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Commitments and Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies Legal Proceedings From time to time, the Company is a party to, or has a significant relationship to, legal proceedings, lawsuits and other claims. Except as described below, the Company is not aware of any legal proceedings or claims that it believes may have, individually or taken together, a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. The Company’s policy is to expense legal costs as they are incurred. Class Action. On May 9, 2016, a purported stockholder of the Company filed a putative class action complaint, Boynton Beach Firefighters’ Pension Fund v. HCP, Inc., et al., Case No. 3:16-cv-01106-JJH, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio against the Company, certain of its officers, HCRMC, and certain of its officers, asserting violations of the federal securities laws. The suit asserts claims under sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and alleges that the Company made certain false or misleading statements relating to the value of and risks concerning its investment in HCRMC by allegedly failing to disclose that HCRMC had engaged in billing fraud, as alleged by the U.S. Department of Justice in a pending suit against HCRMC arising from the False Claims Act. The plaintiff in the suit demands compensatory damages (in an unspecified amount), costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees and expert fees), and equitable, injunctive, or other relief as the Court deems just and proper. On November 28, 2017, the Court appointed Societe Generale Securities GmbH (SGSS Germany) and the City of Birmingham Retirement and Relief Systems (Birmingham) as Co-Lead Plaintiffs in the class action. Co-Lead Plaintiffs must file a consolidated Amended Complaint by February 28, 2018. Defendants will then have until March 30, 2018 to respond to the Amended Complaint and file a motion to dismiss. The Company believes the suit to be without merit and intends to vigorously defend against it. Derivative Actions. On June 16, 2016 and July 5, 2016, purported stockholders of the Company filed two derivative actions, respectively Subodh v. HCR ManorCare Inc., et al., Case No. 30-2016-00858497-CU-PT-CXC and Stearns v. HCR ManorCare, Inc., et al., Case No. 30-2016-00861646-CU-MC-CJC, in the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, against certain of the Company’s current and former directors and officers and HCRMC. The Company is named as a nominal defendant. As both derivative actions contained substantially the same allegations, they have been consolidated into a single action. The consolidated action alleges that the defendants engaged in various acts of wrongdoing, including, among other things, breaching fiduciary duties by publicly making false or misleading statements of fact regarding HCRMC’s finances and prospects, and failing to maintain adequate internal controls. As the Subodh/Stearns action is in the early stages, defendants have not yet responded to the complaint. On April 18, 2017, the Court approved the parties’ stipulation staying the action pending further developments, including in the related securities class action litigation. The Court recently adjourned the status conference scheduled for January 10, 2018 to June 11, 2018. On April 10, 2017, a purported stockholder of the Company filed a derivative action, Weldon v. Martin et al., Case No. 3:17-cv-755, in federal court in the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division, against certain of the Company’s current and former directors and officers and HCRMC. The Company is named as a nominal defendant. The Weldon complaint asserts similar claims to those asserted in the California derivative actions. In addition, the complaint asserts a claim under Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act, alleging that the Company made false statements in its 2016 proxy statement by not disclosing that the Company’s performance issues in 2015 were the direct result of billing fraud at HCRMC. On April 18, 2017, the Court re-assigned and transferred this action to the judge presiding over the related federal securities class action. Defendants have not yet been served or responded to the complaint. On July 11, 2017, the Court approved a stipulation by the parties to stay the case pending disposition of the motion to dismiss the class action. On July 21, 2017, a purported stockholder of the Company filed another derivative action, Kelley v. HCR ManorCare, Inc., et al., Case No. 8:17-cv-01259, in federal court in the Central District of California, against certain of the Company’s current and former directors and officers and HCRMC. The Company is named as a nominal defendant. The Kelley complaint asserts similar claims to those asserted in Weldon and in the California derivative actions. Like Weldon, the Kelley complaint also additionally alleges that the Company made false statements in its 2016 proxy statement, and asserts a claim for a violation of Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act. On September 25, 2017, Defendants moved to transfer the action to the Northern District of Ohio (i.e., the court where the class action and other federal derivative action are pending) or, in the alternative, to stay the action. The Court granted Defendants’ motion to transfer on November 28, 2017, and Kelley is now before Judge Helmick in the Northern District of Ohio. In a status conference on January 19, 2018 in the Kelley action, Judge Helmick requested briefing by the parties in both Weldon and Kelley concerning the potential consolidation of the two actions, the appointment of lead plaintiffs and counsel, and whether the stay should continue. Plaintiffs’ briefs will be due on February 23, 2018, defendants’ opposition will be due on March 9, 2018, and plaintiffs’ reply will be due on March 23, 2018. Judge Helmick indicated that he would issue an order explaining and memorializing these deadlines. The Company’s Board of Directors received letters dated August 17, 2016, April 19, 2017, and April 20, 2017 from private law firms acting on behalf of clients who are purported stockholders of the Company, each asserting allegations similar to those made in the Subodh and Stearns matters discussed above. Each letter demands that the Board of Directors take action to assert the Company’s rights. The Board of Directors completed its evaluation and determined to reject the demand letters. Rejection notices were sent in December of 2017. The Company believes that the lawsuits and demands are without merit and is unable to estimate the amount of loss or range of reasonably possible losses with respect to the matters discussed above as of December 31, 2017. Welltower v. Scott M. Brinker. On May 15, 2017, Welltower, Inc. filed a complaint in the Court of Common Pleas in Lucas County, Ohio, against Scott M. Brinker, alleging that he violated his non-competition obligations to Welltower prior to and upon acceptance of an offer of employment with the Company. Mr. Brinker counterclaimed that the non-competition restrictions were unenforceable, and also asserted breach of contract and defamation counterclaims against Welltower, among others. In connection with Mr. Brinker’s hiring, the Company agreed to indemnify him for legal fees and any losses that result from the action. On November 5, 2017, Welltower, Mr. Brinker and the Company agreed to settle the lawsuit for an amount, recognized during the fourth quarter of 2017, that is not material to the Company's financial condition, results of operations or cash flows and file a joint dismissal of all claims and counterclaims. DownREIT LLCs In connection with the formation of certain DownREIT LLCs, members may contribute appreciated real estate to a DownREIT LLC in exchange for DownREIT units. These contributions are generally tax-deferred, so that the pre-contribution gain related to the property is not taxed to the member. However, if a contributed property is later sold by the DownREIT LLC, the unamortized pre-contribution gain that exists at the date of sale is specifically allocated and taxed to the contributing members. In many of the DownREITs, the Company has entered into indemnification agreements with those members who contributed appreciated property into the DownREIT LLC. Under these indemnification agreements, if any of the appreciated real estate contributed by the members is sold by the DownREIT LLC in a taxable transaction within a specified number of years, the Company will reimburse the affected members for the federal and state income taxes associated with the pre-contribution gain that is specially allocated to the affected member under the Code (“make-whole payments”). These make-whole payments include a tax gross-up provision. These indemnification agreements have expiration terms that range through 2033 on a total of 35 properties. Commitments The following table summarizes the Company’s material commitments, excluding debt servicing obligations (see Note 10) and operating leases (see disclosure below), at December 31, 2017 (in thousands):
| Total |  | 2018 |  | 2019-2020 |  | 2021-2022 |  | More than Five Years
U.K. loan commitments(1) | $ | 3,236 |  |  | $ | 3,236 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |
Construction loan commitments(2) | 114,691 |  |  | 45,863 |  |  | 68,828 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Development commitments(3) | 133,371 |  |  | 128,101 |  |  | 2,228 |  |  | 3,042 |  |  | — |
Total | $ | 251,298 |  |  | $ | 177,200 |  |  | $ | 71,056 |  |  | $ | 3,042 |  |  | $ | — |
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(1) | Represents £2 million translated into USD for commitments to fund the Company’s U.K. loan facilities.
(2) | Represents commitments to finance development projects.
(3) | Represents construction and other commitments for developments in progress.
Credit Enhancement Guarantee At December 31, 2017, certain of the Company’s senior housing facilities serve as collateral for $83 million of debt (maturing May 1, 2025) that is owed by a previous owner of the facilities. This indebtedness is guaranteed by the previous owner who has an investment grade credit rating. These senior housing facilities, which are classified as DFLs, had a carrying value of $356 million as of December 31, 2017. Environmental Costs The Company monitors its properties for the presence of hazardous or toxic substances. The Company is not aware of any environmental liability with respect to the properties that would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations. The Company carries environmental insurance and believes that the policy terms, conditions, limitations and deductibles are adequate and appropriate under the circumstances, given the relative risk of loss, the cost of such coverage and current industry practice. General Uninsured Losses The Company obtains various types of insurance to mitigate the impact of property, business interruption, liability, flood, windstorm, earthquake, environmental, cyber and terrorism related losses. The Company attempts to obtain appropriate policy terms, conditions, limits and deductibles considering the relative risk of loss, the cost of such coverage and current industry practice. There are, however, certain types of extraordinary losses, such as those due to acts of war or other events that may be either uninsurable or not economically insurable. In addition, the Company has a large number of properties that are exposed to earthquake, flood and windstorm occurrences for which the related insurances carry high deductibles. Tenant Purchase Options Certain leases, including DFLs contain purchase options whereby the tenant may elect to acquire the underlying real estate. Annualized base rent from leases subject to purchase options, summarized by the year the purchase options are exercisable, are as follows (dollars in thousands):
Year |  | Annualized Base Rent(1) |  | Number of Properties
2018 |  | $ | 8,534 |  |  | 8 |
2019 |  | 14,702 |  |  | 2 |
2020 |  | 14,201 |  |  | 4 |
2021 |  | 12,402 |  |  | 6 |
2022 |  | 10,459 |  |  | 3 |
Thereafter |  | 33,964 |  |  | 22 |
|  | $ | 94,262 |  |  | 45 |
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(1) | Represents the most recent month’s base rent including additional rent floors and cash income from DFLs annualized for 12 months. Base rent does not include tenant recoveries, additional rents in excess of floors and non-cash revenue adjustments (i.e., straight- line rents, amortization of market lease intangibles, DFL non-cash and deferred revenues).
Rental Expense The Company’s rental expense attributable to continuing operations was $10 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015. These rental expense amounts include ground rent and other leases. Ground leases generally require fixed annual rent payments and may also include escalation clauses and renewal options. These leases have terms that are up to 99 years, excluding extension options. Future minimum lease obligations under non-cancelable ground and other operating leases as of December 31, 2017 were as follows (in thousands):
Year |  | Amount
2018 |  | $ | 6,619 |
2019 |  | 6,766 |
2020 |  | 6,668 |
2021 |  | 6,704 |
2022 |  | 6,820 |
Thereafter |  | 362,219 |
|  | $ | 395,796 |

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