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Commitments And Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments And Contingencies Commitments, Contingencies and Uncertainties
In the normal course of business, we enter into a variety of commitments, typically consisting of funding of revolving credit arrangements, construction and mezzanine loans to our operators to conduct expansions and acquisitions for their own account, and commitments for the funding of construction for expansion or renovation to our existing properties under lease. In our leasing operations, we offer to our tenants and to sellers of newly acquired properties a variety of inducements which originate contractually as contingencies but which may become commitments upon the satisfaction of the contingent event. Contingent payments earned will be included in the respective lease bases when funded.

As of March 31, 2022, we had working capital, construction and mezzanine loan commitments to seven operators for $274.5 million, of which we had funded $187.9 million toward these commitments.

As of March 31, 2022, we had $31.3 million of development commitments for construction and renovation for nine properties of which we had funded $23.9 million toward these commitments. In addition to these commitments, Discovery PropCo has committed to funding up to $2.0 million for the purchase of condominium units located at one of the facilities of which $1.0 million had been funded.

As of March 31, 2022, we had $33.9 million of contingent lease inducement commitments in seven lease agreements which are generally based on the performance of facility operations and may or may not be met by the tenant. At March 31, 2022, we had funded $1.5 million toward these commitments of which $1.0 million was funded during the three months ended March 31, 2022.

As provided above, loans funded do not include the effects of discounts or commitment fees.

The credit loss liability for unfunded loan commitments is estimated using the same methodology as for our funded mortgage and other notes receivable based on the estimated amount that we expect to fund. We applied the same COVID-19 pandemic adjustments as discussed in Note 4.
The liability for expected credit losses on our unfunded loans is presented in the following table for the three months ended March 31, 2022 ($ in thousands):

Beginning balance January 1, 2022$955 
Provision for expected credit losses— 
Balance at March 31, 2022$955 

COVID-19 Pandemic Contingencies

Since the World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease 2019 a pandemic on March 11, 2020, the continually evolving pandemic has resulted in a widespread health crisis adversely affecting governments, businesses, and financial markets. The COVID-19 pandemic and related health and safety measures continue to impact the operations of many of the Company’s tenants, operators and borrowers. The federal government has provided economic assistance and other forms of assistance which mitigated to some extent the negative financial impact of the pandemic for certain of our tenants and operators who are eligible.

When applicable, we have accounted for rent concessions as variable lease payments, recorded as rental income when received, in accordance with the FASB's Lease Modification Q&A. Reference Note 2 for further discussion. We will evaluate any rent deferral requests as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic on a tenant-by-tenant basis. The extent of future concessions we make as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which could have a material impact on our future operating results, cannot be reasonably or reliably projected by us at this time.

As of March 31, 2022, aggregate pandemic-related rent concessions granted to tenants that have been accounted for as variable lease payments totaled approximately $41.4 million, net of cumulative repayments of $0.2 million and excluding any interest accrued. Of this total, net rent deferrals that are contractually agreed to be repaid are $35.9 million. During the first quarter of 2022, we granted rent deferrals of $6.3 million to six tenants, of which Bickford accounts for $4.0 million. Bickford was also granted a rent abatement of approximately $1.5 million. Repayments of rent deferrals during the first quarter of 2022 totaled $0.1 million.

We have agreed to defer approximately $1.8 million in contractual rent due for the second quarter of 2022. We anticipate that some tenants may need additional rent deferrals to assist them with the ongoing impact of the pandemic. The timing and amount of any additional deferrals cannot yet be determined.

Rent deferrals granted in the first quarter of 2021 totaled approximately $4.2 million, of which Bickford accounted for approximately $3.8 million.

Litigation

Our facilities are subject to claims and suits in the ordinary course of business. Our lessees and borrowers have indemnified, and are obligated to continue to indemnify us, against all liabilities arising from the operation of the facilities, and are further obligated to indemnify us against environmental or title problems affecting the real estate underlying such facilities. While there may be lawsuits pending against certain of the owners and/or lessees of the facilities, management believes that the ultimate resolution of all such pending proceedings will have no direct material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Welltower, Inc.

In June 2021, Welltower announced that it would acquire certain assets from the senior housing portfolio of Holiday, a privately held senior living management company in which 17 senior living facilities were included in Holiday’s portfolio and governed by a master lease originally executed between a Holiday subsidiary and NHI in 2013. We received no rent due under the master lease from the tenant for these facilities since this change in tenant ownership occurred in late July 2021.

On December 20, 2021, NHI and its subsidiaries NHI-REIT of Next House, LLC, Myrtle Beach Retirement Resident LLC, and Voorhees Retirement Residence LLC filed suit against Welltower, Inc., Welltower Victory II TRS LLC, and Well Churchill Leasehold Owner LLC (collectively the "Defendants") in the Delaware Court of Chancery (Case No. 2021-1097-MTZ). In the litigation, we contended that the Defendants failed repeatedly to honor their legal obligations to NHI. In particular, we asserted that the Defendants acquired assets from a third party, Holiday, that included leases to NHI senior living facilities and fraudulently induced NHI to consent to the assignment of the leases, and then immediately failed to pay rent or provide a
promised security agreement that was intended to secure against their default, all as part of an effort to pressure NHI to agree to new conditions outside the assignment agreement or force a sale of the properties to the Defendants. The lawsuit further asserted that the Defendants owed unpaid contractual rent.

In connection with a memorandum of understanding between the parties dated March 4, 2022, NHI applied the remaining approximately $8.8 million lease deposit to past due rents in the first quarter of 2022. Unpaid contractual rent, excluding penalties and interest, totaled $9.1 million through March 31, 2022 after application of the lease deposit. Also, as provided by the memorandum of understanding, Welltower transferred approximately $6.9 million to an escrow account to be released upon satisfactory transition of the facility operations and mutual dismissal of the lawsuit. NHI and certain of its subsidiaries entered into a settlement agreement dated March 31, 2022 with Defendants formalizing the terms to settle the lawsuit.

NHI and certain of its subsidiaries terminated the master lease with Well Churchill Leasehold Owner, LLC as successor in interest to NHI Master Tenant LLC, effective April 1, 2022, upon completion of the transition of the properties subject to the master lease, as follows: (i) one property was sold to a third party, (ii) one property was transitioned to an existing operator relationship and leased pursuant to an existing master lease, and (iii) the remaining 15 properties were transitioned into two new senior housing operating portfolio partnership ventures. See Note 3 for more information on these new ventures.

Also effective April 1, 2022, the parties agreed to dismiss the lawsuit and mutually release all claims related to or arising out of the litigation, and the $6.9 million in escrowed funds were released to NHI.