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Commitments And Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments And Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies
As of June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, we participated in three real estate ventures structured as DownREIT partnerships that have properties in Arkansas, California, North Carolina and Texas. As a general partner, we have operating and financial control over these ventures and consolidate them in our consolidated financial statements. These ventures allow the outside limited partners to put their interest in the partnership to us in exchange for our common shares or an equivalent amount in cash. We may acquire any limited partnership interests that are put to the partnership, and we have the option to redeem the interest in cash or a fixed number of our common shares, at our discretion. We also participate in a real estate venture that has a property in Texas that allows its outside partner to put operating partnership units to us. We have the option to redeem these units in cash or a fixed number of our common shares, at our discretion. No common shares were issued in exchange for any of these interests during the six months ended June 30, 2014 or 2013. The aggregate redemption value of these interests was approximately $49 million and $41 million as of June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively.
As of June 30, 2014, we have entered into commitments aggregating $54.7 million comprised principally of construction contracts which are generally due in 12 to 36 months.
We are subject to numerous federal, state and local environmental laws, ordinances and regulations in the areas where we own or operate properties. We are not aware of any contamination which may have been caused by us or any of our tenants that would have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.
As part of our risk management activities, we have applied and been accepted into state sponsored environmental programs which will limit our expenses if contaminants need to be remediated. We also have an environmental insurance policy that covers us against third party liabilities and remediation costs.
While we believe that we do not have any material exposure to environmental remediation costs, we cannot give absolute assurance that changes in the law or new discoveries of contamination will not result in additional liabilities to us.
Litigation
During 2013, we settled a lawsuit we filed in 2011 against our joint venture partner in connection with a development project in Sheridan, Colorado for an alleged failure of our joint venture partner to repay to us an intercompany note payable. Pursuant to the settlement agreement, our $16.1 million note receivable was paid in exchange for cash and real property totaling $19.1 million, receipt of our partner’s interest in two consolidated joint ventures resulting in an increase of approximately $16.2 million in noncontrolling interests and distribution of our interest in two unconsolidated joint ventures with total assets of $23.2 million.
We are also involved in various matters of litigation arising in the normal course of business. While we are unable to predict the amounts involved, our management and counsel are of the opinion that, when such litigation is resolved, any additional liability, if any, will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.