EXHIBIT 4.4
GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
between
SENIOR HOUSING PROPERTIES TRUST
and
STREET STATE BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
Relating to the Preferred Securities of
SNH CAPITAL TRUST I
Dated as of June 21, 2001
Certain Sections of this Agreement relating to Sections 310 through 318,
inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939:
Trust Indenture
Act Section Agreement Section
ss.310 (a)(1)..............................................................4.1
(a)(2)..............................................................4.1
(a)(3)...................................................Not Applicable
(a)(4)...................................................Not Applicable
(a)(5)..............................................................4.1
(b)............................................................2.8, 4.1
(c)......................................................Not Applicable
ss.311 (a).................................................................2.2
(b).................................................................2.2
(c)......................................................Not Applicable
ss.312.....................................................................2.2
ss.313.....................................................................2.3
ss.314 (a).................................................................2.4
(b)......................................................Not Applicable
(c).................................................................2.5
(d)......................................................Not Applicable
(e).................................................................1.1
ss.315 (a)............................................................3.1, 3.2
(b).................................................................2.7
(c).................................................................3.1
(d).................................................................3.2
ss.316 (a)(1)(A)...........................................................5.4
(a)(1)(B)...........................................................2.6
(a)(2)...................................................Not Applicable
(b).................................................................5.4
(c)......................................................Not Applicable
ss.317.....................................................................2.1
ss.318.....................................................................2.1
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NOTE: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be
part of the Agreement.
GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT, dated as of June 21, 2001, is executed and delivered
by SENIOR HOUSING PROPERTIES TRUST, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the
"Guarantor") and STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, a Massachusetts trust
company, as trustee (the "Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit of the Holders
(as defined herein) from time to time of the Preferred Securities (as defined
herein) of SNH Capital Trust I, a Maryland statutory business trust (the
"Issuer").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement (the
"Trust Agreement"), dated as of June 21, 2001, among the Trustees named therein,
the Guarantor, as Depositor, and the Holders from time to time of undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer, the Issuer is issuing up to
$28,750,000 of its 10.125% Trust Preferred Securities (liquidation amount $25.00
per preferred security) (the "Preferred Securities") representing preferred
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer and having the terms
set forth in the Trust Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Preferred Securities will be issued by the Issuer and the
proceeds thereof, together with the proceeds from the issuance of the Issuer's
Common Securities (as defined below), will be used to purchase the Debt
Securities (as defined in the Trust Agreement) of the Guarantor which will be
deposited with State Street Bank and Trust Company, as Property Trustee under
the Trust Agreement, as trust assets; and
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase Preferred Securities,
the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to the extent
set forth herein, to pay to the Holders of the Preferred Securities the
Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other payments on the
terms and conditions set forth herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder of
Preferred Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit
the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for
the benefit of the Holders from time to time of the Preferred Securities.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.1 Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms
set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following
meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used but not otherwise defined
herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Trust Agreement as
in effect on the date hereof.
"Additional Sums" means such additional amounts as may be necessary in
order that the amount of distributions due and payable by the Issuer on the
Preferred Securities and Common Securities that at any time remain outstanding
in accordance with the terms thereof shall not be reduced as a result of any
additional taxes, duties, assessments and other governmental charges of whatever
nature, imposed by the United States government or any other taxing authority
(but
not including withholding taxes imposed on holders of such Preferred Securities
and Common Securities).
"Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct common control with such
specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall
not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purposes of this definition,
"control" when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to
direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise;
and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the
foregoing.
"Common Securities" means the securities representing common beneficial
interests in the assets of the Issuer.
"Debentures" means up to $29,639,200 of the 10.125% Junior Subordinated
Debentures due June 15, 2041 of the Guarantor issuable pursuant to the
Indenture.
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of its
payment or other obligations under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however,
that, except with respect to a default in payment of any Guarantee Payments, no
Event of Default shall be deemed to have occurred under this Guarantee Agreement
unless and until the Guarantor shall have received written notice of default
from the Guarantee Trustee and shall not have cured such default within 60 days
after receipt of such notice.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or distributions,
without duplication, with respect to the Preferred Securities, to the extent not
paid or made by or on behalf of the Issuer: (i) any accumulated and unpaid
Distributions (as defined in the Trust Agreement) required to be paid on the
Preferred Securities, to the extent the Issuer shall have funds on hand legally
available therefor at such time, (ii) the redemption price set forth in the
Trust Agreement, including premium, if any, all accrued and unpaid Distributions
to the date of redemption (the "Redemption Price"), with respect to the
Preferred Securities called for redemption by the Issuer to the extent the
Issuer shall have funds on hand legally available therefor, and (iii) upon a
voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or liquidation of the Issuer,
other than in connection with the distribution of Debt Securities to the Holders
or the redemption of all Preferred Securities issued by the Issuer, the lesser
of (a) the aggregate of the liquidation amount of $25.00 per Preferred Security
plus accrued and unpaid Distributions on the Preferred Securities to the date of
payment to the extent the Issuer shall have funds on hand legally available to
make such payment and (b) the amount of assets of the Issuer remaining available
for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Issuer (in either case, the
"Liquidation Distribution").
"Guarantee Trustee" means State Street Bank and Trust Company, until a
Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment
pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such
Successor Guarantee Trustee.
"Holder" means any holder, as registered on the books and records of
the Issuer, of any Preferred Securities; provided, however, that in determining
whether the holders of the requisite
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percentage of Preferred Securities have given any request, notice, consent or
waiver hereunder, "Holder" shall not include the Guarantor, the Guarantee
Trustee or any Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Junior Subordinated Indenture dated as of June
21, 2001 with respect to the Debt Securities, between the Guarantor and State
Street Bank and Trust Company, as trustee, as the same may be supplemented and
amended from time to time.
"List of Holders" has the meaning specified in Section 2.2(a).
"Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Securities" means, except as
provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by the Holder(s), voting separately
as a class, of more than 50% of the aggregate liquidation amount of all the
outstanding Preferred Securities issued by the Issuer.
"Officers' Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a
certificate signed by (i) the Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman of the
Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the President
or a Vice President, and (ii) the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an
Assistant Treasurer, the Controller, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of
such Person, delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officer's Certificate
delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for
in this Guarantee Agreement shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers'
Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating
thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination
or investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering the Officers'
Certificate;
(c) a statement that each such officer has made such examination
or investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is necessary to enable such
officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or
condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such
officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Person" means a legal person, including any individual, corporation,
estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited
liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or any
agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.
"Property Trustee" means State Street Bank and Trust Company, serving
as property trustee under the Indenture.
"Responsible Officer", when used with respect to the Guarantee Trustee,
means the chairman or any vice-chairman of the board of directors, the chairman
or any vice-chairman of the executive committee of the board of directors, the
chairman of the trust committee, the president, any vice president, the
secretary, any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, the
cashier, any assistant cashier, any trust officer or assistant trust officer,
the controller or any assistant controller or any other officer of the Guarantee
Trustee customarily
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performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated
officers and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter,
any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of his knowledge of
and familiarity with the particular subject.
"Senior Indebtedness of the Guarantor" means (i) any indebtedness of
the Guarantor for borrowed or purchased money, whether or not evidenced by
bonds, debentures, notes or other written instruments, (ii) obligations of the
Guarantor for reimbursement under letters of credit, banker's acceptances,
security purchase facilities or similar facilities issued for the account of the
Guarantor, (iii) any indebtedness or other obligations of the Guarantor with
respect to commodity contracts (including but not limited to contracts in the
spot, forward and markets, options, and contracts for differences), interest
rate commodity and currency swap agreements, cap, floor and collar agreements,
currency spot and forward contracts, and other similar agreements or
arrangements designed to protect against fluctuations in commodity prices,
currency exchange or interest rates, and (iv) any guarantees, endorsements
(other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the
ordinary course of business) or other similar contingent obligations in respect
of obligations of others of a type described in (i), (ii) or (iii) above,
whether or not such obligation is classified as a liability on a balance sheet
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, in each
case listed in (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) above whether outstanding on the date
of execution of this Indenture or thereafter incurred, other than obligations
ranking on a parity with the Guarantee Payments or ranking junior to the
Guarantee Payments; provided, however, that "Senior Indebtedness of the
Guarantor" does not include obligations to trade creditors.
"Subsidiary" means any corporation (or the equivalent type of entity)
more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of which is owned, directly
or indirectly, by the Guarantor or by one or more other Subsidiaries, or by the
Guarantor and one or more other Subsidiaries. For the purposes of this
definition, "voting securities" means securities which ordinarily have voting
power for the election of directors or trustees, whether at all times or only so
long as no senior class of securities has such voting power by reason of any
contingency.
"Successor Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Guarantee Trustee
possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.1.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application. (a) This Guarantee
Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are
required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent
applicable, be governed by such provisions.
(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee
Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310
to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall
control.
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SECTION 2.2 List of Holders. (a) The Guarantor shall furnish or cause
to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee (unless the Guarantee Trustee is acting
as Security Registrar with respect to the Debt Securities under the Indenture)
(i) semi-annually, not later than January 15 and July 15 in each year, a list,
in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require of the names and
addresses of the Holders ("List of Holders") as of the preceding December 31 or
June 30, as the case may be, and (ii) at such other times as the Guarantee
Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the
Guarantor of any such request, a List of Holders as of a date not more than 15
days prior to the time such list is furnished, in each case to the extent such
information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not
identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been
received by the Guarantee Trustee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Guarantor
shall not be obligated to provide such List of Holders at any time the Preferred
Securities are represented by one or more Global Securities (as defined in the
Indenture). The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously
given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under
Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days of May 15
of each calendar year, the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such
reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in
the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act.
The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d)
of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall
provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the
Holders such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section
314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by
Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act in the form, in the manner and at the
times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The
Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance
with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement
that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust
Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer
pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers'
Certificate.
SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver. The Holders of a Majority in
Liquidation Amount of the Securities may, by vote, on behalf of the Holders,
waive any past default or Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such
waiver, any such default or Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any
default or Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been
cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall
extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any
right consequent therefrom.
SECTION 2.7 Event of Default; Notice. (a) The Guarantee Trustee shall,
within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default, transmit by mail,
first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all Events of Default
known to the Guarantee Trustee, unless such defaults have been cured before the
giving of such notice; provided, that, except in the case of a
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default in the payment of a Guarantee Payment, the Guarantee Trustee shall be
protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the Board of Directors,
the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible
Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding
of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of
any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written
notice, or a Responsible Officer charged with the administration of the Trust
Agreement shall have obtained written notice, of such Event of Default.
SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests. The Trust Agreement and the
Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee
Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in
Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee. (a) This Guarantee
Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders,
and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any
Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.4(iv)
or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee
Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right,
title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any
Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee
of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be
effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered
pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default actually known to the Responsible
Officer of the Guarantee Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee
Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.
(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of
Default and after the curing of all Events of Default that may have occurred,
shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in
this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this
Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default
has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.6) and is
actually known to the Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, the
Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by
this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its
exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the
circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
(d) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be construed to
relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its
own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:
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(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after
the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have
occurred;
(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee
Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this
Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable
except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are
specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as
to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions
expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the
Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee
Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that
by any provision hereof or of the Trust Indenture Act are specifically
required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee
Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether
or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;
(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any error
of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the
Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee
was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such
judgment was made;
(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with respect
to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in
accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a
Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Securities relating to the time,
method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available
to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred
upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and
(iv) no provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall require
the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise
incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its
duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the
Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the
repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it
under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity
against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee. (a) Subject to the
provisions of Section 3.1:
(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely and shall be fully
protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution,
certificate, statement, proxy, instrument, opinion, report, notice,
request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other
evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to
be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper
party or parties.
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(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by
this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an
Officers' Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.
(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee
Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter
be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting to take
any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is
herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its
part, request and rely upon an Officers' Certificate which, upon
receipt of such request from the Guarantee Trustee, shall be promptly
delivered by the Guarantor.
(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with legal counsel, and
the written advice or opinion of such legal counsel with respect to
legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection
in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it
hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion.
Such legal counsel may be legal counsel to the Guarantor or any of its
Affiliates and may be one of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall
have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the
administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent
jurisdiction.
(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee
Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder
shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such adequate security and
indemnity as would satisfy a reasonable person in the position of the
Guarantee Trustee, against the costs, expenses (including attorneys'
fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in
complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable
advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that
nothing contained in this Section 3.2(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve
the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of
its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this
Guarantee Agreement and use the same degree of care and skill in the
exercise thereof as a prudent person would exercise or use under the
circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any
investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution,
certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request,
direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of
indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in
its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into
such facts or matters as it may see fit.
(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or
powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by
or through its agents or attorneys or any Affiliate, and the Guarantee
Trustee shall not be
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responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such
agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.
(viii) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee
Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive
instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking
any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (A) may request
instructions from the Holders of a Majority in Liquidation Amount of
the Securities, (B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or
taking such other action until such instructions are received, and (C)
shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.
(ix) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents
hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee
Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to
perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as
to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its
compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee
Agreement both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the
Guarantee Trustee's or its agent's taking such action.
(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to
impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or
acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it
in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee
Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law,
to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or
obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee
shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and
authority.
SECTION 3.3 Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee
Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense
incurred without negligence or bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee,
arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this
Guarantee Agreement, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending
itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or
performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder. The Guarantee Trustee will
not claim or exact any lien or charge on any Guarantee Payment as a result of
any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.
ARTICLE IV
GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility. (a) There shall at all
times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and
(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust
Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital and surplus of
at least $50,000,000, and
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shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of
the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of
condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of
the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this
Section and to the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, the
combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be
its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report
of condition so published.
(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be
eligible to so act under Section 4.1(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately
resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.2(c).
(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any "conflicting
interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the
Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions
of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act. The Trust Agreement and the
Indenture shall not be deemed to constitute conflicting interests of the
Guarantee Trustee.
SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of the Guarantee
Trustee. (a) Subject to Section 4.2(b) the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or
removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with
Section 4.2(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has
accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor
Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.
(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office hereunder shall hold
office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until
its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office
(without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing
executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which
resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been
appointed and has accepted such appointment by an instrument in writing executed
by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the
resigning Guarantee Trustee.
(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed
and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.2 within 60 days after
delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning
Guarantee Trustee may petition, at the expense of the Guarantor, any court of
competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such
court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem
proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.
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ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee. The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally
agrees, subject to Section 5.8 and Article 8, to pay in full to the Holders the
Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by or on
behalf of the Issuer), as and when due, regardless of any defense, right of
set-off or counter claim which the Issuer may have or assert other than the
defense of payment. The Guarantor's obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may
be satisfied by direct payment of the required amounts by the Guarantor to the
Holders or by causing the Issuer to pay such amounts to the Holders. The
Guarantor's obligations to make Guarantee Payments are not guaranteed by the
Guarantor's Subsidiaries.
SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives
notice of acceptance of the Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it
applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a
proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, Issuer or any other Person
before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice
of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.
SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants,
agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement shall in
no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of
any of the following:
(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of
the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement,
covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred Securities to be performed
or observed by the Issuer;
(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer of all or
any portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or
any other sums payable under the terms of the Preferred Securities or the
extension of time for the performance of any other obligation under, arising out
of, or in connection with, the Preferred Securities (other than an extension of
time for payment of Distributions that results from the extension of any
interest payment period on the Debt Securities as so provided in the Indenture);
(c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part
of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or
remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Preferred
Securities, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or
extension of any kind;
(d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of
any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit
of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt
of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of
the Issuer;
(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Preferred
Securities;
(f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed
hereby or hereby incurred; or
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(g) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise
constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being
the intent of this Section 5.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder
shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.
There shall be no obligation of the Holders or the Guarantee Trustee to
give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the
happening of any of the foregoing.
SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges
that: (i) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee
to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (ii) the Guarantee Trustee has the
right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (iii) the
Holders of a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Securities have the right to
direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy
available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to
direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee
under this Guarantee Agreement; (iv) any Holder may institute a legal proceeding
directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee
Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee
Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person; and (v) if an Event of Default with
respect to the Debt Securities constituting the failure to pay interest or
principal on the Debt Securities on the date such interest or principal is
otherwise payable has occurred and is continuing, then any Holder shall have the
right, which is absolute and unconditional, to proceed directly against the
Guarantor to obtain Guarantee Payments without first waiting to determine if the
Guarantee Trustee has enforced this Guarantee Agreement or instituting a legal
proceeding against the Issuer, the Guarantee Trustee or any other Person.
SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee Agreement creates a
guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be
discharged except by payment of the Guarantee Payments in full (without
duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) or upon distribution of
Debt Securities to Holders as provided in the Trust Agreement.
SECTION 5.6 Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if
any) rights of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to
the Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement and shall have the
right to waive payment by the Issuer pursuant to Section 5.1; provided, however,
that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory
provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any rights which it may
acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other
agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement,
if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this
Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation
of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for
the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Guarantor Trustee for the benefit
of the Holders.
SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that
its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with
respect to the Preferred Securities and that the Guarantor shall be liable as
principal and debtor hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms
of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding
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the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (g),
inclusive, of Section 5.3 hereof.
SECTION 5.8 Subordination. The Guarantee Agreement will constitute an
unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and will rank junior in right of payment
to the Senior Indebtedness of the Guarantor in the same manner and to the same
extent as set forth in Article Fourteen of the Indenture. Each Holder of
Preferred Securities, by its acceptance thereof, agrees to the subordination
provisions and other terms of this Guarantee Agreement.
If an "Event of Default" (as defined in the Indenture) has occurred and
is continuing, the rights of holders of Common Securities to receive Guarantee
Payments under the Common Securities Guarantee Agreement are subordinate to the
rights of the Holders of Preferred Securities to receive Guarantee Payments
under this Guarantee Agreement.
ARTICLE VI
COVENANTS
(a) Certain Covenants of the Guarantor. (a) The Guarantor
covenants and agrees (i) to maintain directly or indirectly 100% ownership of
the Common Securities; provided that any successors or assigns of the Guarantor
permitted by the Indenture may succeed to the Guarantor's ownership of the
Common Securities, (ii) not to voluntarily terminate, wind-up or liquidate the
Issuer except (A) in connection with a distribution of the Debentures to the
holders of the Preferred Securities in liquidation of the Issuer or (B) in
connection with any merger, consolidation or amalgamation permitted by the Trust
Agreement of the Issuer, and (iii) to use its reasonable efforts, consistent
with the terms and provisions of the Trust Agreement of the Issuer, to cause the
Issuer to remain classified as a grantor trust for United States Federal income
tax purposes.
(b) The Guarantor covenants and agrees that if and so long as (i)
the Property Trustee is the Holder of all the Debentures on behalf of the Issuer
and (ii) the Guarantor has elected, and has not revoked such election, to pay
Additional Sums, the Guarantor shall pay to the Issuer the Additional Sums in
respect of the Preferred Securities and Common Securities.
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 Termination. This Guarantee Agreement shall terminate as to
each Holder with respect to the Preferred Securities of the Issuer and be of no
further force and effect upon the earliest of (i) full payment of the redemption
price of all Preferred Securities, (ii) distribution of the Debt Securities of
the Guarantor held by the Issuer to the Holders or (iii) full payment of the
amounts payable in accordance with the Trust Agreement upon liquidation of the
Issuer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to
be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any
Holder must restore payment of any
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sums paid under such Preferred Securities or this Guarantee Agreement.
ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 8.1 Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements
contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns,
receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the
benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities then outstanding. Except in
connection with a consolidation, merger or sale involving the Guarantor that is
permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee
agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor's obligations hereunder, the
Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.
SECTION 8.2 Amendments. Except with respect to any changes which do not
adversely affect the rights of the Holders in any material respect (in which
case no consent of the Holders will be required), this Guarantee Agreement may
only be amended with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a
Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Securities. The provisions of Article 6 of
the Trust Agreement concerning meetings of the Holders shall apply to the giving
of such approval. The Guarantor shall furnish the Guarantee Trustee with an
Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that any amendment
of this Agreement is authorized and permitted and that all conditions precedent,
if any, in this Guarantee Agreement, to the execution and delivery of such
amendment have been satisfied.
SECTION 8.3 Notices. Any notice, request or other communication
required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by
the party giving such notice, and delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class
mail as follows:
(a) if given to the Guarantor, to the address set forth below or
such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders:
Senior Housing Properties Trust
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Treasurer
(b) if given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at
the Issuer's (and the Guarantee Trustee's) address set forth below or such other
address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice of to
the Holders:
SNH Capital Trust I
c/o Senior Housing Properties Trust
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Treasurer
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with a copy to:
State Street Bank and Trust Company
0 Xxxxxx xx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxx, Corporate Trust Department
(c) if given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books
and records of the Issuer.
All notices hereunder shall be deemed to have been given when received
in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail,
postage prepaid, except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery
or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was
given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on
the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.
SECTION 8.4 Benefit. This Guarantee Agreement is solely for the benefit
of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Preferred Securities.
SECTION 8.5 Interpretation. In this Guarantee Agreement, unless the
context otherwise requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement but not
defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in
Section 1.1;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the
same meaning throughout;
(c) all references to "the Guarantee Agreement" or "this Guarantee
Agreement" are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended
from time to time;
(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and
Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement unless
otherwise specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning
when used in this Guarantee Agreement unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee
Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and
(g) the masculine, feminine or neuter genders used herein shall include
the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.
SECTION 8.6 Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT SHALL BE
GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE
STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
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This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts
shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above
written.
SENIOR HOUSING PROPERTIES TRUST
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: President
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
as Guarantee Trustee
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Vice President
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