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Related Party Transactions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Party Transactions Related Party Transactions
The Company has adopted written related party transaction guidelines that are intended to cover transactions in which the Company (including entities it controls) is a party and in which any "related person" has a direct or indirect interest. A "related person" means any person who is or was (since the beginning of the last fiscal year) a Company director, director nominee, or executive officer, any beneficial owner of more than 5% of the Company’s outstanding common stock, and any immediate family member of any of the foregoing persons. A related person may be considered to have an indirect interest in a transaction if he or she (i) is an owner, director, officer or employee of or otherwise associated with another company that is engaging in a transaction with the Company, or (ii) otherwise, through one or more entities or arrangements, has an indirect financial interest in or personal benefit from the transaction.

The related person transaction review and approval process is intended to determine, among any other relevant issues, the dollar amount involved in the transaction; the nature and value of any related person’s direct or indirect interest (if any) in the transaction; and whether or not (i) a related person’s interest is material, (ii) the transaction is fair, reasonable, and serves the best interest of the Company and its shareholders, and (iii) whether the transaction or relationship should be entered into, continued or ended.

The Company’s Chairman and founder, Mr. George Marcus, is the Chairman of the Marcus & Millichap Company ("MMC"), which is a parent company of a diversified group of real estate service, investment, and development firms. Mr. Marcus is also the Co-Chairman of Marcus & Millichap, Inc. ("MMI"), and Mr. Marcus owns a controlling interest in MMI, a national brokerage firm listed on the NYSE that underwent its initial public offering in 2013. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company paid brokerage commissions of $0.2 million to MMC and its affiliates related to real estate transactions. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, there were no brokerage commissions paid by the Company to MMI or its affiliates.

The Company charges certain fees relating to its co-investments for asset management, property management, development and redevelopment services. These fees from affiliates totaled $11.3 million, $13.8 million, and $13.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. All of these fees are net of intercompany amounts eliminated by the Company. The Company netted development and redevelopment fees of $1.7 million, $4.3 million, and $4.8 million against general and administrative expenses for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

As described in Note 5, Notes and Other Receivables, the Company has provided short-term loans to affiliates. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, $4.7 million and $4.4 million, respectively, of short-term loans remained outstanding due from joint venture affiliates and are classified within notes and other receivables in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. In November 2016, the Company provided a $6.6 million mezzanine loan to a limited liability company in which MMC holds a significant ownership interest through subsidiaries. The mezzanine loan was classified within notes and other receivables in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets and was paid off in October 2019.

In November 2019, the Company provided an $85.5 million related party bridge loan to Wesco V as part of the acquisition of Velo and Ray. The note receivable accrued interest at LIBOR plus 1.30% and was scheduled to mature in February 2020, but was paid off in January 2020. The bridge loan was classified within notes and other receivables in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

In August 2019, the Company provided an $89.0 million related party bridge loan to Wesco V in connection with the acquisition of The Courtyards at 65th Street. The note receivable accrued interest at LIBOR plus 1.30% and was paid off in November 2019.

In August 2019, the Company provided a $44.4 million related party bridge loan to BEX IV in connection with the acquisition of 777 Hamilton. The note receivable accrued interest at 3.25%. In November 2019, the term of the bridge loan was extended to February 2020, but was paid off in December 2019.

In June 2019, the Company acquired Brio, a 300 unit apartment home community located in Walnut Creek, CA. The Company issued DownREIT units to an affiliate of MMC, based on a contract price of $164.9 million. The property was encumbered by $98.7 million of mortgage debt which was assumed by the Company at the time of acquisition. As a result of this transaction, the Company consolidated the property, based on a VIE analysis performed by the Company.
In February 2019, the Company funded a $24.5 million preferred equity investment in an entity whose sponsor is an affiliate of MMC, which owns a multifamily development community located in Mountain View, CA. The investment has an initial preferred return of 11.0% and is scheduled to mature in February 2024.

In October 2018, the Company funded a $18.6 million preferred equity investment in an entity whose sponsor is an affiliate of MMC. The entity wholly owns a 268 apartment home community development located in Burlingame, CA. This investment accrues interest based on an initial 12.0% preferred return. The investment is scheduled to mature in April 2024.

In May 2018, the Company made a commitment to fund a $26.5 million preferred equity investment in an entity whose sponsors include an affiliate of MMC. The entity wholly owns a 400 apartment home community located in Ventura, CA. This investment accrues interest based on a 10.25% preferred return. The investment is scheduled to mature in May 2023. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had funded $23.4 million of the commitment. The remaining committed amount is expected to be funded if and when requested by the sponsors.

In March 2017, the Company converted its existing $15.3 million preferred equity investment in Sage at Cupertino, a 230 apartment home community located in San Jose, CA, into a 40.5% common equity ownership interest in the property. The Company issued DownREIT units to the other members, including an MMC affiliate, based on an estimated property valuation of $90.0 million. At the time of the conversion, the property was encumbered by $52.0 million of mortgage debt. As a result of this transaction, the Company consolidates the property, based on a consolidation analysis performed by the Company.

In 2015, the Company made preferred equity investments totaling $20.0 million in three entities affiliated with MMC that own apartment communities in California. The Company earned a 9.5% preferred return on each such investment. One $5.0 million investment, which was scheduled to mature in 2022, was fully redeemed in 2017. Another $5.0 million investment, which was scheduled to mature in 2022, was fully redeemed in 2018. The remaining investment was fully redeemed in February 2019.