COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Loan Commitments—Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer provided the terms established in the contract are met. Our outstanding loan commitments to fund loans were $11,784,000 at March 31, 2017 and are for prime-based loans to be originated by our subsidiary engaged in SBA 7(a) Program lending, the government guaranteed portion of which is intended to be sold. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates. Since some commitments are expected to expire without being drawn upon, total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements.

General—In connection with the ownership and operation of real estate properties, we have certain obligations for the payment of tenant improvement allowances and lease commissions in connection with new leases and renewals. CIM Commercial had a total of $39,362,000 in future obligations under leases to fund tenant improvements and other future construction obligations at March 31, 2017. At March 31, 2017, $12,647,000 was funded to reserve accounts included in restricted cash on our consolidated balance sheet for these tenant improvement obligations in connection with the mortgage loan agreements entered into in June 2016.

Employment Agreements—We have employment agreements with two of our officers. Pursuant to these employment agreements, we issued an aggregate of 76,423 shares of Common Stock under the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan as retention bonuses to these officers in January 2016 (as each executive was not entitled to any disability, death or severance payments on such date). These shares vested immediately. We accrued associated payroll taxes of $444,000 at December 31, 2015, which were paid in January 2016, and recorded no compensation expense during the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 related to these retention bonuses. In addition, under certain circumstances, each of these employment agreements currently provides for (1) severance payment equal to the annual base salary paid to the officer and (2) death and disability payments in an amount equal to two times and one time, respectively, the annual base salary paid to the officers. At March 31, 2017, there was no unrecognized compensation expense related to these awards.

Litigation—We are not currently involved in any material pending or threatened legal proceedings nor, to our knowledge, are any material legal proceedings currently threatened against us, other than routine litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. In the normal course of business, we are periodically party to certain legal actions and proceedings involving matters that are generally incidental to our business. While the outcome of these legal actions and proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, in management's opinion, the resolution of these legal proceedings and actions will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flow or our ability to satisfy our debt service obligations, to maintain our level of Common Stock or Series A Preferred Stock dividend distributions or to engage in further repurchases of Common Stock.

In April 2017, the City and County of San Francisco filed suit against certain subsidiaries of the Company claiming past due real property transfer tax relating to a transaction in a prior year totaling approximately $11,500,000, including penalties and interest. The Company believes that it has defenses to, and intends to vigorously contest, the suit. Due to the early stage of the suit and the uncertainty and risks inherent in litigation, the Company cannot predict the ultimate outcome. However, the Company currently does not believe that any loss is probable and reasonably estimable. Accordingly, the Company has not recorded any liability related to the suit as of March 31, 2017 in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

SBA Related—If the SBA establishes that a loss on an SBA guaranteed loan is attributable to significant technical deficiencies in the manner in which the loan was originated, funded or serviced under the SBA 7(a) Program, the SBA may seek recovery of the principal loss related to the deficiency from us. With respect to the guaranteed portion of SBA loans that have been sold, the SBA will first honor its guarantee and then seek compensation from us in the event that a loss is deemed to be attributable to technical deficiencies. Based on historical experience, we do not expect that this contingency is probable to be asserted. However, if asserted, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flow or our ability to satisfy our debt service obligations, to maintain our level of Common Stock or Series A Preferred Stock dividend distributions or to engage in further repurchases of Common Stock.

Environmental Matters—In connection with the ownership and operation of real estate properties, we may be potentially liable for costs and damages related to environmental matters, including asbestos-containing materials. We have not been notified by any governmental authority of any noncompliance, liability, or other claim in connection with any of the properties, and we are not aware of any other environmental condition with respect to any of the properties that management believes will have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flow or our ability to satisfy our debt service obligations, to maintain our level of Common Stock or Series A Preferred Stock dividend distributions or to engage in further repurchases of Common Stock.

Rent Expense—The ground lease for a property provides for current annual rent of $503,000, payable quarterly, with increases every five years after July 1, 2015 based on the greater of 15% or 50% of the increase in the Consumer Price Index during a five-year adjustment period. In addition, commencing on July 1, 2040 and July 1, 2065, the rent payable during the balance of the lease term shall be increased by an amount equal to 10% of the rent payable during the immediately preceding lease year. The lease term is through May 31, 2089. If the landlord decides to sell the leased property, we have the right of first refusal.

Rent expense under this lease, which includes straight-line rent and amortization of acquired below-market ground lease, was $438,000 for each of the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016. We record rent expense on a straight-line basis. Straight-line rent liability of $13,566,000 and $13,289,000 is included in other liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively.

We lease office space in Dallas, Texas under a lease which expires in May 2018. We recorded rent expense of $56,000 and $58,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Scheduled future noncancelable minimum lease payments at March 31, 2017 are as follows:



Years Ending December 31,	(in thousands)
2017 (Nine months ending December 31, 2017)	$	562
2018	607
2019	503
2020	541
2021	578
Thereafter	127,101
	$	129,892