United Dominion Realty Trust (UDR)

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Form 10-K

 

þ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006

or

o TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from          to          

 

Commission file number 1-10524

UNITED DOMINION REALTY TRUST, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

1745 Shea Center Drive, Suite 200, Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80129
(Address of principal executive offices) (zip code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (720) 283-6120

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

 

Indicate by checkmark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.  Yes þ     No o

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.  Yes o     No þ

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes þ     No o

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or other information statements incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer þ     Accelerated filer o     Non-accelerated filer o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  Yes o     No þ

 

The aggregate market value of the shares of common stock held by non-affiliates on June 30, 2006 was approximately $3.7 billion. This calculation excludes shares of common stock held by the registrant’s officers and directors and each person known by the registrant to beneficially own more than 5% of the registrant’s outstanding shares, as such persons may be deemed to be affiliates. This determination of affiliate status should not be deemed conclusive for any other purpose. As of February 20, 2007 there were 135,544,953 shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding.

 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

The information required by Part III of this Report, to the extent not set forth herein, is incorporated by reference from the registrant’s definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 8, 2007.

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

General

 

United Dominion Realty Trust, Inc. is a self administered real estate investment trust, or REIT, that owns, acquires, renovates, develops, and manages apartment communities nationwide. At December 31, 2006, our apartment portfolio included 242 communities located in 33 markets, with a total of 70,339 completed apartment homes. In addition, we had five apartment communities under development.

 

We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code. To continue to qualify as a REIT, we must continue to meet certain tests which, among other things, generally require that our assets consist primarily of real estate assets, our income be derived primarily from real estate assets, and that we distribute at least 90% of our REIT taxable income (other than our net capital gain) to our stockholders. As a qualified REIT, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes at the corporate level on our net income to the extent we distribute such net income to our stockholders. In 2006, we declared total distributions of $1.25 per common share to our stockholders, which represents our 30th year of consecutive dividend increases to our stockholders.

 

We were formed in 1972 as a Virginia corporation. In June 2003, we changed our state of incorporation from Virginia to Maryland. Our corporate headquarters is located at 400 East Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia. Our principal executive offices are located at 1745 Shea Center Drive, Suite 200, Highlands Ranch, Colorado. As of February 20, 2007, we had 1,809 full-time employees and 127 part-time employees.

 

Our subsidiaries include two operating partnerships, Heritage Communities L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and United Dominion Realty L.P., a Delaware limited partnership. Unless the context otherwise requires, all references in this Report to “we,” “us,” “our,” “the company,” or “UDR” refer collectively to United Dominion Realty Trust, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

 

2006 Accomplishments

 

 

Business Objectives and Operating Strategies

 

Our principal business objective is to maximize the economic returns of our apartment communities to provide our stockholders with the greatest possible total return and value. To achieve this objective, we intend to continue to pursue the following goals and strategies:

 

 

 

Acquisitions

 

During 2006, using the proceeds from our disposition program, as well as debt offerings, we acquired eight communities with 2,763 apartment homes at a total cost of approximately $327.5 million, including the assumption of secured debt. In addition, we purchased two parcels of land for $19.9 million.

 

When evaluating potential acquisitions, we consider:

 

 

The following table summarizes our apartment acquisitions and our year-end ownership position for the past five years (dollars in thousands):

 

 

Dispositions

 

We regularly monitor and adjust our assets to increase the quality and performance of our portfolio. During 2006, we sold over 7,600 of our slower growing, non-core apartment homes while exiting some markets in an effort to increase the quality and performance of our portfolio. Proceeds from the disposition program were used primarily to reduce debt and fund acquisitions.

 

Factors we consider in deciding whether to dispose of a property include:

 

 

At December 31, 2006, we had two communities with a total of 475 apartment homes, one community with a total of 320 condominiums, one commercial unit, and one parcel of land classified as real estate held for disposition. We are in the market for replacement properties that will correspond with our expected sales activity to prevent dilution to earnings.

 

Upgrading and Development Activities

 

During 2006, we continued to reposition properties in targeted markets where we concluded there was an opportunity to add value and achieve greater than inflationary increases in rents over the long term. In 2006, we spent $21.6 million on five development projects that are expected to be completed in 2007 and 2008. Revenue enhancing capital expenditures, including kitchen and bath renovations, and other extensive interior upgrades totaled $144.1 million or $2,002 per home for the year ended December 31, 2006. In addition, we spent $37.0 million on major renovation projects that included major structural changes and/or architectural revisions to existing buildings and the wiring and/or re-plumbing of an entire building.

 

The following wholly owned projects were under development as of December 31, 2006:

 

 

In addition, we owned five parcels of land held for future development aggregating $35.4 million at December 31, 2006.

 

The following consolidated joint venture projects were under development as of December 31, 2006:

 

Financing Activities

 

As part of our plan to strengthen our capital structure, we utilized proceeds from dispositions, debt and equity offerings and refinancings to extend maturities, pay down existing debt, and acquire apartment communities. The following is a summary of our major financing activities in 2006:

 

 

Markets and Competitive Conditions

 

At December 31, 2006, we owned 242 apartment communities in 33 markets in 16 states. When comparing fourth quarter 2006 to the same period in the prior year, 90% of the portfolio generated positive revenue growth and 75% of the portfolio generated positive net operating income growth. We have a geographically diverse portfolio and we believe that this diversification increases investment opportunity and decreases the risk associated with cyclical local real estate markets and economies, thereby increasing the stability and predictability of our earnings.

 

We believe changing demographics will have a significant impact on the apartment industry over the next two decades. In particular, we believe the annual number of young people entering the workforce and creating households will be significantly higher over the next 10 to 15 years as compared to the number who entered the workforce over the past 10 years. The number of single people and single parent households continues to grow significantly. The immigrant population is also expected to grow at an accelerated pace. Each of these population segments has a high propensity to rent.

 

In many of our markets, competition for new residents is intense. Some competing communities offer features that our communities do not have. Competing communities can use concessions or lower rents to obtain temporary competitive advantages. Also, some competing communities are larger or newer than our communities. The competitive position of each community is different depending upon many factors including sub-market supply and demand. In addition, other real estate investors compete with us to acquire existing properties and to develop new properties. These competitors include insurance companies, pension and investment funds, developer partnerships, investment companies and other apartment REITs. This competition could increase prices for properties of the type that we would likely pursue, and our competitors may have greater resources, or lower capital costs, than we do.

 

We believe that, in general, we are well-positioned to compete effectively for residents and investments. We believe our competitive advantages include:

 

 

 

Moving forward, we will continue to emphasize aggressive lease management, improved expense control, increased resident retention efforts and the realignment of employee incentive plans tied to our bottom line performance. We believe this plan of operation, coupled with the portfolio’s strengths in targeting renters across a geographically diverse platform, should position us for continued operational improvement.

 

Communities

 

At December 31, 2006, our apartment portfolio included 242 communities having a total of 70,339 completed apartment homes. In addition, we had five apartment communities under development. The overall quality of our portfolio has significantly improved since 2001 with the disposition of non-core apartment homes and our upgrade and rehabilitation program. The upgrading of the portfolio provides several key benefits related to portfolio profitability. It enables us to raise rents more significantly and to attract residents with higher levels of disposable income who are more likely to accept the transfer of expenses, such as water and sewer costs, from the landlord to the resident. In addition, it potentially reduces recurring capital expenditures per apartment home, and therefore should result in increased cash flow.

 

Same Community Comparison

 

For 2006, same community property operating income increased 8.6% or $30.4 million compared to 2005. The increase in property operating income was primarily attributable to a 6.0% or $34.2 million increase in revenues from rental and other income that was offset by a 1.8% or $3.9 million increase in operating expenses. The increase in revenues from rental and other income was primarily driven by a 4.9% or $28.4 million increase in rental rates, a 17.6% or $2.2 million decrease in concession expense, and a 12.5% or $5.0 million increase in utility reimbursement income and fee income. Physical occupancy increased 0.1% to 94.7%.

 

The increase in property operating expenses was primarily driven by a 15.8% or $1.6 million increase in insurance costs, a 4.4% or $1.5 million increase in utility costs, a 2.8% or $1.5 million increase in personnel costs, a 1.1% or $0.4 million increase in repair and maintenance expenses, and a 0.5% or $0.3 million increase in real estate taxes. These increases in operating expenses were partially offset by a 6.0% or $1.2 million decrease in administrative and marketing expenses.

 

Customers

 

Our upgrade and rehabilitation programs enable us to raise rents and attract residents with higher levels of disposable income who are more likely to accept the transfer of expenses, such as water and sewer costs, from the landlord to the resident. We believe this segment provides the highest profit potential in terms of rent growth, stability of occupancy and investment opportunities.

 

We believe there will be a significant increase in the number of younger renters over the next 10 to 15 years, and that the immigrant population will remain a significant and growing part of the renter base. Accordingly, we plan to target some of our incremental investments to communities that will be attractive to younger households or to the immigrant populations. These communities will often be located close to where these residents work, shop and play.

 

Tax Matters

 

We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Code. To continue to qualify as a REIT, we must continue to meet certain tests that, among other things, generally require that our assets consist primarily of real estate assets, our income be derived primarily from real estate assets, and that we distribute at least 90% of our REIT taxable income (other than net capital gains) to our stockholders. Provided we maintain our qualification as a REIT, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes at the corporate level on

our net income to the extent such net income is distributed to our stockholders. Even if we continue to qualify as a REIT, we will continue to be subject to certain federal, state and local taxes on our income and property.

 

We may utilize taxable REIT subsidiaries to engage in activities that REITs may be prohibited from performing, including the provision of management and other services to third parties and the conduct of certain nonqualifying real estate transactions. Taxable REIT subsidiaries generally are taxable as regular corporations and therefore are subject to federal, state and local income taxes.

 

Inflation

 

Substantially all of our leases are for a term of one year or less, which may enable us to realize increased rents upon renewal of existing leases or the beginning of new leases. Such short-term leases generally minimize the risk to us of the adverse effects of inflation, although as a general rule these leases permit residents to leave at the end of the lease term without penalty. Short-term leases and relatively consistent demand allow rents to provide an attractive hedge against inflation.

 

Environmental Matters

 

Various environmental laws govern certain aspects of the ongoing operation of our communities. Such environmental laws include those regulating the existence of asbestos-containing materials in buildings, management of surfaces with lead-based paint (and notices to residents about the lead-based paint), use of active underground petroleum storage tanks, and waste-management activities. The failure to comply with such requirements could subject us to a government enforcement action and/or claims for damages by a private party.

 

To date, compliance with federal, state and local environmental protection regulations has not had a material effect on our capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position. We have a property management plan for hazardous materials. As part of the plan, Phase I environmental site investigations and reports have been completed for each property we acquire. In addition, all proposed acquisitions are inspected prior to acquisition. The inspections are conducted by qualified environmental consultants, and we review the issued report prior to the purchase or development of any property. Nevertheless, it is possible that our environmental assessments will not reveal all environmental liabilities, or that some material environmental liabilities exist of which we are unaware. In some cases, we have abandoned otherwise economically attractive acquisitions because the costs of removal or control of hazardous materials have been prohibitive or we have been unwilling to accept the potential risks involved. We do not believe we will be required to engage in any large-scale abatement at any of our properties. We believe that through professional environmental inspections and testing for asbestos, lead paint and other hazardous materials, coupled with a relatively conservative posture toward accepting known environmental risk, we can minimize our exposure to potential liability associated with environmental hazards.

 

Federal legislation requires owners and landlords of residential housing constructed prior to 1978 to disclose to potential residents or purchasers of the communities any known lead paint hazards and imposes treble damages for failure to provide such notification. In addition, lead based paint in any of the communities may result in lead poisoning in children residing in that community if chips or particles of such lead based paint are ingested, and we may be held liable under state laws for any such injuries caused by ingestion of lead based paint by children living at the communities.

 

We are unaware of any environmental hazards at any of our properties that individually or in the aggregate may have a material adverse impact on our operations or financial position. We have not been notified by any governmental authority, and we are not otherwise aware, of any material non-compliance, liability, or claim relating to environmental liabilities in connection with any of our properties. We do not believe that the cost of continued compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations will have a material adverse effect on us or our financial condition or results of operations. Future environmental laws, regulations, or ordinances, however, may require additional remediation of existing conditions that are not currently actionable. Also, if more stringent requirements are imposed on us in the future, the costs of compliance could have a material adverse effect on us and our financial condition.

Insurance

 

We carry comprehensive general liability coverage on our communities, with limits of liability customary within the industry to insure against liability claims and related defense costs. We are also insured, in all material respects, against the risk of direct physical damage in amounts necessary to reimburse us on a replacement cost basis for costs incurred to repair or rebuild each property, including loss of rental income during the reconstruction period.

 

Executive Officers of the Company

 

The following table sets forth information about our executive officers as of February 20, 2007. The executive officers listed below serve in their respective capacities at the discretion of our board of directors.

 

 

Set forth below is certain biographical information about our executive officers.

 

Mr. Toomey spearheads the vision and strategic direction of the company and oversees its executive officers. He joined us in February 2001 as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director. Prior to joining us, Mr. Toomey was with Apartment Investment and Management Company (AIMCO) from January 1996 until February 2001, where he served as Chief Operating Officer for two years and Chief Financial Officer for four years. During his tenure at AIMCO, Mr. Toomey was instrumental in the growth of AIMCO from 34,000 apartment homes to 360,000 apartment homes. He has also served, from 1990 to 1995, as a Senior Vice President and Treasurer at Lincoln Property Company, a national real estate development, property management and real estate consulting company. Mr. Toomey began his career at Arthur Andersen & Co. serving real estate and banking clients as an Audit Manager. He currently serves as a member of the boards of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts and the National Multihousing Council, and he serves as a consultant to the Homeland Security Task Force of the Real Estate Roundtable and Chairman of the Pandemic Flu Preparedness Committee of the Real Estate Roundtable.

 

Mr. Wallis oversees the areas of acquisitions, dispositions, condominium conversions, asset quality and development. He joined us in April 2001 as Senior Executive Vice President responsible for acquisitions, dispositions, legal and certain administrative matters. Since that time, his focus has shifted to acquisitions, dispositions, asset quality, condominium conversions and development. Prior to joining us, Mr. Wallis was the

President of Golden Living Communities, a company he established in 1995 to develop senior housing. During his tenure at Golden Living, Mr. Wallis was involved in the development of eight communities containing over 1,200 assisted and independent living apartments. From 1980 to 1995, Mr. Wallis was Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration at Lincoln Property Company where he handled interim and permanent financing for office, retail, multi-family and mixed-use developments. His responsibilities also included the negotiation of acquisitions, dispositions, and management contracts, and oversaw the direction of the national accounting and computer services divisions. Prior to joining Lincoln, Mr. Wallis served as Vice President of Finance for Folsom Investments, Inc., a large diversified real estate developer. Mr. Wallis began his career as an auditor at Alford, Meroney and Company, a Dallas CPA firm.

 

Mr. Ernst oversees the areas of corporate accounting, financial planning and analysis, investor relations, treasury operations, tax and property tax administration, risk management, SEC reporting and legal administration. He joined us in July 2006 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining us, Mr. Ernst was with Prentiss Properties Trust (Prentiss), where he most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He joined Prentiss in 1997 in the role of Vice President and Treasurer, and was promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in 1999, and then to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in 2001. During his tenure at Prentiss, Mr. Ernst was involved in the development of corporate strategy, was active in corporate mergers and acquisitions activity and structured in excess of $3.5 billion in capital transactions. He was a member of Prentiss’s investment committee and was responsible for corporate and property accounting, capital markets, investor relations and financial planning and analysis. Prior to that, Mr. Ernst worked for Nations Bank, now Bank of America, where he was a Senior Vice President in their real estate finance group.

 

Ms. Carlin oversees all operations, including property operations, human resources, technology, internet strategy and business development. She joined the company in March 2001 as Senior Vice President responsible for operational efficiencies and revenue enhancement. She was promoted to Senior Vice President, Director of Property Operations in 2004 and to Executive Vice President, Director of Property Operations in 2005. Ms. Carlin was Senior Vice President of Operations for opsXchange, Inc., a real estate procurement technology developer, from 1999 until March 2001. Prior to that, Ms. Carlin was with Apartment Investment and Management Company, from 1996 through 1999, where she served as Senior Vice President of Ancillary Services, President of Buyers Access and was involved in Dispositions and Secured Financing. Ms. Carlin began her accounting career as a member of Arthur Andersen’s Real Estate Services Group.

 

Mr. Giannotti oversees redevelopment projects in the mid-Atlantic region. He joined us in September 1985 as Director of Development and Construction. He was elected Assistant Vice President in 1988, Vice President in 1989, and Senior Vice President in 1996. In 1998, he was assigned the additional responsibilities of Director of Development for the Eastern Region. In 2003 Mr. Giannotti was promoted to Executive Vice President — Asset Quality to manage the company’s Asset Quality program and to be responsible for the direction of recurring capital expenditures for asset preservation, initial capital expenditures relating to acquisitions and redevelopment projects. In 2006 Mr. Giannotti’s responsibilities shifted to focus on acquisition efforts and development projects in the mid-Atlantic region as well as redevelopment projects.

 

Mr. Akin oversees our acquisition and disposition efforts. He joined us in 1996 in connection with the merger with SouthWest Property Trust, where he had been a Financial Analyst since 1994. He was promoted to Due Diligence Analyst in April 1998 and to Asset Manager for the Western Region in 1999. Mr. Akin was promoted to Vice President, Senior Business Analyst in September 2000 and his focus shifted to acquisitions for the Western Region. In May 2004 he was promoted to Vice President — Acquisitions, and in August 2006 he was promoted to Senior Vice President — Acquisitions and Dispositions. Prior to joining SouthWest Property Trust, Mr. Akin was with Lexford Properties from 1989 to 1994, where he began as Staff Accountant and was promoted to Assistant Controller.

 

Mr. Boeckel oversees the conversion of existing apartment properties, the acquisition of properties for conversion, and the development of condominium communities. He joined us in July 2001 as Vice President of Dispositions and Acquisitions and was promoted in February 2002 to Senior Vice President — Dispositions and Acquisitions. His title was changed to Senior Vice President — Condominiums in December of 2004,

when his focus shifted from acquisitions and dispositions to condo conversions and the development of multi-family for-sale housing. Prior to joining us, Mr. Boeckel was with Apartment Investment and Management Company (AIMCO), from 1998 to 2001. Mr. Boeckel served as Regional Vice President, a position with operating responsibilities for a portfolio of 12,000 apartment homes, and as Senior Vice President of Asset Management. Before joining AIMCO, Mr. Boeckel had over 20 years of real estate experience with various firms, including a national multi-family development company, a pension fund advisor, a regional investment banking firm and several national apartment syndication firms.

 

Mr. Culwell oversees all aspects of in-house development, joint venture development and pre-sale opportunities. He joined us in June 2006 as Senior Vice President — Development. Prior to joining us, Mr. Culwell served as Regional Vice President of Development for Gables Residential, where he established a $300 million pipeline of new development and redevelopment opportunities. Before joining Gables Residential, Mr. Culwell had over 30 years of real estate experience, including working for Elsinore Group, LLC, Lexford Residential Trust, Cornerstone Housing Corporation and Trammell Crow Residential Company, where his development and construction responsibilities included site selection and acquisition, construction oversight, asset management, as well as obtaining financing for acquisitions and rehabilitations. Mr. Culwell began his career, in Houston, as a broker with Vallone and Associates Real Estate Brokerage.

 

Ms. O’Brien oversees our property operations. She joined us in 1996 as a Community Director and in 1997 she was promoted to Assistant Vice President, District Manager for our Greensboro, North Carolina portfolio. In 2001, Ms. O’Brien joined a real estate company headquartered in Greensboro as a Regional Manager, and then returned to UDR the same year as a Pricing Manager. In June 2002, she was promoted to the position of District Manager, and in October 2003 she was promoted to Vice President-Operations, which encompassed all of North Carolina except Charlotte. In November 2004, she was promoted to Vice President-Operations, which expanded her responsibilities to the entire portfolio. In January 2007, she was promoted to Senior Vice President-Property Operations. Prior to joining us, Ms. O’Brien served as a Property Manager, a Leasing Director and a Regional Marketing Director for several national multi-family housing companies, where her focus was primarily on the development of marketing plans and troubleshooting for underperforming properties.

 

Mr. Gregory oversees all aspects of our Technology Management. He joined us in March 1997 as Vice President, Chief Information Officer, responsible for the planning and management of all Information Services related activities, including systems development, network operations, training, enterprise applications and end user support. In 1999, Mr. Gregory was promoted to Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer. In addition to oversight of Information Services, his responsibilities include the development of a strategic technology plan for the company and ensuring that the company’s technology supports the company’s strategic business goals as well as the day-to-day operational needs. Prior to joining us, Mr. Gregory was with Crestar Bank for over 20 years, where he began as a Training Manager, managing the technical training for the Information Systems professionals. He was promoted to Solution Center Manager, where he managed the introduction and assimilation of fourth generation languages, personal computers, personal productivity software and local area networks; to Internet Developer, where he researched new technologies and developed internet-based applications, and identified new technologies that would lower costs and improve services to both internal and external customers.

 

Mr. Messenger oversees all aspects of our accounting functions. He joined us in August 2002 as Vice President and Controller. In that role, Mr. Messenger was responsible for SEC reporting, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance and supervision of all accounting functions. In March 2006, Mr. Messenger was promoted to Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer. In January 2007, Mr. Messenger was promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer. Prior to joining us, Mr. Messenger was owner and President of TRC Management Company, a restaurant management company, in Chicago. He has worked as a Controller at HMS Resource, Inc. Mr. Messenger began his career with Ernst & Young LLP, as a manager in their Chicago real estate division.

 

Mr. Spangler oversees internal audit, utilities management, procurement and non-rental revenue programs. He joined us in August 1998 as Assistant Vice President, Operational Planning and Asset Management, and

was promoted to Vice President, Director of Operational Planning and Asset Management that same year. He was promoted to Senior Vice President — Business Development in February 2003. Prior to joining us, Mr. Spangler served for nine years as an Asset Manager for Summit Enterprises, Inc. of Virginia, a private investment management firm, where he oversaw a portfolio consisting of agricultural, commercial, mixed-use commercial, industrial and residential properties.

 

Mr. Walker oversees our Asset Quality, Kitchen & Bath and “Green Building” programs in addition to all non-residential owned and leased real estate. He joined us in May 2006 as Senior Vice President — Transactions. Prior to joining us, Mr. Walker served as a consultant to the multi-family industry. He served as President of Harwood Pacific, a Dallas-based developer of mixed-use high-rise office projects. He was also President of Harwood Management, a division of Harwood International, from 1994 to 2002, where he was responsible for operations of an $800 million portfolio of properties in Europe and the U.S.

 

Ms. Norwood oversees our legal department, coordinates outside legal services and is our Corporate Secretary. She joined us in August 2001 as Vice President — Legal Administration and Corporate Secretary. Prior to joining us, Ms. Norwood was employed by Centex Corporation in various legal capacities for 15 years, the most recent of which was as its Legal Administrator. Centex is a New York Stock Exchange listed company that operates in the home building, financial services, construction products, construction services and investment real estate business segments.

 

Mr. Simon oversees capital markets and treasury management. He joined us in October 2006 as Vice President and Treasurer. Prior to joining us, Mr. Simon was with Prentiss Properties Trust (Prentiss) where he most recently served as Senior Vice President and Treasurer. Mr. Simon’s tenure at Prentiss began in 1985 when he joined Cadillac Fairview US, a publicly-held precursor to Prentiss, in the role of tax analyst. In 1987 he was promoted to Corporate Controller, to Vice President Accounting in 1992, and to Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer in 1999. In May 2004 Mr. Simon took over the role of Senior Vice President and Treasurer. During his tenure at Prentiss, Mr. Simon was responsible for the design and implementation of new accounting systems; project leader for the implementation of Sarbanes Oxley; negotiation of construction financing, property level financing, corporate financings and interest rate hedge transactions. He was integrally involved in the merger of Prentiss with Brandywine Realty Trust, including the transfer, pay-off, or defeasance of the Prentiss debt portfolio. Mr. Simon began his career at Fox & Company, now Grant Thornton, as a tax accountant.

 

Available Information

 

We file electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. You may obtain a free copy of our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports on the day of filing with the SEC on our website at www.udrt.com, or by sending an e-mail message to ir@udrt.com.

 

NYSE Certification

 

On May 19, 2006, our Chief Executive Officer submitted to the New York Stock Exchange the annual certification required by Section 303A.12(a) of the NYSE Listed Company Manual regarding our compliance with NYSE corporate governance listing standards. In addition, the certifications of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer required under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are filed as Exhibits 31.1 and 31.2, respectively, to this Report.

 

There are many factors that affect our business and our results of operations, some of which are beyond our control. The following is a description of important factors that may cause our actual results of operations in future periods to differ materially from those currently expected or discussed in forward-looking statements set forth in this Report relating to our financial results, operations and business prospects. Except as required

by law, we undertake no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made.

 

Unfavorable Changes in Apartment Market and Economic Conditions Could Adversely Affect Occupancy Levels and Rental Rates.  Market and economic conditions in the metropolitan areas in which we operate may significantly affect our occupancy levels and rental rates and, therefore, our profitability. Factors that may adversely affect these conditions include the following:

 

 

The strength of the United States economy has become increasingly susceptible to global events and threats of terrorism. At the same time, productivity enhancements and the increased exportation of labor have resulted in limited job growth despite an improving economy. Continued weakness in job creation, or any worsening of current economic conditions, generally and in our principal market areas, could have a material adverse effect on our occupancy levels, our rental rates and our ability to strategically acquire and dispose of apartment communities. This may impair our ability to satisfy our financial obligations and pay distributions to our stockholders.

 

New Acquisitions, Developments and Condominium Projects May Not Achieve Anticipated Results.  We intend to continue to selectively acquire apartment communities that meet our investment criteria and to develop apartment communities for rental operations, to convert properties into condominiums and to develop condominium projects. Our acquisition, development and condominium activities and their success are subject to the following risks:

 

 

Possible Difficulty of Selling Apartment Communities Could Limit Operational and Financial Flexibility.  We periodically dispose of apartment communities that no longer meet our strategic objectives. Market conditions could change and purchasers may not be willing to pay prices acceptable to us. A weak market may limit our ability to change our portfolio promptly in response to changing economic conditions. Furthermore, a significant portion of the proceeds from our overall property sales may be held by intermediaries in order for some sales to qualify as like-kind exchanges under Section 1031 of the Code, so that any related capital gain can be deferred for federal income tax purposes. As a result, we may not have immediate access to all of the cash flow generated from our property sales. In addition, federal tax laws limit our ability to profit on the sale

of communities that we have owned for fewer than four years, and this limitation may prevent us from selling communities when market conditions are favorable.

 

Increased Competition Could Limit Our Ability to Lease Apartment Homes or Increase or Maintain Rents.  Our apartment communities compete with numerous housing alternatives in attracting residents, including other apartment communities and single-family rental homes, as well as owner occupied single- and multi-family homes. Competitive housing in a particular area could adversely affect our ability to lease apartment homes and increase or maintain rents.

 

Insufficient Cash Flow Could Affect Our Debt Financing and Create Refinancing Risk.  We are subject to the risks normally associated with debt financing, including the risk that our operating income and cash flow will be insufficient to make required payments of principal and interest, or could restrict our borrowing capacity under our line of credit due to debt covenant restraints. Sufficient cash flow may not be available to make all required principal payments and still satisfy our distribution requirements to maintain our status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, and the full limits of our line of credit may not be available to us if our operating performance falls outside the constraints of our debt covenants. Additionally, we are likely to need to refinance substantially all of our outstanding debt as it matures. We may not be able to refinance existing debt, or the terms of any refinancing may not be as favorable as the terms of the existing debt, which could create pressures to sell assets or to issue additional equity when we would otherwise not choose to do so.

 

Failure to Generate Sufficient Revenue Could Impair Debt Service Payments and Distributions to Stockholders.  If our apartment communities do not generate sufficient net rental income to meet rental expenses, our ability to make required payments of interest and principal on our debt securities and to pay distributions to our stockholders will be adversely affected. The following factors, among others, may affect the net rental income generated by our apartment communities:

 

 

Expenses associated with our investment in a community, such as debt service, real estate taxes, insurance and maintenance costs, are generally not reduced when circumstances cause a reduction in rental income from that community. If a community is mortgaged to secure payment of debt and we are unable to make the mortgage payments, we could sustain a loss as a result of foreclosure on the community or the exercise of other remedies by the mortgage holder.

 

Debt Level May Be Increased.  Our current debt policy does not contain any limitations on the level of debt that we may incur, although our ability to incur debt is limited by covenants in our bank and other credit agreements. We manage our debt to be in compliance with these debt covenants, but subject to compliance with these covenants, we may increase the amount of our debt at any time without a concurrent improvement in our ability to service the additional debt.

 

Financing May Not Be Available and Could Be Dilutive.  Our ability to execute our business strategy depends on our access to an appropriate blend of debt financing, including unsecured lines of credit and other forms of secured and unsecured debt, and equity financing, including common and preferred equity. Debt or equity financing may not be available in sufficient amounts, on favorable terms or at all. If we issue additional equity securities to finance developments and acquisitions instead of incurring debt, the interests of our existing stockholders could be diluted.

 

Development and Construction Risks Could Impact Our Profitability.  We intend to continue to develop and construct apartment communities. Development activities may be conducted through wholly owned

affiliated companies or through joint ventures with unaffiliated parties. Our development and construction activities may be exposed to the following risks:

 

 

Construction costs have been increasing in our existing markets, and the costs of upgrading acquired communities have, in some cases, exceeded our original estimates. We may experience similar cost increases in the future. Our inability to charge rents that will be sufficient to offset the effects of any increases in these costs may impair our profitability.

 

Some Potential Losses Are Not Covered by Insurance.  We maintain insurance policies covering our property and operating activities which are of the type and in amounts we believe are reasonable and appropriate to cover our business. There are, however, certain types of extraordinary losses for which we may not have insurance, including certain extraordinary losses resulting from environmental damage or successive natural disasters or other catastrophes. Accordingly, we may sustain uninsured losses due to insurance deductibles, self-insured retention, uninsured claims or casualties, or losses in excess of applicable coverage.

 

We may not be able to renew insurance coverage in an adequate amount or at reasonable prices. In addition, insurance companies may no longer offer coverage against certain types of losses, such as losses due to terrorist acts and mold, or, if offered, these types of insurance may be prohibitively expensive. If an uninsured loss or a loss in excess of insured limits occurs, we could lose all or a portion of the capital we have invested in a property, as well as the anticipated future revenue from the property. In such an event, we might nevertheless remain obligated for any mortgage debt or other financial obligations related to the property. Material losses in excess of insurance proceeds may occur in the future. If one or more of our significant properties were to experience a catastrophic loss, it could seriously disrupt our operations, delay revenue and result in large expenses to repair or rebuild the property. Such events could adversely affect our cash flow and ability to make distributions to stockholders.

 

Failure to Succeed in New Markets May Limit Our Growth.  We may make acquisitions outside of our existing market areas if appropriate opportunities arise. We may be exposed to a variety of risks if we choose to enter new markets, and we may not be able to operate successfully in new markets. These risks include, among others:

 

 

Changing Interest Rates Could Increase Interest Costs and Adversely Affect Our Cash Flow and the Market Price of Our Securities.  We currently have, and expect to incur in the future, interest-bearing debt at rates that vary with market interest rates. As of December 31, 2006, we had approximately $492.5 million of variable rate indebtedness outstanding, which constitutes approximately 15% of our total outstanding indebtedness as of such date. An increase in interest rates would increase our interest expenses to the extent our variable rate debt is not hedged effectively, and it would increase the costs of refinancing existing indebtedness and of issuing new debt. Accordingly, higher interest rates could adversely affect cash flow and our ability to service our debt and to make distributions to security holders. In addition, an increase in market interest rates may lead our security holders to demand a higher annual yield, which could adversely affect the market price of our common and preferred stock and debt securities.

 

Risk of Inflation/Deflation.  Substantial inflationary or deflationary pressures could have a negative effect on rental rates and property operating expenses.

 

Limited Investment Opportunities Could Adversely Affect Our Growth.  We expect that other real estate investors will compete with us to acquire existing properties and to develop new properties. These competitors include insurance companies, pension and investment funds, developer partnerships, investment companies and other apartment REITs. This competition could increase prices for properties of the type that we would likely pursue, and our competitors may have greater resources than we do. As a result, we may not be able to make attractive investments on favorable terms, which could adversely affect our growth.

 

Failure to Integrate Acquired Communities and New Personnel Could Create Inefficiencies.  To grow successfully, we must be able to apply our experience in managing our existing portfolio of apartment communities to a larger number of properties. In addition, we must be able to integrate new management and operations personnel as our organization grows in size and complexity. Failures in either area will result in inefficiencies that could adversely affect our expected return on our investments and our overall profitability.

 

Interest Rate Hedging Contracts May Be Ineffective and May Result in Material Charges.  From time to time when we anticipate issuing debt securities, we may seek to limit our exposure to fluctuations in interest rates during the period prior to the pricing of the securities by entering into interest rate hedging contracts. We may do this to increase the predictability of our financing costs. Also, from time to time we may rely on interest rate hedging contracts to limit our exposure under variable rate debt to unfavorable changes in market interest rates. If the terms of new debt securities are not within the parameters of, or market interest rates fall below that which we incur under a particular interest rate hedging contract, the contract is ineffective. Furthermore, the settlement of interest rate hedging contracts has involved and may in the future involve material charges.

 

Potential Liability for Environmental Contamination Could Result in Substantial Costs.  Under various federal, state and local environmental laws, as a current or former owner or operator of real estate, we could be required to investigate and remediate the effects of contamination of currently or formerly owned real estate by hazardous or toxic substances, often regardless of our knowledge of or responsibility for the contamination and solely by virtue of our current or former ownership or operation of the real estate. In addition, we could be held liable to a governmental authority or to third parties for property damage and for investigation and clean-up costs incurred in connection with the contamination. These costs could be substantial, and in many cases environmental laws create liens in favor of governmental authorities to secure their payment. The presence of such substances or a failure to properly remediate any resulting contamination could materially and adversely affect our ability to borrow against, sell or rent an affected property.

 

We Would Incur Adverse Tax Consequences if We Fail to Qualify as a REIT.   We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Code. Our qualification as a REIT requires us to satisfy numerous requirements, some on an annual and quarterly basis, established under highly technical and complex Code provisions for which there are only limited judicial or administrative interpretations, and involves the determination of various factual matters and circumstances not entirely within our control. We intend that our current organization and method of operation enable us to continue to qualify as a REIT, but we may not so qualify or we may not be able to remain so qualified in the future. In addition, U.S. federal income tax laws governing REITs and other corporations and the administrative interpretations of those laws may be amended at any

time, potentially with retroactive effect. Future legislation, new regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions could adversely affect our ability to qualify as a REIT or adversely affect our stockholders.

 

If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, and applicable relief provisions under the Code were not available, we would be subject to U.S. federal income tax (including any applicable alternative minimum tax) on our taxable income at regular corporate rates, and would not be allowed to deduct dividends paid to our stockholders in computing our taxable income. Also, unless the Internal Revenue Service, or “IRS,” granted us relief under certain statutory provisions, we would be disqualified from treatment as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year in which we first failed to qualify. The additional tax liability from the failure to qualify as a REIT would reduce or eliminate the amount of cash available for investment or distribution to our stockholders. This would likely have a significant adverse effect on the value of our securities and our ability to raise additional capital. In addition, we would no longer be required to make distributions to our stockholders. Even if we continue to qualify as a REIT, we will continue to be subject to certain federal, state and local taxes on our income and property.

 

We May Conduct a Portion of Our Business Through Taxable REIT Subsidiaries, Which are Subject to Certain Tax Risks.  We have established taxable REIT subsidiaries in which we conduct a portion of our business. Despite our qualification as a REIT, our taxable REIT subsidiaries must pay income tax on their taxable income. In addition, we must comply with various tests to continue to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and our income from and investments in our taxable REIT subsidiaries generally do not constitute permissible income and investments for these tests. While we will attempt to ensure that our dealings with our taxable REIT subsidiaries will not adversely affect our REIT qualification, we cannot provide assurance that we will successfully achieve that result. Furthermore, we may be subject to a 100% penalty tax, we may jeopardize our ability to retain future gains on real property sales, or our taxable REIT subsidiaries may be denied deductions, to the extent our dealings with our taxable REIT subsidiaries are not deemed to be arm’s length in nature or are otherwise not respected.

 

Certain Property Transfers May Generate Prohibited Transaction Income, Resulting in a Penalty Tax on Gain Attributable to the Transaction.  From time to time, we may transfer or otherwise dispose of some of our properties. Under the Code, any gain resulting from transfers of properties that we hold as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business would be treated as income from a prohibited transaction subject to a 100% penalty tax. Since we acquire properties for investment purposes, we do not believe that our occasional transfers or disposals of property are prohibited transactions. However, whether property is held for investment purposes is a question of fact that depends on all the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction. The IRS may contend that certain transfers or disposals of properties by us are prohibited transactions. If the IRS were to argue successfully that a transfer or disposition of property constituted a prohibited transaction, then we would be required to pay a 100% penalty tax on any gain allocable to us from the prohibited transaction and we may jeopardize our ability to retain future gains on real property sales. In addition, income from a prohibited transaction might adversely affect our ability to satisfy the income tests for qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

Changes in Market Conditions and Volatility of Stock Prices Could Adversely Affect the Market Price of Our Common Stock.  The stock markets, including the New York Stock Exchange, on which we list our common shares, have experienced significant price and volume fluctuations. As a result, the market price of our common stock could be similarly volatile, and investors in our common stock may experience a decrease in the value of their shares, including decreases unrelated to our operating performance or prospects.

 

Property Ownership Through Joint Ventures May Limit Our Ability to Act Exclusively in Our Interest.  We have in the past and expect in the future to develop and acquire properties in joint ventures with other persons or entities when we believe circumstances warrant the use of such structures. As a result, we could become engaged in a dispute with one or more of our joint venture partners that might affect our ability to operate a jointly-owned property. Moreover, joint venture partners may have business, economic or other objectives that are inconsistent with our objectives, including objectives that relate to the appropriate timing and terms of any sale or refinancing of a property. In some instances, joint venture partners may have competing interests in our markets that could create conflicts of interest.

 

Real Estate Tax and Other Laws.  Generally we do not directly pass through costs resulting from compliance with or changes in real estate tax laws to residential property tenants. We also do not generally pass through increases in income, service or other taxes, to tenants under leases. These costs may adversely affect funds from operations and the ability to make distributions to stockholders. Similarly, compliance with or changes in (i) laws increasing the potential liability for environmental conditions existing on properties or the restrictions on discharges or other conditions or (ii) rent control or rent stabilization laws or other laws regulating housing, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, may result in significant unanticipated expenditures, which would adversely affect funds from operations and the ability to make distributions to stockholders.

 

Any Weaknesses Identified in Our Internal Control Over Financial Reporting Could Have an Adverse Effect on Our Stock Price.  Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires us to evaluate and report on our internal report over financial reporting. If we identify one or more material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, we could lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which in turn could have an adverse effect on our stock price.

 

Maryland Law May Limit the Ability of a Third Party to Acquire Control of Us, Which May Not be in Our Stockholders’ Best Interests.  Maryland business statutes may limit the ability of a third party to acquire control of us. As a Maryland corporation, we are subject to various Maryland laws which may have the effect of discouraging offers to acquire our company and of increasing the difficulty of consummating any such offers, even if our acquisition would be in our stockholders’ best interests. The Maryland General Corporation Law restricts mergers and other business combination transactions between us and any person who acquires beneficial ownership of shares of our stock representing 10% or more of the voting power without our board of directors’ prior approval. Any such business combination transaction could not be completed until five years after the person acquired such voting power, and generally only with the approval of stockholders representing 80% of all votes entitled to be cast and 662/3% of the votes entitled to be cast, excluding the interested stockholder, or upon payment of a fair price. Maryland law also provides generally that a person who acquires shares of our equity stock that represents 10% (and certain higher levels) of the voting power in electing directors will have no voting rights unless approved by a vote of two-thirds of the shares eligible to vote.

 

Limitations on Share Ownership and Limitations on the Ability of Our Stockholders to Effect a Change in Control of Our Company May Prevent Takeovers That are Beneficial to Our Stockholders.  One of the requirements for maintenance of our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes is that no more than 50% in value of our outstanding capital stock may be owned by five or fewer individuals, including entities specified in the Code, during the last half of any taxable year. Our charter contains ownership and transfer restrictions relating to our stock primarily to assist us in complying with this and other REIT ownership requirements; however, the restrictions may have the effect of preventing a change of control, which does not threaten REIT status. These restrictions include a provision that generally limits ownership by any person of more than 9.9% of the value of our outstanding equity stock, unless our board of directors exempts the person from such ownership limitation, provided that any such exemption shall not allow the person to exceed 13% of the value of our outstanding equity stock. These provisions may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing someone from taking control of us, even though a change of control might involve a premium price for our stockholders or might otherwise be in our stockholders’ best interests.

 

Under the terms of our shareholder rights plan, our board of directors can, in effect, prevent a person or group from acquiring more than 15% of the outstanding shares of our common stock. Unless our board of directors approves the person’s purchase, after that person acquires more than 15% of our outstanding common stock, all other stockholders will have the right to purchase securities from us at a price that is less than their then fair market value. Purchases by other stockholders would substantially reduce the value and influence of the shares of our common stock owned by the acquiring person. Our board of directors, however, can prevent the shareholder rights plan from operating in this manner. This gives our board of directors significant discretion to approve or disapprove a person’s efforts to acquire a large interest in us. Additional information regarding our shareholder rights plan is set forth in Note 6 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statement included elsewhere in this Report.

 

None.

 

At December 31, 2006, our apartment portfolio included 242 communities located in 33 markets, with a total of 70,339 completed apartment homes. In addition, we had five apartment communities under development. We own approximately 53,000 square feet of office space in Richmond, Virginia, for our corporate offices and we lease approximately 11,000 square feet of office space in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, for our principal executive offices. The table below sets forth a summary of our real estate portfolio by geographic market at December 31, 2006.

 

SUMMARY OF REAL ESTATE PORTFOLIO BY GEOGRAPHIC MARKET AT DECEMBER 31, 2006

 

 

 

 

We are subject to various legal proceedings and claims arising in the ordinary course of business. We cannot determine the ultimate liability with respect to such legal proceedings and claims at this time. We believe that such liability, to the extent not provided for through insurance or otherwise, will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flow.

 

No matters were submitted to a vote of our security holders during the fourth quarter of the year ended December 31, 2006.

PART II

 

Common Stock

 

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “UDR.” The following tables set forth the quarterly high and low sale prices per common share reported on the NYSE for each quarter of the last two fiscal years. Distribution information for common stock reflects distributions declared per share for each calendar quarter and paid at the end of the following month.

 

 

On February 20, 2007, the closing sale price of our common stock was $33.95 per share on the NYSE and there were 5,871 holders of record of the 135,544,953 outstanding shares of our common stock.

 

We have determined that, for federal income tax purposes, approximately 38% of the distributions for each of the four quarters of 2006 represented ordinary income, 37% represented long-term capital gain, and 25% represented unrecaptured section 1250 gain.

 

We pay regular quarterly distributions to holders of shares of our common stock. Future distributions will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our actual funds from operations, financial condition and capital requirements, the annual distribution requirements under the REIT provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, and other factors. The annual distribution payment for calendar year 2006 necessary for us to maintain our status as a REIT was approximately $0.43 per share of common stock. We declared total distributions of $1.25 per share of common stock for 2006.

 

Series E Preferred Stock

 

The Series E Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock has no stated par value and a liquidation preference of $16.61 per share. Subject to certain adjustments and conditions, each share of the Series E is convertible at any time and from time to time at the holder’s option into one share of our common stock. The holders of the Series E are entitled to vote on an as-converted basis as a single class in combination with the holders of common stock at any meeting of our stockholders for the election of directors or for any other purpose on which the holders of common stock are entitled to vote. The Series E has no stated maturity and is not subject to any sinking fund or any mandatory redemption.

 

Distributions declared on the Series E in 2006 were $1.33 per share or $0.3322 per quarter. The Series E is not listed on any exchange. At December 31, 2006, a total of 2,803,812 shares of the Series E were outstanding.

 

Series F Preferred Stock

 

We are authorized to issue up to 20,000,000 shares of our Series F Preferred Stock. Our Series F Preferred Stock may be purchased by holders of our operating partnership units, or OP Units, described below under “Operating Partnership Units,” at a purchase price of $0.0001 per share. OP Unitholders are entitled to subscribe for and purchase one share of our Series F Preferred Stock for each OP Unit held. At December 31, 2006, a total of 666,293 shares of the Series F Preferred Stock were outstanding at a value of $66.63. Holders of the Series F Preferred Stock are entitled to one vote for each share of the Series F Preferred Stock they hold, voting together with the holders of our common stock, on each matter submitted to a vote of securityholders at a meeting of our stockholders. The Series F Preferred Stock does not entitle its holders to any other rights, privileges or preferences.

 

Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan

 

We have a Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan under which holders of our common stock and our Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock may elect to automatically reinvest their distributions and make additional cash payments to acquire additional shares of our common stock. Stockholders who do not participate in the plan continue to receive dividends as declared. As of February 20, 2007, there were 3,372 participants in the plan.

 

Operating Partnership Units

 

From time to time we issue shares of our common stock in exchange for OP Units tendered to our operating partnerships, United Dominion Realty, L.P. and Heritage Communities L.P., for redemption in accordance with the provisions of their respective partnership agreements. At December 31, 2006, there were 9,692,058 OP Units (of which 1,650,322 are owned by the holders of the Series A OPPS) and 329,207 OP Units in United Dominion Realty, L.P. and Heritage Communities L.P., respectively, that were owned by limited partners. The holder of the OP Units has the right to require United Dominion Realty, L.P. to redeem all or a portion of the OP Units held by the holder in exchange for a cash payment based on the market value of our common stock at the time of redemption. However, United Dominion Realty, L.P.’s obligation to pay the cash amount is subject to the prior right of the company to acquire such OP Units in exchange for either the cash amount or shares of our common stock. Heritage Communities L.P. OP Units are convertible into common stock in lieu of cash, at our option, once the holder elects to convert, at an exchange ratio of 1.575 shares for each OP Unit. During 2006, we issued a total of 381,001 shares of common stock in exchange for OP Units.

 

Purchases of Equity Securities

 

In February 2006, our Board of Directors authorized a new 10 million share repurchase program. This program replaces our previous 11 million share repurchase program (of which 1,180,737 shares were available for repurchase) and authorizes the repurchase of our common stock in open market purchases, in block purchases, privately negotiated transactions, or otherwise. As reflected in the table below, no shares of common stock were repurchased under this program or otherwise during the quarter ended December 31, 2006.

The following table sets forth certain information regarding our common stock repurchases during the quarter ended December 31, 2006:

 

 

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

 

On October 12, 2006, we completed the sale of $250 million principal amount of our 3.625% convertible senior notes due 2011. These notes are convertible into shares of our common stock at an initial conversion rate of 26.6326 shares per $1,000 principal amount of notes, which equates to an initial conversion price of approximately $37.55 per share. Because the notes and the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes were sold to accredited investors in transactions not involving a public offering, the transactions are exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 in accordance with Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. In connection with the offering of the notes, we also entered into a capped call transaction with respect to our common stock with JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, London Branch, an affiliate of one of the initial purchasers of the notes. The capped call transaction covers, subject to anti-dilution adjustments similar to those contained in the notes, approximately 6,658,150 shares of our common stock. Information regarding the offering of our 3.625% convertible senior notes due 2011, the shares of our common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes, and the capped call transaction is set forth in our Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 5, 2006 and filed with the SEC on October 12, 2006, and is incorporated herein by reference.

Comparison of Cumulative Total Returns

 

The following graph provides a comparison from December 31, 2001 through December 31, 2006 of the cumulative total stockholder return (assuming reinvestment of any dividends) among UDR, the NAREIT Equity REIT Index, Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index, the NAREIT Equity Apartment Index and the MSCI US REIT Index. The graph assumes that $100 was invested on December 31, 2001, in each of our common stock and the indices presented. Historical stock price performance is not necessarily indicative of future stock price performance.

 

Performance Graph

 

 

 

The foregoing graph and chart shall not be deemed incorporated by reference by any general statement incorporating by reference this Report into any filing under the Securities Act or under the Exchange Act, except to the extent we specifically incorporate this information by reference.

 

The following table sets forth selected consolidated financial and other information as of and for each of the years in the five-year period ended December 31, 2006. The table should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto, and Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, included elsewhere in this Report.

 

 

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This Report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements concerning property acquisitions and dispositions, development activity and capital expenditures, capital raising activities, rent growth, occupancy, and rental expense growth. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results of operations or plans expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among other things, unanticipated adverse business developments affecting us, or our properties, adverse changes in the real estate markets and general and local economies and business conditions. Although we believe that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore such statements included in this Report may not prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by us or any other person that the results or conditions described in such statements or our objectives and plans will be achieved.

 

Business Overview

 

We are a real estate investment trust, or REIT, that owns, acquires, renovates, develops, and manages apartment communities nationwide. We were formed in 1972 as a Virginia corporation. In June 2003, we changed our state of incorporation from Virginia to Maryland. Our subsidiaries include two operating partnerships, Heritage Communities L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and United Dominion Realty, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership. Unless the context otherwise requires, all references in this Report to “we,” “us,” “our,” “the company,” or “UDR” refer collectively to United Dominion Realty Trust, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

At December 31, 2006, our portfolio included 242 communities with 70,339 apartment homes nationwide. The following table summarizes our market information by major geographic markets (includes real estate held for disposition, real estate under development, and land, but excludes commercial properties):