January 2021. The discount on the mortgage backed securities are amortized to interest income based on an estimated yield and the maturity date. As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, marketable securities consist of the following ($ in thousands):
| September 30, 2020
| Amortized Cost/Cost |  | Gross Unrealized Gain (Loss) |  | Carrying Value |  | Allowance for Credit Losses
Equity securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investment funds - debt securities | $ | 31,127 |  |  | $ | 1,135 |  |  | $ | 32,262 |  |  |
Common stock and stock funds | 67,636 |  |  | 4,551 |  |  | 72,187 |  |  |
Debt securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Available for sale |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investment-grade unsecured debt | 1,049 |  |  | (105) |  |  | 944 |  |  | — |
Held to maturity |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Mortgage backed security | 29,578 |  |  | — |  |  | 29,578 |  |  | 13,644 |
Total - Marketable securities | $ | 129,390 |  |  | $ | 5,581 |  |  | $ | 134,971 |  |  | $ | 13,644 |
| December 31, 2019
| Amortized Cost/Cost |  | Gross Unrealized Gain (Loss) |  | Carrying Value |  |
Equity securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investment funds - debt securities | $ | 29,588 |  |  | $ | 544 |  |  | $ | 30,132 |  |  |
Common stock and stock funds | 34,941 |  |  | 2,927 |  |  | 37,868 |  |  |
Debt securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Available for sale |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. treasury securities | 2,421 |  |  | 13 |  |  | 2,434 |  |  |
Investment-grade unsecured bonds | 1,048 |  |  | 60 |  |  | 1,108 |  |  |
Held to maturity |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Mortgage backed securities | 72,651 |  |  | — |  |  | 72,651 |  |  |
Total - Marketable securities | $ | 140,649 |  |  | $ | 3,544 |  |  | $ | 144,193 |  |  |
The Company uses the specific identification method to determine the cost basis of a debt security sold and to reclassify amounts from accumulated other comprehensive income for such securities. For the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, the proceeds from sales and maturities of marketable securities totaled $52.6 million and $7.0 million, respectively, which resulted in $91 thousand and $0.2 million in realized gains, respectively, for such periods. For the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, the proceeds from sales and maturities of marketable securities totaled $56.9 million and $57.2 million, respectively, which resulted in $0.1 million and $0.7 million in realized gains, respectively, for such periods. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, the portion of equity security unrealized gains or losses that were recognized in income totaled $3.3 million and $2.2 million in gains, respectively, and were included in interest and other income on the Company's condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the portion of equity security unrealized losses or gains that were recognized in income totaled $0.2 million in losses and $4.3 million in gains, respectively, and were included in interest and other income on the Company's condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income. Unrealized losses on Investment-grade unsecured bonds as of September 30, 2020 have not been recognized into income because the debts of the issuers are of high credit quality, management does not intend to sell the securities, it is likely that the Company will not be required to sell the securities prior to their anticipated recovery, and the decline in fair value is largely due to other market conditions. The Company monitors the credit quality of its held to maturity mortgage backed security through the review of remittance reports and individual loan watchlists, which are prepared quarterly and provide most recent debt service coverage ratios for each loan within the security, when available. The Company monitors such reports to determine the likelihood that a particular loan within the mortgage backed security may be foreclosed upon. The Company measures the expected credit loss on its held to maturity mortgage backed security based on the present value of expected future cash flows, which takes into account current market conditions and available credit information obtained from the individual loans held within the mortgage backed security. The following table presents the allowance for credit losses rollforward for the mortgage backed security ($ in thousands):
Balance at December 31, 2019 | $ | — |
Impact of adoption ASC 326 (1) | 13,644 |
Provision for credit losses | — |
Balance at September 30, 2020 | $ | 13,644 |
(1) As part of the adoption of ASC 326, effective January 1, 2020, the Company recorded a gross up of the mortgage backed security and related allowance for credit losses of $13.6 million. This gross up had no effect on the Company's consolidated results of operations or financial position. Variable Interest Entities In accordance with accounting standards for consolidation of variable interest entities ("VIEs"), the Company consolidated the Operating Partnership, 17 DownREIT entities (comprising nine communities), and five co-investments as of September 30, 2020. As of December 31, 2019, the Company consolidated the Operating Partnership, 17 DownREIT entities (comprising nine communities) and six co-investments. The Company consolidates these entities because it is deemed the primary beneficiary. Essex has no assets or liabilities other than its investment in the Operating Partnership. The consolidated total assets and liabilities related to the above consolidated co-investments and DownREIT entities, net of intercompany eliminations, were approximately $0.9 billion and $329.9 million, respectively, as of September 30, 2020 and $1.0 billion and $364.3 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2019. Noncontrolling interests in these entities were $121.2 million and $122.5 million as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. The Company's financial risk in each VIE is limited to its equity investment in the VIE. As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company did not have any VIEs of which it was not deemed to be the primary beneficiary. Equity-based Compensation The cost of share- and unit-based compensation awards is measured at the grant date based on the estimated fair value of the awards. The estimated fair value of stock options and restricted stock granted by the Company are being amortized over the vesting period. The estimated grant date fair values of the long term incentive plan units (discussed in Note 14, "Equity Based Compensation Plans," in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019) are being amortized over the expected service periods. Fair Value of Financial Instruments Management believes that the carrying amounts of the outstanding balances under its lines of credit, and notes and other receivables approximate fair value as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, because interest rates, yields, and other terms for these instruments are consistent with interest rates, yields, and other terms currently available for similar instruments. Management has estimated that the fair value of the Company’s fixed rate debt with a carrying value of $5.8 billion and $5.2 billion at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively, was approximately $6.0 billion and $5.4 billion, respectively. Management has estimated that the fair value of the Company’s $804.9 million and $660.4 million of variable rate debt at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively, was approximately $799.6 million and $655.8 million, respectively, based on the terms of existing mortgage notes payable, unsecured debt, and variable rate demand notes compared to those available in the marketplace. Management believes that the carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, construction payables, other liabilities, and dividends payable approximate fair value as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 due to the short-term maturity of these instruments. Marketable securities, except mortgage backed securities, are carried at fair value as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019. At September 30, 2020, the Company’s investment in its mortgage backed security had a net carrying value of $29.6 million and the Company estimated the fair value to be approximately $29.6 million. At December 31, 2019, the Company’s investment in mortgage backed securities had a carrying value of $72.7 million and the Company estimated the fair value to be approximately $72.7 million. The Company determines the fair value of the mortgage backed securities based on unobservable inputs (level 3 of the fair value hierarchy) considering the assumptions that market participants would make in valuing the securities. Assumptions such as estimated default rates and discount rates are used to determine the expected, discounted cash flows to estimate fair value. Capitalization of Costs The Company’s capitalized internal costs related to development and redevelopment projects were comprised primarily of interest and employee compensation and totaled $6.1 million and $11.0 million during the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $24.9 million and $32.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The Company capitalizes leasing commissions associated with the lease-up of development communities and amortizes the costs over the life of the leases. The amounts capitalized for leasing commissions are immaterial for all periods presented. Co-investments The Company owns investments in joint ventures in which it has significant influence, but its ownership interest does not meet the criteria for consolidation in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Therefore, the Company accounts for co-investments using the equity method of accounting. Under the equity method of accounting, the investment is carried at the cost of assets contributed, plus the Company's equity in earnings less distributions received and the Company's share of losses. The significant accounting policies of the Company’s co-investment entities are consistent with those of the Company in all material respects. Upon the acquisition of a controlling interest of a co-investment, the co-investment entity is consolidated and a gain or loss is recognized upon the remeasurement of co-investments in the consolidated statement of income equal to the amount by which the fair value of the co-investment interest the Company previously owned exceeds its carrying value. A majority of the co-investments, excluding the preferred equity investments, compensate the Company for its asset management services and some of these investments may provide promote income if certain financial return benchmarks are achieved. Asset management fees are recognized when earned, and promote fees are recognized when the earnings events have occurred and the amount is determinable and collectible. Any promote fees are reflected in equity income from co-investments. Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Net by Component Essex Property Trust, Inc. ($ in thousands):
| Change in fair value and amortization of swap settlements |  | Unrealized gain/(loss) on available for sale securities |  | Total
Balance at December 31, 2019 | $ | (13,989) |  |  | $ | 101 |  |  | $ | (13,888) |
Other comprehensive loss before reclassification | 2,263 |  |  | (172) |  |  | 2,091 |
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss | (5,003) |  |  | — |  |  | (5,003) |
Other comprehensive loss | (2,740) |  |  | (172) |  |  | (2,912) |
Balance at September 30, 2020 | $ | (16,729) |  |  | $ | (71) |  |  | $ | (16,800) |
Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, by Component Essex Portfolio, L.P. ($ in thousands):
| Change in fair value and amortization of swap settlements |  | Unrealized gain/(loss) on available for sale securities |  | Total
Balance at December 31, 2019 | $ | (10,536) |  |  | $ | 104 |  |  | $ | (10,432) |
Other comprehensive loss before reclassification | 2,341 |  |  | (178) |  |  | 2,163 |
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss | (5,178) |  |  | — |  |  | (5,178) |
Other comprehensive loss | (2,837) |  |  | (178) |  |  | (3,015) |
Balance at September 30, 2020 | $ | (13,373) |  |  | $ | (74) |  |  | $ | (13,447) |
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss in connection with derivatives are recorded in interest expense on the condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income. Realized gains and losses on available for sale debt securities are included in interest and other income on the condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income. Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest The carrying value of redeemable noncontrolling interest in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets was $30.7 million and $37.4 million as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. The limited partners may redeem their noncontrolling interests for cash in certain circumstances. The changes to the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 is as follows ($ in thousands):
Balance at December 31, 2019 | $ | 37,410 |
Reclassification due to change in redemption value and other | (6,691) |
Redemptions | — |
Balance at September 30, 2020 | $ | 30,719 |
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash Highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased are classified as cash equivalents. Restricted cash balances relate primarily to reserve requirements for capital replacement at certain communities in connection with the Company’s mortgage debt. The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash reported within the condensed consolidated balance sheets that sum to the total of the same such amounts shown in the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows ($ in thousands):
| September 30, 2020 |  | December 31, 2019 |  | September 30, 2019 |  | December 31, 2018
Cash and cash equivalents - unrestricted | $ | 558,446 |  |  | $ | 70,087 |  |  | $ | 74,031 |  |  | $ | 134,465 |
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted | 10,629 |  |  | 11,007 |  |  | 17,695 |  |  | 16,930 |
Total unrestricted and restricted cash and cash equivalents shown in the condensed consolidated statement of cash flows | $ | 569,075 |  |  | $ | 81,094 |  |  | $ | 91,726 |  |  | $ | 151,395 |
Accounting Estimates The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements, in accordance with U.S. GAAP, requires the Company to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. On an on-going basis, the Company evaluates its estimates, including those related to acquiring, developing and assessing the carrying values of its real estate portfolio, its investments in and advances to joint ventures and affiliates, its notes receivables, and its qualification as a real estate investment trust ("REIT"). The Company bases its estimates on historical experience, current market conditions, and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may vary from those estimates and those estimates could be different under different assumptions or conditions.

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