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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 12, 2015.

Registration No. 333-

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

SUN COMMUNITIES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Maryland		38-2730780
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

 

27777 Franklin Road

Suite 200

Southfield, Michigan 48034

(248) 208-2500

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

 

Gary A. Shiffman

Chief Executive Officer

27777 Franklin Road

Suite 200

Southfield, Michigan 48034

(248) 208-2500

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

 

 

Copies of all correspondence to:

Jeffrey M. Weiss, Esq.

Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, P.C.

27777 Franklin Road

Suite 2500

Southfield, Michigan 48034

(248) 351-3000

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  ¨

If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  x

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  x

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act (Check One):

 

Large accelerated filer		x		Accelerated filer		¨
Non-accelerated filer		¨ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)		Smaller reporting company		¨

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered		Amount to be Registered		Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit		Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price		Amount of Registration Fee
Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share (1)		(2)		(2)		(2)		(3)

(1)	Includes rights to purchase the registrant’s Junior Participating Preferred Stock. Because no separate consideration is paid for these rights, they are not considered in the calculation of the maximum aggregate offering price and the registration fee.

(2)	An unspecified number of the shares of common stock is being registered for possible resale from time to time at indeterminate prices.

(3)	In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act, the registrant is deferring payment of the entire registration fee.

 

 

 

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PROSPECTUS

 

COMMON STOCK

 

 

This prospectus relates to the offer and sale from time to time by selling stockholders of shares of our common stock, or the Registered Shares. The selling stockholders to be named in a prospectus supplement may offer and sell the Registered Shares from time to time in amounts, at prices and on terms that will be determined at the time of the offering.

We expect the selling stockholders to sell any or all of their Registered Shares using any of the methods described in “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page 28 of this prospectus. If Registered Shares will be sold in a different manner, such manner will be described in a supplement to this prospectus. The registration of the Registered Shares does not necessarily mean that any of the Registered Shares will be sold by the selling stockholders under this prospectus or otherwise.

We will not receive proceeds from the sale of the Registered Shares by the selling stockholders.

Our common stock is quoted on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, under the symbol “SUI.” On June 11, 2015, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the NYSE was $62.36.

 

 

Investing in the Registered Shares involves risk. Before buying any Registered Shares you should carefully read the discussion of material risks of investing in the Registered Shares referred to in “Risk Factors” beginning on page 3 of this prospectus, including those risks set forth beginning on page 10 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, in any applicable prospectus supplement and in the documents we incorporate by reference.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

To assist us in complying with certain federal income tax requirements applicable to real estate investment trusts, our charter contains certain restrictions relating to the ownership and transfer of our stock, including an ownership limit of 9.8%, in number of shares or value, of the issued and outstanding shares of our capital stock. See “Description of Common Stock – Restrictions on Ownership” on page 5 of this prospectus and “Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and Our Charter and Bylaws – Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer of our Stock” on page 13 of this prospectus.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is June 12, 2015.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		Page
About this Prospectus			1
Summary			2
Risk Factors			3
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements			3
Use of Proceeds			4
Description of Common Stock			4
Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and Our Charter and Bylaws			7
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations			14
Selling Stockholders			28
Plan of Distribution			28
Legal Matters			30
Experts			30
Where You Can Find More Information			30
Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference			31

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of an automatic shelf registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, as a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, using a “shelf” registration process for the delayed offering and sale of securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. This prospectus describes the specific terms of this offering of shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share. We refer to the shares of common stock being offered for resale hereunder as the Registered Shares. Under this process, the selling stockholders from time to time may sell the Registered Shares in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities the selling stockholders may offer. Each time any selling stockholder sells securities, we or the selling stockholder will provide a prospectus supplement containing specific information about the terms of the applicable offering. Such prospectus supplement may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus.

This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement includes important information about us and our common stock and other information of which you should be aware before investing in the Registered Shares, but it does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. We have omitted parts of the registration statement in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information, we refer you to the registration statement on Form S-3 of which this prospectus is a part, including its exhibits. Statements contained in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement about the provisions or contents of any agreement or other document are not necessarily complete. If the SEC’s rules and regulations require that an agreement or document be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, please see that agreement or document for a complete description of these matters.

You should read this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference” before you make a decision to invest in the Registered Shares. Information incorporated by reference after the date of this prospectus may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. Any information in such subsequent filings that is inconsistent with this prospectus or any earlier prospectus supplement will supersede the information in this prospectus or any earlier prospectus supplement.

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or the selling stockholders. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information. If anyone provides you with different or additional information, you should not rely on it. No offer of these securities is being made under any circumstance or in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted or unlawful. You should assume that the information contained in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or the selling stockholders is accurate only as of their respective dates, and that any information in documents that are incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

This prospectus and the information incorporated herein and therein by reference includes trademarks, service marks and trade names owned by us or other companies. All trademarks, service marks and trade names included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus are the property of their respective owners.

Unless otherwise mentioned or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus to “Sun,” “we,” “us,” “our” or similar references mean Sun Communities, Inc., a Maryland corporation, and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, including Sun Communities Operating Limited Partnership, or the Operating Partnership, and Sun Home Services, Inc., or SHS.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investment in the Registered Shares pursuant to this prospectus involves risks. You should consider carefully the risk factors described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, in any applicable prospectus supplement and in other documents incorporated herein by reference before deciding to purchase the Registered Shares. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. If any of these risks actually occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations may suffer. In that event, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment in our common stock.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein contain various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and the Exchange Act, and we intend that such forward-looking statements will be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. For this purpose, any statements contained in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein that relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, trends or prospective events or developments and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts are deemed to be forward-looking statements. Words such as “forecasts,” “intends,” “intend,” “intended,” “goal,” “estimate,” “estimates,” “expects,” “expect,” “expected,” “project,” “projected,” “projections,” “plans,” “predicts,” “potential,” “seeks,” “anticipates,” “anticipated,” “should,” “could,” “may,” “will,” “designed to,” “foreseeable future,” “believe,” “believes,” “scheduled,” “guidance” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance, but involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific to the matters discussed in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein. These risks and uncertainties may cause our actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition to the risks described under “Risk Factors” above and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, such risks and uncertainties include:

 

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changes in general economic conditions, the real estate industry and the markets in which we operate;

 

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difficulties in our ability to evaluate, finance, complete and integrate acquisitions, developments and expansions successfully;

 

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our liquidity and refinancing demands;

 

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our ability to obtain or refinance maturing debt;

 

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our ability to maintain compliance with covenants contained in our debt facilities;

 

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availability of capital;

 

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our ability to maintain rental rates and occupancy levels;

 

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our failure to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures;

 

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increases in interest rates and operating costs, including insurance premiums and real property taxes;

 

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risks related to natural disasters;

 

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general volatility of the capital markets and the market price of shares of our capital stock;

 

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our failure to maintain our status as a REIT;

 

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changes in real estate and zoning laws and regulations;

 

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legislative or regulatory changes, including changes to laws governing the taxation of REITs;

 

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litigation, judgments or settlements;

 

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competitive market forces; and

 

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the ability of manufactured home buyers to obtain financing and the level of repossessions by manufactured home lenders.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statement was made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in our expectations or otherwise, except as required by law.

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. All written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements.

USE OF PROCEEDS

We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the Registered Shares being offered for resale by the selling stockholders under this prospectus.

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

We have the authority to issue 100,000,000 shares of capital stock, of which 90,000,000 shares are common stock, par value $0.01 per share. As of March 31, 2015, we had 53,498,307 shares of common stock issued and outstanding.

The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of our common stock. The statements below describing the common stock are in all respects subject to and qualified in their entirety by reference to the applicable provisions of our charter and bylaws.

General

Subject to the preferential rights of any other class or series of stock, holders of our common stock will be entitled to receive distributions when, as and if declared by our board of directors, out of funds legally available therefor. Payment and declaration of distributions on the common stock and purchases of shares thereof by us will be subject to certain restrictions if we fail to pay distributions on the preferred stock. Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of Sun, holders of common stock will be entitled to share equally and ratably in any assets available for distribution to them, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of Sun and the preferential amounts owing with respect to any outstanding preferred stock or senior debt securities.

The common stock will possess ordinary voting rights for the election of directors and in respect of other corporate matters, each share entitling the holder thereof to one vote. Holders of common stock will not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors. Upon receipt by us of lawful payment therefor, the common stock will, when issued, be fully paid and nonassessable, and will not be subject to redemption except (as described in our charter) as necessary to preserve our status as a REIT. A stockholder of Sun has no preemptive rights to subscribe for additional shares of common stock or other securities of Sun except as may be granted by the board of directors.

 

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Under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation generally cannot dissolve, amend its charter, merge, sell all or substantially all of its assets, engage in a share exchange or consolidation unless advised by the board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders holding at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter unless a lesser percentage, but not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, is set forth in the corporation’s charter. Our charter does not provide for a lesser percentage in such situations.

Restrictions on Ownership

For us to qualify as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, our common stock must be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months (other than the first year) or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year. Also, not more than 50% of the value of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include certain entities such as qualified private pension plans) during the last half of a taxable year (other than the first year) or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year. Because the board of directors believes it is essential for us to continue to qualify as a REIT, our charter, subject to certain exceptions, contains a provision, which we refer to as the Ownership Limit, providing that no holder may own, or be deemed to own by virtue of the attribution provisions of the Code, more than 9.8% in number of shares or value, of our outstanding common stock and preferred stock. The board of directors may exempt a person from the Ownership Limit if evidence satisfactory to the board of directors and our tax counsel is presented that the proposed transfer of stock to the intended transferee will not then or in the future jeopardize our status as a REIT. As a condition of such exemption, the intended transferee must give written notice to us of the proposed transfer and must furnish such opinions of counsel, affidavits, undertakings, agreements, and information as may be required by the board of directors no later than the fifteenth day prior to any transfer which, if consummated, would result in the intended transferee owning shares in excess of the Ownership Limit. The foregoing restrictions on transferability and ownership will not apply if the board of directors determines that it is no longer in the best interests of Sun to attempt to qualify or to continue to qualify as a REIT. Any transfer of shares of common stock that would: (i) create a direct or indirect ownership of shares of stock in excess of the Ownership Limit; (ii) result in the shares of stock being owned by fewer than 100 persons; or (iii) result in Sun being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code, shall be null and void, and the intended transferee will acquire no rights to the shares.

Our charter excludes Milton M. Shiffman, Gary A. Shiffman and Robert B. Bayer; trustees, personal representatives and agents to the extent acting for them or their respective estates; or certain of their respective relatives from the Ownership Limit. These persons may acquire additional shares of stock through the redemption of OP Units, through our equity incentive plans, from other stockholders or otherwise, but in no event will they be entitled to acquire additional shares such that the five largest beneficial owners of our stock hold more than 50% of the total outstanding stock.

Shares of stock purported to be transferred in excess of the Ownership Limit that are not otherwise permitted as provided above will constitute “Excess Shares,” which will be transferred by operation of law to Sun as trustee for the exclusive benefit of the person or persons to whom the Excess Shares are ultimately transferred, until such time as the intended transferee retransfers the Excess Shares. Subject to the Ownership Limit, the Excess Shares may be retransferred by the intended transferee to any person who may hold such Excess Shares at a price not to exceed the price paid by the intended transferee (or the market price of the common stock as of the date of purported transfer, if the intended transferee received the shares of stock as a gift or otherwise did not give value for the shares of stock), at which point the Excess Shares will automatically be exchanged for the stock to which the Excess Shares are attributable. In addition, such Excess Shares held in trust are subject to purchase by Sun. The purchase price of any Excess Shares shall be equal to the lesser of the price paid for the shares of stock by the intended transferee and the fair market value of such shares of stock reflected in the closing sales price for the shares of stock, if then traded on the NYSE, or the last reported sales price for the shares of stock on any exchange or quotation system over which our common stock may be traded, or, if such quotation is not available, the fair market value as determined by the board of directors in good faith, on the last trading day immediately preceding the day on which notice of such proposed purchase is sent by Sun. From and after the intended transfer to the intended transferee of the Excess Shares, the intended transferee shall cease to be entitled to distributions, voting rights, and other benefits with respect to such shares of the stock except the right to payment of the purchase price for the shares of stock or the transfer of shares as provided above. Any dividend or distribution paid to a proposed transferee on Excess Shares prior to our discovery that such shares of stock have been transferred in violation of the provisions of our charter

 

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shall be repaid to us upon demand. If the foregoing transfer restrictions are determined to be void or invalid by virtue of any legal decision, statute, rule, or regulation, then the intended transferee of any Excess Shares may be deemed, at Sun’s option, to have acted as an agent on behalf of Sun in acquiring such Excess Shares and to hold such Excess Shares on behalf of Sun.

All certificates representing shares of stock will bear a legend referring to the restrictions described above.

All persons who own, directly or by virtue of the attribution provisions of the Code, more than 5% in number of shares or value, of our outstanding common stock and preferred stock must give a written notice to us containing the information specified in our charter by January 31 of each year. In addition, each stockholder shall upon demand be required to disclose to us in writing such information with respect to the direct, indirect and constructive ownership of shares of common stock as the board of directors deems necessary to comply with the provisions of the Code applicable to a REIT, to comply with the requirements of any taxing authority or governmental agency or to determine any such compliance.

These ownership limitations could have the effect of discouraging a takeover or other transaction in which holders of some, or a majority of, shares of common stock might receive a premium for their shares over the then prevailing market price or which such holders might believe to be otherwise in their best interest.

The registrar and transfer agent for the common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

 

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CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND OUR CHARTER AND BYLAWS

The following summary of certain provisions of Maryland law, our charter and bylaws and certain indemnification agreements does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to Maryland law, our charter and bylaws, and the form of such indemnification agreements, copies of which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Our Board of Directors

Our charter and bylaws provide that the number of our directors may be established, increased or decreased only by a majority of our entire board of directors but may not be fewer than three nor, unless our bylaws are amended, more than 15. Each of our directors serves for a one-year term or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified.

Our bylaws provide that at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present, a majority of the votes cast for a nominee shall be required to elect that nominee as a director; provided, however, that directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at any meeting of stockholders for which a stockholder has nominated a person for election to the board of directors in compliance with the advance notice requirements for stockholder nominees for director set forth in our bylaws and certain other requirements of our bylaws are satisfied (a “contested election”). Our board of directors could amend our bylaws to alter the vote required in contested elections to be the same as that required in uncontested elections.

If the election of a director nominee requires an approval other than a plurality of the votes cast, it is possible that no nominee would receive the required vote. In the case of a failure to elect one or more directors because the nominees receive votes constituting less than the required vote, the incumbent directors would hold over and continue to serve until the next election of directors and until their successors are duly elected and qualify.

The foregoing provisions are subject to the rights of the holders of one or more classes or series of our preferred stock to elect directors.

Removal of Directors and Vacancies

Our charter provides that a director may be removed only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors.

We have elected in our bylaws to be subject to a provision of Maryland law requiring that vacancies on our board of directors as a result of the death or resignation of a director or an increase in the size of the board of directors may be filled only by the remaining directors, whether or not sufficient to constitute a quorum, and that any individual elected to fill such a vacancy will serve for the remainder of the full term of the class of directorship in which the vacancy occurred and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies.

Vacancies on our board of directors arising as a result of any reason other than the death or resignation of a director or an increase in the size of the board of directors (e.g., removal of a director) may be filled by a majority of the remaining directors, whether or not sufficient to constitute a quorum. A director elected by the board of directors to fill any such vacancy will serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor is elected and qualifies. In addition, our stockholders may elect a successor to fill a vacancy on the board of directors which results from the removal of a director, in which case such director will serve for the balance of the term of the removed director.

The foregoing provisions are subject to the rights of the holders of one or more classes or series of our preferred stock to remove directors and fill vacancies on our board of directors. Also, as long as our directors are elected annually, the provisions regarding directors serving for “the remainder of the full term” or the “balance of the term” means until the next annual meeting of stockholders.

 

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Business Combinations

Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, or MGCL, certain “business combinations” (including a merger, consolidation, share exchange or, in certain circumstances specified under the statute, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities) between a Maryland corporation and any interested stockholder, or an affiliate of such an interested stockholder, are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Maryland law defines an interested stockholder as:

 

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any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock; or

 

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an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the then-outstanding voting stock of the corporation.

After such five-year period, any such business combination must be recommended by the board of directors of the corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:

 

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80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation; and

 

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two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested stockholder with whom (or with whose affiliate) the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder.

These supermajority approval requirements do not apply for mergers, consolidations or share exchanges if, among other conditions, the corporation’s common stockholders receive a minimum price (as defined in the MGCL) for their shares and the consideration is received in cash or in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares.

A person is not an interested stockholder under the statute if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which the person otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. The board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance with any terms and conditions determined by it.

Pursuant to the statute, our board of directors has by resolution exempted Milton M. Shiffman, Robert B. Bayer, and Gary A. Shiffman, their affiliates and all persons acting in concert or as a group with the foregoing, from these provisions of the MGCL and, consequently, the five-year prohibition and the supermajority vote requirements will not apply to business combinations between us and these persons. As a result, these persons may be able to enter into business combinations with us that may not be in the best interests of our stockholders without compliance by us with the supermajority vote requirements and the other provisions of the statute.

Control Share Acquisitions

The MGCL provides that holders of “control shares” of a Maryland corporation acquired in a “control share acquisition” have no voting rights with respect to any control shares except to the extent approved by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by stockholders in the election of directors generally but excluding shares of stock in respect of which any of the following persons is entitled to exercise or direct the exercise of the voting power of such shares in the election of directors: (1) the person who has made or proposes to make the control share acquisition, (2) any officer of the corporation or (3) any employee of the corporation who is also a director of the corporation. “Control shares” are voting shares of stock that, if aggregated with all other such shares of stock previously acquired by the acquirer or in respect of which the acquirer is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquirer to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of:

 

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one-tenth or more but less than one-third;

 

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one-third or more but less than a majority; or

 

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a majority or more of all voting power.

 

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Control shares do not include shares that the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval. A “control share acquisition” means the acquisition, directly or indirectly, of ownership of, or the power to direct the exercise of voting power with respect to, issued and outstanding control shares, subject to certain exceptions.

A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition, upon satisfaction of certain conditions (including an undertaking to pay expenses and making an “acquiring person statement” as described in the MGCL), may compel the corporation to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the control shares. If no request for a special meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders’ meeting.

If voting rights of control shares are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver an “acquiring person statement” as required by the statute, then, subject to certain conditions and limitations, the corporation may redeem any or all of the control shares (except those for which voting rights have previously been approved) for fair value determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquirer or, if a stockholders’ meeting is held to consider the voting rights of the control shares (and the voting rights are not approved), as of the date of the meeting. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders’ meeting and the acquirer becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes of such appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquirer in the control share acquisition.

The control share acquisition statute does not apply (1) to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction or (2) to acquisitions approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of the corporation.

Our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the control share acquisition statute any and all control share acquisitions by any person of shares of our stock. Our board of directors may amend or eliminate this provision at any time in the future.

Subtitle 8

Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation with a class of equity securities registered under the Exchange Act and at least three independent directors to elect to be subject, by provision in its charter or bylaws or a resolution of its board of directors and notwithstanding any contrary provision in the charter or bylaws, to any or all of the following five provisions:

 

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a classified board;

 

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a two-thirds vote requirement for removing a director;

 

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a requirement that the number of directors be fixed only by vote of the directors;

 

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a requirement that a vacancy on the board as a result of an increase in the size of the board of directors or the death, resignation or removal of a director be filled only by the remaining directors and for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred; or

 

•

a majority requirement for the calling by stockholders of a special meeting of stockholders.

We have elected to be subject to the provisions of Subtitle 8 relating to the filling of vacancies on our board of directors as a result of an increase in the size of the board of directors or the death or resignation of a director. We have not elected to be subject to the provisions of Subtitle 8 relating to the filling of vacancies on our board of directors as a result of the removal of a director, although we may elect to do so in the future. Through provisions in our charter and bylaws unrelated to Subtitle 8, we already (1) require a two-thirds vote for the removal of any director from the board, which removal must be for cause; and (2) vest in the board the exclusive power to fix the number of directorships, subject to limitations set forth in our charter and bylaws. We have not elected to have a classified board or a majority requirement for the calling of a special meeting of stockholders. In the future, our

 

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board of directors may elect, without stockholder approval, to adopt these requirements pursuant to Subtitle 8 or, unrelated to Subtitle 8, we could amend our bylaws to include a majority requirement for the calling by stockholders of a special meeting of stockholders.

Amendments to Our Charter and Bylaws

Other than amendments permitted to be made without stockholder approval under the MGCL, our charter generally may be amended only if such amendment is declared advisable by our board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Our board of directors has the exclusive power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of our bylaws or to make new bylaws.

Meetings of Stockholders

Under our bylaws, annual meetings of stockholders will be held each year at a date and time determined by our board of directors. Special meetings of stockholders may be called only by our board of directors, the chairman of our board of directors, our president or our chief executive officer. Additionally, subject to the provisions of our bylaws, special meetings of the stockholders to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders must be called by our secretary upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast at least 10% of the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting on such matter who have requested the special meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in, and provided the information required by, our bylaws. Only matters set forth in the notice of the special meeting may be considered and acted upon at such a meeting.

Advance Notice of Director Nominations and New Business

Our bylaws provide that:

 

•

with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders, nominations of individuals for election to our board of directors and the proposal of business to be considered by stockholders at the annual meeting may be made only:

 

•

pursuant to our notice of the meeting;

 

•

by or at the direction of our board of directors; or

 

•

by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record both at the time the stockholder provides the notice required by our bylaws and at the time of the annual meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice procedures set forth in, and provided the information required by, our bylaws; and

 

•

with respect to special meetings of stockholders, only the business specified in our company’s notice of meeting may be brought before the meeting of stockholders, and nominations of individuals for election to our board of directors may be made only:

 

•

pursuant to our notice of the meeting;

 

•

by or at the direction of our board of directors; or

 

•

provided that the meeting has been called in accordance with our bylaws for the purpose of electing directors, by a stockholder who is a stockholder of record both at the time the stockholder provides the notice required by our bylaws and at the time of the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated, and who has complied with the advance notice provisions set forth in, and provided the information required by, our bylaws.

 

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The purpose of requiring stockholders to give advance notice of nominations and other proposals is to afford our board of directors the opportunity to consider the qualifications of the proposed nominees or the advisability of the other proposals and, to the extent considered necessary by our board of directors, to inform stockholders and make recommendations regarding the nominations or other proposals.

Although our bylaws do not give our board of directors the power to disapprove stockholder nominations and proposals that comply with our bylaws, our bylaws may have the effect of precluding a contest for the election of directors or proposals for other action if the proper procedures are not followed, and of discouraging or deterring a third party from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors to our board of directors or to approve its own proposal.

Anti-takeover Effect of Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and Our Charter and Bylaws

Our charter and bylaws and Maryland law contain provisions that may delay, defer or prevent a change of control or other transaction that might involve a premium price for our common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders, including business combination provisions, supermajority vote and cause requirements for removal of directors, provisions that certain vacancies on our board of directors may be filled only by the remaining directors, for the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred, the power of our board to issue additional shares of stock of any class or series and to fix the terms of one or more classes or series of stock without stockholder approval, the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock and advance notice requirements for director nominations and stockholder proposals. Likewise, if the provision in the bylaws opting out of the control share acquisition provisions of the MGCL were rescinded, these provisions of the MGCL could have similar anti-takeover effects.

Indemnification and Limitation of Directors’ and Officers’ Liability

Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or active and deliberate dishonesty that is established by a final judgment and is material to the cause of action. Our charter contains such a provision that eliminates such liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

The MGCL requires a Maryland corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made or threatened to be made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made or are threatened to be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that:

 

•

the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and:

 

•

was committed in bad faith; or

 

•

was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty;

 

•

the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or

 

•

in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful.

 

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However, under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify a director or officer for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or if the director or officer was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, unless in either case a court orders indemnification and then only for expenses.

In addition, the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer, without requiring a preliminary determination of the director’s or officer’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification, upon the corporation’s receipt of:

 

•

a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation; and

 

•

a written undertaking by the director or officer or on his or her behalf (which need not be secured) to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that he or she did not meet the standard of conduct.

Our charter authorizes us to obligate our company and our bylaws obligate us, to the fullest extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, to indemnify and to pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to:

 

•

any present or former director or officer who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity; or

 

•

any individual who, while a director or officer of our company and at our request, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, member, manager or trustee of another corporation, REIT, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity.

Our charter and bylaws also permit us, with the approval of our board of directors, to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of ours in any of the capacities described above and to any employee or agent of our company or a predecessor of our company.

Insofar as the foregoing provisions permit indemnification of directors, officers or persons controlling us for liability arising under the Securities Act, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Indemnification Agreements

We have entered into indemnification agreements with our executive officers and directors. Under the terms of these agreements, we have agreed (subject to certain exclusions), to hold harmless and indemnify the officer or director who has entered into such an indemnification agreement against any and all expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by such director or officer in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative to which such director or officer is, was or at any time becomes a party, or is threatened to be made a party, by reason of the fact that such director or officer is, was or at any time becomes a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of our company, or is or was serving or at any time serves at the request of our company as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including, without limitation, employee benefit plans), to the fullest extent authorized and permitted by applicable law on the date of such agreements and to such greater extent as applicable law may thereafter permit.

In addition, the indemnification agreements provide that we will make an advance payment of expenses to the officers or directors who have entered into such indemnification agreements, in order to cover a claim relating to any fact or occurrence arising from or relating to events or occurrences specified in the prior paragraph, subject to receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such officer or director to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the company as authorized under these agreements.

 

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The indemnification agreements also include provisions that specify the procedures and presumptions, which are to be employed to determine whether such officer or director is entitled to indemnification thereunder.

Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer of our Stock

Because the board of directors believes it is essential for us to continue to qualify as a REIT, our charter, subject to certain exceptions, contains a provision, which we refer to as the Ownership Limit, providing that no holder may own, or be deemed to own by virtue of the attribution provisions of the Code, more than 9.8% in number of shares or value, of our outstanding common stock and preferred stock. For more information regarding these and other restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our stock, see “Description of Common Stock –Restrictions on Ownership.”

REIT Qualification

Our charter provides that our board of directors may revoke or otherwise terminate our REIT election, without approval of our stockholders, if it determines that it is no longer in our best interest to continue to be qualified as a REIT.

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a general summary of material U.S. federal income tax consequences regarding our company and the ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock.

Because this is a summary that is intended to address only material United States federal income tax consequences relating to the ownership and disposition of our common stock that will apply to all holders, it may not contain all the information that may be important to you. As you review this discussion, you should keep in mind that:

 

•

the tax consequences to you may vary depending on your particular tax situation;

 

•

special rules that are not discussed below may apply to you if, for example, you are a tax-exempt organization, a broker-dealer, a non-U.S. person, a trust, an estate, a regulated investment company, a financial institution, an insurance company, or otherwise subject to special tax treatment under the Code;

 

•

this summary does not address state, local or non-U.S. tax considerations;

 

•

this summary deals only with holders that hold our securities as a “capital asset” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code; and

 

•

this discussion is not intended to be, and should not be construed as, tax advice.

You are urged both to review the following discussion and to consult with your own tax advisor to determine the effect of ownership and disposition of our securities on your individual tax situation, including any state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences.

The information in this section is based on the Code, final and temporary Treasury regulations, the legislative history of the Code, administrative interpretations and practices of the Internal Revenue Service, including its practices and policies as endorsed in private letter rulings, which are not binding on the Internal Revenue Service except in the case of the taxpayer to whom a private letter ruling is addressed, and existing court decisions all of which as currently in effect as of the date of this prospectus. Future legislation, regulations, administrative interpretations and court decisions could change current law or adversely affect existing interpretations of current law. Any change could apply retroactively. We have not obtained any rulings from the Internal Revenue Service concerning the tax treatment of the matters discussed below. Thus, it is possible that the Internal Revenue Service could challenge the statements in this discussion, which do not bind the Internal Revenue Service or the courts, and that a court could agree with the Internal Revenue Service.

Taxation of Sun as a REIT

We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Code. A REIT generally is not subject to federal income tax on the income that it distributes to stockholders if it meets the applicable REIT distribution requirements and other requirements for qualification.

We believe that we are organized and have operated, and we intend to continue to operate, in a manner allowing us to qualify as a REIT, but there can be no assurance that we have qualified or will remain qualified as a REIT. Qualification and taxation as a REIT depend upon our ability to meet, through actual annual (or in some cases quarterly) operating results, requirements relating to income, asset ownership, distribution levels and diversity of share ownership, and the various other REIT qualification requirements imposed under the Code. Given the complex nature of the REIT qualification requirements, the ongoing importance of factual determinations and the possibility of future changes in our circumstances, we cannot provide any assurance that our actual operating results will satisfy the requirements for taxation as a REIT under the Code for any particular taxable year.

In the opinion of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, Professional Corporation, commencing with our taxable year which ended December 31, 1994, we have been organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification as a REIT, and our method of operation enabled us to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code. It must be emphasized that this opinion is based on various assumptions and is conditioned upon certain representations made by us as to factual matters. In addition, such qualification and taxation as a REIT depends upon our ability to meet, through actual annual operating results, distribution levels, diversity of stock ownership, and the various qualification tests imposed under the Code discussed below, the results of which have not been and will not be reviewed by Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, Professional Corporation. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the actual results of our operations in any particular taxable year will satisfy such requirements.

 

 

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So long as we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we generally will not be subject to federal corporate income tax on our net income that is distributed currently to our stockholders. This treatment substantially eliminates “double taxation” (that is, taxation at both the corporate and stockholder levels) that generally results from an investment in a corporation. However, we will be subject to federal income tax as follows:

 

•

We will be taxed at regular corporate rates on any undistributed “REIT taxable income.” REIT taxable income is the taxable income of the REIT subject to specified adjustments, including a deduction for dividends paid.

 

•

Under some circumstances, we may be subject to the “alternative minimum tax” on our items of tax preference.

 

•

If we have net income from the sale or other disposition of “foreclosure property” that is held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business, or other non-qualifying income from foreclosure property, we will be subject to tax at the highest corporate rate on this income.

 

•

Our net income from “prohibited transactions” will be subject to a 100% tax. In general, prohibited transactions are sales or other dispositions of property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business other than foreclosure property.

 

•

If we fail to satisfy either the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test discussed below, but nonetheless maintain our qualification as a REIT because other requirements are met, we will be subject to a tax equal to the greater of (1) the amount by which 75% of our gross income exceeds the amount of our income qualifying under the 75% test for the taxable year or (2) the amount by which 95% of our gross income exceeds the amount of our income qualifying for the 95% income test for the taxable year, multiplied by a fraction intended to reflect our profitability.

 

•

If we fail to satisfy any of the asset tests (other than a failure by a de minimis amount of the 5% or 10% asset tests) and we qualify for and satisfy certain cure provisions, then we will have to pay an excise tax equal to the greater of (1) $50,000 and (2) an amount determined by multiplying (x) the net income generated during a specified period by the assets that caused the failure by (y) the highest federal income tax applicable to corporations.

 

•

If we fail to satisfy any REIT requirements other than the income test or asset test requirements and we qualify for a reasonable cause exception, then we will have to pay a penalty equal to $50,000 for each such failure.

 

•

We will be subject to a 4% excise tax on the excess of the required distribution over the sum of amounts actually distributed and amounts retained for which federal income tax was paid, if we fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of:

 

(1)

85% of our REIT ordinary income for the year;

 

(2)

95% of our REIT capital gain net income for the year; and

 

(3)

any undistributed taxable income from prior taxable years.

 

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•

We will be subject to a 100% penalty tax on some payments we receive (or on certain expenses deducted by a taxable REIT subsidiary) if arrangements among us, our tenants and our taxable REIT subsidiaries are not comparable to similar arrangements among unrelated parties.

 

•

If we should acquire any asset from a “C” corporation in a carry-over basis transaction and we subsequently recognize gain on the disposition of such asset during the ten-year recognition period beginning on the date on which we acquired the asset, then, to the extent of any built-in gain, such gain will be subject to tax at the highest regular corporate rate. Built-in gain means the excess of (a) the fair market value of the asset as of the beginning of the applicable recognition period over (b) the adjusted basis in such asset as of the beginning of such recognition period.

 

•

Income earned by our taxable REIT subsidiaries will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates.

 

•

We may be required to pay penalties to the Internal Revenue Service in certain circumstances, including if we fail to meet record-keeping requirements intended to monitor our compliance with rules relating to the composition of our stockholders or we elect to preserve REIT qualification in the case of certain inadvertent failures of the REIT rules.

Requirements for Qualification as a REIT

We elected to be taxable as a REIT for federal income tax purposes for our taxable year ended December 31, 1994 and for all subsequent taxable years. In order to have so qualified, we must have met and continue to meet the requirements discussed below, relating to our organization, sources of income, nature of assets and distributions of income to stockholders.

The Code defines a REIT as a corporation, trust or association:

 

(1)

that is managed by one or more trustees or directors;

 

(2)

the beneficial ownership of which is evidenced by transferable shares, or by transferable certificates of beneficial interest;

 

(3)

that would be taxable as a domestic corporation, but for Sections 856 through 859 of the Code;

 

(4)

that is neither a financial institution nor an insurance company subject to applicable provisions of the Code;

 

(5)

the beneficial ownership of which is held by 100 or more persons;

 

(6)

during the last half of each taxable year not more than 50% in value of the outstanding shares of which is owned directly or indirectly by five or fewer individuals, as defined in the Code to include specified entities;

 

(7)

that makes an election to be taxable as a REIT, or has made this election for a previous taxable year which has not been revoked or terminated, and satisfies all relevant filing and other administrative requirements established by the Internal Revenue Service that must be met to elect and maintain REIT status;

 

(8)

that uses a calendar year for federal income tax purposes and complies with the recordkeeping requirements of the Code and regulations promulgated thereunder; and

 

(9)

that meets other applicable tests, described below, regarding the nature of its income and assets and the amount of its distributions.

Conditions (1), (2), (3) and (4) above must be met during the entire taxable year and condition (5) above must be met during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months, or during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than 12 months. For purposes of determining stock ownership under condition (6) above, a supplemental unemployment compensation benefits plan, a private foundation and a portion of a trust permanently set aside or used exclusively for charitable purposes generally are each considered an individual. A trust that is a qualified trust under Code Section 401(a) generally is not considered an individual, and beneficiaries of a qualified trust are treated as holding shares of a REIT in proportion to their actuarial interests in the trust for purposes of condition (6) above.

 

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We believe that we have issued sufficient shares of common stock with sufficient diversity of ownership to allow us to satisfy conditions (5) and (6) above. In addition, our charter contains restrictions regarding the transfer of shares of common stock that are intended to assist us in continuing to satisfy the share ownership requirements described in conditions (5) and (6) above. These restrictions, however, may not ensure that we will be able to satisfy these share ownership requirements.

To monitor its compliance with condition (6) above, a REIT is required to send annual letters to its stockholders requesting information regarding the actual ownership of its shares. If we comply with the annual letters requirement and we do not know or, exercising reasonable diligence, would not have known of our failure to meet condition (6) above, then we will be treated as having met condition (6) above.

To qualify as a REIT, we cannot have at the end of any taxable year any undistributed earnings and profits that are attributable to a non-REIT taxable year. We do not believe that we have any non-REIT earnings and profits and believe that we therefore satisfy this requirement.

Qualified REIT Subsidiaries

If a REIT owns a corporate subsidiary that is a “qualified REIT subsidiary,” the separate existence of that subsidiary will be disregarded for federal income tax purposes. Generally, a qualified REIT subsidiary is a corporation, other than a taxable REIT subsidiary (discussed below), all of the stock of which is owned by the REIT. All assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction and credit of the qualified REIT subsidiary will be treated as assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction and credit of the REIT itself. A qualified REIT subsidiary of Sun will not be subject to federal corporate income taxation, although it may be subject to state and local taxation in some states.

Taxable REIT Subsidiaries

A “taxable REIT subsidiary” of Sun is a corporation in which we directly or indirectly own stock and that elects, together with us, to be treated as a taxable REIT subsidiary under Section 856(l) of the Code. In addition, if one of our taxable REIT subsidiaries owns, directly or indirectly, securities representing 35% or more of the vote or value of a subsidiary corporation, that subsidiary will also be treated as our taxable REIT subsidiary. A taxable REIT subsidiary is a corporation subject to federal income tax, and state and local income tax where applicable, as a regular “C” corporation.

Generally, a taxable REIT subsidiary can perform some impermissible tenant services without causing us to receive impermissible tenant services income under the REIT income tests. A taxable REIT subsidiary also can recognize income that would be subject to the 100% prohibited transaction tax, or income that would be non-qualifying income under the gross income tests, if earned by a REIT. However, several provisions regarding the arrangements between a REIT and its taxable REIT subsidiaries ensure that a taxable REIT subsidiary will be subject to an appropriate level of federal income taxation. For example, a taxable REIT subsidiary is limited in its ability to deduct interest payments in excess of a certain amount made to us. In addition, we will be obligated to pay a 100% penalty tax on some payments that we receive or on certain expenses deducted by the taxable REIT subsidiary if the economic arrangements between us, our tenants and the taxable REIT subsidiary are not comparable to similar arrangements among unrelated parties.

Ownership of Partnership Interests by a REIT

A REIT that is a partner in a partnership (or a member in a limited liability company or other entity that is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes) will be deemed to own its proportionate share of the assets of the partnership and will be deemed to earn its proportionate share of the partnership’s income. The assets and gross income of the partnership retain the same character in the hands of the REIT for purposes of the gross income and asset tests applicable to REITs as described below. Thus, our proportionate share of the assets and items of income of any entity taxable as a partnership for federal income tax purposes in which we hold an interest, such as the Operating Partnership, will be treated as our assets and liabilities and our items of income for purposes of applying the requirements described in this prospectus. The assets, liabilities and items of income of any partnership in which we own an interest include such entity’s share of the assets and liabilities and items of income with respect to any partnership in which it holds an interest.

 

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Income Tests Applicable to REITs

To qualify as a REIT, we must satisfy two gross income tests. First, at least 75% of our gross income, excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, for each taxable year must be derived directly or indirectly from investments relating to real property or mortgages on real property, including “rents from real property,” gains on the disposition of real estate, distributions paid by another REIT and interest on obligations secured by mortgages on real property or on interests in real property, or from some types of temporary investments. Second, at least 95% of our gross income, excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, for each taxable year must be derived from any combination of income qualifying under the 75% test and distributions, interest, and gain from the sale or disposition of stock or securities.

Rents received by us will qualify as rents from real property in satisfying the gross income requirements for a REIT described above only if several conditions are met. First, the amount of rent must not be based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. However, an amount received or accrued generally will not be excluded from the term “rents from real property” solely by reason of being based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales. Second, rents received from a “related party tenant” will not qualify as rents from real property in satisfying the gross income tests unless the tenant is a taxable REIT subsidiary and at least 90% of the property is leased to unrelated tenants and the rent paid by the taxable REIT subsidiary is substantially comparable to the rent paid by the unrelated tenants for comparable space, or the property leased to the taxable REIT subsidiary is a hotel and certain other requirements are satisfied. A tenant is a related party tenant if the REIT, or an actual or constructive owner of 10% or more of the REIT, actually or constructively owns 10% or more of the tenant. Third, if rent attributable to personal property, leased in connection with a lease of real property, is greater than 15% of the total rent received under the lease, then the portion of rent attributable to the personal property will not qualify as rents from real property.

Generally, for rents to qualify as rents from real property for the purpose of satisfying the gross income tests, we may provide directly only an insignificant amount of services, unless those services are “usually or customarily rendered” in connection with the rental of real property and not otherwise considered “rendered to the occupant.”

Accordingly, we may not provide “impermissible services” to tenants (except through an independent contractor from whom we derive no revenue and that meets other requirements or through a taxable REIT subsidiary) without giving rise to “impermissible tenant service income.” Impermissible tenant service income is deemed to be at least 150% of our direct cost of providing the service. If the impermissible tenant service income exceeds 1% of our total income from a property, then all of the income from that property will fail to qualify as rents from real property. If the total amount of impermissible tenant service income from a property does not exceed 1% of our total income from the property, the services will not “taint” the other income from the property (that is, it will not cause the rent paid by tenants of that property to fail to qualify as rents from real property), but the impermissible tenant service income will not qualify as rents from real property.

We have provided and will provide services with respect to the manufactured housing communities. We believe that the services with respect to our communities that have been and will be provided by us are usually or customarily rendered in connection with the rental of space for occupancy only and are not otherwise rendered to particular tenants, or, if considered impermissible services, income from the provision of such services with respect to a given property has not and will not exceed 1% of all amounts received by us from such property. Therefore, we believe that the provision of such services has not and will not cause rents received with respect to our communities to fail to qualify as rents from real property. We believe that services with respect to our communities that may not be provided by us directly without jeopardizing the qualification of rent as rents from real property have been and will be performed by independent contractors or taxable REIT subsidiaries.

We have not charged, and do not anticipate charging, rent that is based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. We have not derived, and do not anticipate deriving, rent attributable to personal property leased in connection with real property that exceeds 15% of the total rents.

We may in the future acquire equity stakes in additional taxable REIT subsidiaries, which do not constitute real estate assets. Gain from a sale or other taxable disposition of these interests will constitute income satisfying the 95% income test, but not the 75% income test. The need to satisfy the 75% income test may adversely affect the time at which we chose to sell or dispose of one or more of these investments, depending on the appreciation of these equity interests, if any.

 

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We have earned and continue to earn amounts of non-qualifying income. For example, we earn fees related to the management of properties that are not wholly-owned by us. We believe that the amount of non-qualifying income generated from these activities has not affected and will not affect our ability to meet the gross income tests.

Any gain realized by us on the sale of any property held as inventory or other property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business will be treated as income from a prohibited transaction that is subject to a 100% penalty tax, unless such property has been held by us for not less than two years and certain other requirements are satisfied or the gain is realized in a taxable REIT subsidiary. Under existing law, whether property is held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business is a question of fact that depends on all the facts and circumstances of a particular transaction. We generally intend to hold our properties for investment with a view to long-term appreciation, to engage in the business of acquiring, developing, owning and operating properties, and to make occasional sales of properties as are consistent with our investment objectives. We cannot provide any assurance, however, that the Internal Revenue Service might not contend that one or more of these sales are subject to the 100% penalty tax. We intend to hold assets developed or held for sale in taxable REIT subsidiaries. Although a taxable REIT subsidiary is not subject to the 100% penalty tax, it does pay tax on its taxable income and gains at regular corporate rates.

If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% or 95% gross income tests for any taxable year, we may nevertheless qualify as a REIT for that year if we are entitled to relief under the Code. These relief provisions generally will be available if our failure to meet the tests is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and, following our identification of such failure for any taxable year, we file a schedule describing each item of our gross income described in the gross income tests in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations. It is not possible, however, to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to the benefit of these relief provisions. For example, if we fail to satisfy the gross income tests because non-qualifying income that we intentionally incur exceeds the limits on non-qualifying income, the Internal Revenue Service could conclude that the failure to satisfy the tests was not due to reasonable cause. If these relief provisions are inapplicable to a particular set of circumstances involving us, we will fail to qualify as a REIT. As discussed under “—Taxation of Sun as a REIT,” even if these relief provisions apply, a tax would be imposed based on the amount of non-qualifying income.

Asset Tests Applicable to REITs

At the close of each quarter of our taxable year, we must satisfy several tests relating to the nature of our assets:

 

(1)

at least 75% of the value of our total assets must be represented by real estate assets, cash, cash items (including receivables) and government securities;

 

(2)

not more than 25% of our total assets may be represented by securities other than those in the 75% asset class;

 

(3)

except for investments in qualified REIT subsidiaries, taxable REIT subsidiaries, equity interests in REITS or other securities that qualify as “real estate assets” for purposes of the test described in clause (1): the value of any one issuer’s securities owned by us may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets; we may not own more than 10% of any one issuer’s outstanding voting securities; and we may not own more than 10% of the value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer; and

 

(4)

not more than 25% of our total assets may be represented by securities of one or more taxable REIT subsidiaries.

Securities for purposes of the asset tests may include debt securities. However, certain debt of an issuer will not count as a security for purposes of the 10% value test, including: (1) debt securities that are “straight debt” as defined in Section 1361 of the Code, as modified by Section 856(m); (2) debt from an issuer who is an individual; or (3) non-straight debt, but only if the REIT possesses an aggregate value of not more than one percent of the value of the issuer’s outstanding securities.

 

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We believe that the aggregate value of our taxable REIT subsidiaries does not exceed 25% of the aggregate value of our gross assets. With respect to each issuer in which we currently own an interest that does not qualify as a REIT, a qualified REIT subsidiary or a taxable REIT subsidiary, we believe that our pro rata share of the value of the securities, including debt, of any such issuer does not exceed 5% of the total value of our assets and that we comply with the 10% voting securities limitation and 10% value limitation with respect to each such issuer. In this regard, however, we cannot provide any assurance that the Internal Revenue Service might not disagree with our determinations.

After initially meeting the asset tests at the close of any quarter, we will not lose our status as a REIT if we fail to satisfy the 25% and 5% asset tests and the 10% value limitation at the end of a later quarter solely by reason of changes in the relative values of our assets. If the failure to satisfy the 25% or 5% asset tests or the 10% value limitation results from an acquisition of securities or other property during a quarter, the failure can be cured by disposition of sufficient non-qualifying assets within 30 days after the close of that quarter. We intend to maintain adequate records of the value of our assets to ensure compliance with the asset tests and to take any available actions within 30 days after the close of any quarter as may be required to cure any noncompliance with the 25% or 5% asset tests or 10% value limitation.

Moreover, if we fail to satisfy any of the asset tests at the end of a calendar quarter during a taxable year and such failure is not cured within 30 days as described above, we will not lose our REIT status if one of the following additional exceptions applies: (A) the failure is due to a violation of the 5% or 10% asset tests and is “de minimis” (for this purpose, a “de minimis” failure is one that arises from our ownership of assets the total value of which does not exceed the lesser of 1% of the total value of our assets at the end of the quarter in which the failure occurred and $10 million) and we either dispose of the assets that caused the failure or otherwise satisfy any of the asset tests within 6 months after the last day of the quarter in which our identification of the failure occurred; or (B) the failure is due to a violation of any of the asset tests (other than a “de minimis” violations of the 5% or 10% asset tests) and all of the following requirements are satisfied: (i) the failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, (ii) we file a schedule in accordance with Treasury Regulations providing a description of each asset that caused the failure, (iii) we either dispose of the assets that caused the failure or otherwise satisfy the asset tests within 6 months after the last day of the quarter in which our identification of the failure occurred, and (iv) we pay an excise tax equal to the greater of (x) $50,000 and (y) an amount determined by multiplying the net income generated during a specified period by the assets that caused the failure by the highest federal income tax applicable to corporations.

Annual Distribution Requirements Applicable to REITs

To qualify as a REIT, we are required to distribute dividends, other than capital gain dividends, to our stockholders each year in an amount at least equal to (1) the sum of (a) 90% of our REIT taxable income, computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction and our net capital gain, and (b) 90% of the net income, after tax, from foreclosure property, minus (2) the sum of certain specified items of noncash income. In addition, if we recognize any built-in gain, we will be required, under Treasury regulations, to distribute at least 90% of the built-in gain, after tax, recognized on the disposition of the applicable asset. See “—Taxation of Sun as a REIT” for a discussion of the possible recognition of built-in gain. These distributions must be paid either in the taxable year to which they relate, or in the following taxable year if declared before we timely file our tax return for the prior year and if paid with or before the first regular dividend payment date after the declaration is made.

We believe that we have made and intend to continue to make timely distributions sufficient to satisfy the annual distribution requirements.

We anticipate having sufficient cash or liquid assets to enable us to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement. It is possible, however, that we, from time to time, may not have sufficient cash or other liquid assets to meet this distribution requirement or to distribute such greater amount as may be necessary to avoid income and excise taxation, due to timing differences between (a) the actual receipt of income and the actual payment of deductible expenses and (b) the inclusion of such income and the deduction of such expenses in arriving at our taxable income, or as a result of nondeductible expenses such as principal amortization or capital expenditures in excess of noncash deductions. In the event that such timing differences occur, we may find it necessary to arrange for borrowings or, if possible, pay taxable stock dividends in order to meet the dividend requirement.

 

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Under some circumstances, we may be able to rectify a failure to meet the distribution requirement for a year by paying dividends to stockholders in a later year, which may be included in our deduction for dividends paid for the earlier year. We will refer to such dividends as “deficiency dividends.” Thus, we may be able to avoid being taxed on amounts distributed as deficiency dividends. We will, however, be required to pay interest based upon the amount of any deduction taken for deficiency dividends.

To the extent that we do not distribute all of our net capital gain or distribute at least 90%, but less than 100%, of our REIT taxable income, as adjusted, we are subject to tax on these amounts at regular corporate tax rates.

We will be subject to a 4% excise tax on the excess of the required distribution over the sum of amounts actually distributed and amounts retained for which federal income tax was paid, if we fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of:

 

(1)

85% of our REIT ordinary income for the year;

 

(2)

95% of our REIT capital gain net income for the year; and

 

(3)

any undistributed taxable income from prior taxable years.

A REIT may elect to retain rather than distribute all or a portion of its net capital gains and pay the tax on the gains. In that case, a REIT may elect to have its stockholders include their proportionate share of the undistributed net capital gains in income as long-term capital gains and receive a credit for their share of the tax paid by the REIT. For purposes of the 4% excise tax described above, any retained amounts would be treated as having been distributed.

Record-Keeping Requirements

We are required to comply with applicable record-keeping requirements. Failure to comply could result in monetary fines.

Failure of Sun to Qualify as a REIT

If we fail to satisfy any REIT requirements (other than the income test or asset test requirements, to which specific cure provisions apply), we generally will be eligible for relief from REIT disqualification if the failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and we pay a penalty of $50,000 with respect to such failure. It is not possible to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to such statutory relief.

If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year and the relief provisions do not apply, we will be subject to tax on our taxable income at regular corporate rates, including any applicable alternative minimum tax. Distributions to stockholders in any year in which we fail to qualify will not be deductible by us nor will they be required to be made. In such event, to the extent of current or accumulated earnings and profits, all distributions to stockholders will be taxable as dividend income. Subject to limitations of the Code, corporate stockholders may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction and non-corporate stockholders may be eligible to treat the dividends received from us as qualified dividend income taxable as net capital gains under the provisions of Section 1(h)(11) of the Code. Unless we are entitled to relief under specific statutory provisions, we also will be disqualified from electing to be taxed as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which qualification was lost.

Taxation of U.S. Stockholders

When we refer to a United States stockholder, we mean a beneficial owner of a share of our common stock that is, for United States federal income tax purposes:

 

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(1)

a citizen or resident, as defined in Section 7701(b) of the Code, of the United States;

 

(2)

a corporation or partnership, or other entity treated as a corporation or partnership for federal income tax purposes, created or organized under the laws of the United States, any state or the District of Columbia;

 

(3)

an estate the income of which is subject to federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

(4)

in general, a trust subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and the control of one or more United States persons.

Generally, in the case of a partnership that holds our common stock, any partner that would be a U.S. stockholder if it held the common stock directly is also a U.S. stockholder. A “non-U.S. stockholder” is a holder, including any partner in a partnership that holds our common stock, that is not a U.S. stockholder.

Distributions by Sun

So long as we qualify as a REIT, distributions to U.S. stockholders out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits that are not designated as capital gain distributions will be taxable as dividend income and will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction generally available for corporations and generally will not be eligible for treatment as qualified dividend income by non-corporate stockholders. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will not be taxable to a U.S. stockholder to the extent that the distributions do not exceed the adjusted tax basis of the stockholder’s shares. Rather, such distributions will reduce the adjusted basis of such shares. Distributions in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits that exceed the U.S. stockholder’s adjusted basis in its shares will be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of such shares taxable as capital gains in the amount of such excess if the shares are held as a capital asset. If we declare a distribution in October, November or December of any year with a record date in one of these months and pay the distribution on or before January 31 of the following year, we will be treated as having paid the distribution, and the stockholder will be treated as having received the distribution, on December 31 of the year in which the distribution was declared.

We may elect to designate distributions of our net capital gain as “capital gain dividends.” Capital gain dividends are taxed to stockholders as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset held for more than one year, without regard to how long the U.S. stockholder has held its shares. If we designate any portion of a distribution as a capital gain dividend, a U.S. stockholder will receive an Internal Revenue Service Form 1099-DIV indicating the amount that will be taxable to the stockholder as capital gain. Corporate stockholders, however, may be required to treat up to 20% of capital gain dividends as ordinary income.

Instead of paying capital gain dividends, we may choose to retain all or part of our net capital gain and designate such amount as “undistributed capital gain.” We will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on any undistributed capital gain.

A U.S. stockholder:

 

(1)

will include in its income as long-term capital gains its proportionate share of such undistributed capital gains; and

 

(2)

will be deemed to have paid its proportionate share of the tax paid by us on such undistributed capital gains and receive a credit or a refund to the extent that the tax paid by us exceeds the U.S. stockholder’s tax liability on the undistributed capital gain.

A U.S. stockholder will increase the basis in its common stock by the difference between the amount of capital gain included in its income and the amount of tax it is deemed to have paid. Our earnings and profits will be adjusted appropriately.

We will classify portions of any designated capital gain dividend or undistributed capital gain as either:

 

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(1)

a 15% rate gain distribution, which would be taxable to non-corporate U.S. stockholders at a maximum rate of 20%; or

 

(2)

an “unrecaptured Section 1250 gain” distribution, which would be taxable to non-corporate U.S. stockholders at a maximum rate of 25%.

We must determine the maximum amounts that we may designate as 15% and 25% rate capital gain dividends by performing the computation required by the Code as if the REIT were an individual whose ordinary income were subject to a marginal tax rate in excess of 25%.

Distributions made by us and gain arising from the sale or exchange by a U.S. stockholder of shares will not be treated as passive activity income, and as a result, U.S. stockholders generally will not be able to apply any “passive losses” against this income or gain. In addition, taxable distributions from our company generally will be treated as investment income for purposes of the investment interest limitations and the 3.8% tax on “net investment income.” A U.S. stockholder may elect to treat capital gain dividends and capital gains from the disposition of shares as investment income for purposes of the investment interest limitation, in which case the applicable capital gains will be taxed at ordinary income rates. We will notify stockholders regarding the portions of distributions for each year that constitute ordinary income, return of capital and capital gain. U.S. stockholders may not include in their individual income tax returns any net operating losses or capital losses of our company. Our operating or capital losses would be carried over for potential offset against our future income, subject to applicable limitations.

Sales of Shares

Upon any taxable sale or other disposition of shares, a U.S. stockholder will recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes in an amount equal to the difference between:

 

(1)

the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received on the sale or other disposition; and

 

(2)

the holder’s adjusted basis in the shares for tax purposes.

This gain or loss will be a capital gain or loss if the shares have been held by the U.S. stockholder as a capital asset. The applicable tax rate will depend on the stockholder’s holding period in the asset (generally, if an asset has been held for more than one year it will produce long-term capital gain) and the stockholder’s tax bracket. The Internal Revenue Service has the authority to prescribe, but has not yet prescribed, regulations that would apply a capital gain tax rate of 25% (which is generally higher than the long-term capital gain tax rates for noncorporate stockholders) to a portion of capital gain realized by a noncorporate stockholder on the sale of REIT shares that would correspond to the REIT’s “unrecaptured Section 1250 gain.” Stockholders are urged to consult with their own tax advisors with respect to their capital gain tax liability. A corporate U.S. stockholder will be subject to tax at a maximum rate of 35% on capital gain from the sale of our company’s shares. In general, any loss recognized by a U.S. stockholder upon the sale or other disposition of shares that have been held for six months or less, after applying the holding period rules, will be treated as a long-term capital loss, to the extent of distributions received by the U.S. stockholder from us that were required to be treated as long-term capital gains. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares may be disallowed if other shares are purchased within 30 days before or after the date of disposition. Certain non-corporate U.S. stockholders may also have to pay a 3.8% “net investment tax” on any gain recognized upon the taxable sale of shares, subject to certain adjusted gross income limitations.

Taxation of Tax-Exempt Stockholders

Provided that a tax-exempt stockholder has not held its common stock as “debt financed property” within the meaning of the Code, the dividend income from our company will not be unrelated business taxable income, referred to as UBTI, to a tax-exempt stockholder. Similarly, gain from the sale of shares will not constitute UBTI unless the tax-exempt stockholder has held its shares as debt financed property within the meaning of the Code or is a dealer in the shares.

 

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However, for tax-exempt stockholders that are social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, supplemental unemployment benefit trusts and qualified group legal services plans exempt from federal income taxation under Sections 501(c)(7), (c)(9), (c)(17) and (c)(20) of the Code, respectively, income from an investment in our company will constitute UBTI unless the organization properly sets aside or reserves such amounts for purposes specified in the Code. These tax-exempt stockholders should consult their own tax advisors concerning these “set aside” and reserve requirements.

Notwithstanding the above, however, a portion of the dividends paid by a “pension held REIT” are treated as UBTI if received by any trust which is described in Section 401(a) of the Code, is tax-exempt under Section 501(a) of the Code and holds more than 10%, by value, of the interests in the REIT.

Tax-exempt pension funds that are described in Section 401(a) of the Code are referred to below as “pension trusts.”

A REIT is a pension held REIT if it meets the following two tests:

 

(1)

it qualified as a REIT only by reason of Section 856(h)(3) of the Code, which provides that stock owned by pension trusts will be treated, for purposes of determining if the REIT is closely held, as owned by the beneficiaries of the trust rather than by the trust itself; and

 

(2)

either (a) at least one pension trust holds more than 25% of the value of the REIT’s stock, or (b) a group of pension trusts each individually holding more than 10% of the value of the REIT’s shares, collectively owns more than 50% of the value of the REIT’s shares.

The percentage of any REIT dividend treated as UBTI is equal to the ratio of the UBTI earned by the REIT, treating the REIT as if it were a pension trust and therefore subject to tax on UBTI, to the total gross income of the REIT. An exception applies where the percentage is less than 5% for any taxable year.

U.S. Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders

Distributions by Sun

Distributions by us to a non-U.S. stockholder that are neither attributable to gain from sales or exchanges by us of “U.S. real property interests” nor designated by us as capital gains dividends will be treated as dividends of ordinary income to the extent that they are made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. These distributions ordinarily will be subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax on a gross basis at a rate of 30%, or a lower rate as permitted under an applicable income tax treaty, unless the dividends are treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business. Under some treaties, however, lower withholding rates generally applicable to dividends do not apply to dividends from REITs. Dividends that are effectively connected with a trade or business will be subject to tax on a net basis, that is, after allowance for deductions, at graduated rates, in the same manner as U.S. stockholders are taxed with respect to these dividends, and generally will not be subject to withholding. Applicable certification and disclosure requirements must be satisfied to be exempt from withholding under the effectively connected income exemption. Any dividends received by a corporate non-U.S. stockholder that is engaged in a U.S. trade or business also may be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate, or lower applicable treaty rate.

Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits that exceed the non-U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in its common stock will be taxable to a non-U.S. stockholder as gain from the sale of common stock, which is discussed below. Distributions in excess of our current or accumulated earnings and profits that do not exceed the adjusted tax basis of the non-U.S. stockholder in its common stock will reduce the non-U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in its common stock and will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax, but will be subject to U.S. withholding tax as described below.

We expect to withhold U.S. income tax at the rate of 30% on any dividend distributions (including distributions that later may be determined to have been in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits) made to a non-U.S. stockholder unless:

 

(1)

a lower treaty rate applies and the non-U.S. stockholder files an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN evidencing eligibility for that reduced treaty rate with us; or

 

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(2)

the non-U.S. stockholder files an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI with us claiming that the distribution is income effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the U.S.

Under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, which is referred to as “FIRPTA,” we may be required to withhold at least 10% of any distribution in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, even if a lower treaty rate applies and the non-U.S. stockholder is not liable for tax on the receipt of that distribution. However, a non-U.S. stockholder may seek a refund of these amounts from the Internal Revenue Service if the non-U.S. stockholder’s U.S. tax liability with respect to the distribution is less than the amount withheld.

Distributions to a non-U.S. stockholder that are designated by us at the time of the distribution as capital gain dividends, other than those arising from the disposition of a U.S. real property interest, generally should not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation unless:

 

(1)

the investment in the common stock is effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s U.S. trade or business, in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. stockholders with respect to any gain, except that a stockholder that is a foreign corporation also may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax, as discussed above, or

 

(2)

the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who is present in the U.S. for 183 days or more during the taxable year, in which case the nonresident alien individual generally will be subject to a 30% tax on the individual’s capital gains.

Under FIRPTA, subject to the exception discussed below for 5% or smaller holders of regularly traded classes of stock, distributions to a non-U.S. stockholder that are attributable to gain from sales or exchanges by us of U.S. real property interests, whether or not designated as a capital gain dividend, will cause the non-U.S. stockholder to be treated as recognizing gain that is income effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. Non-U.S. stockholders will be taxed on this gain at the same rates applicable to U.S. stockholders, subject to a special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals. Also, this gain may be subject to a 30% branch profits tax in the hands of a non-U.S. stockholder that is a corporation.

We will be required to withhold and remit to the Internal Revenue Service 35% of any distributions to non-U.S. stockholders that are designated as capital gain dividends, or, if greater, 35% of a distribution that could have been designated as a capital gain dividend. Distributions can be designated as capital gains to the extent of our net capital gain for the taxable year of the distribution. The amount withheld is creditable against the non-U.S. stockholder’s United States federal income tax liability. A non-U.S. stockholder whose U.S. federal income tax liability under FIRPTA exceeds amounts withheld by us will be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return for the taxable year.

A non-U.S. stockholder that owns no more than 5% of our common stock at all times during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution will not be subject to federal income tax under FIRPTA with respect to distributions that are attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of U.S. real property interests, provided that our common stock is regularly traded on an established securities market.

Although the law is not clear on the matter, it appears that amounts designated by us as undistributed capital gains in respect of the common stock held by U.S. stockholders generally should be treated with respect to non-U.S. stockholders in the same manner as actual distributions by us of capital gain dividends. Under that approach, the non-U.S. stockholders would be able to offset as a credit against their United States federal income tax liability resulting therefrom an amount equal to their proportionate share of the tax paid by us on the undistributed capital gains, and to receive from the Internal Revenue Service a refund to the extent their proportionate share of this tax paid by our company exceeds their actual United States federal income tax liability.

Sale of Common Stock

Gain recognized by a non-U.S. stockholder upon the sale or exchange of our common stock generally would not be subject to United States taxation unless:

 

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(1)

the gain is effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to the same treatment as domestic stockholders with respect to any gain;

 

(2)

the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year, in which case the nonresident alien individual will be subject to a 30% tax on the individual’s net capital gains for the taxable year; or

 

(3)

our common stock constitutes a U.S. real property interest within the meaning of FIRPTA, as described below.

Our common stock will not constitute a U.S. real property interest if we are a domestically controlled qualified investment entity. We will be a domestically controlled qualified investment entity if, at all times during a specified testing period, less than 50% in value of our stock is held directly or indirectly by non-U.S. stockholders.

Because our common stock is publicly traded, we cannot guarantee that we are or will continue to be a domestically controlled qualified investment entity.

Even if we are a domestically controlled qualified investment entity, upon disposition of our stock, a non-U.S. stockholder may be treated as having gain from the sale or exchange of a U.S. real property interest if the non-U.S. stockholder (1) disposes of an interest in our stock during the 30-day period preceding the ex-dividend date of a distribution, any portion of which, but for the disposition, would have been treated as gain from sale or exchange of a U.S. real property interest and (2) acquires, enters into a contract or option to acquire, or is deemed to acquire, other shares of our stock during the 61-day period that begins on the same day as the 30-day period described in clause (1) of this sentence. This rule does not apply if the exception for distributions to 5% or smaller holders of regularly traded classes of stock is satisfied.

Even if we do not qualify as a domestically controlled qualified investment entity at the time a non-U.S. stockholder sells its common stock, our stock sold by such stockholder would not be considered a U.S. real property interest if:

 

(1)

the class or series of stock sold is considered regularly traded under applicable Treasury regulations on an established securities market, such as the NYSE; and

 

(2)

the selling non-U.S. stockholder owned, actually or constructively, 5% or less in value of the outstanding class or series of stock being sold throughout the five-year period ending on the date of the sale or exchange.

If gain on the sale or exchange of our common stock were subject to taxation under FIRPTA, the non-U.S. stockholder would be subject to regular U.S. income tax with respect to any gain in the same manner as a taxable U.S. stockholder, subject to any applicable alternative minimum tax and special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding Tax Applicable to Stockholders

U.S. Stockholders

In general, information reporting requirements will apply to payments of distributions on our common stock and payments of the proceeds of the sale of our common stock to some stockholders, unless an exception applies. Further, the payer will be required to withhold backup withholding tax at the rate of 28% if:

 

(1)

the payee fails to furnish a taxpayer identification number, or TIN, to the payer or to establish an exemption from backup withholding;

 

(2)

the Internal Revenue Service notifies the payer that the TIN furnished by the payee is incorrect; or

 

(3)

the payee fails to certify under the penalty of perjury that the payee is not subject to backup withholding under the Code.

Some stockholders, including corporations, will be exempt from backup withholding. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a stockholder will be allowed as a credit against the stockholder’s United States federal income tax and may entitle the stockholder to a refund, provided that the required information is furnished to the Internal Revenue Service.

 

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Non-U.S. Stockholders

Generally, information reporting will apply to payments of distributions on our common stock, and backup withholding at a rate of 28% may apply, unless the payee certifies that it is not a U.S. person or otherwise establishes an exemption.

The payment of the proceeds from the disposition of Sun common stock to or through the U.S. office of a U.S. or foreign broker will be subject to information reporting and, possibly, backup withholding unless the non-U.S. stockholder certifies as to its non-U.S. status or otherwise establishes an exemption, provided that the broker does not have actual knowledge that the stockholder is a U.S. person or that the conditions of any other exemption are not, in fact, satisfied. The proceeds of the disposition by a non-U.S. stockholder of our common stock to or through a foreign office of a broker generally will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However, if the broker is a U.S. person, a controlled foreign corporation for U.S. tax purposes or a foreign person 50% or more of whose gross income from all sources for specified periods is from activities that are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business, information reporting generally will apply unless the broker has documentary evidence as to the non-U.S. stockholder’s foreign status and has no actual knowledge to the contrary.

Applicable Treasury regulations provide presumptions regarding the status of stockholders when payments to the stockholders cannot be reliably associated with appropriate documentation provided to the payer. Because the application of these Treasury regulations varies depending on the stockholder’s particular circumstances, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the information reporting requirements applicable to you.

Other Tax Consequences for Sun and Its Stockholders

We and our stockholders may be subject to state and local taxation in various state or local jurisdictions, including those in which we or they transact business or reside. The state and local tax treatment of us and our stockholders may not conform to the federal income tax consequences discussed above. Consequently, prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the effect of state and local tax laws on an investment in our securities.

To the extent that we and the taxable REIT subsidiaries are required to pay federal, state or local taxes, we will have less cash available for distribution to stockholders.

Legislative or Other Actions Affecting REITs and Stockholders

The present federal income tax treatment of REITs may be modified, possibly with retroactive effect, by legislative, judicial or administrative action at any time. The REIT rules are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Treasury Department, which may result in statutory changes as well as revisions to regulations and interpretations. Dividends paid by REITs will generally not constitute qualified dividend income eligible for the 15% tax rate for stockholders that are taxable as individuals, trusts and estates and will generally be taxable at the higher ordinary income tax rates.

Recent Tax Law Changes

Reporting and Withholding on Foreign Financial Accounts

On March 18, 2010, the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act, or the HIRE Act, was signed into law. Certain provisions of this law known as The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (commonly referred to as “FATCA”) imposes a 30% U.S. federal withholding tax on dividends on, and gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, our capital stock to a foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity (whether such institution or entity is the beneficial owner or an intermediary), unless (i) in the case of a foreign financial institution, such institution enters into an agreement with the U.S. tax authorities to collect and provide substantial information regarding U.S. account holders of such institution (which includes certain equity and debt holders of such institution, as well as certain account holders that are foreign entities with U.S. owners) and to withhold on certain payments, or otherwise complies with FATCA and any applicable inter-governmental agreements implementing FATCA, and (ii) in the case of a non-financial foreign entity, such entity provides the withholding agent with a certification that it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or a certification identifying the substantial U.S. owners of the entity, which generally includes certain U.S. persons who directly or indirectly own

 

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more than 10% of the entity, or otherwise complies with FATCA and any applicable intergovernmental agreements implementing FATCA. Withholding under FATCA on dividends on our capital stock generally began after June 30, 2014, although under Notice 2014-33, the IRS will take into account the extent to which a withholding agent has made good faith efforts to comply with FATCA. Withholding on gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of our capital stock generally is to begin after December 31, 2016. We will not pay any additional amounts to shareholders subject to withholding under FATCA. Under certain circumstances, an investor may be eligible for refunds or credits of any taxes imposed under FATCA. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of FATCA on their acquisition, ownership and disposition of our capital stock.

SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

Information about selling stockholders will be set forth in a prospectus supplement, in a post-effective amendment or in filings we make with the SEC under the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

The selling stockholders, which as used herein includes donees, pledgees, transferees or other successors-in-interest selling Registered Shares received after the date of this prospectus from a selling stockholder as a gift, pledge, partnership distribution or other transfer, may, from time to time, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any or all of their Registered Shares on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the Registered Shares are traded or in private transactions. These dispositions may be at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market price, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices.

The selling stockholders may use any one or more of the following methods when disposing of shares or interests therein:

 

•

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers;

 

•

block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent, but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;

 

•

purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;

 

•

an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;

 

•

privately-negotiated transactions;

 

•

an underwritten offering;

 

•

short sales effected after the date of this prospectus;

 

•

through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise;

 

•

agreements with broker-dealers to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;

 

•

a combination of any such methods of sale; and

 

•

any other method permitted by applicable law.

 

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The selling stockholders may effect such transactions by selling their Registered Shares directly to purchasers, to or through broker-dealers, which may act as agents for the seller and buyer or principals, or to underwriters who acquire Registered Shares for their own account and resell them in one or more transactions. Such broker-dealers or underwriters may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions, or commissions from the selling stockholders and/or the purchasers of the Registered Shares for whom such broker-dealers may act as agents or to whom they sell as principal, or both (which compensation as to a particular broker-dealer might be in excess of customary commissions) and such discounts, concessions, or commissions may be allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers. Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or paid to dealers may be changed at different times.

The selling stockholders may, from time to time, pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the shares of common stock owned by them and, if they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell the shares of common stock, from time to time, under this prospectus, or under an amendment to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3) or other applicable provision of the Securities Act amending the list of selling stockholders to include the pledgee, transferee or other successors in interest as selling stockholders under this prospectus. The selling stockholders also may transfer the shares of common stock in other circumstances, in which case the transferees, pledgees or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus.

In connection with the sale of the Registered Shares, the selling stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the Registered Shares in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The selling stockholders may also sell Registered Shares short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the Registered Shares to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The selling stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or the creation of one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of Registered Shares offered by this prospectus, which Registered Shares such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).

The aggregate proceeds to the selling stockholders from the sale of the Registered Shares offered by them will be the purchase price of the Registered Shares less discounts or commissions, if any. Each of the selling stockholders reserves the right to accept and, together with their agents from time to time, to reject, in whole or in part, any proposed purchase of Registered Shares to be made directly or through agents. We will not receive any of the proceeds from this offering.

The selling stockholders also may resell all or a portion of the Registered Shares in open market transactions in reliance upon Rule 144 under the Securities Act, provided that they meet the criteria and conform to the requirements of that rule.

The selling stockholders and any underwriters, broker-dealers or agents that participate in the sale of the Registered Shares may be “underwriters” within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act. Any discounts, commissions, concessions or profit they earn on any resale of the Registered Shares may be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. Selling stockholders who are “underwriters” within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.

To the extent required, the Registered Shares to be sold, the names of the selling stockholders, the respective purchase prices and public offering prices, the names of any agents, dealer or underwriter, any applicable commissions or discounts with respect to a particular offer will be set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement or, if appropriate, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement that includes this prospectus.

In order to comply with the securities laws of some states, if applicable, the Registered Shares may be sold in these jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states the Registered Shares may not be sold unless it has been registered or qualified for sale or an exemption from registration or qualification requirements is available and is complied with.

 

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We have advised the selling stockholders that the anti-manipulation rules of Regulation M under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of shares in the market and to the activities of the selling stockholders and their affiliates. In addition, to the extent applicable we will make copies of this prospectus (as it may be supplemented or amended from time to time) available to the selling stockholders for the purpose of satisfying the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. The selling stockholders may indemnify any broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving the sale of the Registered Shares against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

We have agreed to indemnify the selling stockholders against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act and state securities laws, relating to the registration of the shares offered by this prospectus.

LEGAL MATTERS

Certain legal matters will be passed upon for us by Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, Professional Corporation, Southfield, Michigan. Arthur A. Weiss is a member of our board of directors and a shareholder of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, Professional Corporation. Ober, Kaler, Grimes & Shriver, a Professional Corporation, Baltimore, Maryland, will issue an opinion to us regarding certain matters of Maryland law, including the validity of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus. Additional legal matters may be passed upon for us, the selling security holders or any underwriters, dealers or agents, by counsel that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement.

EXPERTS

The audited consolidated financial statements, schedule and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Sun Communities, Inc. incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the reports of Grant Thornton LLP, independent registered public accountants, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

The combined statements of revenues and certain operating expenses of Green Courte Communities for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, incorporated in this prospectus by reference from Sun Communities, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed on April 17, 2015 has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors, as stated in their report incorporated herein by reference (which report expresses an unmodified opinion and includes an emphasis-of-matter paragraph referring to the purpose of the statements), and is incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act, and, in accordance therewith, we file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C., 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that site is http://www.sec.gov. In addition, our common stock is listed on the NYSE and such reports, proxy statements and other information concerning us can be inspected at the offices of the NYSE, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005. Additionally, we make these filings available, free of charge, through the Investors section of our website at www.suncommunities.com as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such materials with, or furnish them to, the SEC. The information on the website listed above, except as described in the section titled “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference” below, is not, and should not be, considered part of this prospectus and is not incorporated by reference into this document.

 

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We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities offered in connection with this prospectus. This prospectus, which is part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, certain parts of which are omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information regarding us and the securities, please refer to the registration statement and the documents filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement. Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract or other document are not necessarily complete and, in each instance, you should refer to the copy of such contract or document filed as an exhibit to or incorporated by reference in the registration statement. Each statement as to the contents of such contract or document is qualified in all respects by such reference. You may obtain copies of the registration statement and its exhibits from the SEC as indicated above or from us.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we will make with the SEC prior to the termination of the offering under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (solely to the extent that such information set forth in any such document is filed with, as opposed to furnished to, the SEC under the Exchange Act):

 

•

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, filed on March 2, 2015;

 

•

Our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 29, 2015;

 

•

Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2015 filed on April 23, 2015

 

•

Our Current Reports on Form 8-K and 8-K/A, as applicable, filed on January 12, 2015, April 2, 2015, April 17, 2015, April 27, 2015 and May 20, 2015;

 

•

The description of our common stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed November 23, 1993 (File No. 1-12616), including any amendment or report filed to update such description;

 

•

The description of certain distribution rights associated with our common stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed June 3, 2008 (File No. 001-12616), including any amendment or report filed to update such description.

All documents subsequently filed by us with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination of this offering shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and a part hereof from the date of filing of these documents, and will update, supplement and supersede the information in this prospectus. Notwithstanding the foregoing, information furnished under Items 2.02 and 7.01 of our Current Reports on Form 8-K, including the related exhibits, is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in the prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus. We will provide this information upon written or oral request at no cost to the requester. You may request a copy of any of this information by writing us at the following address: Sun Communities, Inc., 27777 Franklin Road, Suite 200, Southfield, Michigan, 48034, Attention: Investor Relations; or by calling our Investor Relations Department at telephone number (248) 208-2500.

 

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Part II

Information Not Required in Prospectus

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

The following table sets forth an estimate of the expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, payable in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered, all of which will be borne by the registrant.

 

SEC Registration Fee(1)		$	—
Legal Fees and Expenses(2)		$	20,000
Accounting Fees and Expenses(2)		$	10,000
Printing and Other Miscellaneous Fees and Expenses(2)		$	5,000
Total		$	35,000

 

(1)	Deferred in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act of 1933. SEC registration fees are determined based upon the aggregate initial offering price of the securities being offered from time to time.

(2)	Does not include expenses of preparing prospectus supplements and other expenses relating to offerings of particular securities.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Our charter authorizes us to obligate the company to indemnify our present and former directors and officers and to pay or reimburse expenses for such individuals in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding to the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Maryland law. Our bylaws obligate us to indemnify and advance expenses to present and former directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. The Maryland General Corporation Law (“MGCL”) permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements, and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made a party by reason of their service to the company in those capacities unless it is established that: (i) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding; and (a) was committed in bad faith or, (b) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty; (ii) the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property, or services; or (iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful.

The MGCL permits the charter of a Maryland corporation to include a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except to the extent that: (i) it is proved that the person actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services; or (ii) a judgment or other final adjudication is entered in a proceeding based on a finding that the person’s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. Our charter contains a provision providing for elimination of the liability of our directors or officers to us or our stockholders for money damages to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

The partnership agreement of the Operating Partnership also provides for indemnification of us and our officers and directors to the same extent indemnification is provided to our officers and directors in our charter, and limits our liability and the liability of our officers and directors to the Operating Partnership and its respective partners to the same extent the liability of our officers and directors to us and our stockholders is limited under our charter.

 

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Item 16. Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.		Description		Method of Filing
3.1		Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Sun Communities, Inc.		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Registration Statement No. 33- 69340
3.2		Articles Supplementary of Board of Directors of Sun Communities, Inc. Designating a Series of Preferred Stock		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated September 29, 1999
3.3		Articles Supplementary, dated October 16, 2006		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 16, 2006
3.4		Articles Supplementary of Board of Directors Classifying and Designating a Series of Preferred Stock as Junior Participating Preferred Stock and Fixing Distribution and Other Preferences and Rights of Such Series		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated June 3, 2008
3.5		Articles of Amendment dated June 13, 1997		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated November 9, 2012
3.6		Articles Supplementary designating 7.125% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock dated November 9, 2012		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated November 9, 2012
3.7		Articles Supplementary canceling and reclassifying 9.125% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock dated November 9, 2012		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 9, 2012
3.8		Articles of Amendment dated July 24, 2013		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 23, 2013
3.9		Articles Supplementary designating 6.50% Series A-4 Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock dated November 25, 2014		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 2, 2014
3.10		Second Amended and Restated Bylaws		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014
4.1		Rights Agreement, dated as of June 2, 2008, between Sun Communities, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated June 3, 2008

 

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4.2		First Amendment to Rights Agreement, dated July 30, 2014, by and between Sun Communities, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A.		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 30, 2014
4.3		Form of certificate evidencing common stock		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated November 9, 2012
5.1		Opinion of Ober, Kaler, Grimes & Shriver, a Professional Corporation		Filed herewith
8.1		Opinion of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, Professional Corporation, as to certain tax matters		Filed herewith
23.1		Consent of Grant Thornton LLP		Filed herewith
23.2		Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP		Filed herewith
23.3		Consent of Ober, Kaler, Grimes & Shriver, a Professional Corporation		Included in Exhibit 5.1
23.4		Consent of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, Professional Corporation		Included in Exhibit 8.1
24.1		Powers of Attorney		Incorporated by reference to the signature page hereto

 

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Item 17. Undertakings

(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

(i)

To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

(ii)

To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table set forth in this registration statement; and

 

(iii)

To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to such information in this registration statement;

provided however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

 

(i)

Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

(ii)

Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

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(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: (i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (ii) any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; (iii) the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and (iv) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(b) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Southfield, State of Michigan, on June 12, 2015.

 

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned officers and directors of Sun Communities, Inc. hereby constitutes and appoints Gary A. Shiffman and Karen J. Dearing, or either of them, such undersigned’s attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for the undersigned in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments or post-effective amendments to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith or in connection with the registration of the shares of common stock under the Securities Act of 1933, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each of such attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary in connection with such matters as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of such attorneys-in-fact and agents or their substitute or substitutes may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name		Title		Date
/s/ Gary A. Shiffman Gary A. Shiffman		Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Principal Executive Officer		June 12, 2015
/s/ Karen J. Dearing Karen J. Dearing		Executive Vice President, Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer		June 12, 2015
/s/ Stephanie W. Bergeron Stephanie W. Bergeron		Director		June 12, 2015
/s/ James R. Goldman James R. Goldman		Director		June 12, 2015
/s/ Brian Hermelin Brian Hermelin		Director		June 12, 2015
/s/ Ronald A. Klein Ronald A. Klein		Director		June 12, 2015
/s/ Paul D. Lapides Paul D. Lapides		Director		June 12, 2015
/s/ Clunet R. Lewis Clunet R. Lewis		Director		June 12, 2015
/s/ Ronald L. Piasecki Ronald L. Piasecki		Director		June 12, 2015
/s/ Randall K. Rowe Randall K. Rowe		Director		June 12, 2015
/s/ Arthur A. Weiss Arthur A. Weiss		Director		June 12, 2015

 

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INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit No.		Description		Method of Filing
3.1		Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Sun Communities, Inc.		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Registration Statement No. 33- 69340
3.2		Articles Supplementary of Board of Directors of Sun Communities, Inc. Designating a Series of Preferred Stock		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated September 29, 1999
3.3		Articles Supplementary, dated October 16, 2006		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 16, 2006
3.4		Articles Supplementary of Board of Directors Classifying and Designating a Series of Preferred Stock as Junior Participating Preferred Stock and Fixing Distribution and Other Preferences and Rights of Such Series		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated June 3, 2008
3.5		Articles of Amendment dated June 13, 1997		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated November 9, 2012
3.6		Articles Supplementary designating 7.125% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock dated November 9, 2012		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated November 9, 2012
3.7		Articles Supplementary canceling and reclassifying 9.125% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock dated November 9, 2012		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 9, 2012
3.8		Articles of Amendment dated July 24, 2013		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 23, 2013
3.9		Articles Supplementary designating 6.50% Series A-4 Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock dated November 25, 2014		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 2, 2014
3.10		Second Amended and Restated Bylaws		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014

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4.1		Rights Agreement, dated as of June 2, 2008, between Sun Communities, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated June 3, 2008
4.2		First Amendment to Rights Agreement, dated July 30, 2014, by and between Sun Communities, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A.		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 30, 2014
4.3		Form of certificate evidencing common stock		Incorporated by reference to Sun Communities, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated November 9, 2012
5.1		Opinion of Ober, Kaler, Grimes & Shriver, a Professional Corporation		Filed herewith
8.1		Opinion of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, Professional Corporation, as to certain tax matters		Filed herewith
23.1		Consent of Grant Thornton LLP		Filed herewith
23.2		Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP		Filed herewith
23.3		Consent of Ober, Kaler, Grimes & Shriver, a Professional Corporation		Included in Exhibit 5.1
23.4		Consent of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, Professional Corporation		Included in Exhibit 8.1
24.1		Powers of Attorney		Incorporated by reference to the signature page hereto