Commitments And Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments And Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

On or about November 19, 2009, we, Sun Secured Financing LLC, Aspen-Ft. Collins Limited Partnership, Sun Secured Financing Houston Limited Partnership, Sun Communities Finance, LLC, Sun Holly Forest LLC and Sun Saddle Oak LLC (collectively, the “Plaintiffs”) filed suit against ARCS Commercial Mortgage Co., L.P., PNC ARCS, LLC, and the Federal National Mortgage Association (collectively, the “Defendants”) in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia as Case No. 1:09-cv-02162. The essence of the dispute was whether the terms of a commercial credit facility permitted Defendants to increase the Variable Facility Fee applicable to the outstanding variable rate loans in conjunction with an extension of the credit facility (and, if so, whether the Defendants properly exercised that right). On March 31, 2011, the parties entered into an Agreement and Release, pursuant to which the parties agreed to stay the litigation. As part of the settlement, on July 27, 2011, we, PNC Bank, National Association (as successor in interest to ARCS Commercial Mortgage Co., L.P., and PNC ARCS, LLC), and Fannie Mae entered into a Second Amended and Restated Master Credit Facility Agreement, as amended on October 3, 2011 (the “Restated Credit Agreement”) which amended and restated in its entirety the prior credit agreement. On January 3, 2012, the Restated Credit Agreement became effective in its entirety and the litigation was dismissed.

18.   Commitments and Contingencies, continued

On June 4, 2010 we settled all of the claims arising out of the litigation filed in 2004 by TJ Holdings, LLC in the Superior Court of Guilford County, North Carolina and the associated arbitration proceeding commenced by TJ Holdings in Southfield, Michigan. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, in which neither party admitted any liability whatsoever, we paid TJ Holdings $360,000. In addition, pursuant to this settlement, TJ Holdings’ percentage ownership interest in Sun/Forest, LLC will be increased on a one time basis, in the event of a sale or refinance of all of the SunChamp Properties, to between 9.03% and 28.99% depending on our average closing stock price as reported by the NYSE during the 30 days preceding the sale or refinance of all the SunChamp Properties. Once this percentage ownership interest has been adjusted, there will be no further adjustments from subsequent sales or refinances of the SunChamp Properties. The likelihood of a sale or refinancing of all of the SunChamp properties is not probable as these properties continue to see growth potential nor do we have a need to refinance all of the properties, so we do not expect it to have a material adverse impact on our results of operations or financial condition.

In 2011, we discovered that we did not register with the SEC shares of our common stock purchased in the open market by our 401(k) plan for the benefit of participants in the plan. We intend to file a registration statement on Form S-3 offering to rescind the purchase of shares of our common stock by persons who acquired such shares through our 401(k) plan from September 16, 2010 through September 15, 2011. We do not expect this to have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

We are involved in various other legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. All such proceedings, taken together, are not expected to have a material adverse impact on our results of operations or financial condition.