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BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include our accounts and the accounts of all our subsidiaries in which we maintain a controlling interest, including the Operating Partnership. All intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated in consolidation.

CONSOLIDATION

The consolidated financial statements also reflect the ownership by the Operating Partnership of certain joint venture entities in which the Operating Partnership has a general partner's or controlling interest. These entities are consolidated into our other operations with noncontrolling interests reflecting the noncontrolling partners’ share of ownership, income, and expenses.

USE OF ESTIMATES

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

The following table provides a brief description of recent GAAP accounting standards updates (“ASUs”).



Standard	Description	Date of Adoption	Effect on the Financial Statements or Other Significant Matters
ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments; ASU 2018-19, Codification Improvements to Topic 326; ASU 2019-05, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses - Targeted Transition Relief; ASU 2019-11, Codification improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses	These ASUs require entities to estimate a lifetime expected credit loss for most financial assets, such as loans and other financial instruments, and to present the net amount expected to be collected. In 2018, another ASU was issued to amend ASU 2016-13 which clarifies that it does not apply to operating lease receivables. In 2019, an additional ASU was issued to provide transition relief in which an entity is allowed to elect the fair value option on an instrument-by-instrument basis for eligible instruments, upon adoption of Topic 326.	These ASUs are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted.	We will elect the fair value option, as allowed by ASU 2019-05, for our mortgages receivable and notes receivable at January 1, 2020. The fair value option election is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements but will require additional disclosures.
ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurements (Topic 820) - Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirement for Fair Value Measurements	This ASU eliminates certain disclosure requirements affecting all levels of measurement, and modifies and adds new disclosure requirements for Level 3 measurements.	This ASU is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted.	The new standard will not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.
ASU 2019-01, Leases (Topic 842) - Codification Improvements	This ASU provides clarification on various lease related issues and provides for reduced transition disclosure requirements.	This ASU has two effective dates. The various lease issues are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019. The transition disclosures are effective with ASU 2016-02, Leases. We adopted this standard using the modified retrospective approach effective January 1, 2019.	The adoption of the standard did not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements. Refer to the "Leases" section below for transition disclosures.
ASU 2019-07, Codification Updates to SEC Sections: Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Final Rule Releases No. 33-10532, Disclosure Update and Simplification, and Nos. 33-10231 and 33-10442, Investment Company Reporting Modernization, and Miscellaneous Updates	This ASU clarifies or improves the disclosure and presentation requirements of a variety of codification topics by aligning them with the SEC's regulations, thereby eliminating redundancies and making the codification easier to apply.	This ASU was effective upon issuance.	The adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements and the related disclosures.

RECLASSIFICATIONS

Certain previously reported amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current financial statement presentation. These reclassifications had no impact on net income as reported in the consolidated statement of operations, total assets, liabilities or equity as reported in the consolidated balance sheets and total shareholder’s equity. We report in discontinued operations the results of operations and the related gains or losses of properties that have either been disposed or classified as held for sale and for which the disposition represents a strategic shift that has or will have a major effect on our operations and financial results.

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS

Real estate investments are recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation and an adjustment for impairment, if any. Property, consisting primarily of real estate investments, totaled $1.3 billion, $1.3 billion, and $1.4 billion as of December 31, 2019, December 31, 2018, and April 30, 2018, respectively. Upon acquisitions of real estate, we assess the fair value of acquired

tangible assets (including land, buildings and personal property), which is determined by valuing the property as if it were vacant, and consider whether there were significant intangible assets acquired (for example, above- and below-market leases, the value of acquired in-place leases and resident relationships) and assumed liabilities, and allocate the purchase price based on these assessments. The as-if-vacant value is allocated to land, buildings, and personal property based on our determination of the relative fair values of these assets. The estimated fair value of the property is the amount that would be recoverable upon the disposition of the property. Techniques used to estimate fair value include discounted cash flow analysis and reference to recent sales of comparable properties. Estimates of future cash flows are based on a number of factors, including the historical operating results, known trends, and market/economic conditions that may affect the property. Land value is assigned based on the purchase price if land is acquired separately or based on a relative fair value allocation if acquired in a portfolio acquisition.

Other intangible assets acquired include amounts for in-place lease values that are based upon our evaluation of the specific characteristics of the leases. Factors considered in the fair value analysis include an estimate of carrying costs and foregone rental income during hypothetical expected lease-up periods, considering current market conditions, and costs to execute similar leases. We also consider information about each property obtained during pre-acquisition due diligence, marketing, and leasing activities in estimating the relative fair value of the tangible and intangible assets acquired.

Acquired above- and below-market lease values are recorded as the difference between the contractual amounts to be paid pursuant to the in-place leases and management’s estimate of fair market value lease rates for the corresponding in-place leases. The capitalized above- and below-market lease values are amortized as adjustments to rental revenue over the remaining terms of the respective leases.

Depreciation is computed on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. We use a 10-37 year estimated life for buildings and improvements and a 5-10 year estimated life for furniture, fixtures, and equipment.

We follow the real estate project costs guidance in ASC 970, Real Estate – General, in accounting for the costs of development and redevelopment projects. As real estate is undergoing development or redevelopment, all project costs directly associated with and attributable to the development and construction of a project, including interest expense and real estate tax expense, are capitalized to the cost of the real property. The capitalization period begins when development activities and expenditures begin and are identifiable to a specific property and ends upon completion, which is when the asset is ready for its intended use. Generally, rental property is considered substantially complete upon issuance of a certificate of occupancy. General and administrative costs are expensed as incurred. Interest of approximately $4,000 and $431,000 was capitalized in continuing and discontinued operations for the years ended April 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. We did not capitalize interest during the year ended December 31, 2019 or the transition period ended December 31, 2018.

Expenditures for ordinary maintenance and repairs are expensed to operations as incurred. Renovations and improvements that improve and/or extend the useful life of the asset are capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful life, generally five to twenty years. Property sales or dispositions are recorded when control of the assets transfers to the buyer and we have no significant continuing involvement with the property sold.

We periodically evaluate our long-lived assets, including real estate investments, for impairment indicators. The judgments regarding the existence of impairment indicators are based on factors such as operational performance, market conditions, expected holding period of each asset group, and legal and environmental concerns. If indicators exist, we compare the expected future undiscounted cash flows for the long-lived asset group against the carrying amount of that asset. If the sum of the estimated undiscounted cash flows is less than the carrying amount of the asset, an impairment loss is recorded for the difference between the estimated fair value and the carrying amount of the asset group. If our anticipated holding period for properties, the estimated fair value of properties or other factors change based on market conditions or otherwise, our evaluation of impairment charges may be different and such differences could be material to our consolidated financial statements. The evaluation of anticipated cash flows is subjective and is based, in part, on assumptions regarding future physical occupancy, rental rates, and capital requirements that could differ materially from actual results. Plans to hold properties over longer periods decrease the likelihood of recording impairment losses.

CHANGE IN DEPRECIABLE LIVES OF REAL ESTATE ASSETS AND PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

Property and equipment consists primarily of office equipment located at our headquarters in Minot, North Dakota and corporate office in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The consolidated balance sheets reflects these assets at cost, net of accumulated depreciation, and are included within Other Assets.

CHANGE IN DEPRECIABLE LIVES OF REAL ESTATE ASSETS

Effective May 1, 2017, we changed the estimated useful lives of our real estate assets to better reflect the estimated periods during which they would be of economic benefit.

REAL ESTATE HELD FOR SALE

Real estate held for sale is stated at the lower of its carrying amount or estimated fair value less disposal costs. Our determination of fair value is based on inputs management believes are consistent with those that market participants would use. Estimates are significantly impacted by estimates of sales price, selling velocity, and other factors. Due to uncertainties in the estimation process, actual results could differ from such estimates. Depreciation is not recorded on assets classified as held for sale.

We classify properties as held for sale when they meet the GAAP criteria, which include: (a) management commits to and initiates a plan to sell the asset; (b) the sale is probable and expected to be completed within one year under terms that are usual and customary for sales of such assets; and (c) actions required to complete the plan indicate that it is unlikely that significant changes to the plan will be made or that the plan will be withdrawn. We generally consider these criteria met when the transaction has been approved by our Board of Trustees, there are no known significant contingencies related to the sale, and management believes it is probable that the sale will be completed within one year. We had no properties classified as held for sale at December 31, 2019, December 31, 2018, and April 30, 2018.

We report in discontinued operations the results of operations and the related gains or losses on the sales of properties that have either been disposed of or classified as held for sale and meet the classification of a discontinued operation as described in ASC 205 - Presentation of Financial Statements and ASC 360 - Property, Plant, and Equipment: Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity. Under these standards, a disposal (or classification as held for sale) of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity is required to be reported in discontinued operations if the disposal represents a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results.

CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH

CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND RESTRICTED CASH



	(in thousands)
Balance sheet description	December 31, 2019		December 31, 2018		April 30, 2018
Cash and cash equivalents	$	26,579	$	13,792	$	11,891
Restricted cash	19,538		5,464		4,225
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	$	46,117	$	19,256	$	16,116

Cash and cash equivalents include all cash and highly liquid investments purchased with maturities of three months or less. Cash and cash equivalents consist of our bank deposits, short-term investment certificates acquired subject to repurchase agreements, and our deposits in a money market mutual fund. We are potentially exposed to credit risk for cash deposited with FDIC-insured financial institutions in accounts which, at times, may exceed federally insured limits. We have not experienced any losses in such accounts.

RESTRICED CASH

As of December 31, 2019 restricted cash consisted of $17.2 million of net tax-deferred exchange proceeds remaining from a portion of our dispositions and $2.3 million in escrows held by lenders for real estate taxes, insurance, and capital additions. As of December 31, 2018, and April 30, 2018, restricted cash consisted primarily of escrows held by lenders for real estate taxes, insurance, and capital additions. Tax, insurance, and other escrows include funds deposited with a lender for payment of real estate taxes and insurance and reserves for funds to be used for replacement of structural elements and mechanical equipment of certain projects. The funds are under the control of the lender. Disbursements are made after supplying written documentation to the lender

LEASES

Effective January 1, 2019, we adopted ASUs 2016-02, 2018-10, 2018-11, 2018-20, and 2019-01 related to leases using the modified retrospective approach. We elected to adopt the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance, which permits us to not reassess prior conclusions about lease identification, classification, and initial direct costs under the new standard, and the practical expedient related to land easements, which allows us to not evaluate existing or expired land easements that were not previously accounted for under ASC 840. We made an accounting policy election to exclude leases in which we are a lessee with a term of 12 months or less from the balance sheet.

As a lessor, we primarily lease multifamily apartment homes which qualify as operating leases with terms that are generally one year or less. Rental revenues are recognized in accordance with ASC 842, Leases, using a method that represents a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. Rental income represents approximately 98.1% of our total revenues and includes gross market rent less adjustments for concessions, vacancy loss, and bad debt. Other property revenues represent the remaining 1.9% of our total revenues and are primarily driven by other fee income, which is typically recognized when earned, at a point in time.

Some of our apartment communities have commercial spaces available for lease. Lease terms for these spaces typically range from three to fifteen years. The leases for commercial spaces generally include options to extend the lease for additional terms.

Many of our leases contain non-lease components for utility reimbursement from our residents. We have elected the practical expedient to combine lease and non-lease components for all asset classes. The combined components are included in lease income and are accounted for under ASC 842.

REVENUE

We adopted ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, as of May 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective approach. We elected to apply the new standard to contracts that were not complete as of May 1, 2018. We also elected to omit disclosing the value of unsatisfied performance obligations for contracts with an original expected length of one year or less. Under the new standard, revenue is recognized in accordance with the transfer of goods and services to customers at an amount that reflects the consideration the company expects to be entitled for those goods and services.

Revenue streams that are included in ASU 2014-09 include:


•	Other property revenues: We recognize revenue for rental related income not included as a component of a lease, such as other application fees, as earned, and have concluded that this is appropriate under the new standard.

•

Gains or losses on sales of real estate: Subsequent to the adoption of the new standard, a gain or loss is recognized when the criteria for derecognition of an asset are met, including when (1) a contract exists and (2) the buyer obtained control of the nonfinancial asset that was sold. As a result, we may recognize a gain on real estate disposition transactions that previously did not qualify as a sale or for full profit recognition under the previous accounting standard. Any gain or loss on real estate dispositions is net of certain closing and other costs associated with the disposition.

INCOME TAXES

We operate in a manner intended to enable us to continue to qualify as a REIT under Sections 856-860 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Under those sections, a REIT which distributes at least 90% of its REIT taxable income, excluding capital gains, as a dividend to its shareholders each year and which meets certain other conditions will not be taxed on that portion of its taxable income which is distributed to shareholders. For the year ended December 31, 2019, the transition period ended December 31, 2018 and the fiscal years ended April 30, 2018, and 2017, we distributed in excess of 90% of our taxable income and realized capital gains from property dispositions within the prescribed time limits. Accordingly, no provision has been made for federal income taxes in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, we will be subject to federal income tax on our taxable income at regular corporate rates (including any alternative minimum tax) and may not be able to qualify as a REIT for the four subsequent taxable years. Even as a REIT, we may be subject to certain state and local income and property taxes, and to federal income and excise taxes on undistributed taxable income. In general, however, if we qualify as a REIT, no provisions for federal income taxes are necessary except for taxes on undistributed REIT taxable income and taxes on the income generated by a taxable REIT subsidiary (TRS).

We have one TRS, acquired during the second quarter of fiscal year 2014, which is subject to corporate federal and state income taxes on its taxable income at regular statutory rates. For the year ended December 31, 2019, we estimate that the TRS will have no taxable income. There were no income tax provisions or material deferred income tax items for our TRS for the year ended December 31, 2019, the transition period ended December 31, 2018 and the fiscal years ended April 30, 2018, and 2017.

We conduct our business activity as an Umbrella Partnership Real Estate Investment Trust (“UPREIT”) through our Operating Partnership. UPREIT status allows us to accept the contribution of real estate in exchange for Units. Generally, such a contribution to a limited partnership allows for the deferral of gain by an owner of appreciated real estate.

VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY

We have determined that our Operating Partnership and each of our less-than-wholly owned real estate partnerships is a variable interest entity (“VIE”), as the limited partners or the functional equivalent of limited partners lack substantive kick-out rights and substantive participating rights. We are the primary beneficiary of the VIEs, and the VIEs are required to be consolidated on our balance sheet because we have a controlling financial interest in the VIEs and have both the power to direct the activities of the VIEs that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIEs as well as the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIEs that could potentially be significant to the VIEs. Because our Operating Partnership is a VIE, all of our assets and liabilities are held through a VIE.

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

CHANGE IN DEPRECIABLE LIVES OF REAL ESTATE ASSETS

Effective May 1, 2017, we changed the estimated useful lives of our real estate assets to better reflect the estimated periods during which they would be of economic benefit.

MARKETABLE SECURITIES

As of December 31, 2019, marketable securities consisted of equity securities. We report equity securities at fair value based on quoted market prices (Level 1 inputs). Any unrealized gains or losses are included in interest and other income on the consolidated statements of operations.