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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

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FORM 10-K

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Commission file number 001-31568

New England Realty Associates Limited Partnership

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

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

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

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

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

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.       ◻

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by a check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to § 240.10D-1(b). ☐

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

At June 30, 2023, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s securities held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $141,482,628 based on the closing price of the registrant’s traded securities on the NYSE MKT Exchange on such date. For this computation, the Registrant has excluded the market value of all Depositary Receipts reported as beneficially owned by executive officers and directors of the General Partner of the Registrant; such exclusion shall not be deemed to constitute an admission that any such person is an affiliate of the Registrant.

As of March 12, 2024, there were 93,853 of the registrant’s Class A units (2,815,601 Depositary Receipts) of limited partnership issued and outstanding and 22,290 Class B units issued and outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE: None

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NEW ENGLAND REALTY ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

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NEW ENGLAND REALTY ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

PART I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

General

New England Realty Associates Limited Partnership (“NERA” or the “Partnership”), a Massachusetts Limited Partnership, was formed on August 12, 1977 as the successor to five real estate limited partnerships (collectively, the “Colonial Partnerships”), which filed for protection under Chapter XII of the Federal Bankruptcy Act in September 1974. The bankruptcy proceedings were terminated in late 1984. In July 2004, the General Partner extended the termination date of the Partnership until 2057.

The authorized capital of the Partnership is represented by three classes of partnership units (“Units”). There are two categories of limited partnership interests (“Class A Units” and “Class B Units”) and one category of general partnership interests (the “General Partnership Units”). The Class A Units were initially issued to creditors and limited partners of the Colonial Partnerships and have been registered under Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Each Class A Unit is exchangeable for 30 publicly traded Depositary Receipts (“Depositary Receipts”), which are currently listed on the NYSE American and are registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act. The Class B Units were issued to the original general partners of the Partnership. The General Partnership Units are held by the current general partner of the Partnership, NewReal, Inc. (the “General Partner” or “NewReal”). The Class A Units represent an 80% ownership interest, the Class B Units represent a 19% ownership interest, and the General Partnership Units represent a 1% ownership interest.

The Partnership is engaged in the business of acquiring, developing, holding for investment, operating and selling real estate. The Partnership, directly or through 31 subsidiary limited partnerships or limited liability companies, owns and operates various residential apartments, condominium units and commercial properties located in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. As used herein, the Partnership’s subsidiary limited partnerships and limited liabilities companies are each referred to as a “Subsidiary Partnership” and are collectively referred to as the “Subsidiary Partnerships.”

The Partnership owns between a 99.67% and 100% interest in each of the Subsidiary Partnerships, except in seven limited liability companies (collectively, the “Investment Properties” or “Joint Ventures”) in which the Partnership has between a 40% and 50% ownership interest. Jameson Brown and Harley Brown indirectly collectively own between 47.6% and 59%, and five other current and past employees of Hamilton own collectively between 0% and 2.4%, respectively of the Joint Ventures. The Partnership’s interest in the Investment Properties is accounted for on the equity method in the Consolidated Financial Statements. See Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements—“Principles of Consolidation.” See Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements—“Investment in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures” for a description of the properties and their operations. Of those Subsidiary Partnerships not wholly owned by the Partnership, except for the Investment Properties, the remaining ownership interest is held by an unaffiliated third party. In each such case, the third party has entered into an agreement with the Partnership, pursuant to which any benefit derived from the third party’s ownership interest in the applicable Subsidiary Partnerships will be returned to the Partnership.

The long-term goals of the Partnership are to manage, rent and improve its properties and to acquire additional properties with income and capital appreciation potential as suitable opportunities arise. When appropriate, the Partnership may sell or refinance selected properties. Proceeds from any such sales or refinancing will be used to reduce debt, reinvest in acquisitions of other properties, make distributions to the partners, repurchase equity interests, or use for operating expenses or reserves, as determined by the General Partner.

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Operations of the Partnership

As of December 31, 2023, Sally Michael and David Reier, the Trustees of the estate of Harold Brown, held voting control over the capital stock of NewReal, the General Partner of the Partnership. The estate was closed on January 2, 2024, whereupon the capital stock of NewReal previously owned by the estate of Harold Brown were transferred to JPB Real Estate LLC and Maisie Brown LLC, entities controlled by Jameson Brown and Harley Brown respectively, with each entity acquiring 37.5% of the voting control of NewReal at that time.

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The General Partner has engaged The Hamilton Company, Inc. (the “Hamilton Company” or “Hamilton”) to perform general management functions for the Partnership’s properties in exchange for management fees. The Hamilton Company is wholly owned by JPB Real Estate LLC and Maisie Brown LLC. The Partnership, the Subsidiary Partnerships, and the Investment Properties currently contract with the Hamilton Company for 53 individuals at the Properties (as defined below) and 11 individuals at the Joint Ventures who are primarily involved in the supervision and maintenance of specific properties. The General Partner has no employees.

As of February 1, 2024, the Partnership and its Subsidiary Partnerships owned 2,943 residential apartment units in 27 residential and mixed-use complexes (collectively, the “Apartment Complexes”). The Partnership also owns 19 condominium units in a residential condominium complex, all of which are leased to residential tenants (collectively, the “Condominium Units”). The Apartment Complexes, the Condominium Units and the Investment Properties are located primarily in the metropolitan Boston area of Massachusetts.

As of February 1, 2024, the Subsidiary Partnerships also owned two commercial shopping centers in Framingham, Massachusetts, one commercial building in Newton, Massachusetts, one commercial building in Brookline, Massachusetts and commercial space in mixed-use buildings in Boston, Brockton and Newton, Massachusetts, totaling approximately 130,000 square feet of commercial space. These properties are referred to collectively as the “Commercial Properties.” See Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.

Additionally, as of February 1, 2024, the Partnership owned a 40-50% interest in 7 residential and mixed use complexes, the Investment Properties, with a total of 688 residential units, one commercial unit, and a 50 car parking lot. See Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on these investments.

The Apartment Complexes, Investment Properties, Condominium Units and Commercial Properties are referred to collectively as the “Properties.”

The Brown family entities, which include JPB Real Estate LLC and Maisie Brown LLC, entities controlled by Jameson Brown and Harley Brown respectively, and, in certain cases, Ronald Brown, and officers and employees of the Hamilton Company own or have owned interests in certain of the Properties, Subsidiary Partnerships and Joint Ventures. See “Item 13. Certain Relationships, Related Transactions and Director Independence.”

The leasing of real estate in the metropolitan Boston area of Massachusetts is highly competitive. The Apartment Complexes, Condominium Units and the Investment Properties must compete for tenants with other residential apartments and condominium units in the areas in which they are located. The Commercial Properties must compete for commercial tenants with other shopping malls and office buildings in the areas in which they are located. Thus, the level of competition at each Property depends on how many other similarly situated properties are in its vicinity. In addition to Item 1A, Risk Factors, see “Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Factors that May Affect Future Results.”

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The Second Amended and Restated Contract of Limited Partnership of the Partnership (the “Partnership Agreement”) authorizes the General Partner to acquire real estate and real estate related investments from or in participation with either or both of the Brown family related entities and Ronald Brown, or their affiliates, upon the satisfaction of certain terms and conditions, including the approval of the Partnership’s Advisory Committee and limitations on the price paid by the Partnership for such investments. The Partnership Agreement also permits the Partnership’s limited partners and the General Partner to make loans to the Partnership, subject to certain limitations on the rate of interest that may be charged to the Partnership. Except for the foregoing, the Partnership does not have any policies prohibiting any limited partner, General Partner or any other person from having any direct or indirect pecuniary interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by the Partnership or in any transaction to which the Partnership is a party or has an interest in or from engaging, for their own account, in business activities of the types conducted or to be conducted by the Partnership. The General Partner is not limited in the number or amount of mortgages which may be  placed on any Property, nor is there a policy limiting the percentage of Partnership assets which may be invested in any specific Property.

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Unit Distributions

In March 2024, the Partnership approved a quarterly distribution of $12.00 per Unit ($0.40 per Receipt), payable on March 28, 2024. In addition to the quarterly distribution, there will be a special distribution of $48.00 per Class A unit ($1.60 per Receipt). In 2023 the Partnership paid an aggregate distribution of $84.00 Unit ($2.80 per Receipt) for a total payment of $9,954,888 in 2023. In 2022 the Partnership paid a total distribution of an aggregate $76.80 Unit ($2.56 per Receipt), for a total payment of $9,267,981.

On August 20, 2007, NewReal, Inc., the General Partner authorized an equity repurchase program (the “Repurchase Program”) under which the Partnership was permitted to purchase, over a period of twelve months, up to 300,000 Depositary Receipts (each of which is one-tenth of a Class A Unit). Over time, the General Partner has authorized increases in the equity repurchase program. On March 10, 2015, the General Partner authorized an increase in the Repurchase Program to 2,000,000 Depository Receipts and extended the Program for an additional five years from March 31, 2015 until March 31, 2020. On March 9, 2020, the General Partner extended the program for an additional five years, from March 31,2020, until March 31,2025. The Repurchase Program requires the Partnership to repurchase a proportionate number of Class B Units and General Partner Units in connection with any repurchases of any Depositary Receipts by the Partnership based upon the 80%, 19% and 1% fixed distribution percentages of the holders of the Class A, Class B and General Partner Units under the Partnership Agreement. Repurchases of Depositary Receipts or Units pursuant to the Repurchase Program may be made by the Partnership from time to time in its sole discretion in open market transactions or in privately negotiated transactions. From August 20, 2007 through December 31, 2023, the Partnership has repurchased 1,532,234 Depositary Receipts at an average price of $31.72 per receipt (or $951.52 per underlying Class A Unit), 4,394 Class B Units and 231 General Partnership Units, both at an average price of $1,259.00 per Unit, totaling approximately $54,421,000, inclusive of brokerage fees paid by the Partnership.

Property Transactions

On November 30, 2021, the Partnership entered into a Master Credit Facility Agreement (the “Facility Agreement”) with KeyBank National Association (“KeyBank”), dated as of November 30, 2021, with an initial advance in the amount of $156,000,000. Interest only on the debt at a fixed interest rate of 2.97% is payable on a monthly basis through December 31, 2031. The Partnership’s obligations under the Facility Agreement are secured by mortgages on certain properties pursuant to certain Mortgage, Assignment of Leases and Rents, and Security Agreement and Fixture Filings (“Mortgages”). See schedule in Note 5, Mortgage Notes Payable, for the details of the transaction as it relates to the specific properties.

The Partnership used the proceeds from the Facility Amendment to pay down approximately $65,300,000 of existing debt secured by 11 properties, along with approximately $2,700,000 in prepayment penalties. The remaining balance of approximately $89,000,000 will be used for general partnership purposes.

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On June 16, 2022, the Partnership entered into an amendment to the Facility Agreement (the “Facility Amendment”). The Facility Amendment included an additional advance in the amount of $80,284,000 at a fixed interest rate of 4.33%.

The Partnership used the proceeds to pay down approximately $37,065,000 of existing debt secured by four properties, along with approximately $854,000 in prepayment penalties. The remaining balance of approximately $42,384,000 will be used for general partnership purposes.

On October 14, 2022, the Partnership entered into a loan agreement with Brookline Bank (the “Brookline Agreement”), which refinanced its loan on 659-665 Worcester Road, Framingham, MA. The Brookline Agreement pays down the loan on the existing debt of $5,954,546.14, extends the maturity until October 14, 2032, at a variable interest rate of SOFR rate, plus 1.7% interest only for two years and amortizing using a thirty-year schedule for the balance of the term. At closing, the Partnership entered into an interest rate swap contract with Brookline Bank with a notional amount equivalent to the underlying loan principal amortization, resulting in a fixed rate of 4.60% through the expiration of the interest rate swap contract. The agreement also allows for an earn out of up to an additional $1,495,453.86 once the property performance reaches a 1.35x debt service coverage ratio and the loan to value equates to at most 65%.

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The Partnership purchased a commercial retail property of approximately 20,700 square feet, located at 653 Worcester Road in Framingham, MA for the sum of approximately $10,151,000 on January 18, 2023. This acquisition was funded from the Partnership’s cash reserves and closing costs were approximately $59,000. From the purchase price, the Partnership allocated approximately $585,000 for in-place leases, and approximately $378,000 to the value of tenant relationships. These amounts are being amortized over 12 and 156 months respectively.

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On July 14, 2023, the Partnership purchased a 52 unit mixed use property in the South End neighborhood of Boston, MA comprised of three buildings at 26-30 Rutland Street, 105-117 West Concord Street and 475 Shawmut Avenue, and approximately 3,400 square feet of commercial space for a purchase price of approximately $27,500,000. This acquisition was funded from the Partnership’s cash reserves and closing costs were approximately $81,000. From the purchase price, the Partnership allocated approximately $525,000 for in-place leases, approximately $61,000 to the value of tenant relationships and $241,000 to the value of below-market leases. These amounts are being amortized over 12 and 36 months respectively.

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During 2023, the Partnership and its Subsidiary Partnerships completed improvements to certain of the Properties at a total cost of approximately $9,289,000. These improvements were funded from cash reserves and, to some extent, escrow accounts established in connection with the financing or refinancing of the applicable Properties. These sources have been adequate to fully fund improvements. The most significant improvements were made at 1144 Commonwealth, Hamilton Oaks, School Street, Redwood Hills, Westgate Apartments, and Hamilton Green, at a cost of $1,982,000, $1,687,000, $701,000, $468,000, $431,000, and $421,000 respectively. The Partnership plans to invest approximately $22,284,000 in capital improvements in 2024. This amount includes approximately $10,067,000 toward the development of a 72 unit apartment complex at Mill Street Development.

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Line of Credit

On July 31, 2014, the Partnership entered into an agreement for a $25,000,000 revolving line of credit. The term of the line was for three years with a floating interest rate equal to a base rate of the greater of (a) the Prime Rate (b) the Federal Funds Rate plus one-half of one percent per annum, or (c) the LIBOR Rate for a period of one month plus 1% per annum, plus the applicable margin of 2.5%. The agreement originally expired on July 31, 2017, and was extended until October 31, 2020. The costs associated with the line of credit extension were approximately $128,000. Prior to the line’s expiration in 2020, the Partnership exercised its option for a one-year extension until October 31, 2021. The Partnership paid an extension fee of approximately $37,500 in association with the extension.

On October 29, 2021, the Partnership closed on the modification of its existing line of credit. The agreement extended the credit line until October 29, 2024. The commitment amount was for $25 million but is restricted to $17 million during the modification period. The modification period covers the current period and phased out on December 31, 2022. During this period, the loan covenants were modified from a minimum consolidated debt service ratio of 1.60 to a ratio of 1.35 until September 30, 2022; from a minimum tangible net worth requirement of $200 million to a net worth of $175 million until September 30, 2022; from a maximum consolidated leverage ratio of 65% to a ratio of 70% until September 30, 2022 and from a minimum debt yield of 9.5% to a yield of 8.5% until September 30, 2022 and a yield of 9.0% until December 31, 2022. Once the financial performance of the Partnership meets the original covenant tests for the trailing 12-month period, the commitment amount will return to $25 million. The portfolio’s debt yield fell below the minimum of 9.0% to 8.6%. Consequently, as of December 31, 2023, the Partnership did not comply with the debt yield financial covenant. As such, the Partnership is restricted to draw down any amount from the line of credit until the Partnership meets the required financial covenants. The Partnership is currently in discussions with a lender for a replacement line of credit. See Note 19, Subsequent Events, for additional information.

On April 14, 2023, the partnership amended the line of credit to convert its base rate of interest from LIBOR to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) plus 10 basis points.

The line of credit may be used for acquisition, refinancing, improvements, working capital and other needs of the Partnership. The line may not be used to pay dividends, make distributions or acquire equity interests of the Partnership.

The line of credit is collateralized by varying percentages of the Partnership’s ownership interest in 23 of its Subsidiary Partnerships and Joint Ventures. Pledged interests range from 49% to 100% of the Partnership’s ownership interest in the respective entities.

Advisory Committee

As of December 31, 2023, the Advisory Committee members were Robert Nahigian and David Ross, limited partners of the Partnership. These Advisory Committee members are not affiliated with the General Partner. The Advisory Committee meets with the General Partner to review the progress of the Partnership, assist the General Partner with policy formation, review the appropriateness, timing and amount of proposed distributions, approve or reject proposed acquisitions and investments with affiliates, and advise the General Partner on various other Partnership affairs. Per the Partnership Agreement, the Advisory Committee has no binding power except that it must approve certain investments and acquisitions or sales by the Partnership from or with affiliates of the Partnership.

Available Information

The Partnership’s website is www.thehamiltoncompany.com. On its website, the Partnership makes available, free of charge, its annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forms are made available as soon as reasonably practical after the Partnership electronically files or furnishes such materials to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any shareholder may obtain copies of these documents, free of charge, by sending a request in writing to: Director of Investor Relations, New England Realty Associates Limited Partnership, 39 Brighton Avenue, Allston, MA 02134.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

We are subject to certain risks and uncertainties as described below. These risks and uncertainties may not be the only ones we face; there may be additional risks that we do not presently know of or that we currently consider immaterial. All of these risks could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Our ability to pay distributions on, and the market price of, our equity securities may be adversely affected if any of such risks are realized. All investors should consider the following risk factors before deciding to purchase or sell securities of the Partnership.

We are subject to risks inherent in the ownership of real estate. We own and manage multifamily apartment complexes and commercial properties that are subject to varying degrees of risk generally incident to the ownership of real estate. Our financial condition, the value of our properties and our ability to make distributions to our shareholders will be dependent upon our ability to operate our properties in a manner sufficient to generate income in excess of operating expenses and debt service charges, which may be affected by the following risks, some of which are discussed in more detail below:

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We are dependent on rental income from our multifamily apartment complexes and commercial properties. If we are unable to attract and retain tenants or if our tenants are unable to pay their rental obligations, our financial condition and funds available for distribution to our shareholders will be adversely affected.

Security breaches and other disruptions could compromise our information and expose us to liability, which would cause our business and reputation to suffer. Although we employ a number of measures to prevent, detect and mitigate cybersecurity attacks, our business is at risk from and may be impacted by such attacks as there is no guarantee such efforts will be successful in preventing a cyber-attack. Despite our security measures, our information technology and infrastructure may be vulnerable to attacks, and there can be no assurance that our actions, security measures, and controls designed to prevent, detect, or respond to intrusion; to limit access to data; to prevent loss, destruction, alteration, or exfiltration of business information; or to limit the negative impact from such attacks can provide absolute security against a cybersecurity incident. Any such access, disclosure or other loss of information could result in legal claims or proceedings, liability under laws that protect the privacy of personal information, disruption to our operations, increased cybersecurity insurance premiums and damage our reputation, which could adversely affect our business. Our Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing our cybersecurity and data privacy risks. Our cybersecurity program is led by the Hamilton Company’s Chief Financial Officer, who, along with the Hamilton Company’s Director of Information Technology, provide regular updates each quarter to the Audit Committee regarding this program, including information about the cybersecurity threat landscape, investments in infrastructure and opportunities to protect and enhance the Company’s systems and security of products and operations. In addition, the Board of Directors of the General Partner (the “Board” or “Board of Directors”) receives periodic briefings from management regarding cybersecurity activities and initiatives.

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Our multifamily apartment complexes and commercial properties are subject to competition. Our properties and joint venture investments are located in developed areas that include other properties. The properties also compete with other rental alternatives, such as condominiums, single and multifamily rental homes, owner occupied single and multifamily homes, and commercial properties in attracting tenants. This competition may affect our ability to attract and retain residents and to increase or maintain rental rates.

The properties we own are concentrated in Eastern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Our performance, therefore, is linked to economic conditions and the market for available rental housing and commercial space in these states. A decline in the market for apartment housing and/or commercial properties may adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

Our insurance may not be adequate to cover certain risks. There are certain types of risks, generally of a catastrophic nature, such as earthquakes, floods, windstorms, act of war and terrorist attacks that may be uninsurable, or are not economically insurable, or are not fully covered by insurance. Moreover, certain risks, such as mold and environmental exposures, generally are not covered by our insurance. Should an uninsured loss or a loss in excess of insured limits occur, we could lose our equity in the affected property as well as the anticipated future cash flow from that property. Any such loss could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Debt financing could adversely affect our performance. The vast majority of our assets are encumbered by project specific, non-recourse, non-cross-collateralized mortgage debt. There is a risk that these properties will not have sufficient cash flow from operations for payments of required principal and interest. We may not be able to refinance these loans at an amount equal to the loan balance and the terms of any refinancing may not be as favorable as the terms of existing indebtedness. If we are unable to make required payments on indebtedness that is secured by a mortgage, the Partnership will either invest additional money in the property or the property securing the mortgage may be foreclosed with a consequent loss of income and value to us.

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We are obligated to comply with financial covenants in our indebtedness that could restrict our range of operating activities. The mortgages on our properties contain customary negative covenants, including limitations on our ability, without prior consent of the lender and other items. Failure to comply with these covenants could cause a default under the agreements and, in certain circumstances; our lenders may be entitled to accelerate our debt obligations. Defaults under our debt agreements could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Real estate investments are generally illiquid, and we may not be able to sell our properties when it is economically or strategically advantageous to do so. Real estate investments generally cannot be sold quickly, and our ability to sell properties may be affected by market conditions. We may not be able to diversify or vary our portfolio promptly in accordance with our strategies or in response to economic or other conditions.

Our access to public debt markets is limited. Substantially all of our debt financings are secured by mortgages on our properties because of our limited access to public debt markets.

Litigation may result in unfavorable outcomes. Like many real estate operators, we may be involved in lawsuits involving premises liability claims, housing discrimination claims and alleged violations of landlord-tenant laws, which may give rise to class action litigation or governmental investigations. Any material litigation not covered by insurance, such as a class action, could result in substantial costs being incurred.

Our financial results may be adversely impacted if we are unable to sell properties and employ the proceeds in accordance with our strategic plan. Our ability to pay down debt, reduce our interest costs, repurchase Depositary Receipts and acquire properties is dependent upon our ability to sell the properties we have selected for disposition at the prices and within the deadlines we have established for each respective property.

The costs of complying with laws and regulations could adversely affect our cash flow and ability to make distributions to our shareholders. Our properties must comply with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (the “ADA”) to the extent that they are “public accommodations” or “commercial facilities” as defined in the ADA. The ADA does not consider apartment complexes to be public accommodations or commercial facilities, except for portions of such properties that are open to the public. In addition, the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 (the “FHAA”) requires apartment complexes first occupied after March 13, 1990, to be accessible to the handicapped. Other laws also require apartment communities to be handicap accessible. Noncompliance with these laws could result in the imposition of fines or an award of damages to private litigants. We may be subject to lawsuits alleging violations of handicap design laws in connection with certain of our developments. If compliance with these laws involves substantial expenditures or must be made on an accelerated basis, our ability to make distributions to our shareholders could be adversely affected.

Under various federal, state and local laws, an owner or operator of real estate may be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of certain hazardous or toxic substances on, under or in the property. This liability may be imposed without regard to whether the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of the substances. Other laws impose on owners and operators certain requirements regarding conditions and activities that may affect human health or the environment. Failure to comply with applicable requirements could complicate our ability to lease or sell an affected property and could subject us to monetary penalties, costs required to achieve compliance and potential liability to third parties. We are not aware of any material noncompliance, liability or claim relating to hazardous or toxic substances or other environmental matters in connection with any of our properties. Nonetheless, it is possible that material environmental contamination or conditions exist, or could arise in the future, in the apartment communities or on the land upon which they are located.

We are subject to the risks associated with investments through joint ventures. Seven of our properties are owned by joint ventures in which we do not have a direct controlling interest. We may enter into joint ventures, including joint ventures that we do not control, in the future. Any joint venture investment involves risks such as the possibility that the co-venturer may seek relief under federal or state insolvency laws or have economic or business interests or goals that are inconsistent with our business interests or goals. While the bankruptcy or insolvency of our co-venturer generally should not disrupt the operations of the joint venture, we could be forced to purchase the co-venturer’s interest in the joint venture or the interest could be sold to a third party. We also may guarantee the

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indebtedness of our joint ventures. If we do not have control over a joint venture, the value of our investment may be affected adversely by a third party that may have different goals and capabilities than ours.

We are subject to risks associated with development, acquisition and expansion of multifamily apartment complexes and commercial properties. Development projects and acquisitions and expansions of apartment complexes are subject to a number of risks, including:

We are subject to control by our directors and officers. The directors and executive officers of the General Partner and members of their families and related entities owned approximately 38% of our Depositary Receipts as of December 31, 2023. Additionally, management decisions rest with our General Partner without limited partner approval.

Competition for skilled personnel could increase our labor costs. We and our management company compete with various other companies in attracting and retaining qualified and skilled personnel who are responsible for the day- to-day operations of our properties. Competitive pressures may require that we enhance our pay and benefits package to compete effectively for such personnel. We may not be able to offset such added costs by increasing the rates we charge our tenants. If there is an increase in these costs or if we fail to attract and retain qualified and skilled personnel, our business and operating results could be harmed.

We depend on our key personnel. Our success depends to a significant degree upon the continued contribution of key members of the management company, who may be difficult to replace. The loss of services of these executives could have a material adverse effect on us. There can be no assurance that the services of such personnel will continue to be available to us. We do not hold key-man life insurance on any of our key personnel.

Changes in market conditions could adversely affect the market price of our Depositary Receipts. As with other publicly traded equity securities, the value of our Depositary Receipts depends on various market conditions, which may change from time to time. Among the market conditions that may affect the value of our Depositary Receipts are the following:

The market value of our Depositary Receipts is based primarily upon the market’s perception of our growth potential and our current and potential future earnings and cash distributions. Consequently, our Depositary Receipts may trade at prices that are higher or lower than our net asset value per Depositary Receipt.

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We face possible risks associated with the physical effects of climate change. We cannot predict with certainty whether climate change is occurring and, if so at what rate. However, the physical effects of climate change could have a material effect on our properties, operations, and business. To the extent climate change causes changes in weather patterns, our markets could experience increases in storm intensity and rising sea levels. Over time, these conditions could result in declining demand for our buildings or the inability of us to operate the buildings at all. Climate change may also have indirect effects on our business by increasing the cost of (or making unavailable) property insurance on terms we find acceptable, increasing the cost of energy and increasing the cost of snow removal at our properties. Proposed federal legislation to address climate change could increase utility and other costs of operating our properties which, if not offset by rising rental income, would reduce our net income. There can be no assurance that climate change will not have a material adverse effect on our properties, operations or business.

Risk of changes in the tax law applicable to real estate partnerships. Since the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Treasury Department and Congress frequently review federal income legislation, we cannot predict whether, when or to what extent new federal tax laws, regulations, interpretations or rulings will be adopted. Any such legislative action may prospectively or retroactively modify our tax treatment and therefore, may adversely affect taxation to us, and/or our partners.

If the IRS makes audit adjustments to our income tax returns, it may assess and collect any taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest) resulting from such audit adjustments directly from the Partnership. If, as a result of any such audit adjustment, we are required to make payments of taxes, penalties and interest, our cash available for distribution to our partners might be substantially reduced.

Some of our costs, such as operating and general and administrative expenses, interest expense, and real estate acquisition and construction costs, are subject to inflation. A portion of our operating expenses is sensitive to inflation. These include expenses for property-related contracted services such as janitorial and engineering services, utilities, repairs and maintenance, and insurance. Property taxes are also impacted by inflationary changes as taxes are regularly reassessed based on changes in the fair value of our properties. Additionally, inflationary pricing may have a negative effect on real estate acquisitions and the construction costs necessary to complete our renovation, development and redevelopment projects, including, but not limited to, costs of construction materials, labor, and services from third-party contractors and suppliers. Our commercial leases have fixed rent increases which may not increase in line with inflation, thus causing our net operating income to decrease. As a result, our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows, as well as our ability to pay dividends, could be adversely affected over time.

Revenue associated with residential properties may be limited in the future if current rent restriction proposals are adopted by the City of Boston. On February 13, 2023, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu submitted a home rule petition to the Boston City Council that would allow the City to limit how much landlords can increase rent on returning tenants each year to the lower of 10% or the Consumer Price Index for the Boston metropolitan area plus six percentage points. The petition, as currently stated, would apply to any properties with six or more units. The petition needs to be approved by both local and state policymakers in order to be enacted. The Boston City Council approved the submission of the petition to the state legislature on March 8, 2023. If such petition were to be passed by state legislatures, our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows, as well as our ability to pay dividends, could be adversely affected over time.

Recent City of Boston regulations impose new energy performance standards and fines that may increase utilities and administrative costs in order to comply with disclosure and energy reduction requirements. The City of Boston has implemented a Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance that sets specific requirements for large buildings to reduce energy use with the goal of targeting zero emissions for large buildings by 2050. The ordinance restricts emissions standards to certain units that begin phasing in during 2025 with such limits decreasing over time according to specific thresholds based upon building use type. Non-compliance with either disclosure requirements or emission limits may result in the imposition of penalties for such time as non-compliance remains in effect. As a result, our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows, as well as our ability to pay dividends, could be adversely affected over time.

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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

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ITEM 1C.    CYBERSECURITY

The Partnership’s information technology, communication networks, system applications, accounting and financial reporting platforms and related systems, and those that are offered to residents and tenants, are integral to the operation of the business. The Partnership utilizes these systems, among others, for financial analysis, management, and reporting, for facilitation of operations, including for the initiation, generation, and completion of resident leasing, for internal communications, and for various other aspects of the business.

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The Partnership’s cybersecurity strategy is focused on detection, protection, incident response, security risk management and mitigation, and resiliency of the cybersecurity infrastructure. The Partnership has implemented or is in the process of continuously evaluating, testing and updating various information security processes and policies designed to identify, assess and manage material risks from cybersecurity threats to the Partnership’s critical computer networks, third-party hosted services, communications systems, hardware and software, and critical data, including confidential information that is proprietary, strategic or competitive in nature, as well as any personally identifiable information related to the Partnership’s residents’ and employees’ personal data.

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To operate its business, the Partnership engages certain third-party vendors to perform a variety of functions. The Partnership seeks to engage reliable, reputable service providers. Depending upon the nature of the services and the sensitivity of the data that a third-party service provider processes, the Partnership’s vendor management procedures include reviewing the cybersecurity procedures, imposing contractual requirements, and conducting as needed periodic reassessments. The Partnership seeks to further enhance this review to expand the scope and depth of this analysis.

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Cybersecurity is a critical component of our risk management process. We recognize that no single technology, process, or business control can effectively prevent or mitigate all risks, thus we use a variety of tools including multi-factor authentication and antivirus and firewall protection, to help identify, protect, detect, respond to, and recover from cyber threats. These individual technologies work together as part of our strategy to minimize risk. This strategy is tested through audits and independent program assessments, as well as through additional exercises with our Managed Service Provider, designed to assess effectiveness. The Managed Service Provider actively manages our firewalls, multi-factor authentication, antivirus, and Azure environment. Our Managed Service Provider also reviews our cybersecurity program on a quarterly basis and provides recommendations toward best industry practice. Our cybersecurity program is continually evolving to align with NIST standards, and we regularly monitor our progression toward these standards.

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Our Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing our cybersecurity and data privacy risks. Our cybersecurity program is led by the Hamilton Company’s Chief Financial Officer, who, along with the Hamilton Company’s Director of Information Technology who has been with Hamilton for 38 years, provide regular updates each quarter to the Audit Committee regarding this program, including information about the cybersecurity threat landscape, investments in infrastructure and opportunities to protect and enhance the Company’s systems and security of products and operations. The also Board receives periodic briefings from management regarding cybersecurity activities and initiatives.

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The Partnership’s cybersecurity program is designed to safeguard the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data and systems within the Company’s environment to effectively support our business objectives and customer needs. Our commitment to cybersecurity focuses on enhancing our prevention, monitoring, and detection response capabilities to identify and respond to evolving threats. We believe cybersecurity is the responsibility of every employee of the Hamilton Company, and it is prioritized each year. We regularly test, educate, and share best practices with employees of the Hamilton Company to raise awareness of cyber threats through a comprehensive security awareness training program. Our Managed Service Provider is responsible for testing our ability to restore our critical infrastructure on a quarterly basis. Additionally, our incident response and disaster recovery plans are reviewed and updated annually.

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During 2023, we have not encountered cybersecurity challenges that have materially impaired our operations, business strategy or financial condition.

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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

The Partnership and its Subsidiary Partnerships own the Apartment Complexes, the Condominium Units, the Commercial Properties and a 40-50% interest in seven Investment Properties. See also “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence” for information concerning affiliated transactions.

Apartment Complexes

The table below lists the location of the 2,943 Apartment Units, the number and type of units in each complex, the range of rents and vacancies as of February 1, 2024, the principal amount outstanding under any mortgages as of December 31, 2023, the fixed interest rates applicable to such mortgages, and the maturity dates of such mortgages.