UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

( Mark One)

x
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2011

OR

o
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from ____ to ____

COMMISSION FILE NUMBER: 001-14765

HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Maryland
 
251811499
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)
 
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
     
     
44 Hersha Drive, Harrisburg, PA
 
17102
(Address of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)
 
(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (717) 236-4400

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (i) 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 (ii) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. x Yes   o No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (Sec.232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). x Yes   o No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer,” “large accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
 
 
Large accelerated filer   o
Accelerated filer                  x
 
Non-accelerated filer     o
Small reporting company   o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). o Yes   x No
 
As of August 4, 2011, the number of Class A common shares of beneficial interest outstanding was 169,884,428 and there were no Class B common shares outstanding.
 


 
 

 
 
Hersha Hospitality Trust
Table of Contents

     
Page
       
PART I.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION
 
Item 1.
 
Financial Statements.
 
      1
      2
      4
      5
      6
Item 2.
    33
Item 3.
    48
Item 4.
    50
PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION
 
Item 1.
    51
 Item 1A.
    51
Item 2.
    51
Item 3.
    51
Item 4.
    51
Item 5.
    51
Item 6.
    51
       
      52
 
 
 

 
PART 1. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements

HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SH EET S
AS OF JUNE 30, 2011 [UNAUDITED] AND DECEMBER 31, 2010
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE AMOUNTS]
 
   
June 30, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
 
Assets:
           
Investment in Hotel Properties, net of Accumulated Depreciation
  $ 1,346,914     $ 1,245,851  
Investment in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures
    39,171       35,561  
Development Loans Receivable
    42,968       41,653  
Cash and Cash Equivalents
    67,280       65,596  
Escrow Deposits
    26,183       17,384  
Hotel Accounts Receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $33 and $31
    14,361       9,611  
Deferred Financing Costs, net of Accumulated Amortization of $7,441 and $5,852
    9,289       10,204  
Due from Related Parties
    7,625       5,069  
Intangible Assets, net of Accumulated Amortization of $1,210 and $1,084
    7,940       7,934  
Other Assets
    34,947       18,414  
Hotel Assets Held for Sale
    2,886       -  
                 
Total Assets
  $ 1,599,564     $ 1,457,277  
                 
Liabilities and Equity:
               
Line of Credit
  $ 28,000     $ 46,000  
Mortgages and Notes Payable, net of unamortized discount of $879 and $983
    719,637       648,720  
Accounts Payable, Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities
    27,458       28,601  
Dividends and Distributions Payable
    12,702       9,805  
Due to Related Parties
    1,260       939  
                 
Total Liabilities
    789,057       734,065  
                 
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests - Common Units (Note 1)
  $ 17,068     $ 19,894  
                 
Equity:
               
Shareholders' Equity:
               
Preferred Shares:  8% Series A, $.01 Par Value, 29,000,000 shares authorized, 2,400,000 Shares Issued and Outstanding (Aggregate Liquidation  Preference $60,000) at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010
    24       24  
Preferred Shares:  8% Series B, $.01 Par Value, 4,600,000 shares authorized,  4,600,000 Shares Issued and Outstanding (Aggregate Liquidation Preference $115,000) at June 30, 2011 and none issued and outstanding at  December 31, 2010
    46       -  
Common Shares:  Class A, $.01 Par Value,  300,000,000  Shares Authorized at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, 169,546,878 and 169,205,638 Shares Issued and Outstanding at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively
    1,699       1,692  
Common Shares:  Class B, $.01 Par Value, 1,000,000 Shares Authorized,  None Issued and Outstanding
    -       -  
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
    (630 )     (338 )
Additional Paid-in Capital
    1,036,850       918,215  
Distributions in Excess of Net Income
    (262,790 )     (236,159 )
Total Shareholders' Equity
    775,199       683,434  
                 
Noncontrolling Interests (Note 1):
               
Noncontrolling Interests - Common Units
    18,018       19,410  
Noncontrolling Interests - Consolidated Joint Ventures
    222       474  
Total Noncontrolling Interests
    18,240       19,884  
                 
Total Equity
    793,439       703,318  
                 
Total Liabilities and Equity
  $ 1,599,564     $ 1,457,277  
 
The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of These Consolidated Financial Statements.

 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERA TIO NS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]
 
   
Three Months Ended
   
Six Months Ended
 
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
 
Revenue:
                       
Hotel Operating Revenues
  $ 89,346     $ 74,453     $ 146,885     $ 123,550  
Interest Income from Development Loans
    1,063       1,176       2,154       2,550  
Other Revenues
    97       111       175       199  
Total Revenues
    90,506       75,740       149,214       126,299  
                                 
Operating Expenses:
                               
Hotel Operating Expenses
    46,541       39,518       84,109       71,396  
Hotel Ground Rent
    364       354       728       646  
Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes and Property Insurance
    5,425       4,685       10,540       8,761  
General and Administrative
    2,179       1,918       4,140       4,753  
Stock Based Compensation
    1,785       1,499       3,270       2,156  
Acquisition and Terminated Transaction Costs
    1,276       221       2,091       3,557  
Loss from Impairment of Assets
    -       17       -       30  
Depreciation and Amortization
    14,400       12,681       28,374       24,643  
Total Operating Expenses
    71,970       60,893       133,252       115,942  
                                 
Operating Income
    18,536       14,847       15,962       10,357  
                                 
Interest Income
    117       16       219       57  
Interest Expense
    11,588       11,341       22,211       23,034  
Other Expense
    283       86       567       178  
Loss on Debt Extinguishment
    34       1       34       732  
Income (Loss) before Income (Loss) from Unconsolidated Joint Venture Investments and Discontinued Operations
    6,748       3,435       (6,631 )     (13,530 )
                                 
Loss from Unconsolidated Joint Ventures
    (198 )     (131 )     (1,179 )     (1,171 )
Gain from Remeasurement of Investment in Unconsolidated Joint Venture
    2,757       2,190       2,757       4,008  
Income from Unconsolidated Joint Venture Investments
    2,559       2,059       1,578       2,837  
                                 
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations
    9,307       5,494       (5,053 )     (10,693 )
                                 
Discontinued Operations  (Note 12):
                               
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations
    41       213       (17 )     63  
                                 
Net Income (Loss)
    9,348       5,707       (5,070 )     (10,630 )
                                 
Income (Loss) Allocated to Noncontrolling Interests
    459       1,151       (618 )     (564 )
Preferred Distributions
    2,299       1,200       3,499       2,400  
                                 
Net Income (Loss) applicable to Common Shareholders
  $ 6,590     $ 3,356     $ (7,951 )   $ (12,466 )
 
The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of These Consolidated Financial Statements.

 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]
 
   
Three Months Ended
   
Six Months Ended
 
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
 
Earnings Per Share:
                       
BASIC
                       
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations applicable to Common Shareholders
  $ 0.04     $ 0.02     $ (0.05 )   $ (0.11 )
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations applicable to Common Shareholders
  $ 0.00       0.00     $ (0.00 )     0.00  
                                 
Net Income (Loss)  applicable to Common Shareholders
  $ 0.04     $ 0.02     $ (0.05 )   $ (0.11 )
                                 
DILUTED
                               
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations  applicable to Common Shareholders
  $ 0.04 *   $ 0.02 *   $ (0.05 )  *   $ (0.11 )  *
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations applicable to Common Shareholders
  $ 0.00 *     0.00 *   $ (0.00 )  *     0.00 *
                                 
Net Income (Loss) applicable to Common Shareholders
  $ 0.04 *   $ 0.02 *   $ (0.05 )  *   $ (0.11 ) *
                                 
Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding:
                               
Basic
    168,672,936       137,200,796       168,504,893       118,360,826  
Diluted
    173,687,233 *     140,284,117 *     168,504,893 *     118,360,826 *
 
*
Income (loss) allocated to noncontrolling interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership has been excluded from the numerator and units of limited partnership interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership have been omitted from the denominator for the purpose of computing diluted earnings per share since the effect of including these amounts in the numerator and denominator would have no impact. Weighted average units of limited partnership interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership outstanding for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 were 7,294,791 and 9,239,135, respectively. Weighted average units of limited partnership interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership outstanding for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 were 7,344,630 and 9,376,419, respectively.

Unvested stock awards, contingently issuable share awards and options to acquire our common shares have been omitted from the denominator for the purpose of computing diluted earnings per share for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, since the effect of including these awards in the denominator would be anti-dilutive to loss from continuing operations applicable to common shareholders.  For the six months ended June 30, 2011, there were 509,384 anti-dilutive unvested stock awards outstanding, 1,719,502 anti-dilutive contingently issuable share awards outstanding, and 2,882,867 anti-dilutive options to acquire our common shares outstanding.  For the six months ended June 30, 2010, there were 182,499 anti-dilutive unvested stock awards outstanding, 143,122 anti-dilutive contingently issuable share awards outstanding, and 1,916,814 anti-dilutive options to acquire our common shares outstanding.  
 
The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of These Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY AN D COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS]
 
   
Shareholders' Equity
   
Noncontrolling Interests
         
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
 
   
Series A
Preferred Shares
   
Series B
Preferred Shares
   
Class A
Common Shares
   
Class B
Common Shares
   
Additional
Paid-In
Capital
   
Other
Comprehensive
Income
   
Distributions
in Excess
of Net
Earnings
   
Total Shareholders' Equity
   
Common Units
   
Consolidated Joint Ventures
   
Total Noncontrolling Interests
   
Total
Equity
   
Common Units
 
Balance at December 31, 2010
  $ 24     $ -     $ 1,692     $ -     $ 918,215     $ (338 )   $ (236,159 )   $ 683,434     $ 19,410     $ 474     $ 19,884     $ 703,318     $ 19,894  
                                                                                                         
Unit Conversion
    -       -       1       -       477       -       -       478       (707 )     -       (707 )     (229 )     229  
Reallocation of Noncontrolling Interest
    -       -       -       -       2,593       -       -       2,593       (13 )     -       (13 )     2,580       (2,578 )
                                                                                                         
Preferred Stock Offering, net of costs
    -       46       -       -       111,114       -       -       111,160       -       -       -       111,160       -  
      -       -       -       -               -       -               -       -       -               -  
Dividends and Distributions declared:
                                                                                                       
Common Stock ($0.11 per share)
    -       -       -       -       -       -       (18,680 )     (18,680 )     -       -       -       (18,680 )     -  
Preferred Stock ($1.00 per Series A share)
    -       -       -       -       -       -       (2,400 )     (2,400 )     -       -       -       (2,400 )     -  
Preferred Stock ($0.24 per Series B share)
    -       -       -       -       -       -       (1,099 )     (1,099 )     -       -       -       (1,099 )        
Common Units ($0.11 per share)
    -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       (468 )     -       (468 )     (468 )     (335 )
Contribution by Noncontrolling Interests in consolidated joint venture
    -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       342       342       342       -  
Deconsolidation of consolidated joint venture
    -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -               (322 )     (322 )     (322 )     -  
Dividend Reinvestment Plan
    -       -       -       -       7       -       -       7       -       -       -       7       -  
Stock Based Compensation
                                                                                                       
Grants
    -       -       6       -       1,471       -       -       1,477       -       -       -       1,477       -  
Amortization
    -       -       -       -       2,973       -       -       2,973       -       -       -       2,973       -  
Comprehensive Income (Loss):
                                                                                                       
Other Comprehenive Loss
    -       -       -       -       -       (292 )     -       (292 )     -       -       -       (292 )     -  
Net Loss
    -       -       -       -       -       -       (4,452 )     (4,452 )     (204 )     (272 )     (476 )     (4,928 )     (142 )
Total Comprehensive Loss
                                                            (4,744 )     (204 )     (272 )     (476 )     (5,220 )     (142 )
                                                                                                         
Balance at June 30, 2011
  $ 24     $ 46     $ 1,699     $ -     $ 1,036,850     $ (630 )   $ (262,790 )   $ 775,199     $ 18,018     $ 222     $ 18,240     $ 793,439     $ 17,068  
                                                                                                         
                                                                                                         
Balance at December 31, 2009
  $ 24     $ -     $ 577     $ -     $ 487,481     $ (160 )   $ (185,725 )   $ 302,197     $ 27,126     $ 267     $ 27,393     $ 329,590     $ 14,733  
                                                                                                         
Unit Conversion
    -       -       18       -       8,406       -       -       8,424       (8,424 )     -       (8,424 )     -       -  
Units Issued for Acquisitions
    -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       6,256       -       6,256       6,256       -  
Common Share Issuance, net of costs
    -       -       794       -       259,970       -       -       260,764       -       -       -       260,764       -  
Dividends and Distribution declared:
                                                                                                       
Preferred Shares ($1.00 per share)
    -       -       -       -       -       -       (2,400 )     (2,400 )     -       -       -       (2,400 )     -  
Common Shares ($0.10 per share)
    -       -       -       -       -       -       (13,824 )     (13,824 )     -       -       -       (13,824 )     -  
Common Units ($0.10 per share)
    -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       (620 )     -       (620 )     (620 )     (307 )
Dividend Reinvestment Plan
    -       -       -       -       6       -       -       6       -       -       -       6       -  
Stock Based Compensation
                                                                                                       
Grants
    -       -       3       -       122       -       -       125       -       -       -       -       -  
Amortization
    -       -       -       -       1,970       -       -       1,970       -       -       -       1,970       -  
Comprehensive Loss:
                                                                                                       
Other Comprehensive Income
    -       -       -       -       -       (200 )     -       (200 )     -       -       -       (200 )     -  
Net Loss
    -       -       -       -       -       -       (10,066 )     (10,066 )     (537 )     233       (304 )     (10,370 )     (260 )
Total Comprehensive Loss
                                                            (10,266 )     (537 )     233       (304 )     (10,570 )     (260 )
                                                                                                         
Balance at June 30, 2010
  $ 24     $ -     $ 1,392     $ -     $ 757,955     $ (360 )   $ (212,015 )   $ 546,996     $ 23,801     $ 500     $ 24,301     $ 571,172     $ 14,166  
 
The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of These Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS]
 
   
For the Six Months Ended
 
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
 
Operating activities:
           
Net loss
  $ (5,070 )   $ (10,630 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
               
Depreciation
    28,315       24,698  
Amortization
    1,927       1,363  
Debt extinguishment
    -       580  
Development loan interest added to principal
    (1,315 )     (1,235 )
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures
    (1,578 )     (2,837 )
Loss recognized on change in fair value of derivative instrument
    14       5  
Stock based compensation expense
    3,270       2,156  
Change in assets and liabilities:
               
(Increase) decrease in:
               
Hotel accounts receivable
    (4,596 )     (4,602 )
Escrows
    (2,374 )     756  
Other assets
    902       1,391  
Due from related parties
    (1,236 )     (952 )
Increase (decrease) in:
               
Due to related parties
    321       (528 )
Accounts Payable, Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities
    (823 )     5,394  
Net cash provided by operating activities
    17,757       15,559  
                 
Investing activities:
               
Purchase of hotel property assets
    (100,770 )     (187,355 )
Deposits on hotel acquisitions
    (21,250 )     (1,500 )
Capital expenditures
    (12,862 )     (3,850 )
Cash paid for hotel development project
    (1,547 )     (3,441 )
Advances to capital expenditure escrows
    (2,858 )     (2,053 )
Repayments from and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures
    13,406       (13,750 )
Investment in notes receivable from unconsolidated joint venture
    (1,320 )     -  
Cash paid for franchise fee intangible
    (40 )     -  
Net cash used in investing activities
    (127,241 )     (211,949 )
                 
Financing activities:
               
Repayments of borrowings under line of credit, net
    (18,000 )     (34,500 )
Principal repayment of mortgages and notes payable
    (3,419 )     (41,283 )
Proceeds from mortgages and notes payable
    41,778       31,510  
Cash paid for deferred financing costs
    (273 )     (85 )
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock, net
    111,160       -  
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net
    -       260,764  
Acquisition of interest rate cap
    -       (394 )
Dividends paid on common shares
    (16,941 )     (9,741 )
Dividends paid on preferred shares
    (2,400 )     (2,400 )
Distributions paid on common partnership units
    (737 )     (936 )
Net cash provided by financing activities
    111,168       202,935  
                 
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
    1,684       6,545  
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period
    65,596       11,404  
                 
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period
  $ 67,280     $ 17,949  
 
The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of These Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 1 – BASIS OF PRESENTATION
 
The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of Hersha Hospitality Trust (“we,” “us,” “our” or the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“US GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the general instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by US GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals), considered necessary for fair presentation, have been included. Operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2011 or any future period.  Accordingly, readers of these consolidated interim financial statements should refer to the Company’s audited financial statements prepared in accordance with US GAAP, and the related notes thereto, for the year ended December 31, 2010, which are included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, as certain footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with US GAAP have been condensed or omitted from this report pursuant to the rules of the SEC.

We are a self-advised Maryland real estate investment trust that was organized in May 1998 and completed our initial public offering in January 1999. Our common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “HT.” We own our hotels and our investments in joint ventures through our operating partnership, Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership (“HHLP”), for which we serve as general partner. As of June 30, 2011, we owned an approximate 95.8% partnership interest in our operating partnership, including a 1.0% general partnership interest.
 
Noncontrolling Interest

We classify the noncontrolling interests of our consolidated joint ventures and certain common units of limited partnership interests in HHLP (“Nonredeemable Common Units”) as equity.  The noncontrolling interests of Nonredeemable Common Units totaled $18,018 as of June 30, 2011 and $19,410 as of December 31, 2010.  As of June 30, 2011, there were 4,209,660 Nonredeemable Common Units outstanding with a fair market value of $23,448, based on the price per share of our common shares on the New York Stock Exchange on such date.  These units are only redeemable by the unit holders for cash or, at our option, common shares on a one-for-one basis.

Certain common units of limited partnership interests in HHLP (“Redeemable Common Units”) have been pledged as collateral in connection with a pledge and security agreement entered into by the Company and the holders of the Redeemable Common Units.  The redemption feature contained in the pledge and security agreement where the Redeemable Common Units serve as collateral contains a provision that could result in a net cash settlement outside the control of the Company.  As a result, the Redeemable Common Units are classified in the mezzanine section of the consolidated balance sheets as they do not meet the requirements for equity classification under US GAAP.  The carrying value of the Redeemable Common Units equals the greater of carrying value based on the accumulation of historical cost or the redemption value.

As of June 30, 2011, there were 3,064,252 Redeemable Common Units outstanding with a redemption value equal to the fair value of the Redeemable Common Units, or $17,068.  The redemption value of the Redeemable Common Units is based on the price per share of our common shares on the NYSE on such date.  As of June 30, 2011, the Redeemable Common Units were valued on the consolidated balance sheets at redemption value since the Redeemable Common Units redemption value was greater than historical cost of $13,273.  As of December 31, 2010, the Redeemable Common Units were valued on the consolidated balance sheets at redemption value since the Redeemable Common Units redemption value of $19,894 was greater than historical cost of $13,521.

 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 1 – BASIS OF PRESENTATION (continued)
 
Net income or loss related to Nonredeemable Common Units and Redeemable Common Units (collectively, “Common Units”), as well as the net income or loss related to the noncontrolling interests of our consolidated joint ventures, is included in net income or loss in the consolidated statements of operations and is excluded from net income or loss applicable to common shareholders in the consolidated statements of operations.

Shareholders’ Equity

On May 18, 2011, we completed a public offering of 4,600,000 8% Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest, liquidation preference $25.00 per share, including 600,000 Preferred Shares subject to an overallotment option exercised by the underwriters.  Net proceeds of the offering, less expenses and underwriters commissions, were approximately $111,160.  Proceeds from the offering were used to reduce some of the indebtedness outstanding under our revolving line of credit facility and the purchase of Courtyard by Marriot, Westside, Los Angeles, CA.

Reclassification

Certain amounts in the prior year financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.

 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 2 – INVESTMENT IN HOTEL PROPERTIES
 
Investment in Hotel Properties consists of the following at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010: 
 
   
June 30, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
 
             
Land
  $ 262,784     $ 233,869  
Buildings and Improvements
    1,132,366       1,057,344  
Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment
    166,284       150,723  
Construction in Progress
    16,848       15,301  
      1,578,282       1,457,237  
                 
Less Accumulated Depreciation
    (231,368 )     (211,386 )
                 
Total Investment in Hotel Properties
  $ 1,346,914     $ 1,245,851  

Acquisitions

During the six months ended June 30, 2011, we acquired the following wholly owned hotel properties:

Hotel
 
Acquisition Date
 
Land
   
Buildings and
Improvements
   
Furniture
 Fixtures and
Equipment
   
Franchise
Fees, Loan
Costs, and
Leasehold
Intangible
   
Total Purchase
Price
   
Fair Value of
Assumed Debt
 
Holiday Inn Express,
     Water Street, New York, NY
 
3/25/2011
  $ 7,341     $ 28,591     $ 2,704     $ 28     $ 38,664     $ -  
Capitol Hill Suites,
     Washington, DC
 
4/15/2011
  $ 8,095     $ 35,141     $ 4,264     $ 254     $ 47,754     $ 32,500  
Courtyard by Marriot,
   Westside, Los Angeles, CA
 
5/19/2011
  $ 13,489     $ 27,025     $ 6,486     $ 148     $ 47,148     $ -  
                                                     
Total
      $ 28,925     $ 90,757     $ 13,454     $ 430     $ 133,566     $ 32,500  
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 2 – INVESTMENT IN HOTEL PROPERTIES (continued)
 
Included in the consolidated statements of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 are total revenues of $4,702 and $4,809, respectively, and total net loss of $442 and $1,126, respectively, which represents the results of operations of the Holiday Inn Express Water Street, New York, NY, Capitol Hill Suites, Washington, DC and the Courtyard by Marriot, Westside, Los Angeles, CA since the date of acquisition of our 100% interest in the hotels, described above.

   
Three Months Ended June 30,
2011
   
Six Months Ended June 30,
2011
 
Hotel
 
Revenue
   
Net Income (Loss)
   
Revenue
   
Net (Loss) Income
 
Holiday Inn Express,  Water Street, New York, NY
  $ 1,665     $ 348     $ 1,772     $ (336 )
Capitol Hill Suites,  Washington, DC
    1,770       (971 )     1,770       (971 )
Courtyard by Marriot,  Westside, Los Angeles, CA
    1,267       181       1,267       181  
Total
  $ 4,702     $ (442 )   $ 4,809     $ (1,126 )

Pro Forma Results (Unaudited)

The following condensed pro forma financial data is presented as if all acquisitions completed since January 1, 2010 had been completed on January 1, 2010.  Properties acquired without any operating history are excluded from the condensed pro forma operating results.  The condensed pro forma information is not necessarily indicative of what actual results of operations of the Company would have been assuming the acquisitions had been consummated on January 1, 2010 at the beginning of the year presented, nor does it purport to represent the results of operations for future periods.
 
   
For the Three Months Ended
June 30,
   
For the Six Months Ended June
30,
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
2011
   
2010
 
                         
Pro Forma Total Revenues
  $ 92,026     $ 84,634     $ 155,025     $ 144,867  
Pro Forma Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations
  $ 9,726     $ 6,698     $ (3,972 )   $ (7,247 )
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations
    41       213       (17 )     63  
Pro Forma Net Income (Loss)
    9,767       6,911       (3,989 )     (7,184 )
(Loss) Income allocated to Noncontrolling Interest
    (476 )     (1,208 )     573       311  
Preferred Distributions
    (2,299 )     (1,200 )     (3,499 )     (2,400 )
Pro Forma Net Income (Loss) applicable to Common Shareholders
  $ 6,992     $ 4,503     $ (6,915 )   $ (9,273 )
                                 
Pro Forma Income (Loss) applicable to Common Shareholders per Common Share
                               
Basic
  $ 0.04     $ 0.03     $ (0.04 )   $ (0.08 )
Diluted
  $ 0.04     $ 0.03     $ (0.04 )   $ (0.08 )
                                 
Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding
                               
Basic
    168,672,936       137,200,796       168,504,893       118,360,826  
Diluted
    173,687,233       140,284,117       168,504,893       118,360,826  
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 2 – INVESTMENT IN HOTEL PROPERTIES (continued)
 
Renovation
 
On December 28, 2010, we closed on the acquisition of a parcel of land, which includes a multi-story vacant building from an unrelated third party in New Castle, DE.  The total purchase price for the parcel of land and the improvements was $15,301, which was paid in cash.  We have begun the process of converting this building into a Sheraton branded hotel.  As of June 30, 2011 we have spent $1,547 in conversion cost.

Hotel Closing

Effective March 31, 2011, we ceased operations at the Comfort Inn, located in North Dartmouth, MA and are in the process of conveying the asset to the lender.  The closure of the property coincided with the expiration of its franchise agreement.  The property has a carrying value of $1,980, as of June 30, 2011, which approximates its fair value.  See “Note 6 – Debt” for additional discussion regarding the closure of this property.

 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 3 – INVESTMENT IN UNCONSOLIDATED JOINT VENTURES
 
We account for our investment in the following unconsolidated joint ventures using the equity method of accounting.  As of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, our investment in unconsolidated joint ventures consists of the following:

Joint Venture
 
Hotel Properties
 
Percent
Owned
   
Preferred
Return
   
June 30,
2011
   
December 31,
2010
 
                             
Inn American Hospitality
  at Ewing, LLC
 
Courtyard by Marriott,
  Ewing, NJ
    50.0 %    
11.0% cumulative
    $ -     $ 28  
SB Partners, LLC
 
Holiday Inn Express,
  South Boston, MA
    50.0 %     N/A       1,663       1,852  
Hiren Boston, LLC
 
Courtyard by Marriott,
  South Boston, MA
    50.0 %     N/A       4,871       -  
Mystic Partners, LLC
 
Hilton and Marriott branded
  hotels in CT and RI
    8.8%-66.7 %    
8.5%
non-cumulative
      24,973       25,935  
Metro 29th Street
  Associates, LLC
 
Holiday Inn Express,
  New York, NY
    50.0 %     N/A       7,664       7,746  
                        $ 39,171     $ 35,561  
 
On April 13, 2010, we purchased a mortgage loan secured by the Courtyard by Marriot, South Boston, MA from Hiren Boston, LLC’s lender for a purchase price of $13,750.  As a result of the purchase of this mortgage loan, we determined that we were the primary beneficiary of Hiren Boston, LLC and, as such, we ceased to account for our investment in Hiren Boston, LLC under the equity method of accounting and began accounting for Hiren Boston, LLC as a consolidated subsidiary.  Our interest in Hiren Boston, LLC was remeasured, and as a result, we recorded a gain of approximately $2,190 during the three months ended June 30, 2010.

On June 20, 2011, Hiren Boston, LLC refinanced its debt with a third party institutional lender and, as a result, our mortgage interest in the property was terminated and the outstanding principal balance of $13,750 was repaid to us in full.  We have determined that we are no longer the primary beneficiary of Hiren Boston, LLC and it is no longer a consolidated subsidiary of the Company and we have begun to account for our investment in Hiren Boston, LLC under the equity method of accounting.  Our interest in Hiren Boston, LLC has been remeasured and, as a result, we have recorded a gain of approximately $2,757 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011.  The fair value of our interest in Hiren Boston, LLC was based on a third party appraisal, which utilized the market approach.

Income or loss from our unconsolidated joint ventures is allocated to us and our joint venture partners consistent with the allocation of cash distributions in accordance with the joint venture agreements. Any difference between the carrying amount of these investments and the underlying equity in net assets is amortized over the expected useful lives of the properties and other intangible assets. Income recognized during the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 for our investments in unconsolidated joint ventures is as follows:

 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 3 – INVESTMENT IN UNCONSOLIDATED JOINT VENTURES (continued)
 
   
Three Months Ended
   
Six Months Ended
 
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
 
Inn American Hospitality at Ewing, LLC
    -       1       (28 )     (96 )
SB Partners, LLC
    30       79       (194 )     (65 )
Hiren Boston, LLC
    -       -       -       -  
Mystic Partners, LLC
    (449 )     (415 )     (875 )     (830 )
Metro 29th Street Associates, LLC
    221       204       (82 )     (180 )
      (198 )     (131 )     (1,179 )     (1,171 )
Gain from Remeasurement of Investment in Unconsolidated Joint Venture
    2,757       2,190       2,757       4,008  
                                 
Income from Unconsolidated Joint Venture Investments
  $ 2,559     $ 2,059     $ 1,578     $ 2,837  
 
On January 1, 2010, we acquired our joint venture partner’s 52.0% membership interest in PRA Glastonbury, LLC, the owner of the Hilton Garden Inn, Glastonbury, CT, and this hotel became one of our wholly-owned hotels. Due to the increase in our ownership interest in PRA Glastonbury, LLC, the value of our existing 48.0% interest was remeasured resulting in a $1,818 gain which was recorded upon our acquisition of the remaining interests in the Hilton Garden Inn, Glastonbury, CT.

The following tables set forth the total assets, liabilities, equity and components of net income (loss), including the Company’s share, related to the unconsolidated joint ventures discussed above as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010 and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010:

   
June 30,
2011
   
December 31,
2010
 
Assets
           
Investment in hotel properties, net
  $ 162,050     $ 144,675  
Other Assets
    29,936       27,970  
Total Assets
  $ 191,986     $ 172,645  
                 
Liabilities and Equity
               
Mortgages and notes payable
  $ 171,433     $ 156,976  
Other liabilities
    40,430       37,797  
Equity:
               
Hersha Hospitality Trust
    42,136       38,394  
Joint Venture Partner(s)
    (62,013 )     (60,522 )
Total Equity
    (19,877 )     (22,128 )
                 
Total Liabilities and Equity
  $ 191,986     $ 172,645  
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 3 – INVESTMENT IN UNCONSOLIDATED JOINT VENTURES (continued)
 
   
Three Months Ended
   
Six Months Ended
 
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
 
Room Revenue
  $ 20,373     $ 20,226     $ 36,344     $ 35,810  
Other Revenue
    6,201       5,919       10,839       10,637  
Operating Expenses
    (16,538 )     (16,108 )     (31,314 )     (31,029 )
Interest Expense
    (2,438 )     (2,760 )     (4,850 )     (6,151 )
Lease Expense
    (1,319 )     (1,324 )     (2,625 )     (2,698 )
Property Taxes and Insurance
    (1,458 )     (2,209 )     (2,899 )     (3,755 )
General and Administrative
    (1,730 )     (1,657 )     (3,390 )     (3,455 )
Loss Allocated to Noncontrolling Interests
    (64 )     97       (42 )     326  
Depreciation and Amortization
    (2,009 )     (2,774 )     (3,988 )     (5,896 )
                                 
Net Income (loss)
  $ 1,018     $ (590 )   $ (1,925 )   $ (6,211 )
 
The following table is a reconciliation of the Company’s share in the unconsolidated joint ventures’ equity to the Company’s investment in the unconsolidated joint ventures as presented on the Company’s balance sheets as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010:
 
   
June 30,
2011
   
December 31,
2010
 
Company's share of equity recorded on the joint ventures' financial statements
  $ 42,136     $ 38,394  
Adjustment to reconcile the Company's share of equity recorded on the  joint ventures' financial statements to our investment in unconsoldiated joint ventures (1)
    (2,965 )     (2,833 )
Investment in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures
  $ 39,171     $ 35,561  
 
 
(1)
Adjustment to reconcile the Company's share of equity recorded on the joint ventures' financial statements to our investment in unconsolidated joint ventures consists of the following:
 
●      
cumulative impairment of our investment in joint ventures not reflected on the joint ventures' financial statements;
●      
our basis in the investment in joint ventures not recorded on the joint ventures' financial statements; and
●      
accumulated amortization of our equity in joint ventures that reflect our portion of the excess of the fair value of joint ventures' assets on the date of our investment over the carrying value of the assets recorded on the joint ventures’ financial statements.  This excess investment is amortized over the life of the properties, and the amortization is included in Income from Unconsolidated Joint Venture Investments on our consolidated statement of operations.
   
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 4 - DEVELOPMENT LOANS RECEIVABLE
 
Historically, we provided first mortgage and mezzanine loans to hotel developers, including entities in which certain of our executive officers and trustees own an interest, that enabled such entities to construct hotels and conduct related improvements on specific hotel projects at interest rates ranging from 10% to 11%.  These loans were initially originated as part of our acquisition strategy.  During the six months ended June 30, 2011, no such loans were originated by us.  Interest income from development loans was $1,063 and $1,176 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.   Interest income from development loans was $2,154 and $2,550 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.   Accrued interest on our development loans receivable was $3,727 and $3,013 as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively.  Accrued interest on our development loans receivable as of June 30, 2011 does not include cumulative interest income of $6,968 which has been accrued and paid in-kind by adding it to the principal balance of certain loans as indicated in the table below.
 
Hotel Property
 
Borrower
 
Principal
Outstanding
June 30,
2011
     
Principal
Outstanding
December 31,
2010
   
Interest Rate
 
Maturity Date (1)
 
Operational Hotels
                           
Renaissance by Marriott - Woodbridge, NJ
 
Hersha Woodbridge Associates, LLC
    5,000         5,000       11 % April 1, 2012  * 
Element Hotel - Ewing, NJ
 
American Properties @ Scotch Road, LLC
    2,000         2,000       11 % August 6, 2012
Hilton Garden Inn - Dover, DE
 
44 Aasha Hospitality Associates, LLC
    1,000         1,000       10 % November 1, 2011  * 
                                   
Construction Hotels
                                 
Hyatt 48Lex - New York, NY
 
44 Lexington Holding, LLC
    13,665   (2)     12,939       11 % December 31, 2011
Hyatt Union Square - New York, NY (3)
 
Risingsam Union Square, LLC
    13,303   (2)     12,714       10 %
December 31, 2011
 
Hampton Inn - New York, NY (4)
 
SC Waterview, LLC
    8,000         8,000       10 %
December 31, 2011
 
                                   
Total Development Loans Receivable
      $ 42,968       $ 41,653              
 
*
Indicates borrower is a related party.
(1)
Represents current maturity date in effect. Agreements for our development loans receivable typically allow for two one-year extensions which can be exercised by the borrower if the loan is not in default.  As these loans typically finance hotel development projects, it is common for the borrower to exercise their options to extend the loans, in whole or in part, until the project has been completed and the project provides cash flow to the developer or is refinanced by the developer.
(2)
We have amended the following development loans to allow the borrower to elect, quarterly, to pay accrued interest in-kind by adding the accrued interest to the principal balance of the loan:

   
Interest Income
Three Months Ended June 30,
   
Interest Income
Six Months Ended June 30,
   
Cumulative
Interest Income
Paid In Kind
 
Borrower
 
2011
   
2010
   
2011
   
2010
     
Risingsam Union Square, LLC
  $ 271     $ 298     $ 589     $ 585     $ 3,303  
44 Lexington Holding, LLC
    370       331       726       650       3,665  
                                         
Total
  $ 641     $ 629     $ 1,315     $ 1,235     $ 6,968  
 
(3)
On June 14, 2011 we entered into a purchase and sale agreement to acquire the Hyatt Union Square hotel in New York, NY for total consideration of $104,303.  The consideration to the seller consists of $36,000 to be paid to the seller in cash, the cancellation by the Company of a $10,000 development loan, and $3,303 of accrued interest on the loan and the assumption by the Company of two mortgage loans secured by the hotel in the original aggregate principal amount of $55,000. In accordance with terms of the purchase and sale agreement, we have ceased accruing interest on this $10,000 development loan as of June 14, 2011.
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 4 - DEVELOPMENT LOANS RECEIVABLE (continued)
 
(4)
On July 22, 2011, we completed the acquisition of the real property and improvements located at 32 Pearl Street, New York, NY from SC Waterview, LLC.  Consideration given in exchange for the property include the cancellation of a development loan in the original principal amount of $8,000, made to an affiliate of the seller and the cancellation of $2,093 of accrued interest receivable on the development loan.  See Note 13 – Subsequent Events for additional discussion of this transaction.
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 5 – OTHER ASSETS
 
Other Assets consisted of the following at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010:
 
   
June 30, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
 
             
Transaction Costs
  $ 619     $ 340  
Investment in Statutory Trusts
    1,548       1,548  
Deposits on Hotel Acquisitions
    22,713       5,500  
Prepaid Expenses
    5,327       6,986  
Interest Receivable from Development Loans to Non-Related Parties
    2,107       1,767  
Hotel Purchase Option
    933       933  
Other
    1,700       1,340  
    $ 34,947     $ 18,414  
 
Transaction Costs - Transaction costs include legal fees and other third party transaction costs incurred relative to entering into debt facilities and issuances of equity securities which are recorded in other assets prior to the closing of the respective transactions.

Investment in Statutory Trusts - We have an investment in the common stock of Hersha Statutory Trust I and Hersha Statutory Trust II. Our investment is accounted for under the equity method.

Deposits on Hotel Acquisitions - Deposits paid in connection with the acquisition of hotels, including accrued interest, are recorded in other assets. As of June 30, 2011 we had $22,713, in non-interest bearing deposits related to the acquisition of hotel properties of which $15,000 is related to the deposit on Hyatt Union Square, New York, NY.  Please see “Note 4 – Development Loans Receivable,” for more information.

Prepaid Expenses - Prepaid expenses include amounts paid for property tax, insurance and other expenditures that will be expensed in the next twelve months.

Interest Receivable from Development Loans to Non-Related Parties – Interest receivable from development loans to non-related parties represents interest income receivable from loans extended to non-related parties that are used to enable such entities to construct hotels and conduct related improvements on specific hotel projects.  This excludes interest receivable from development loans extended to related parties in the amounts of $1,664 as of June 30, 2011, which is included in due from related parties on the consolidated balance sheets.

Hotel Purchase Option – We have an option to acquire a 49% interest in the entity that owns the Holiday Inn Express – Manhattan.  This option is exercisable after October 31, 2011 or upon termination of Metro 29th Street’s lease of the hotel and expires at the end of the lease term.
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 6 - DEBT
 
Mortgages and Notes Payable

We had total mortgages payable at June 30, 2011, and December 31, 2010 of $667,858 and $596,949, respectively.  These balances consisted of mortgages with fixed and variable interest rates, which ranged from 2.19% to 8.25% as of June 30, 2011. Aggregate interest expense incurred under the mortgage loans payable totaled $9,745 and $9,375 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, and $18,805 and $18,836 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Our mortgage indebtedness contains various financial and non-financial covenants customarily found in secured, non-recourse financing arrangements.  Our mortgage loans payable typically require that specified debt service coverage ratios be maintained with respect to the financed properties before we can exercise certain rights under the loan agreements relating to such properties.  If the specified criteria are not satisfied, the lender may be able to escrow cash flow generated by the property securing the applicable mortgage loan. We have determined that certain debt service coverage ratio covenants contained in the loan agreements securing fifteen of our hotel properties were not met as of June 30, 2011.  Pursuant to the loan agreements, the lender has elected to escrow the operating cash flow for a number of these properties.   However, these covenants do not constitute an event of default for these loans. As of June 30, 2011 we were in compliance with all event of default covenants under the applicable loan agreements, with the exception of our non-recourse mortgage loan payable on the Comfort Inn, North Dartmouth, MA.  As noted in “Note 2 – Investment in Hotel Properties,” the Comfort Inn, North Dartmouth, MA, ceased operations on March 31, 2011.  We are currently in discussions to transfer title to the property to the lender.  As of June 30, 2011, the remaining principal and accrued interest due on the mortgage loan payable related to this asset were $2,968 and $114, respectively.

As of June 30, 2011, the maturities for the outstanding mortgage loans ranged from July 2011 to September 2023, including $17,861 due in 2011.

Subordinated Notes Payable

We have two junior subordinated notes payable in the aggregate amount of $51,548 to the Hersha Statutory Trusts pursuant to indenture agreements which will mature on July 30, 2035, but may be redeemed at our option, in whole or in part, prior to maturity in accordance with the provisions of the indenture agreement.  Effective July 30, 2010, the $25,774 notes issued to Hersha Statutory Trust I and Hersha Statutory Trust II, bear interest at a variable rate of LIBOR plus 3% per annum.  This rate resets two business days prior to each quarterly payment.  Prior to this, the $25,774 note issued to Hersha Statutory Trust I incurred interest at a fixed rate of 7.34% per annum through July 30, 2010, and the $25,774 note issued to Hersha Statutory Trust II incurred interest at a fixed rate of 7.173% per annum through July 30, 2010.  The weighted average interest rate on our two junior subordinated notes payable during the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 was 3.30% and 7.26%, respectively.  The weighted average interest rate on our two junior subordinated notes payable for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 was 3.31% and 7.28%, respectively.  Interest expense in the amount of $428 and $940 was recorded for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively and $853 and $1,875 was recorded for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Other Notes Payable

HHLP has entered into a management agreement with an unaffiliated hotel manager that has extended a $349 interest-free loan to HHLP for working capital contributions that are due at either the termination or expiration of the management agreement.  A discount was recorded on the note payable which reduced the principal balances recorded in the mortgages and notes payable. The discount is being amortized over the remaining life of the loan and is recorded as interest expense.  The balance of the note payable, net of unamortized discount, was $231 as of June 30, 2011 and $223 as of December 31, 2010.

 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 6 – DEBT (continued)
 
Revolving Line of Credit
 
We maintain a Revolving Credit Loan and Security Agreement with T.D. Bank, NA and various other lenders.  The credit agreement provides for a revolving line of credit in the principal amount of up to $250,000, including a sub-limit of $25,000 for irrevocable stand-by letters of credit and a $10,000 sub-limit for the swing line loans.  Borrowings under the line of credit provided by T.D. Bank, NA may be used for working capital and general corporate purposes and for the purchase of additional hotels.  The line of credit expires on November 5, 2013, and, provided no event of default has occurred and remains uncured, we may request that T.D. Bank, NA and the other lenders renew the line of credit for an additional one-year period.

The line of credit is collateralized by a first lien-security interest in all existing and future unencumbered assets of HHLP, a collateral assignment of all hotel management contracts of the management companies in the event of default, and title-insured, first-lien mortgages on the following hotel properties:
 
- Hampton Inn, Danville, PA
- Residence Inn, Langhorne, PA
- Hampton Inn, Philadelphia, PA
- Residence Inn, Norwood, MA
- Hampton Inn, Carlisle, PA
- Sheraton Hotel, JFK Airport, New York, NY
- Hampton Inn, Selinsgrove, PA
- Hampton Inn, Washington, DC
- Holiday Inn, Norwich, CT
- Hyatt Place, King of Prussia, PA
- Towneplace Suites, Harrisburg, PA
- Courtyard by Marriot, Westside, Los Angeles, CA
- Comfort Inn, Harrisburg, PA
 

At our option, the interest rate on loans provided under the line of credit will be either (i) the variable prime rate, as defined in the credit agreement, plus an applicable margin ranging between 150 and 175 basis points per annum or (ii) LIBOR plus an applicable margin ranging between 350 and 375 basis points per year, subject to a floor of 4.25%.

The credit agreement providing for the line of credit includes certain financial covenants and requires that we maintain: (1) a minimum tangible net worth of $500,000, which is subject to increases under certain circumstances; (2) maximum accounts and other receivables from affiliates of $125,000; (3) annual distributions not to exceed 95% of adjusted funds from operations; (4) maximum variable rate indebtedness to total debt of 30%; and (5) certain financial ratios, including the following:

a fixed charge coverage ratio of not less than 1.25 to 1.00 which will increase to 1.35 to 1.00 as of September 30, 2011, and 1.45 to 1.00 as of September 30, 2012; and
a total funded liabilities to gross asset value ratio of not more than 0.65 to 1.00

The Company is in compliance with each of the covenants listed above as of June 30, 2011.

The outstanding principal balance under the line of credit was $28,000 at June 30, 2011 and $46,000 at December 31, 2010. The Company recorded interest expense of $682 and $440 related to the line of credit borrowings for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, and $1,187 and $1,182 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  The weighted average interest rate on our line of credit during the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 was 4.42% and 4.39%, respectively, and for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 was 4.35% and 4.35%, respectively.

 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 6 – DEBT (continued)
 
As of June 30, 2011, we had $8,562 in irrevocable letters of credit issued and our remaining borrowing capacity under the facility was $213,438.

Fair Value of Debt

The Company estimates the fair value of its fixed rate debt and the credit spreads over variable market rates on its variable rate debt by discounting the future cash flows of each instrument at estimated market rates or credit spreads consistent with the maturity of the debt obligation with similar credit policies. Credit spreads take into consideration general market conditions and maturity.   As of June 30, 2011, the carrying value and estimated fair value of the Company’s debt was $747,637 and $750,637, respectively.  As of December 31, 2010, the carrying value and estimated fair value of the Company’s debt was $694,720 and $658,487, respectively.

Capitalized Interest

We utilize mortgage debt and our revolving line of credit to finance on-going capital improvement projects at our properties.  Interest incurred on mortgages and the revolving line of credit that relates to our capital improvement projects is capitalized through the date when the assets are placed in service.  For the three months and six months ended June 30, 2011, we capitalized interest of $181 and $351, respectively.  No interest was capitalized for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010.

Deferred Financing Costs

Costs associated with entering into mortgages and notes payable and our revolving line of credit are deferred and amortized over the life of the debt instruments. Amortization of deferred financing costs is recorded in interest expense. As of June 30, 2011, deferred financing costs were $9,289, net of accumulated amortization of $7,441.  Amortization of deferred costs for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 was $853 and $537, respectively, and for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 was $1,630 and $1,076, respectively.

New Debt

On May 31, 2011, we entered into a $42,000 mortgage loan secured by our Holiday Inn Express Times Square, New York, NY, property.  Previously, this property was included as collateral on our line of credit.  The new mortgage loan bears interest at a variable interest rate of three month U.S. dollar LIBOR plus 4.0% and matures on June 1, 2016.  As a result of this new debt, we incurred $222 in deferred costs.  On the same date, we entered into an interest rate swap that effectively fixes the interest at 5.24%.  See “Note 8 – Fair Value Measurements and Derivative Instruments” for more information.

 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 7 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
 
Management Agreements

Our wholly-owned TRS, 44 New England Management Company (“44 New England”), engages eligible independent contractors in accordance with the requirements for qualification as a REIT under the Federal income tax laws, including HHMLP, as the property managers for hotels it leases from us pursuant to management agreements. HHMLP is owned, in part, by certain executives and trustees of the Company. Our management agreements with HHMLP provide for five-year terms and are subject to early termination upon the occurrence of defaults and certain other events described therein. As required under the REIT qualification rules, HHMLP must qualify as an “eligible independent contractor” during the term of the management agreements. Under the management agreements, HHMLP generally pays the operating expenses of our hotels. All operating expenses or other expenses incurred by HHMLP in performing its authorized duties are reimbursed or borne by our TRS to the extent the operating expenses or other expenses are incurred within the limits of the applicable approved hotel operating budget. HHMLP is not obligated to advance any of its own funds for operating expenses of a hotel or to incur any liability in connection with operating a hotel.  Management agreements with other unaffiliated hotel management companies have similar terms.

For its services, HHMLP receives a base management fee and, if a hotel exceeds certain thresholds, an incentive management fee. The base management fee for a hotel is due monthly and is equal to 3% of gross revenues associated with each hotel managed for the related month. The incentive management fee, if any, for a hotel is due annually in arrears on the ninetieth day following the end of each fiscal year and is based upon the financial performance of the hotels.   For the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, base management fees incurred totaled $2,496 and $1,981, respectively, and for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, base management fees incurred totaled $4,034 and $3,197, respectively and are recorded as hotel operating expenses.

Franchise Agreements

Our branded hotel properties are operated under franchise agreements assumed by the hotel property lessee. The franchise agreements have 10 to 20 year terms, but may be terminated by either the franchisee or franchisor on certain anniversary dates specified in the agreements. The franchise agreements require annual payments for franchise royalties, reservation, and advertising services, and such payments are based upon percentages of gross room revenue. These payments are paid by the hotels and charged to expense as incurred.  Franchise fee expense for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 was $6,259 and $5,029, respectively, and for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 was $10,194 and $8,226, respectively and are recorded as hotel operating expense.  The initial fees incurred to enter into the franchise agreements are amortized over the life of the franchise agreements.

Accounting and Information Technology Fees

Each of the wholly-owned hotels and consolidated joint venture hotel properties managed by HHMLP incurs a monthly accounting and information technology fee.  Monthly fees for accounting services are between $2 and $3 per property and monthly information technology fees range from $1 to $2 per property. For the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, the Company incurred accounting fees of $457 and $379, respectively, and for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, the Company incurred accounting fees of $909 and $753, respectively.  For the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, the Company incurred information technology fees of $114 and $86, respectively, and for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 we incurred $225 and $169, respectively.  Accounting fees and information technology fees are included in hotel operating expense.

 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 7 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (continued)
 
Capital Expenditure Fees

HHMLP charges a 5% fee on all capital expenditures and pending renovation projects at the properties as compensation for procurement services related to capital expenditures and for project management of renovation projects.  For the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, we incurred fees of $294 and $66, respectively, and for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, we incurred fees of $572 and $107, respectively, which were capitalized with the cost of fixed asset additions.

Acquisitions from Affiliates

We have entered into an option agreement with each of our officers and affiliated trustees such that we obtain a right of first refusal to purchase any hotel owned or developed in the future by these individuals or entities controlled by them at fair market value. This right of first refusal would apply to each party until one year after such party ceases to be an officer or trustee of our Company. Our Acquisition Committee of the Board of Trustees is comprised solely of independent trustees, and the purchase prices and all material terms of the purchase of hotels from related parties are approved by the Acquisition Committee.

Hotel Supplies

For the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, we incurred charges for hotel supplies of $22 and $17, respectively and for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 we incurred charges of $45 and $44, respectively.  For the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, we incurred charges for capital expenditure purchases of $3,807 and $2,154, respectively and for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 we incurred charges of $7,282 and $2,534, respectively.  These purchases were made from Hersha Purchasing and Design, a hotel supply company owned, in part, by certain executives and trustees of the Company. Hotel supplies are expenses included in hotel operating expenses on our consolidated statements of operations, and capital expenditure purchases are included in investment in hotel properties on our consolidated balance sheets. Approximately $158 and $22 is included in accounts payable at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively.

Due from Related Parties

The due from related party balance as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010 was approximately $7,625 and $5,069, respectively. The balances primarily consisted of accrued interest due on our development loans, a note receivable to one of our unconsolidated joint ventures, and the remaining due from related party balances are receivables owed from our unconsolidated joint ventures.

Due to Related Parties

The due to related parties balance as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010 was approximately $1,260 and $939, respectively. The balances consisted of amounts payable to HHMLP for administrative, management, and benefit related fees.

Hotel Ground Rent

For the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, we incurred $364 and $354, respectively, and for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, we incurred $728 and $646, respectively of rent expense payable pursuant to ground leases related to certain hotel properties.

 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 8 – FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AND DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS
 
Fair Value Measurements

Our determination of fair value measurements are based on the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. As a basis for considering market participant assumptions in fair value measurements, we utilize a fair value hierarchy that distinguishes between market participant assumptions based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity (observable inputs that are classified within Levels 1 and 2 of the hierarchy) and the reporting entity’s own assumptions about market participant assumptions (unobservable inputs classified within Level 3 of the hierarchy).

Level 1 inputs utilize quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access. Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 2 inputs may include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, as well as inputs that are observable for the asset or liability (other than quoted prices), such as interest rates, foreign exchange rates and yield curves that are observable at commonly quoted intervals. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liabilities, which are typically based on an entity’s own assumptions, as there is little, if any, related market activity. In instances where the determination of the fair value measurement is based on inputs from different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the entire fair value measurement falls is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the asset or liability.

As of June 30, 2011, the Company’s derivative instruments represented the only financial instruments measured at fair value.  Currently, the Company uses derivative instruments, such as interest rate swaps   and caps,   to manage its interest rate   risk.   The valuation of these instruments is determined using widely accepted valuation techniques, including discounted cash flow analysis on the expected cash flows of each derivative. This analysis reflects the contractual terms of the derivatives, including the period to maturity, and uses observable market-based inputs.

We incorporate credit valuation adjustments to appropriately reflect both our own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty’s nonperformance risk in the fair value measurements.  In adjusting the fair value of its derivative contracts for the effect of nonperformance risk, we have considered the impact of netting and any applicable credit enhancements, such as collateral postings, thresholds, mutual puts and guarantees.

Although we have determined that the majority of the inputs used to value our derivatives fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments associated with our derivatives utilize Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads, to evaluate the likelihood of default by us and the counterparties.  However, as of June 30, 2011 we have assessed the significance of the effect of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of our derivative positions and have determined that the credit valuation adjustments are not significant to the overall valuation of our derivatives. As a result, we have determined that our derivative valuations in their entirety are classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

Derivative Instruments

We maintain an interest rate cap that effectively fixes interest payments when LIBOR exceeds 5.75% on a variable rate mortgage on Hotel 373, New York, NY.  The notional amount of the interest rate cap is $22,000 and equals the principal of the variable rate mortgage being hedged.  This interest rate cap matures on May 9, 2012.
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 8 – FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AND DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS (continued)
 
We maintain an interest rate cap that effectively limits variable rate interest payments on the subordinated notes payable to Hersha Statutory Trust I and Hersha Statutory Trust II when LIBOR exceeds 2.00%. The notional amount of the interest rate cap is $51,548 and equals the principal of the variable interest rate debt being hedged. The effective date of the interest rate cap is July 30, 2010, which correlates with the end of the fixed interest rate period on the notes payable.  This cap matures on July 30, 2012.

We maintain an interest rate swap that effectively fixes the interest rate on a variable rate mortgage, bearing interest at one month U.S. dollar LIBOR plus 4%, originated concurrently with the debt associated with the Holiday Inn Express Times Square, NY. Under the terms of this interest rate swap, we pay fixed rate interest of 1.24% and we receive floating rate interest equal to the one month U.S. dollar LIBOR, effectively fixing our interest at a rate of 5.24%. The notional amount amortizes in tandem with the amortization of the underlying hedged debt and is $42,000 as of June 30, 2011. This swap matures on June 1, 2014.

We maintained an interest rate swap agreement that effectively fixed the interest rate on a variable rate mortgage on the Nu Hotel, Brooklyn, NY.  The debt secured by this property bears interest at one month U.S. dollar LIBOR plus 2.0%.  Under the terms of the interest rate swap, we paid fixed rate interest of 1.1925% on the $18,000 notional amount and we received floating rate interest equal to the one month U.S. dollar LIBOR, which effectively fixed our interest on the mortgage debt at a rate of 3.1925%.  This swap matured on January 10, 2011 and was not replaced.

The following table shows the estimated fair value of our derivatives at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010:
 
               
Estimated Fair Value
 
Date of Transaction
 
Hedged Debt
 
Type
 
Maturity Date
 
June 30, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
 
May 9, 2011
 
Variable Rate Mortgage - Hotel 373, New York, NY
 
Cap
 
May 9, 2012
    -       -  
January 9, 2009
 
Variable Rate Mortgage - Nu Hotel, Brooklyn, NY
 
Swap
 
January 10, 2011
    -       (4 )
April 19, 2010
 
Subordinated Notes Payable
 
Cap
 
July 30, 2012
    6       50  
May 31, 2011
 
Variable Rate Mortgage - HIE Times Square, New York, NY
 
Swap
 
June 1, 2014
    (266 )     -  
                $ (260 )   $ 46  
 
The fair value of our interest rate caps is included in other assets at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010 and the fair value of our interest rate swap was included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010.

The change in fair value of derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges was a loss of $281 and a loss of $191 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively and  loss of $292 and a loss of $200 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  These unrealized gains and losses were reflected on our consolidated balance sheet in accumulated other comprehensive Income.

 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 9 – SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS
 
In May 2008, the Company established and our shareholders approved the Hersha Hospitality Trust 2008 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2008 Plan”) for the purpose of attracting and retaining executive officers, employees, trustees and other persons and entities that provide services to the Company. Prior to the 2008 Plan, the Company made awards pursuant to the 2004 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2004 Plan”). Upon approval of the 2008 Plan by the Company’s shareholders on May 22, 2008, the Company terminated the 2004 Plan. Termination of the 2004 Plan did not have any effect on equity awards and grants previously made under that plan.

In May 2011, the Company established and our shareholders approved the Hersha Hospitality Trust 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2012 Plan”) for the purpose of attracting and retaining executive officers, employees, trustees and other persons and entities that provide services to the Company.  The 2012 Plan provides that no awards may be granted, and no common shares may be issued in settlement of awards under the Company’s 2010 Annual Long-Term Incentive Program (“2010 Annual LTIP”), 2011 Annual Long-Term Incentive Program (“2011 Annual LTIP”), or under the Multi-Year Long-Term Incentive Program (Multi-Year LTIP) prior to January 1, 2012, at which time the Company will terminate the 2008 Plan.  Termination of the 2008 Plan will not have any effect on equity awards and grants previously made under that plan.

Executives & Employees

Annual Long Term Equity Incentive Programs

To further align the interests of the Company’s executives with those of shareholders, the Compensation Committee grants annual long term equity incentive awards that are both “performance based” and “time based.”

 
2011 Annual LTIP - On March 16, 2011, the Compensation Committee adopted the 2011 Annual LTIP for the executive officers, pursuant to which the executive officers are eligible to earn equity awards in the form of common shares.  Shares are earned under the 2011 Annual LTIP based on achieving a threshold, target or maximum level of performance in certain defined areas of performance.  The Company accounts for these grants as performance awards for which the Company assesses the probable achievement of the performance conditions at the end of each period.  No stock based compensation expense was recorded for the six months ended June 30, 2011 under the 2011 Annual LTIP.  Any common shares issued in settlement of equity awards under the 2011 Annual LTIP will be made pursuant to the 2012 Plan.  Compensation expense of $124 was recorded for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 for the 2011 Annual LTIP and is included in stock based compensation on the consolidated statement of operations.

 
2010 Annual LTIP - On March 30, 2011, 440,669 shares were issued pursuant to the 2010 Annual LTIP of which 25% vested immediately and the remaining will vest 25% on December 31, 2011, 25% on December 31, 2012, and 25% on December 31, 2013.  The grant date fair value of the shares awarded was $5.98 per share.  Stock based compensation expense related to the 2010 Annual LTIP program of $206 and $61 was recorded for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, and $292 and $61 was recorded for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  As of December 31, 2010, the Company determined that it was probable the performance conditions for the 2010 Annual LTIP would be satisfied and a liability of $1,017 was included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2011 for unissued shares under this program.
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 9 – SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS (continued)
 
Multi-Year LTIP

On May 7, 2010, the Compensation Committee also adopted the Multi-Year LTIP.  This program has a three-year performance period, which commenced on January 1, 2010 and will end on December 31, 2012.  The common shares to be issued in settlement of equity awards granted under this program are based upon the Company’s achievement of a certain level of (1) absolute total shareholder return (75% of the award), and (2) relative total shareholder return as compared to the Company’s peer group (25% of the award).  The Company accounts for these grants as market based awards where the Company estimated unearned compensation at the grant date fair value which is then amortized into compensation cost over the vesting period, which ends on December 31, 2013.  Stock based compensation expense of $798 and $488 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, and $1,596 and $488 was recorded for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively for the Multi-Year LTIP.  Unearned compensation related to the multi-year program as of June 30, 2011 was $7,979 and as of December 31, 2010 was $9,575.

Performance Share Awards

Performance shares granted in the third quarter of 2010 were earned in their entirety based on the Company’s common shares maintaining a closing price in excess of defined thresholds over a defined period of time and then settled in an equivalent number of common shares.  The Company accounted for these grants as market based awards where the Company estimated the unearned compensation at grant date fair value which was amortized into compensation cost over the performance period, which ended on August 4, 2010.  Stock based compensation expense of $105 was incurred during the three months ended June 30, 2010 and $245 was incurred during the six months ended June 30, 2010 related to these performance share awards.

Restricted Share Awards

Stock based compensation expense related to the restricted share awards, consisting of restricted common shares issued to executives and employees of the Company, of $454 and $705 was incurred during the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, and $962 and $1,210 was incurred during the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  Unearned compensation related to the restricted share awards as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010 was $2,056 and $2,940, respectively.  The following table is a summary of all unvested share awards issued to executives under the 2004 and 2008 Plans:
 
                   
Shares Vested
   
Unearned Compensation
 
Original Issuance
Date
 
Shares Issued
 
Share Price on
 date of grant
 
Vesting Period
 
Vesting Schedule
 
June 30, 2011
 
December 31, 2010
   
June 30, 2011
 
December 31, 2010
 
June 1, 2007
    214,582   $ 12.32  
 4 years
 
25%/year
    214,582     160,933       -     275  
June 2, 2008
    278,059   $ 8.97  
 4 years
 
25%/year
    208,542     139,028       572     883  
September 30, 2008
    3,616   $ 7.44  
 1-4 years
 
25-100%/year
    2,308     2,308       6     9  
June 1, 2009
    744,128   $ 2.80  
 4 years
 
25%/year
    372,483     186,241       997     1,258  
June 1, 2010
    182,308   $ 4.63  
 2-3 years
 
25-50%/year
    91,151     42,784       403     515  
June 30, 2011
    14,035   $ 5.57  
 2-4 years
 
25-50%/year
    -     -       78     -  
Total
    1,436,728                   889,066     531,294     $ 2,056   $ 2,940  
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 9 – SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS (continued)
 
Trustees

Annual Retainer

On March 16, 2011, the Compensation Committee approved a program that allows the Company’s trustees to make a voluntary election to receive any portion of the annual cash retainer in the form of common equity valued at a 25% premium to the cash that would have been received. The number of shares issued on March 31, 2011 was determined by dividing the dollar value of the award by the 20-day volume weighted average closing price of the Company’s common shares on the New York Stock Exchange as of December 31, 2010.  Shares issued under this program become fully vested on December 31, 2011.  Compensation expense incurred for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively was $36 and $73.  The following table is a summary of all unvested share awards issued to trustees in lieu of annual cash retainer:
 
Original Issuance
 Date
 
Shares Issued
   
Share Price on
date of grant
 
Vesting
Period
 
Vesting
Schedule
   
Unearned Compensation
June 30, 2011
 
March 30, 2011
    24,384     $ 5.98  
 1 year
    100 %   $ 73  
 
Multi-Year Long-Term Equity Incentives

On March 30, 2011, the Company issued 12,600 restricted common shares, 1,800 to each non-management trustee, which will vest 33% on December 31, 2011, 33% on December 31, 2012, and 33% on December 31, 2013. Compensation expense for the multi-year long-term equity incentive incurred for the three months ended June 30, 2011 was $6 and for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was $13.  Unearned compensation related to the multi-year LTI was $63 for June 30, 2011.

Share Awards

Compensation expense related to share awards issued to the Board of Trustees of $133 and $125 was incurred during the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively and is recorded in stock based compensation on the statement of operations.  Shares awards issued to the Board of Trustees are immediately vested.  On June 1, 2011, 22,800 shares were issued to the Board of Trustees at a price on the date of grant of $5.83.

 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 9 – SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS (continued)
 
Non-employees
 
The Company issues share based awards as compensation to non-employees for services provided to the Company and consists primarily of restricted common shares.  The Company recorded stock based compensation expense of $31 and $11 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively   The Company recorded stock based compensation expense of $70 and $23 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  Unearned compensation related to the restricted share awards as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010 was $66 and $20. The following table is a summary of all unvested share awards issued to non-employees under the 2008 Plan:
 
                   
Shares Vested
   
Unearned Compensation
 
Original Issuance
Date
 
Shares
 Issued
 
Share Price on
date of grant
 
 
Vesting
Period
 
Vesting
Schedule
 
June 30, 2011
 
December 31, 2010
   
June 30, 2011
 
December 31, 2010
 
January 6, 2011
    17,410   $ 6.66  
 1.5 years
 
50%/year
    8,705     -       53     -  
March 25, 2010
    6,000   $ 5.02  
 2 years
 
50%/year
    3,000     -       13     20  
Total
    23,410                   11,705     0     $ 66   $ 20  
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 10 – EARNINGS PER SHARE
 
The following table is a reconciliation of the income or loss (numerator) and the weighted average shares (denominator) used in the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per common share. The computation of basic and diluted earnings per share is presented below.
 
   
Three Months Ended
   
Six Months Ended
 
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
 
Numerator:
                       
BASIC AND DILUTED*
                       
Income (Loss) from  Continuing Operations
  $ 9,307     $ 5,494     $ (5,053 )   $ (10,693 )
(Income) Loss from Continuing Operations  allocated to Noncontrolling Interests
    (457 )     (1,138 )     617       569  
Distributions to 8.0%  Preferred Shareholders
    (2,299 )     (1,200 )     (3,499 )     (2,400 )
Dividends Paid on Unvested Restricted Shares
    (56 )     (45 )     (120 )     (100 )
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations  applicable to Common Shareholders
    6,495       3,111       (8,055 )     (12,624 )
                                 
Discontinued Operations
                               
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations
    41       213       (17 )     63  
(Income) Loss from Discontinued Operations  allocated to Noncontrolling Interests
    (2 )     (13 )     1       (5 )
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations  applicable to Common Shareholders
    39       200       (16 )     58  
                                 
Net Income (Loss) applicable to Common Shareholders
  $ 6,534     $ 3,311     $ (8,071 )   $ (12,566 )
 
*
Income (loss) allocated to noncontrolling interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership has been excluded from the numerator and units of limited partnership interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership have been omitted from the denominator for the purpose of computing diluted earnings per share since the effect of including these amounts in the numerator and denominator would have no impact. Weighted average units of limited partnership interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership outstanding for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 were 7,294,791 and 9,239,135, respectively. Weighted average units of limited partnership interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership outstanding for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 were 7,344,630 and 9,376,419, respectively.
 

HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 10 – EARNINGS PER SHARE (continued)
 
   
Three Months Ended
   
Six Months Ended
 
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
 
Denominator:
 
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 
Weighted average number of common shares - basic
    168,672,936       137,200,796       168,504,893       118,360,826  
Effect of dilutive securities:
                               
Restricted Stock Awards
    598,402       255,401       - **     - **
Contingently Issued Shares
    1,689,808       467,764       - **     - **
Option to acquire common shares
    2,726,087       2,360,156       - **     - **
Partnership Units
    - *     - *     - *     - *
Weighted average number of common shares - diluted
    173,687,233       140,284,117       168,504,893       118,360,826  
 
   
Three Months Ended
   
Six Months Ended
 
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
 
Earnings Per Share:
                       
BASIC
                       
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations applicable to Common Shareholders
  $ 0.04     $ 0.02     $ (0.05 )   $ (0.11 )
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations applicable to Common Shareholders
    0.00       0.00       (0.00 )     0.00  
Net Income (Loss) applicable to Common Shareholders
  $ 0.04     $ 0.02     $ (0.05 )   $ (0.11 )
                                 
DILUTED*
                               
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations applicable to Common Shareholders
  $ 0.04     $ 0.02     $ (0.05 )   $ (0.11 )
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations applicable to Common Shareholders
    0.00       0.00       (0.00 )     0.00  
Net Income (Loss) applicable to Common Shareholders
  $ 0.04     $ 0.02     $ (0.05 )   $ (0.11 )
 
 
 
*
Income (loss) allocated to noncontrolling interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership has been excluded from the numerator and units of limited partnership interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership have been omitted from the denominator for the purpose of computing diluted earnings per share since the effect of including these amounts in the numerator and denominator would have no impact. Weighted average units of limited partnership interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership outstanding for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 were 7,294,791 and 9,239,135, respectively. Weighted average units of limited partnership interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership outstanding for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 were 7,344,630 and 9,376,419, respectively.

**
Unvested stock awards, contingently issuable share awards and options to acquire our common shares have been omitted from the denominator for the purpose of computing diluted earnings per share for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, since the effect of including these awards in the denominator would be anti-dilutive to loss from continuing operations applicable to common shareholders.  For the six months ended June 30, 2011, there were 509,384 anti-dilutive unvested stock awards outstanding, 1,719,502 anti-dilutive contingently issuable share awards outstanding, and 2,882,867 anti-dilutive options to acquire our common shares outstanding.  For the six months ended June 30, 2010, there were 182,499 anti-dilutive unvested stock awards outstanding, 143,122 anti-dilutive contingently issuable share awards outstanding, and 1,916,814 anti-dilutive options to acquire our common shares outstanding.
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 11 – CASH FLOW DISCLOSURES AND NON-CASH ACTIVITIES
 
Interest paid during the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 totaled $20,615 and $22,058, respectively.

The following non-cash activities occurred during the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010:
 
   
Six Months Ended,
 
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
 
Common Shares issued as part of the Dividend Reinvestment Plan
  $ 7     $ 6  
Issuance of Common Shares to the Board of Trustees
  $ 133     $ 125  
Acquisitions of hotel properties
               
Issuance of Common Units
    -       6,256  
Debt assumed, net of discount
    32,500       11,937  
Settlement of notes receivable and accrued interest receivable
    -       1,408  
Interests in unconsolidated joint ventures used as consideration
    -       4,133  
Settlement of development loans receivable principal and accrued interest revenue receivable
    -       7,839  
Development loan accrued interest revenue receivable paid in-kind by adding balance to development loan principal
    1,315       1,235  
Conversion of Common Units to Common Shares
    478       8,424  
Reallocation of noncontrolling interest
    2,593       -  
 
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 12 – DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS
 
The operating results of certain real estate assets which have been sold or otherwise qualify as held for sale are included in discontinued operations in the statements of operations for all periods presented.

In September 2009, our Board of Trustees authorized management of the Company to sell the Holiday Inn Express, New Columbia, PA.  The operating results for this hotel were reclassified to discontinued operations in the statements of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010.  The hotel was acquired by the Company in January 1999 and was sold to an unrelated buyer in July 2010 for consideration of $3,000 with a gain on sale of $347.

Our Board of Trustees authorized management of the Company to sell the Comfort Inn, West Hanover, PA in May 2011.  The operating results for this hotel were reclassified to discontinued operations in the statements of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010.  The hotel was acquired by the Company in May 1998 and was sold to an unrelated buyer in July 2011 for consideration of $5,250 with a gain on sale of approximately $986.

The following table sets forth the components of discontinued operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010:
 
   
Three Months Ended
   
Six Months Ended
 
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
 
Revenue:
                       
Hotel Operating Revenues
  $ 371     $ 941     $ 643     $ 1,432  
Total Revenues
    371       941       643       1,432  
Expenses:
                               
Hotel Operating Expenses
    269       605       538       1,072  
Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes and Property Insurance
    19       31       38       62  
Depreciation and Amortization
    42       89       84       182  
General and Administrative
    -       1       -       3  
Other Expense
    -       2       -       50  
Total Expenses
    330       728       660       1,369  
                                 
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations
  $ 41     $ 213     $ (17 )   $ 63  
 

HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 AND 2010 [UNAUDITED]
[IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE/UNIT AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS]

NOTE 13 – SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
 
On July 22, 2011, the Company completed the acquisition of the real property and improvements located at 32 Pearl Street, New York, NY from an unaffiliated seller for a total purchase price of $28,300.  The property is a re-development project which was initiated in 2008. The Company acquired the real property and the improvements for cash and by cancelling an $8,000 development loan on the re-development project made to an affiliate of the seller and by cancelling a $2,093 accrued interest receivable from the seller’s affiliate .

 
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Anal ysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
 
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, without limitation, statements containing the words, “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “continue,” “intend,” “should,” “may” and words of similar import. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events, our plans, strategies, prospects and future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks that are difficult to predict, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements or industry results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers should specifically consider the various factors identified in this and other reports filed by us with the SEC, including, but not limited to those discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, that could cause actual results to differ. Statements regarding the following subjects are forward-looking by their nature:

our business or investment strategy;
our projected operating results;
our distribution policy;
our liquidity;
completion of any pending transactions;
our ability to obtain future financing arrangements;
our understanding of our competition;
market trends; and
projected capital expenditures.

Forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and expectations, taking into account all information currently available to us. These beliefs, assumptions and expectations are subject to risks and uncertainties and can change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known to us. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations may vary materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.  The following factors could cause actual results to vary from our forward-looking statements:

general volatility of the capital markets and the market price of our common shares;
changes in our business or investment strategy;
availability, terms and deployment of capital;
availability of qualified personnel;
changes in our industry and the market in which we operate, interest rates, or the general economy;
the degree and nature of our competition;
financing risks, including the risk of leverage and the corresponding risk of default on our mortgage loans and other debt and potential inability to refinance or extend the maturity of existing indebtedness;
the depth and duration of the current economic downturn;
levels of spending in the business, travel and leisure industries, as well as consumer confidence;
declines in occupancy, average daily rate and RevPAR and other hotel operating metrics;
hostilities, including future terrorist attacks, or fear of hostilities that affect travel;
financial condition of, and our relationships with, our joint venture partners, third-party property managers, franchisors and hospitality joint venture partners;
the degree and nature of our competition;
increased interest rates and operating costs;
risks associated with potential acquisitions, including the ability to ramp up and stabilize newly acquired hotels with limited or no operating history, and dispositions of hotel properties;
risks associated with our development loan portfolio, including the ability of borrowers to repay outstanding principal and accrued interest at maturity;
 
 
availability of and our ability to retain qualified personnel;
our failure to maintain our qualification as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;
environmental uncertainties and risks related to natural disasters;
changes in real estate and zoning laws and increases in real property tax rates; and
the factors discussed in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 under the heading “Risk Factors” and in other reports we file with the SEC from time to time.

These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any of our forward-looking statements. Other unknown or unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond our control, also could harm our results, performance or achievements.

All forward-looking statements contained in this report are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth above. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we do not undertake or assume any obligation to update publicly any of these statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable laws. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.
 
General

As of June 30, 2011, we owned interests in 79 hotels, located primarily in the eastern United States, including interests in 15 hotels owned through joint ventures. For purposes of the REIT qualification rules, we cannot directly operate any of our hotels. Instead, we must lease our hotels to a third party lessee or to a taxable REIT subsidiary (“TRS”), provided that the TRS engages an eligible independent contractor to manage the hotels.  As of June 30, 2011, we have leased all of our hotels to a wholly-owned TRS, a joint venture-owned TRS, or an entity owned in part by our wholly-owned TRS.  Each of these TRS entities will pay qualifying rent, and the TRS entities have entered into management contracts with eligible independent contractors, including HHMLP, with respect to our hotels. We intend to lease all newly acquired hotels to a TRS.

The TRS structure enables us to participate more directly in the operating performance of our hotels. The TRS directly receives all revenue from, and funds all expenses relating to hotel operations. The TRS is also subject to income tax on its earnings.

Outlook

We believe the improvements we made in our equity and debt capitalization and repositioning of our portfolio in 2010 better enables us to capitalize on further improvements in lodging fundamentals.  During the first six months of 2011, we have seen continued improvements in ADR, RevPAR and operating margins, led by hotels in our core urban markets of New York, Boston and Philadelphia.  We will continue to seek acquisition opportunities primarily in high barrier to entry markets, such as New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Los Angeles.  In addition, we are looking, and will continue to look, for attractive opportunities to dispose of properties in tertiary markets at favorable prices, potentially redeploying that capital in our focus markets.  Presently, we do not expect to actively pursue acquisitions made through joint ventures; however, we may seek to buyout or sell our joint venture interest to select existing joint venture partners.  We do not expect to actively pursue additional development loans or land leases.  While property joint ventures, development loans and land leases played an important role in our growth over the last five years, we do not expect them to play the same role in our near-term future.

 
Although we are planning for continued stabilization and improvement in consumer and commercial spending and lodging demand during 2011, the manner in which the economy will recover is not predictable, and certain core economic metrics, including unemployment, are not rebounding as quickly as many had hoped.  In addition, the market for hotel level financing for new hotels is not recovering as quickly as the economy or broader financial markets.  As a result, there can be no assurances that we will be able to grow hotel revenues, occupancy, ADR or RevPAR at our properties as we hope.  Further, we cannot assure that we will not experience defaults under our development loans.  The lack of financing for our borrowers and potential buyers may result in borrower defaults or prevent borrowers or us from disposing of properties held for sale. Factors that might contribute to less-than-anticipated performance include those described under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 and other documents that we may file with the SEC in the future.  We will continue to cautiously monitor recovery in lodging demand and rates, our third party hotel managers, our remaining portfolio of hotel development loans and our performance generally.

The turmoil in the financial markets, which began in the fourth quarter of 2008, caused credit to significantly tighten, making it more difficult for hotel developers to obtain financing for development projects or for hotels with limited operating history.  The current financial markets environment may continue to have a negative impact on the collectability of our portfolio of development loans receivable.  We monitor this portfolio to determine the collectability of the loan principal and interest accrued and will continue to monitor this portfolio on an on-going basis.

In addition, the tightened credit markets have made it more difficult to finance the acquisition of new hotel properties or refinance existing hotel properties that do not have a history of profitable operations.  We monitor the maturity dates of our debt obligations and take steps in advance of these maturity dates to extend or refinance the obligations.  Please refer to “Item 3.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” for a discussion of our debt maturities.  We cannot assure that we will be able to extend or refinance these obligations with favorable terms or at all.

The following table outlines operating results for the Company’s portfolio of wholly-owned hotels and those owned through joint venture interests that are consolidated in our financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010:

   
Three Months Ended,
         
Six Months Ended,
       
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
   
% Variance
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
   
% Variance
 
                                     
Occupancy
    77.70 %     77.38 %     0.3 %     69.49 %     69.59 %     -0.1 %
Average Daily Rate (ADR)
  $ 149.02     $ 136.83       8.9 %   $ 139.79     $ 129.33       8.1 %
Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)
  $ 115.79     $ 105.88       9.4 %   $ 97.14     $ 90.00       7.9 %
                                                 
Room Revenues
  $ 85,129     $ 71,008       19.9 %   $ 139,458     $ 117,474       18.7 %
Total Revenues
  $ 89,346     $ 74,453       20.0 %   $ 146,885     $ 123,550       18.9 %
 
The following table outlines operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, for hotels we own through an unconsolidated joint venture interest. These operating results reflect 100% of the operating results of the properties including our interest and the interests of our joint venture partners and other noncontrolling interest holders.  

 
UNCONSOLIDATED JOINT VENTURES:
                           
   
Three Months Ended,
         
Six Months Ended,
       
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
   
% Variance
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
   
% Variance
 
                                     
Occupancy
    67.93 %     74.20 %     -6.3 %     67.59 %     66.60 %     1.0 %
Average Daily Rate (ADR)
  $ 141.26     $ 135.86       4.0 %   $ 136.02     $ 130.57       4.2 %
Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)
  $ 102.51     $ 100.81       1.7 %   $ 91.94     $ 86.93       5.8 %
                                                 
Room Revenues
  $ 20,373     $ 20,226       0.7 %   $ 36,344     $ 35,810       1.5 %
Total Revenues
  $ 26,652     $ 26,195       1.7 %   $ 47,294     $ 46,536       1.6 %
 
RevPAR for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 increased 9.4% and 7.9%, respectively, for our consolidated hotels and increased 1.7% and 5.8%, respectively, for our unconsolidated hotels when compared to the same period.  This increase in RevPAR was primarily due to continued stabilization in demand as a result of improving economic conditions.  This stabilization in demand resulted in an increase in RevPAR driven by increases in ADR for the portfolio for the six months ended June 30, 2011.
 
COMPARISON OF THE THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 TO JUNE 30, 2010
(dollars in thousands, except per room and per share data)

Revenue

Our total revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2011 consisted of hotel operating revenues, interest income from our development loan program and other revenue. Hotel operating revenues are recorded for wholly-owned hotels that are leased to our wholly-owned TRS and hotels owned through joint venture interests that are consolidated in our financial statements. Hotel operating revenues increased $14,893, or 20.0%, from $74,453 for the three months ended June 30, 2010 to $89,346 for the same period in 2011.

The increase in hotel operating revenues was primarily attributable to the acquisitions consummated subsequent to the second quarter of 2010.  We acquired interests in the following four consolidated hotels which contributed the following operating revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2011:
 
Brand
 
Location
 
Acquisition Date
 
Rooms
   
Hotel
Operating
Revenues
 
                     
Hampton Inn
 
Washington, DC
 
September 1, 2010
    228       3,828  
Holiday Inn Express
 
Water Street, New York, NY
 
March 25, 2011
    112       1,665  
Capitol Hill Suites
 
Washington, DC
 
April 15, 2011
    152       1,762  
Courtyard by Marriot
 
Westside, Los Angeles, CA
 
May 19, 2011
    260       1,267  
              752     $ 8,522  

Revenue from these hotels acquired since the second quarter 2010 is included in hotel operating revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2011 but did not contribute to revenue during the same period in 2010.  We also acquired an interest in the following consolidated hotel during the second quarter of 2010, which contributed the following operating revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and June 30, 2010:

 
 
                 
Hotel Operating Revenues
Three Months Ended
 
Brand
 
Location
 
Acquisition Date
 
Rooms
   
 
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
 
                           
Holiday Inn
 
Wall Street, New York, NY
 
May 7, 2010
    113       1,805       1,031  
              113     $ 1,805     $ 1,031  
 
This hotel was owned, and contributed revenue, for the entire three months ended June 30, 2011, but was owned, and contributed revenue, for only a portion of the three months ended June 30, 2010.

In addition, there has been improvement in the ADR within our total consolidated portfolio.  ADR at our consolidated hotels increased 8.9% from $136.83 per room for the three months ended June 30, 2010 to $149.02 per room during the same period in 2011.  Our occupancy rate increased 32 basis points from 77.38% during the three months ended June 30, 2010 to 77.70% for the same period in 2011.

Interest income from development loans decreased $113 or 9.6% to approximately $1,063 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 from $1,176 for the three months ended June 30, 2010.  In connection with entering into the purchase and sale agreement to acquire the Hyatt Union Square in New York, NY on June 14, 2011, we ceased accruing interest for this loan.

Of the $42,968 in development loans receivable outstanding as of June 30, 2011, $8,000, or 18.6%, is invested in hotels that are operating and generating revenue, and $34,968, or 81.4%, is invested in hotel construction projects with significant progress made toward completion.  

As hotel developers are engaged in constructing new hotels or renovating existing hotels, the hotel properties are typically not generating revenue.  It is common for the developers to require construction type loans to finance the projects whereby interest incurred on the loan is not paid currently; rather it is added to the principal borrowed and repaid at maturity.  Two of our development loans, including one such loan to an entity affiliated with certain of our trustees and executive officers, allow the borrower to elect, quarterly, to pay accrued interest in-kind by adding the accrued interest to the principal balance of the loan.  As a result, a total of $641 in accrued interest on these loans was added to principal for the three months ended June 30, 2011.

Other revenue consists primarily of fees earned for asset management services provided to properties owned by certain of our unconsolidated joint ventures.  These fees are earned as a percentage of the revenues of the unconsolidated joint ventures’ hotels.  Other revenues decreased $14, from $111 for the three months ended June 30, 2010 to $97 during the three months ended June 30, 2011.  

Expenses

Total hotel operating expenses increased $7,023, or 17.8%, to approximately $46,541 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 from $39,518 for the three months ended June 30, 2010.  Consistent with the increase in hotel operating revenues, hotel operating expenses increased primarily due to the acquisitions consummated since June 30, 2010, as mentioned above.  The acquisitions also resulted in a $1,719, or 13.6%, increase in depreciation and amortization expense from $12,681 for the three months ended June 30, 2010 to $14,400 for the three months ended June 30, 2011. Real estate and personal property tax and property insurance increased $740, or 15.8%, in the three months ended June 30, 2011 when compared to the same period in 2010 primarily due to the acquisitions and from increases in assessments and insurance premiums at certain of the hotel properties.

 
General and administrative expense increased $261, or 13.6%, from $1,918, for the three months ended June 30, 2010 to $2,179 for the three months ended June 30, 2011.  Expenses increased due to increases in employee headcount and increases in base compensation.

Non-cash stock based compensation expense increased $286 when comparing the three months ended June 30, 2011 to the same period in 2010.  The increase in non-cash stock based compensation is due primarily to the recognition of non-cash compensation expense associated with equity-based awards approved by the Compensation Committee in May 2010 under the Multi-Year LTIP program.  Please refer to “Note 9 – Share Based Payments” of the notes to the consolidated financial statements for the three months June 30, 2011 and 2010 (unaudited) for more information about our stock based compensation.

Amounts recorded on our consolidated statement of operations for acquisition and terminated transaction costs will fluctuate from period to period based on our acquisition activities.  Acquisition and terminated transaction costs increased $1,055 from $221 for the three months ended June 30, 2010 to $1,276 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 due to the number of acquisitions consummated during the three months ended June 30, 2010, as compared to the three months ended June 30, 2011.  For the three months ended June 30, 2011, we incurred $1,098 in acquisition costs related to our acquisitions.  Acquisition costs typically consist of transfer taxes, legal fees and other costs associated with acquiring a hotel property.

Unconsolidated Joint Venture Investments

We recorded income from our investment in unconsolidated joint ventures of $2,559 and $2,059 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  As a result of the remeasurement of our interest in the Hiren Boston, LLC joint venture, we recorded gains of $2,757 and $2,190 during the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  Excluding these remeasurement gains, we incurred a loss from unconsolidated joint ventures of $198 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 compared to a loss of $131 for the same period in 2010.  

Net Income (Loss)

Net income applicable to common shareholders for the three months ended June 30, 2011 was $6,590 compared to a net income applicable to common shareholders of $3,356 for the same period in 2010.

Operating income for the three months ended June 30, 2011 was $18,536 compared to an operating income of $14,847 during the same period in 2010.  The increase in operating income resulted primarily from improved performance of our portfolio and acquisitions that have occurred since June 30, 2010.

During the three months ended June 30, 2011, we issued 4,600,000 preferred shares which increased our preferred dividend $1,099 for the second quarter of 2011 when compared to the same period in 2010.

Interest expense increased $247 from $11,341 for the three months ended June 30, 2010 to $11,588 for the three months ended June 30, 2011.

COMPARISON OF THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2011 TO JUNE 30, 2010
(dollars in thousands, except per room and per share data)

Revenue

Our total revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2011 consisted of hotel operating revenues, interest income from our development loan program and other revenue. Hotel operating revenues are recorded for wholly-owned hotels that are leased to our wholly-owned TRS and hotels owned through joint venture interests that are consolidated in our financial statements.  Hotel operating revenues increased $23,335, or 18.9%, from $123,550 for the three months ended June 30, 2010 to $146,885 for the same period in 2011.

 
The increase in hotel operating revenues was primarily attributed to the acquisitions consummated subsequent to the second quarter of 2010.  We acquired interests in the following four consolidated hotels which contributed the following operating revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2011:
 
Brand
 
Location
 
Acquisition Date
 
Rooms
   
Hotel Operating Revenues
 
                     
Hampton Inn
 
Washington, DC
 
September 1, 2010
    228       6,853  
Holiday Inn Express
 
Water Street, New York, NY
 
March 25, 2011
    112       1,747  
Capitol Hill Suites
 
Washington, DC
 
April 15, 2011
    152       1,762  
Courtyard by Marriot
 
Westside, Los Angeles, CA
 
May 19, 2011
    260       1,267  
              752     $ 11,629  

Revenue from these hotels acquired since the second quarter of 2010 is included in hotel operating revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2011, but did not contribute to revenue during the same period in 2010.  We also acquired interests in the following four consolidated hotels during the first six months of 2010 which contributed the following operating revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and June 30, 2010:

                 
Hotel Operating Revenues
Six Months Ended
 
Brand
 
Location
 
Acquisition Date
 
Rooms
   
 
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
 
                           
Holiday Inn
 
Wall Street, New York, NY
 
May 7, 2010
    113       2,807       1,031  
Hampton Inn
 
Times Square, New York, NY
 
February 9, 2010
    184       5,536       4,189  
Holiday Inn Express
 
Times Square, New York, NY
 
February 9, 2010
    188       5,837       4,456  
Candlewood Suites
 
Times Square, New York, NY
 
February 9, 2010
    210       4,556       3,307  
              695     $ 18,736     $ 12,983  

These hotels were owned, and contributed revenue, for the entire six months ended June 30, 2011, but were owned, and contributed revenue, for only a portion of the six months ended June 30, 2010.

In addition, there has been improvement in the ADR within our total consolidated portfolio.  ADR at our consolidated hotels increased 8.1% from $129.33 per room for the six months ended June 30, 2010 to $139.79 per room during the same period in 2011.  Our occupancy rate decreased 10 basis points from 69.59% during the six months ended June 30, 2010 to 69.49% for the same period in 2011.

Interest income from development loans decreased $396 or 15.5% to approximately $2,154 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 from $2,550 for the six months ended June 30, 2010, due to the decrease in the average balances outstanding.  The average balance outstanding during the six months ended June 30, 2011 was lower than the average balance outstanding during the same period in 2010.

 
Of the $42,968 in development loans receivable outstanding as of June 30, 2011, $8,000, or 18.6%, is invested in hotels that are operating and generating revenue, and $34,968, or 81.4%, is invested in hotel construction projects with significant progress made toward completion.  A total of $1,315 in accrued interest on these loans was added to principal for the six months ended June 30, 2011.  As a result of impairment charges prior to 2010, we currently do not reflect on our balance sheet any value for the development loans to hotel development projects that are in the early phase of development that includes land acquisition and site preparation.

Other revenue consists primarily of fees earned for asset management services provided to properties owned by certain of our unconsolidated joint ventures.  These fees are earned as a percentage of the revenues of the unconsolidated joint ventures’ hotels.  Other revenues decreased $24, from $199 for the six months ended June 30, 2010 to $175 during the six months ended June 30, 2011.  

Expenses

Total hotel operating expenses increased $12,713, or 17.8%, to approximately $84,109 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 from $71,396 for the six months ended June 30, 2010.  Consistent with the increase in hotel operating revenues, hotel operating expenses increased primarily due to the acquisitions consummated since June 30, 2010, as mentioned above.  The acquisitions also resulted in a $3,731, or 15.1%, increase in depreciation and amortization expense from $24,643 for the six months ended June 30, 2010 to $28,374 for the six months ended June 30, 2011. Real estate and personal property tax and property insurance increased $1,779, or 20.3%, in the six months ended June 30, 2011 when compared to the same period in 2010 primarily due to the acquisitions and from increases in assessments and insurance premiums at certain of the hotel properties.  Additionally, one of our hotel properties was negatively impacted by higher non-recurring expenses related to a sales tax audit during the six months ended June 30, 2011, while another property benefitted from a property tax credit during the six months ended June 30, 2010.

General and administrative expense decreased $613, or 12.9%, from $4,753, for the six months ended June 30, 2010 to $4,140 for the six months ended June 30, 2011.  During the fourth quarter of 2010, we accrued a liability in the amount of $1,720, representing the 2010 cash bonuses payable to our executive officers, while the 2009 year-end bonuses were not determined and recorded until the first quarter of 2010.  As a result, incentive compensation of $1,256 earned for the year ended December 31, 2009 was recorded in the first quarter of 2010.  Offsetting this decrease were increases to compensation expense due to increases in employee headcount and increases in base compensation.

Non-cash stock based compensation expense increased $1,114 when comparing the six months ended June 30, 2011 to the same period in 2010.  Included in stock based compensation for the six months ended June 30, 2011 is $1,596 of stock based compensation expense for the awards approved by the Compensation Committee in May 2010 under the Multi-Year LTIP.  During the six months ended June 30, 2010, the Company recognized $488 of non-cash stock based compensation expense for the Multi-Year LTIP awards approved in May 2010.  Please refer to “Note 9 – Share Based Payments” of the notes to the consolidated financial statements for the six months June 30, 2011 and 2010 (unaudited) for more information about our stock based compensation.

Amounts recorded on our consolidated statement of operations for acquisition and terminated transaction costs will fluctuate from period to period based on our acquisition activities.  Acquisition and terminated transaction costs decreased $1,466 from $3,557 for the six months ended June 30, 2010 to $2,091 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 due to the number of acquisitions consummated during the six months ended June 30, 2010, as compared to the six months ended June 30, 2011.  For the six months ended June 30, 2011, we incurred $1,840 in acquisition costs related to our acquisitions of the following hotels: Holiday Inn Express, Water Street, New York, NY; Capitol Hill Suites, Washington, DC; Courtyard by Marriott, Westside, Los Angeles, CA.  For the six months ended June 30, 2010, we incurred $3,557 in acquisition costs related to our acquisitions of the following hotels: Hilton Garden Inn, Glastonbury, CT; Hampton Inn Times Square, New York, NY; Holiday Inn Express, Times Square, New York, NY; Candlewood Suites Times Square, New York, NY; Holiday Inn Wall Street, New York, NY. Acquisition costs typically consist of transfer taxes, legal fees and other costs associated with acquiring a hotel property.


Unconsolidated Joint Venture Investments

We recorded income from our investment in unconsolidated joint ventures of $1,578 and $2,837 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  As a result of the remeasurement of our interest in the Hiren Boston, LLC joint venture, the owner of the Courtyard in South Boston, MA, we recorded gains of $2,757 and $2,190 during the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  In addition, for the six months ended June 30, 2010, we also recorded a $1,818 gain on the remeasurement of our interest in an unconsolidated joint venture that owned the Hilton Garden Inn in Glastonbury, CT.  Excluding these remeasurement gains, we incurred a loss from unconsolidated joint ventures of $1,179 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 compared to a loss of $1,171 for the same period in 2010.

Net Income (Loss)

Net loss applicable to common shareholders for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was $7,951 compared to a net loss applicable to common shareholders of $12,466 for the same period in 2010.

Operating income for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was $15,962 compared to an operating income of $10,357 during the same period in 2010.  The increase in operating income resulted primarily from improved performance of our portfolio and acquisitions that have occurred since June 30, 2010.

During the six months ended June 30, 2011, we issued 4,600,000 preferred shares which increased our preferred dividend $1,099 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 when compared to the same period in 2010.

Interest expense decreased $823 from $23,034 for the six months ended June 30, 2010 to $22,211 for the six months ended June 30, 2011. The decrease in interest expense is due primarily to the decrease in interest rates on the two junior subordinated notes payable which have an aggregate principal balance of $51,548.  The weighted average interest rate on our two junior subordinated notes payable for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 was 3.31% and 7.28%, respectively.


LIQUIDITY, CAPITAL RESOURCES, AND EQUITY OFFERINGS
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)

Debt and Equity Offerings

The ability to originate or refinance existing loans has become and continues to be very restrictive for all borrowers, even for those borrowers that have strong balance sheets.  While we maintain a portfolio of what we believe to be high quality assets and we believe our leverage to be at acceptable levels, the market for new debt origination and refinancing of existing debt remains challenging and visibility on the length of debt terms, the loan-to-value parameters and loan pricing on new debt originations is limited.

Our organizational documents do not limit the amount of indebtedness that we may incur. In the current economic environment, the fair market value of certain of our hotel properties may have declined causing some of our indebtedness to exceed the percentage of an individual hotel property’s fair market value that our Board of Trustees intended at the time we acquired the property.

Our ability to incur additional debt is dependent upon a number of factors, including the current state of the overall credit markets, our degree of leverage and borrowing restrictions imposed by existing lenders.  Our ability to raise funds through the issuance of debt and equity securities is dependent upon, among other things, capital market volatility, risk tolerance of investors, general market conditions for REITs and market perceptions related to the Company’s ability to generate cash flow and positive returns on its investments.

 
In addition, our mortgage indebtedness contains various financial and non‐financial covenants customarily found in secured, nonrecourse financing arrangements. If the specified criteria are not satisfied, the lender may be able to escrow cash flow generated by the property securing the applicable mortgage loan. We have determined that certain debt service coverage ratio covenants contained in the loan agreements securing a number of our hotel properties were not met as of June 30, 2011.   Pursuant to the loan agreements, the certain lenders have elected to escrow the operating cash flow for these properties.  Future deterioration in market conditions could cause restrictions in our access to the cash flow of additional properties.

We maintain a revolving credit facility with a syndicate of lenders that have committed up to $250,000.  The line of credit expires November 5, 2013 and includes an option to extend the maturity until November 5, 2014.  This option may be exercised at the sole discretion of the lenders.  As of June 30, 2011 we had $28,000 in borrowings under the line of credit and $8,562 in letters of credit outstanding under this facility resulting in a remaining borrowing capacity under the Line of Credit of $213,438.  We intend to repay indebtedness incurred under the line of credit from time to time, for acquisitions or otherwise, out of cash flow and from the proceeds of issuances of additional common shares and other securities.

We will continue to monitor our debt maturities to manage our liquidity needs.  However, no assurances can be given that we will be successful in refinancing all or a portion of our future debt obligations due to factors beyond our control or that, if refinanced, the terms of such debt will not vary from the existing terms. As of June 30, 2011, we have repayment obligation of $17,861 due on or before December 31, 2011.  We currently expect that cash requirements for all debt that is not refinanced by our existing lenders will be met through a combination of cash on hand, refinancing the existing debt with new lenders, draws on our credit facility and issuing public debt or equity.

Development Loans Receivable

The current borrowing environment has made it difficult for our development loan borrowers to obtain or renew construction financing to complete certain hotel development projects for which we have provided development loan financing.  As of June 30, 2011, we have $42,968 in development loan principal receivable and $3,727 in accrued interest receivable on these loans.

Each of these loans matures at some time within the next 12 to 18 months.  Most of our development loans have options to extend the maturity of the loan for periods up to three years from the original maturity date of the loan.  Each of these development loans also provides us with a right of first offer on hotels constructed through the development loan program.  We expect most development loan borrowers to take advantage of these extension options.  In addition, we may convert the principal and interest due to us on development loans outstanding into equity interests in the hotels developed by entering into purchase and sale agreements to acquire hotel properties from developers of their affiliates that allow us to pay a portion of the purchase price by forgiving and cancelling amounts owed to us under development loans, allowing us to reduce the amount of cash required to fund these acquisitions.  See “Note 4 – Development Loan Receivable,” for further information.

Operating Liquidity and Capital Expenditures

We expect to meet our short-term liquidity requirements generally through net cash provided by operations, existing cash balances and, if necessary, short-term borrowings under our line of credit.  We believe that the net cash provided by operations in the coming year will be adequate to fund the Company’s operating requirements, monthly recurring debt service and the payment of dividends in accordance with REIT requirements of the federal income tax laws.

 
To qualify as a REIT, we must distribute annually at least 90% of our taxable income.  This distribution requirement limits our ability to retain earnings and requires us to raise additional capital in order to grow our business and acquire additional hotel properties.  However, there is no assurance that we will be able to borrow funds or raise additional equity capital on terms acceptable to us, if at all.  In addition, we cannot guarantee that we will continue to make distributions to our shareholders at the current rate or at all.  Due to the seasonality of our business, cash provided by operating activities fluctuates significantly from quarter to quarter.  However, we believe that, based on our current estimates, which include the addition of cash provided by hotels acquired during the first two quarters of 2011, our cash provided by operating activities will be sufficient over the next 12 months to fund the payment of our dividend at its current level.  However, our Board of Trustees continues to evaluate the dividend policy in the context of our overall liquidity and market conditions and may elect to reduce or suspend these distributions.  Cash provided by operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was $17,757 and cash used for the payment of distributions and dividends for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was $20,078.

Owning hotels is a capital intensive enterprise.  Hotels are expensive to acquire or build and require regular significant capital expenditures to satisfy guest expectations.  Our long-term liquidity requirements consist primarily of the costs of acquiring additional hotel properties, renovation and other non-recurring capital expenditures that need to be made periodically with respect to hotel properties and schedule debt repayments.  We will seek to satisfy these long-term liquidity requirements through various sources of capital, including borrowings under our $250 million credit facility and through secured, non-recourse mortgage financings with respect to our unencumbered hotel properties.  In addition, we may seek to raise capital through public or private offerings of our equity of debt securities.  Certain factors may have a material adverse effect on our ability to access these capital sources, including our degree of leverage, the value of our unencumbered hotel properties and borrowing restrictions imposed by lenders or franchisors.  We will continue to analyze which source of capital is most advantageous to us at any particular point in time, but financing may not be consistently available to us on terms that are attractive, or at all.  We project that our operating cash flow and our $250 million credit facility will be sufficient to satisfy our liquidity and other capital needs over the next twelve to eighteen months.

We make available to the TRS of our hotels 4% (6% for full service properties) of gross revenues per quarter, on a cumulative basis, for periodic replacement or refurbishment of furniture, fixtures and equipment at each of our hotels. We believe that a 4% (6% for full service hotels) reserve is a prudent estimate for future capital expenditure requirements.  During 2010, our hotel managers had implemented a policy of limiting capital expenditures to only those projects that impact safety to our guests or preserve the value of our hotel assets.  As economic conditions have improved, we have significantly increased the funding of additional capital expenditures, including the lobby renovation of several of our hotels and the completion of one hotel that was acquired prior to completion of construction. 
 
We have increased our spending on capital improvements during the three months ended June 30, 2011 when compared to the same period in 2010.  We may spend amounts in excess of the obligated amounts if necessary to comply with the reasonable requirements of any franchise license under which any of our hotels operate and otherwise to the extent we deem such expenditures to be in our best interests. We are also obligated to fund the cost of certain capital improvements to our hotels. We will use undistributed cash or borrowings under credit facilities to pay for the cost of capital improvements and any furniture, fixture and equipment requirements in excess of the set aside referenced above.

 
Cash Flow Analysis

Net cash provided by operating activities increased $2,198, from $15,559 for the six months ended June 30, 2010 to $17,757 for the same period in 2011.  Net income, adjusted for non-cash items such as depreciation and amortization, non-cash debt extinguishment, development loan interest income added to principal, interest in income from unconsolidated joint ventures, loss recognized on change in fair value of derivative instruments and stock based compensation increased $11,463 during the six months ended June 30, 2011 when compared to the same period in 2010.  This is primarily due to cash provided by properties acquired over the past eighteen months and improving operating results within our existing portfolio.  In addition, acquisition and terminated transaction costs incurred during the six months ended June 30, 2011 decreased $1,466 when compared to the same period in 2010.  Offsetting the increases cash provided by these operating activities was an increase in net cash used in funding working capital assets, such as payments into escrows, and repaying working capital liabilities such as accounts payable and accrued expenses.

Net cash used in investing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2011 decreased $84,708, from $211,949 in the six months ended June 30, 2010 compared to $127,241 for the six months ended June 30, 2011.  During the six months ended June 30, 2011, we used $100,770 to acquire three properties.  This compares to $187,355 to acquire four properties during the same period in 2010.  We also received $13,406 from one of our unconsolidated joint ventures as a result of it refinancing its debt.  Offsetting these decreases in cash used in investing activities was an increase of $9,012 in capital expenditures for the six months ended June 30, 2011 when compared to the same period in 2010.  We have also funded $21,250 in deposits for the acquisition of additional hotel properties and invested $1,320 in a note receivable from an unconsolidated joint venture which will be used by the venture to fund a renovation.  

Net cash provided by financing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was $111,168 compared to $202,935 during the same period in 2010.  During the six months ended June 30, 2010 we completed two equity offerings with net proceeds of $260,764.  These offerings and a subsequent equity offering in October 2010 increased our share count causing a net increase in total dividends and distributions paid of $7,001 when comparing the six months ended June 30, 2011 to the same period in 2010.  During the six months ended June 30, 2011 we completed an offering of preferred shares with net proceeds of $111,160.  Offsetting the proceeds from these offerings in 2010 and 2011 were net repayments of $34,500 on our credit facility during the six months ended June 30, 2010 compared to net repayments of $18,000 during the same period in 2011.  Net proceeds on our mortgages and notes payable were $38,359 during the six months ended June 30, 2011 compared to net repayments of $9,773 during the same period in 2010.
 
Off Balance Sheet Arrangements

The Company does not have off balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a current or future material effect on our financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources.
 
Funds From Operations

The National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (“NAREIT”) developed Funds from Operations (“FFO”) as a non-GAAP financial measure of performance of an equity REIT in order to recognize that income-producing real estate historically has not depreciated on the basis determined under GAAP. We calculate FFO applicable to common shares and Common Units in accordance with the April 2002 National Policy Bulletin of NAREIT, which we refer to as the White Paper. The White Paper defines FFO as net income (loss) (computed in accordance with GAAP) excluding extraordinary items as defined under GAAP and gains or losses from sales of previously depreciated assets, plus certain non-cash items, such as depreciation and amortization, and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. Our interpretation of the NAREIT definition is that noncontrolling interest in net income (loss) should be added back to (deducted from) net income (loss) as part of reconciling net income (loss) to FFO. Our FFO computation may not be comparable to FFO reported by other REITs that do not compute FFO in accordance with the NAREIT definition, or that interpret the NAREIT definition differently than we do.

 
The GAAP measure that we believe to be most directly comparable to FFO, net income (loss) applicable to common shareholders, includes depreciation and amortization expenses, gains or losses on property sales, noncontrolling interest and preferred dividends. In computing FFO, we eliminate these items because, in our view, they are not indicative of the results from our property operations.

FFO does not represent cash flows from operating activities in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered an alternative to net income as an indication of the Company’s performance or to cash flow as a measure of liquidity or ability to make distributions. We consider FFO to be a meaningful, additional measure of operating performance because it excludes the effects of the assumption that the value of real estate assets diminishes predictably over time, and because it is widely used by industry analysts as a performance measure. We show both FFO from consolidated hotel operations and FFO from unconsolidated joint ventures because we believe it is meaningful for the investor to understand the relative contributions from our consolidated and unconsolidated hotels. The display of both FFO from consolidated hotels and FFO from unconsolidated joint ventures allows for a detailed analysis of the operating performance of our hotel portfolio by management and investors. We present FFO applicable to common shares and Common Units because our Common Units are redeemable for common shares. We believe it is meaningful for the investor to understand FFO applicable to all common shares and Common Units.

The following table reconciles FFO for the periods presented to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, net income, for the same periods (dollars in thousands):
 
   
Three Months Ended
   
Six Months Ended
 
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
   
June 30, 2011
   
June 30, 2010
 
                         
Net income (loss) applicable to common shares
  $ 6,590     $ 3,356     $ (7,951 )   $ (12,466 )
Income (loss) allocated to noncontrolling interest
    459       1,151       (618 )     (564 )
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures
    (2,559 )     (2,059 )     (1,578 )     (2,837 )
Depreciation and amortization
    14,400       12,681       28,374       24,643  
Depreciation and amortization from discontinued operations
    42       89       84       182  
FFO related to the noncontrolling interest in consolidated joint ventures (1)
    (101 )     (124 )     239       -  
Funds from consolidated hotel operations applicable to common shares and Partnership units
    18,831       15,094       18,550       8,958  
                                 
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures
    2,559       2,059       1,578       2,837  
Less:
                               
Gain from remeasurement of investment in unconsolidated joint ventures
    (2,757 )     (2,190 )     (2,757 )     (4,008 )
Add:
                               
Depreciation and amortization of purchase price   in excess of historical cost (2)
    567       509       1,092       1,017  
Interest in depreciation and amortization of unconsolidated joint venture (3)
    1,785       1,153       1,987       1,382  
Funds from unconsolidated joint ventures operations applicable to common shares and Partnership units
    2,154       1,531       1,900       1,228  
                                 
Funds from Operations  applicable to common shares and Partnership units
  $ 20,985     $ 16,625     $ 20,450     $ 10,186  
                                 
Weighted Average Common Shares and Units Outstanding
                               
Basic
    168,672,936       137,200,796       168,504,893       118,360,826  
Diluted
    180,982,024       149,523,252       180,961,276       129,979,680  
 
(1)
Adjustment made to deduct FFO related to the noncontrolling interest in our consolidated joint ventures. Represents the portion of net income and depreciation allocated to our joint venture partners.
(2)
Adjustment made to add depreciation of purchase price in excess of historical cost of the assets in the unconsolidated joint venture at the time of our investment.
(3)
Adjustment made to add our interest in real estate related depreciation and amortization of our unconsolidated joint ventures. Allocation of depreciation and amortization is consistent with allocation of income and loss.
 
 
FFO for the three months ended June 30, 2011 increased $4,360 when compared to the three months ended June 30, 2010.  The increase in FFO was due primarily to the acquisition of hotel properties and improving economic conditions that have caused increases in the RevPAR of certain hotel properties.  FFO for the three months ended June 30, 2011 was also negatively impacted by an increase in acquisition and terminated transaction costs which were $1,276, compared to $221 during the same period in 2010.   The increase in these costs was primarily the result of the increase in the number of acquisitions completed.  We acquired one hotel property during the three months ended June 30, 2010 compared to the same period in 2011.  FFO for the three months ended June 30, 2011 was negatively impacted by an increase in real estate and personal property taxes and property insurance expense of $740, or 15.8%, from $4,685 for the three months ended June 30, 2010 to $5,425 for the same period in 2011 due to the acquisition of hotel properties and increased assessments on our hotel properties.

FFO for the six months ended June 30, 2011 increased $10,264 when compared to the six months ended June 30, 2010.  The increase in FFO was due to the acquisition of hotel properties and improving economic conditions that have caused increases in the RevPAR of certain hotel properties.  In addition, FFO for the six months ended June 30, 2010 was negatively impacted by acquisition and terminated transaction costs of $3,557, compared to only $2,091 during the same period in 2011.   These costs were primarily the result of the acquisition of five hotel properties consummated during the six months ended June 30, 2010 compared to acquisition of the three hotel properties during the same period in 2011.    FFO for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was also negatively impacted by an increase in real estate and personal property taxes and property insurance expense of $1,779, or 20.3%, from $8,761 for the six months ended June 30, 2010 to $10,540 for the same period in 2011 due to the acquisition of hotel properties and increased assessments on our hotel properties.

Critical Accounting Policies

The estimates and assumptions made by management in applying critical accounting policies have not changed materially during 2011 and 2010 and none of the estimates or assumptions have proven to be materially incorrect or resulted in our recording any significant adjustments relating to prior periods. See Item 6 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 for a summary of the accounting policies that management believes are critical to the preparation of the consolidated financial statements.

Investment in Hotel Properties

We follow an accounting model for the impairment or disposal of long-lived assets including discontinued operations in accordance with US GAAP.

Based on the occurrence of certain events or changes in circumstances, we review the recoverability of the property’s carrying value. Such events or changes in circumstances include the following:

 
a significant decrease in the market price of a long-lived asset;
 
a significant adverse change in the extent or manner in which a long-lived asset is being used or in its physical condition;
 
a significant adverse change in legal factors or in the business climate that could affect the value of a long-lived asset, including an adverse action or assessment by a regulator;
 
an accumulation of costs significantly in excess of the amount originally expected for the acquisition or construction of a long-lived asset;
 
a current-period operating or cash flow loss combined with a history of operating or cash flow losses or a projection or forecast that demonstrates continuing losses associated with the use of a long-lived asset; and
 
a current expectation that, it is more likely than not that, a long-lived asset will be sold or otherwise disposed of significantly before the end of its previously estimated useful life.

 
We review our portfolio on an on-going basis to evaluate the existence of any of the aforementioned events or changes in circumstances that would require us to test for recoverability. In general, our review of recoverability is based on an estimate of the future undiscounted cash flows, excluding interest charges, expected to result from the property’s use and eventual disposition. These estimates consider factors such as expected future operating income, market and other applicable trends and residual value expected, as well as the effects of hotel demand, competition and other factors. If impairment exists due to the inability to recover the carrying value of a property, an impairment loss is recorded to the extent that the carrying value exceeds the estimated fair value of the property. We are required to make subjective assessments as to whether there are impairments in the values of our investments in hotel properties.

As of June 30, 2011, based on our analysis, we have determined that the future cash flow of each of the properties in our portfolio is sufficient to recover its carrying value.

Investment in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures

In addition, we periodically review the carrying value of our investments in unconsolidated joint ventures to determine if circumstances exist indicating impairment to the carrying value of the investment. When an impairment indicator is present, we will review the recoverability of our investment.  If the investment’s carrying value is not considered recoverable, we will estimate the fair value of the investment.  Our estimate of fair value takes into consideration factors such as expected future operating income, trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition and other factors.  This determination requires significant estimates by management, including the expected cash flows to be generated by the assets owned and operated by the joint venture. As of June 30, 2011, based on our analysis, we have determined that the fair value of each of our investments in unconsolidated joint ventures exceeds the carrying value of our investment in each joint venture.

Investment in Development Loans

The Company accounts for the credit risk associated with its development loans receivable by monitoring the portfolio for indications of impairment.  Our methodology consists of the following:

 
Identifying loans for individual review. In general, these consist of development loans that are not performing in accordance with the contractual terms of the loan.
 
Assessing whether the loans identified for review are impaired. That is, whether it is probable that all amounts will not be collected according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement.  We determine the amount of impairment by calculating the estimated fair value, discounted cash flows or the value of the underlying collateral.

Based on our reviews, we determined that it is probable that all amounts will be collected according to the contractual terms of each of our development loan agreements.

 
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)
 
Our primary market risk exposure is to changes in interest rates on our variable rate debt. As of June 30, 2011, we are exposed to interest rate risk with respect to variable rate borrowings under our revolving line of credit and certain variable rate mortgages and notes payable. As of June 30, 2011, we had total variable rate debt outstanding of $137,409.  At June 30, 2011, our variable rate debt outstanding had a weighted average interest rate of 3.64%. The effect of a 100 basis point increase or decrease in the interest rate on our variable rate debt outstanding as of June 30, 2011 would be an increase or decrease in our interest expense for the three months ended June 30, 2011 of $381. The effect of a 100 basis point increase or decrease in the interest rate on our variable rate debt outstanding as of June 30, 2011 would be an increase or decrease in our interest expense for the six months ended June 30, 2011 of $729.

Our interest rate risk objectives are to limit the impact of interest rate fluctuations on earnings and cash flows and to lower our overall borrowing costs. To achieve these objectives, we manage our exposure to fluctuations in market interest rates for a portion of our borrowings through the use of fixed rate debt instruments to the extent that reasonably favorable rates are obtainable with such arrangements. We have also entered into derivative financial instruments such as interest rate swaps or caps, and in the future may enter into treasury options or locks, to mitigate our interest rate risk on a related financial instrument or to effectively lock the interest rate on a portion of our variable rate debt. Currently, we have two interest rate caps related to debt on the Hotel 373, New York, NY and our two subordinated notes payable, and we have one interest rate swap related to new debt on the Holiday Inn Express Times Square, New York, NY.  We do not intend to enter into derivative or interest rate transactions for speculative purposes.

As of June 30, 2011 approximately 81.6% of our outstanding consolidated long-term indebtedness is subject to fixed rates or effectively capped, while approximately 18.4% of our outstanding are subject to floating rates, including borrowings under our revolving line of credit..

Changes in market interest rates on our fixed-rate debt impact the fair value of the debt, but such changes have no impact on interest expense incurred. If interest rates rise 100 basis points and our fixed rate debt balance remains constant, we expect the fair value of our debt to decrease. The sensitivity analysis related to our fixed-rate debt assumes an immediate 100 basis point move in interest rates from their June 30, 2011 levels, with all other variables held constant. A 100 basis point increase in market interest rates would cause the fair value of our fixed-rate debt outstanding at June 30, 2011 to be approximately $585,324 and a 100 basis point decrease in market interest rates would cause the fair value of our fixed-rate debt outstanding at June 30, 2011 to be approximately $642,691.

We regularly review interest rate exposure on our outstanding borrowings in an effort to minimize the risk of interest rate fluctuations. For debt obligations outstanding as of June 30, 2011, the following table presents expected principal repayments and related weighted average interest rates by expected maturity dates (in thousands):

   
2011
   
2012
   
2013
   
2014
   
2015
   
Thereafter
   
Total
 
Mortgages & Notes Payable
                                         
Fixed Rate Debt
  $ 4,452     $ 49,067     $ 33,369     $ 43,528     $ 89,712     $ 390,979     $ 611,107  
Weighted Average Interest Rate
    6.06 %     6.07 %     6.06 %     6.03 %     5.94 %     5.94 %     6.02 %
                                                         
Floating Rate Debt
    17,861       40,000       -       -       -       51,548       109,409  
Weighted Average Interest Rate
    2.75 %     3.19 %     3.19 %     3.19 %     3.19 %     3.19 %     3.12 %
    $ 22,313     $ 89,067     $ 33,369     $ 43,528     $ 89,712     $ 442,527     $ 720,516  
                                                         
Credit Facility
                                                       
    $ -     $ -     $ 28,000     $ -     $ -     $ -     $ 28,000  
Weighted Average Interest Rate
                    4.25 %                             4.25 %
TOTAL
  $ 22,313     $ 89,067     $ 61,369     $ 43,528     $ 89,712     $ 442,527     $ 748,516  

The table incorporates only those exposures that existed as of June 30, 2011, and does not consider exposure or positions that could arise after that date. As a result, our ultimate realized gain or loss with respect to interest rate fluctuations will depend on the exposures that arise during the future period, prevailing interest rates, and our hedging strategies at that time.

 
The following table illustrates principal repayments and certain adjustments to reflect:

 
the Company’s exercise of each of the extension options within its discretion or upon lender approval, and
 
the lender’s extension of the maturity of the revolving line of credit extension option.

   
2011
   
2012
   
2013
   
2014
   
2015
   
Thereafter
   
Total
 
                                           
Principal repayments due as of June 30, 2011, as noted above
  $ 22,313     $ 89,067     $ 61,369     $ 43,528     $ 89,712     $ 442,527     $ 748,516  
                                                         
Adjustments (1)
                                                       
                                                         
Hampton Inn - West Haven, CT (2)
    -       (7,480 )     -       -       7,480       -       -  
Residence Inn - Carlisle (3)
    -       -       (6,665 )     -       -       6,665       -  
Nu Hotel - Brooklyn, NY (4)
    -       (18,000 )     18,000       -       -       -       -  
Line of Credit Facility (5)
    -       -       (28,000 )     28,000       -       -       -  
                                                         
                                                         
Pro Forma Principal Repayments
  $ 22,313     $ 63,587     $ 44,704     $ 71,528     $ 97,192     $ 449,192     $ 748,516  

(1) Adjustments reflect principal balances as of June 30, 2011.  Adjustments do not include amortization of principal scheduled to occur subsequent to June 30, 2011 through maturity date or extended maturity date if options are exercised.

(2) Represents the mortgage debt on the Hampton Inn – West Haven, CT, which contains a three-year extension option, which is subject to the lender’s approval in its discretion, effectively extending the maturity from November of 2012 to November of 2015.

(3) Represents the mortgage debt on the Residence Inn – Carlisle, PA, which contains a three-year extension option, which is subject to the lender’s approval in its discretion, effectively extending the maturity from January of 2013 to January of 2016.

(4) Represents mortgage debt on the nu Hotel Brooklyn – New York, NY, which contains a one-year extension option, which can be exercised at our discretion, effectively extending the maturity from January of 2012 to January of 2013.

(5) Represents the revolving line of credit agreement entered into on November 5, 2010, which contains a one-year extension option, which is subject to the lender's approval in its discretion, effectively extending the maturity from November of 2013 to November of 2014.
 
 
Item 4. Controls and Proce dur es
 
Based on the most recent evaluation, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer believe the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) were effective as of June 30, 2011.

There were no changes to the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting during the six months ended June 30, 2011, that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
 
 
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
 
Item 1. Leg al Proceedings.

None.

Item 1A.R isk Factors.

None.

Item 2. Unregist ered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.

None.

Item 3. Defa ults Upon Senior Securities.

None.

Item 4. [Remo v ed and Reserved.]

Item 5. Other I nf ormation

None

Item 6. Exh ibit s
 
Exhibit
Number
 
Exhibit Description
     
 
Articles of Amendment and Restatement of the Declaration of Trust of Hersha Hospitality Trust, as amended and supplemented.
     
 
Fourth Amendment to Agreement of Limited Partnership of Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership, dated May 18, 2011.
     
10.2
 
Hersha Hospitality Trust 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (previously filed on April 18, 2011 as Annex A to Hersha Hospitality Trust's Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A and incorporated by reference herein).
     
10.3
 
Amendment No. 1 to the Hersha Hospitality Trust 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (previously filed on May 31, 2011 as Exhibit 10.1 to Hersha Hospitality Trust's Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein).
     
 
Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
 
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
 
Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
 
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
101.INS
 
XBRL Instance Document
     
101.SCH
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
     
101.CAL
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
     
101.DEF
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
     
101.LAB
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase Document
     
101.PRE
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
 
 
SIGNA TU RES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
   
   
August 8, 2011
/s/ Ashish R. Parikh
 
Ashish R. Parikh
 
Chief Financial Officer
 
 
52

 

Exhibit 3.1


HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT
 
Hersha Hospitality Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Trust”) formed under Title 8 of the Corporation and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland (“Title 8”), desires to amend and restate its Declaration of Trust as currently in effect as hereinafter amended.
 
FIRST:  The following provisions are all of the provisions of the Declaration of Trust currently in effect and as hereinafter amended:
 
ARTICLE I
FORMATION
 
The Trust is a real estate investment trust (a “REIT”) within the meaning of Title 8.  The Trust shall not be deemed to be a general partnership, limited partnership, joint venture, joint stock company or a corporation (but nothing herein shall preclude the Trust from being treated for tax purposes as an association under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
 
ARTICLE II
NAME
 
The name of the Trust is:  Hersha Hospitality Trust
 
Under circumstances in which the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board of Trustees” or “Board”) determines that the use of the name of the Trust is not practicable, the Trust may use any other designation or name for the Trust.
 
ARTICLE III
PURPOSES AND POWERS
 
Section 1.   Purposes .  The purposes for which the Trust is formed are to invest in and to acquire, hold, manage, administer, control and dispose of property and interests in property, including, without limitation or obligation, engaging in business as a REIT under the Code.
 
Section 2.   Powers .  The Trust shall have all of the powers granted to REITs by Title 8 and all other powers set forth in the Declaration of Trust as filed for record with the State Department of Assessment and Taxation of Maryland, and any amendments or supplements thereto (the “Declaration of Trust”) that are not inconsistent with law and are appropriate to promote and attain the purposes set forth in the Declaration of Trust.
 
ARTICLE IV
RESIDENT AGENT
 
The name of the resident agent of the Trust in the State of Maryland is James J. Hanks, Jr., c/o Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, whose post office address is 300 East Lombard Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.  The resident agent is a citizen of and resides in the State of Maryland.  The Trust may have such offices or places of business within or outside the State of Maryland as the Board of Trustees of the Trust may from time to time determine.

 
1

 
 
ARTICLE V
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
 
Section 1.   Powers .
 
(a)           Subject to any express limitations contained in the Declaration of Trust or in the Bylaws of the Trust (“Bylaws”), (i) the business and affairs of the Trust shall be managed under the direction of the Board of Trustees and (ii) the Board shall have full, exclusive and absolute power, control and authority over any and all property of the Trust.  The Board may take any action as it, in its sole judgment and discretion, deems necessary or appropriate to conduct the business and affairs of the Trust.  The Declaration of Trust shall be construed with a presumption in favor of the grant of power and authority to the Board.  Any construction of the Declaration of Trust or determination made in good faith by the Board concerning its powers and authority hereunder shall be conclusive. The enumeration and definition of particular powers of the Trustees included in the Declaration of Trust or in the Bylaws shall in no way be construed or deemed by inference or otherwise in any manner to exclude or limit the powers conferred upon the Board of Trustees under the general laws of the State of Maryland or any other applicable laws.
 
(b)           Except as otherwise provided in the Bylaws, the Board, without any action by the shareholders of the Trust, shall have and may exercise, on behalf of the Trust, without limitation, the power to adopt, amend and repeal Bylaws; to elect officers in the manner prescribed in the Bylaws; to solicit proxies from holders of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust; and to do any other acts and deliver any other documents necessary or appropriate to the foregoing powers.
 
(c)           It shall be the duty of the Board of Trustees to use any and all commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the Trust satisfies the requirements for qualification as a REIT under the Code, including, but not limited to, the ownership of outstanding shares of its beneficial interest, the nature of its assets, the sources of its income, and the amount and timing of its distributions to its shareholders.  The Board of Trustees shall take no action to disqualify the Trust as a REIT or to otherwise revoke the Trust’s election to be taxed as a REIT without the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the number of Common Shares entitled to vote on such matter at a meeting of the shareholders.
 
Section 2.   Classification and Number .
 
(a)           The Trustees of the Trust (hereinafter the “Trustees”) (other than any Trustee elected solely by holders of one or more classes or series of Preferred Shares) shall be classified, with respect to the terms for which they severally hold office, into two classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, one class (“Class I”) to hold office initially for a term expiring at the first annual meeting of shareholders (1999) and another class (“Class II”) to hold office initially for a term expiring at the second succeeding annual meeting of shareholders (2000), with the Trustees of each class to hold office until their successors are duly elected and qualified.  At each annual meeting of shareholders, the successors to the class of Trustees whose term expires at such meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of shareholders held in the second year following the year of their election.  Shareholder votes to elect Trustees shall be conducted in the manner provided in the Bylaws.
 
(b)           The number of Trustees shall be no less than one and no more than seven, which number may be increased or decreased pursuant to the Bylaws.  The name and class of the Trustee who shall serve until his successor is duly elected and qualified shall be as follows:
 
Name
  Class
   
Hasu P. Shah
 Class II

 
2

 
 
The Trustees may increase the number of Trustees and fill any vacancy, whether resulting from an increase in the number of Trustees or otherwise, on the Board of Trustees in the manner provided in the Bylaws.  The Independent Trustees (as hereinafter defined) shall nominate replacements for vacancies among the Independent Trustees’ positions.  In the event that, after the closing of the Initial Public Offering (as hereinafter defined), three members of the Board of Trustees are not Independent Trustees by reason of the resignation or removal of one or more Independent Trustees or otherwise, it shall be a qualification for any individual elected to fill such vacancy that he satisfy the requirements of Section 4 of this Article V for being an Independent Trustee.  It shall not be necessary to list in the Declaration of Trust the names and addresses of any Trustees hereinafter elected.

Section 3.    Resignation or Removal .  Any Trustee may resign by written notice to the Board, effective upon execution and delivery to the Trust of such written notice or upon any future date specified in the notice.  Subject to the rights of holders of one or more classes or series of Preferred Shares to elect or remove one or more Trustees, a Trustee may be removed at any time, with or without cause, at a meeting of the shareholders, by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than two-thirds of the Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote generally in the election of Trustees.
 
Section 4.   Independent Trustees .  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, at all times from and after the closing with respect to the Company’s initial public offering of its Priority Class A Common Shares (except during a period not to exceed sixty (60) days following the death, resignation, incapacity or removal from office of a Trustee prior to expiration of the Trustee’s term of office), three members of the Board of Trustees shall be comprised of persons who are not officers, directors or employees of the Trust, any lessee of the Trust’s or the Partnership’s properties or any underwriter or placement agent of the shares of beneficial interest of the Trust that has been engaged by the Trust within the past three years, or any “Affiliates” thereof (each such person serving on the Board of Trustees being an “Independent Trustee”).
 
Section 5.   Definition of Affiliate .  For purposes of Section 4 above, “Affiliate” of a person shall mean (i) any person that, directly or indirectly, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with such person, (ii) any other person that owns, beneficially, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding capital shares, shares or equity interests of such person, or (iii) any officer, director, employee, partner or trustee (including any family member of the foregoing) of such person or of any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with such person (excluding trustees and persons serving in similar capacities who are not otherwise an Affiliate of such person).  The term “person” means and includes individuals, corporations, general and limited partnerships, stock companies or associations, joint ventures, associations, companies, trusts, banks, trust companies, land trusts, business trusts, real estate investment trusts or other entities and governments and agencies and political subdivisions thereof.  For the purpose of this definition, “control” (including the correlative meanings of the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such person, through the ownership of voting securities, partnership interests or other equity interests.
 
ARTICLE VI
SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST
 
Section 1.   Authorized Shares .  The beneficial interest of the Trust shall be divided into shares of beneficial interest (the “Shares”).  The Trust has authority to issue: (i) one hundred million (100,000,000) common shares of beneficial interest, $.01 par value per share (“Common Shares”), of which fifty million (50,000,000) will be Priority Class A Common Shares (the “Priority Common Shares”) and fifty million (50,000,000) will be Class B Common Shares (the “Class B Common Shares”); and (ii) ten million (10,000,000) preferred shares of beneficial interest, $.01 par value per share (“Preferred Shares”).  If Shares of one class are classified or reclassified into Shares of another class pursuant to this Article VI, the number of authorized Shares of the former class shall be automatically decreased and the number of Shares of the latter class shall be automatically increased, in each case by the number of Shares so classified or reclassified, so that the aggregate number of Shares of all classes that the Trust has the authority to issue shall not be more than the total number of Shares set forth in the second sentence of this paragraph.  The Board of Trustees, without any action by the shareholders of the Trust, may amend the Declaration of Trust from time to time to increase or decrease the aggregate number of Shares or the number of Shares of any class that the Trust has authority to issue.

 
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Section 2.   Common Shares .  Subject to the provisions of Article VII, each Common Share shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on each matter upon which holders of Common Shares are entitled to vote.  The holders of the Priority Common Shares and the Class B Common Shares shall vote together as a single class.  The Board of Trustees may reclassify any unissued Common Shares from time to time in one or more classes or series of Shares.

(a)            Priority Class A Common Shares .  The holders of the Priority Common Shares shall be entitled to the following rights (the “Priority Rights”) during the period beginning on the date of the closing of the initial public offering of the Priority Common Shares (the “Offering”), and ending on the earlier of: (i)  the date that is 15 trading days after the Company sends notice to the record holders of the Priority Common Shares that their Priority Rights will terminate in 15 trading days, provided that the closing bid price of the Priority Common Shares is at least $7.00 on each trading day during such 15-day period; or (ii) the fifth anniversary of the closing of the Offering (the “Priority Period”).  A “trading day” shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the Priority Common Shares are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Priority Common Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Priority Period shall not end until the holders of the Priority Common Shares have received any accrued, but unpaid, Priority Distributions.
 
(i)            The Dividend Priority .  The holders of the Priority Common Shares shall be entitled to receive, prior to any distributions to the holders of the Class B Common Shares, cumulative dividends in an amount per Priority Common Share equal to $.18 per quarter (the “Priority Distribution”).  After the holders of the Class B Common Shares have received an amount per Class B Common Share equal to the Priority Distribution, the holders of the Priority Common Shares shall be entitled to receive any further distributions on a pro rata basis with the holders of the Class B Common Shares.  After the Priority Period, the holders of the Priority Common Shares shall be entitled to receive any further distributions on a pro rata basis with the holders of the Class B Common Shares. The dividends paid to the holders of the Priority Common Shares will be subject to the rights of any class or series of Preferred Shares.
 
No dividend will be declared or paid or other distribution of cash or other property declared or made directly by the Company or any person acting on behalf of the Company on any shares of beneficial interest that rank junior to the Priority Common Shares as to the payment of dividends or amounts upon liquidation, dissolution and winding up (“Junior Shares”) unless full cumulative dividends have been declared and paid or are contemporaneously declared and funds sufficient for payment set aside on the Priority Common Shares for all prior and contemporaneous dividend periods; provided, however, that if accumulated and accrued dividends on the Priority Common Shares for all prior and contemporaneous dividend periods have not been paid in full then any dividend declared on the Priority Common Shares for any dividend period and on any shares of beneficial interest of the Company that rank on parity with the Priority Common Shares as to the payment of dividends or amounts upon liquidation, dissolution and winding up (“Parity Shares”) will be declared ratably in proportion to accumulated, accrued and unpaid dividends on the Priority Common Shares and such Parity Shares.
 
No distributions on the Priority Common Shares shall be authorized by the Board of Trustees or paid or set apart for payment by the Company at such time as the terms and provisions of any agreement of the Company, including any agreement relating to its indebtedness, prohibits such authorization, payment or setting apart for payment or provides that such authorization, payment or setting apart for payment would constitute a breach thereof or a default thereunder, or if such authorization or payment shall be restricted or prohibited by law.  Any distribution payment made on the Priority Common Shares shall first be credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid distribution due with respect to such shares which remains payable.

 
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(ii)            Liquidation Preference .  In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, during the Priority Period, the holders of the Priority Common Shares shall be entitled to receive, prior to any liquidating payments to the holders of the Class B Common Shares, $6.00 per Priority Common Share (the “Liquidation Preference”), plus any accumulated and unpaid Priority Distributions (whether or not declared) on the Priority Common Shares to the date of distribution.  After the holders of the Class B Common Shares have received an amount equal to the Liquidation Preference plus any accumulated and unpaid Priority Distributions (whether or not declared) on the Class B Common Shares to the date of distribution, the holders of the Priority Common Shares shall share ratably with the holders of the Class B Common Shares in the assets of the Company.  In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, after the Priority Period, the holders of the Priority Common Shares shall share ratably with the holders of the Class B Common Shares in the assets of the Company.  The rights of the holders of the Priority Common Shares to liquidating payments shall be subject to rights of any class or series of Preferred Shares.

If, upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, the assets of the Company, or proceeds thereof, distributable among the holders of the Priority Common Shares are insufficient to pay in full the Liquidation Preference and all accumulated and unpaid dividends with respect to any of the Parity Shares, then such assets or the proceeds thereof will be distributed among the holders of the Priority Common Shares and any such Parity Shares ratably in accordance with the respective amounts that would be payable on the Priority Common Shares and such Parity Shares if all amounts payable thereon were paid in full.  None of (i) a consolidation or merger of the Company with another corporation, (ii) a statutory share exchange by the Company or (iii) a sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets will be considered a liquidation, dissolution or winding up, voluntary or involuntary, of the Company.
 
(b)            The Class B Common Shares
 
(i)             Dividends .  Subject to the preferential rights of the Priority Common Shares during the Priority Period or of any other shares or series of beneficial interest and to the provisions of this Declaration of Trust regarding the restriction on the transfer of shares of beneficial interest, holders of Class B Common Shares are entitled to receive dividends on shares if, as and when authorized and declared by the Board of Trustees of the Company out of assets legally available therefor and to share ratably in the assets of the Company legally available for distribution to its shareholders in the event of its liquidation, dissolution or winding-up after payment of, or adequate provision for, all known debts and liabilities of the Company.  In the event that the Company at any time is unable to pay to the holders of the Class B Common Shares an amount per Class B Common Share equal to the Priority Distribution, during the Priority Period the holders of the Class B Common Shares shall be entitled to receive an amount such that the cumulative amount received per Class B Common Share is equal to the cumulative Priority Distribution received per Priority Common Share.  The Company shall pay such amounts at such subsequent dividend payment dates that the Company has cash available for distribution to shareholders to pay such dividends.
 
(ii)            Conversion .  Upon termination of the Priority Period, the Class B Common Shares automatically will be converted into Priority Common Shares on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as described in this Article VI, Section 2(b)(iii).  A notice informing holders of the Class B Common Shares of such conversion will be mailed by the Company to the holders of record of the Class B Common Shares as of the dividend payment record date for the next dividend payable after the expiration of the Priority Period, together with the dividend payable on such shares, at their respective addresses as they appear on the share transfer records of the Company.  No fewer than all of the outstanding Class B Common Shares shall be converted.
 
 
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If the expiration of the Priority Period falls after a dividend payment record date and prior to the related payment date, the holders of the Class B Common Shares at the close of business on such record date will be entitled to receive the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding dividend payment date, notwithstanding the conversion of such shares prior to such dividend payment date.  Upon expiration of the Priority Period, each holder of Class B Common Shares (unless the Company defaults in the delivery of the Priority Common Shares) will be, without any further action, deemed a holder of the amount of Priority Common Shares, as the case may be, for which such Class B Common Shares are convertible.  Fractional Priority Common Shares will not be issued upon conversion of the Class B Common Shares.

(c)            Conversion Ratio Adjustments .  The conversion ratio is subject to adjustment as hereinafter provided upon certain events, including (i) the payment of dividends (and other distributions) payable in Priority Common Shares on any class of shares of beneficial interest of the Company, (ii) subdivisions, combinations and reclassifications of Priority Common Shares and (iii) distributions to all holders of Priority Common Shares of evidences of indebtedness of the Company or assets (including securities, but excluding those dividends, rights, warrants and distributions referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above and dividends and distributions paid in cash).  In the case of the events referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above, the number of Priority Common Shares to be issued upon conversion shall be determined by multiplying the number of Class B Common Shares to be converted by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Priority Common Shares issued and outstanding immediately after such event, and the denominator of which shall be the number of Priority Common Shares issued and outstanding immediately prior to such event.  In the case of the events referred to in clause (iii) above, the number of Priority Common Shares to be issued upon conversion shall be determined by multiplying the number of Class B Common Shares to be converted by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the value, immediately after such event, of the Priority Common Shares plus the value of the evidences of indebtedness or assets received, and the denominator of which shall be the value of the Priority Common Shares immediately prior to such event.  The foregoing provisions notwithstanding, in making adjustments to the conversion ratio pursuant to this paragraph, no Priority Common Shares issued after the closing with respect to the Company’s initial public offering of Priority Common Shares (other than shares issued in connection with the events referred to in clauses (i) or (ii) above) and no evidences of indebtedness or assets received with respect to such shares shall be included in either numerator or denominator in making such adjustments.  In addition to the foregoing adjustments, the Company will be permitted to make such reductions in the conversion ratio as it considers to be advisable in order that any event treated for Federal income tax purposes as a dividend of Shares or share rights will not be taxable to the holders of the Class B Common Shares or, if that is not possible, to diminish any income taxes that are otherwise payable because of such event.

No adjustment of the conversion ratio is required to be made in any case until cumulative adjustments amount to 1% or more of the conversion ratio.  Any adjustments not so required to be made will be carried forward and taken into account in subsequent adjustments.
 
Section 3.   Preferred Shares .  The Board of Trustees may classify any unissued Preferred Shares and reclassify any previously classified but unissued Preferred Shares of any class or series from time to time, in one or more classes or series of Shares.
 
Section 4.   Classified or Reclassified Shares .  Prior to issuance of classified or reclassified Shares of any class or series, the Board of Trustees by resolution shall (a) designate that class or series to distinguish it from all other classes and series of Shares; (b) specify the number of Shares to be included in the class or series; (c) set, subject to the provisions of Article VII and subject to the express terms of any class or series of Shares outstanding at the time, the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption for each series; and (d) cause the Trust to file articles supplementary with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (“SDAT”).  Any of the terms of any class or series of Shares set pursuant to clause (c) of this Section 3 may be made dependent upon facts or events ascertainable outside the Declaration of Trust (including the occurrence of any event, including a determination by the Trust or any other person or body) and may vary among holders thereof, provided that the manner in which such facts, events or variations shall operate upon the terms of such class or series of Shares is clearly and expressly set forth in articles supplementary filed with the SDAT.
 
 
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Section 5.   Authorization by Board of Share Issuance .  The Board of Trustees may authorize the issuance from time to time of Shares of any class or series, whether now or hereafter authorized, or securities or rights convertible into Shares of any class or series, whether now or hereafter authorized, for such consideration (whether in cash, property, past or future services, obligation for future payment or otherwise) as the Board of Trustees may deem advisable (or without consideration in the case of a Share split or Share dividend), subject to such restrictions or limitations, if any, as may be set forth in the Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws.  Notwithstanding any other provision in the Declaration of Trust, no determination shall be made by the Board of Trustees nor shall any transaction be entered into by the Trust that would cause any Shares or other beneficial interest in the Trust not to constitute “transferable shares” or “transferable certificates of beneficial interest” under Section 856(a)(2) of the Code or which would cause any distribution to constitute a preferential dividend as described in Section 562(c) of the Code.

Section 6.   Dividends and Distributions .  The Board of Trustees may from time to time authorize to shareholders dividends or distributions, in cash or other assets of the Trust or in securities of the Trust or from any other source as the Board of Trustees in its discretion shall determine.  The Board of Trustees shall endeavor to authorize the Trust to pay such dividends and distributions as shall be necessary for the Trust to qualify as a REIT under the Code; however, shareholders shall have no right to any dividend or distribution unless and until authorized by the Board.  The exercise of the powers and rights of the Board of Trustees pursuant to this Section shall be subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares at the time outstanding.  Notwithstanding any other provision in the Declaration of Trust, no determination shall be made by the Board of Trustees nor shall any transaction be entered into by the Trust that would cause any Shares not to constitute “transferable shares” or “transferable certificates of beneficial interest” under Section 856(a)(2) of the Code or that would cause any distribution to constitute a preferential dividend as described in Section 562(c) of the Code.
 
Section 7.   General Nature of Shares .  All Shares shall be personal property entitling the shareholders only to those rights provided in the Declaration of Trust.  The shareholders shall have no interest in the property of the Trust and shall have no right to compel any partition, division, dividend or distribution of the Trust or of the property of the Trust.  The death of a shareholder shall not terminate the Trust.  The Trust is entitled to treat as shareholders only those persons in whose names Shares are registered as holders of Shares on the beneficial interest ledger of the Trust.

Section 8.   Fractional Shares .  The Trust may, without the consent or approval of any shareholder, issue fractional Shares, eliminate a fraction of a Share by rounding up or down to a full Share, arrange for the disposition of a fraction of a Share by the person entitled to it, or pay cash for the fair value of a fraction of a Share.
 
Section 9.   Declaration of Trust and Bylaws .  All shareholders are subject to the provisions of the Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws of the Trust.
 
Section 10.   Divisions and Combinations of Shares .  Subject to an express provision to the contrary in the terms of any class or series of beneficial interest hereafter authorized, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to divide or combine the outstanding shares of any class or series of beneficial interest, without a vote of the shareholders, so long as the number of shares combined into one share in any such combination or series of combinations within any period of twelve months is not greater than four.
 
 
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ARTICLE VII
RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND SHARES-IN-TRUST
 
Section 1.   Restrictions on Transfer .
 
(a)            Definitions .  For the purpose of this Article VII, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
 
(i)             “Beneficial Ownership” shall mean ownership of Equity Shares (or options to acquire Equity Shares) by a Person who would be treated as an owner of such Equity Shares either (a) directly (including through a nominee or similar arrangement) or (b) indirectly through the application of Section 544 of the Code, as modified by Section 856(h)(1)(B) of the Code.  The terms “Beneficial Owner,” “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” shall have correlative meanings.

(ii)            “Beneficiary” shall mean, with respect to any Share Trust, one or more organizations described in each of Section 170(b)(1)(A) (other than clause (vii) or (viii) thereof) and Section 170(c)(2) of the Code that are named by the Share Trust as the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Share Trust, in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(A) hereof.
 
(iii)           “Board of Trustees” shall mean the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
 
(iv)           “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
 
(v)            “Constructive Ownership” shall mean ownership of Equity Shares (or options to acquire Equity Shares) by a Person, whether the interest in the Equity Shares is held directly or indirectly (including a nominee or similar arrangement), and shall include interests that are or would be treated as owned through the application of Section 318 of the Code, as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Code.  The terms “Constructive Owner,” “Constructively Owns” and “Constructively Owned” shall have correlative meanings.
 
(vi)           “Equity Shares” shall mean Shares of all classes or series, including without limitation Preferred Shares and Common Shares.  The term “Equity Shares” shall include all Preferred Shares and Common Shares that are held as Shares-in-Trust in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(A) hereof.
 
(vii)          “Hersha Hospitality Partnership Agreement” shall mean the agreement of limited partnership of Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership, a Virginia limited partnership, as amended and restated.

(viii)         “Initial Public Offering” means the sale of Common Shares pursuant to the Trust’s first effective registration statement for such Common Shares filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
 
(ix)           “Market Price” on any date shall mean, with respect to any class or series of outstanding Equity Shares, the average of the Closing Price for the five consecutive Trading Days ending on such date.  The “Closing Price” on any date shall mean the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Equity Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Equity Shares are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Equity Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price, or if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.  Automated Quotation System or, if such system is no longer in use, the principal other automated quotations system that may then be in use or, if the Equity Shares are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Equity Shares selected by the Board of Trustees or, in the event that no trading price is available for such Equity Shares, the fair market value of the Equity Shares, as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees. “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the Equity Shares are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Equity Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
 
 
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(x)            “Non-Transfer Event” shall mean an event (other than a purported Transfer) that would result in a change in Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of the Equity Shares, including, but not limited to, the granting of any option or entering into any agreement for the sale, transfer or other disposition of Equity Shares or the sale, transfer, assignment or other disposition of any securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Shares.

(xi)           “Ownership Limit” shall mean 9.9% of the aggregate number of outstanding Common Shares of any class or series of Common Shares and 9.9% of the aggregate number of outstanding Preferred Shares of any class or series of Preferred Shares, in each case considered separately on a class by class or series by series basis.
 
(xii)           “Partnership” shall mean Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership, a Virginia limited partnership.
 
(xiii)          “Partnership Unit” shall mean a fractional, undivided share of the partnership interests of Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership, a Virginia limited partnership.

 
(xiv)         “Permitted Transferee” shall mean any Person designated as a Permitted Transferee in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(E) hereof.
 
(xv)          “Person” shall mean an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, estate, trust, a portion of a trust permanently set aside for or to be used exclusively for the purposes described in Section 642(c) of the Code, association, private foundation within the meaning of Section 509(a) of the Code, joint stock company or other entity and also includes a “group” as that term is used for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
 
(xvi)         “Prohibited Owner” shall mean, with respect to any purported Transfer or Non-Transfer Event, any Person who, but for the provisions of Section 1(C) hereof, would own record title to Equity Shares.
 
(xvii)        “Redemption Rights” shall mean the rights granted under the Hersha Hospitality Partnership Agreement to the limited partners to redeem, under certain circumstances, their Partnership Units for cash (or, at the option of the Trust, Common Shares).
 
(xviii)       “REIT” shall mean a real estate investment trust under Section 856 of the Code.
 
(xix)          “Restriction Termination Date” shall mean the first day after the date of the Initial Public Offering on which the Board of Trustees and the shareholders of the Trust determine, pursuant to Article V, Section 1(C), that it is no longer in the best interests of the Trust to attempt to, or continue to, qualify as a REIT or for any other reason, the Board of Trustees and the shareholders amend the Declaration of Trust to terminate the provisions of this Article VII.
 
(xx)           “Shares-in-Trust” shall mean any Equity Shares designated Shares-in-Trust pursuant to Section 1(C) hereof.
 
(xxi)          “Share Trust” shall mean any separate trust created pursuant to Section 1(C) hereof and administered in accordance with the terms of Section 2 hereof, for the exclusive benefit of any Beneficiary.
 
 
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(xxii)         “Share Trustee” shall mean any person or entity unaffiliated with both the Trust and any Prohibited Owner designated by the Trust to act as trustee of any Share Trust, or any successor trustee thereof.
 
(xxiii)        “Transfer” (as a noun) shall mean any issuance, sale, transfer, gift, assignment, devise or other disposition of Equity Shares, whether voluntary or involuntary, whether of record, constructively or beneficially and whether by operation of law or otherwise.  “Transfer” (as a verb) shall have the correlative meaning.

(b)            Restriction on Transfers .
 
(i)               Except as provided in Section 1(G) hereof, from the date of the Initial Public Offering and prior to the Restriction Termination Date, no Person shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own outstanding Equity Shares in excess of the Ownership Limit.
 
(ii)              Except as provided in Section 1(G) hereof and subject to Section 1(H) hereof, from the date of the Initial Public Offering and prior to the Restriction Termination Date, any Transfer that, if effective, would result in any Person Beneficially Owning or Constructively Owning Equity Shares in excess of the Ownership Limit shall be void ab initio as to the Transfer of that number of Equity Shares that would be otherwise Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned by such Person in excess of the Ownership Limit, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such excess Equity Shares.
 
(iii)             Subject to Section 1(H) hereof, from the date of the Initial Public Offering and prior to the Restriction Termination Date, any Transfer that, if effective, would result in the Equity Shares being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 Persons (determined without reference to any rules of attribution) shall be void ab initio as to the Transfer of that number of shares that otherwise would result in the Equity Shares being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 Persons (determined without reference to any rules of attribution), and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such excess Equity Shares; provided, however that this Section 1(B)(3) shall not apply to the Transfer of Equity Shares from the Trust to the underwriter of the Initial Public Offering.
 
(iv)             Subject to Section 1(H) hereof, from the date of the Initial Public Offering and prior to the Restriction Termination Date, any Transfer of Equity Shares that, if effective, would result in the Trust being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code shall be void ab initio as to the Transfer of that number of Equity Shares that would cause the Trust to be “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such excess Equity Shares; provided, however, that this Section 1(B)(4) shall not apply to the Transfer of Equity Shares from the Trust to the underwriter of the Initial Public Offering.
 
(v)              Subject to Section 1(H) hereof, from the date of the Initial Public Offering and prior to the Restriction Termination Date, any Transfer of Equity Shares that, if effective, would cause the Trust to Constructively Own 10% or more of the ownership interests in a tenant of the Trust’s or the Partnership’s real property, within the meaning of Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code, shall be void ab initio as to the Transfer of that number of Equity Shares that would cause the Trust to Constructively Own 10% or more of the ownership interests in a tenant of the Trust’s or the Partnership’s real property, within the meaning of Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such excess Equity Shares.

(c)            Transfer to Share Trust .
 
(i)               If, notwithstanding the other provisions contained in this Section 1, at any time after the date of the Initial Public Offering and prior to the Restriction Termination Date, there is a purported Transfer or Non-Transfer Event such that any Person would either Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Equity Shares in excess of the Ownership Limit, then (x) except as otherwise provided in Section 1(G) hereof, the purported transferee shall acquire no right or interest (or, in the case of a Non-Transfer Event, the person holding record title to the Equity Shares Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned by such Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner, shall cease to own any right or interest) in such number of Equity Shares that would cause such Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner to Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Equity Shares in excess of the Ownership Limit, (y) such number of Equity Shares in excess of the Ownership Limit (rounded up to the nearest whole share) shall be designated Shares-in-Trust and, in accordance with the provisions of Section 2 hereof, transferred automatically and by operation of law to a Share Trust to be held in accordance with that Section 2, and (z) the Prohibited Owner shall submit such number of Equity Shares to the Trust for registration in the name of the Share Trust.  Such transfer to a Share Trust and the designation of shares as Shares-in-Trust shall be effective as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of the Transfer or Non-Transfer Event, as the case may be.

 
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(ii)              If, notwithstanding the other provisions contained in this Section 1, at any time after the date of the Initial Public Offering and prior to the Restriction Termination Date, there is a purported Transfer or Non-Transfer Event that, if effective, would (i) result in the Equity Shares being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 Persons (determined without reference to any rules of attribution), (ii) result in the Trust being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code, or (iii) cause the Trust to Constructively Own 10% or more of the ownership interests in a tenant of the Trust’s or the Partnership’s real property, within the meaning of Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code, then (x) the purported transferee shall not acquire any right or interest (or, in the case of a Non-Transfer Event, the person holding record title of the Equity Shares with respect to which such Non-Transfer Event occurred, shall cease to own any right or interest) in such number of Equity Shares, the ownership of which by such purported transferee or record holder would (A) result in the Equity Shares being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 Persons (determined without reference to any rules of attribution), (B) result in the Trust being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code or (C) cause the Trust to Constructively Own 10% or more of the ownership interests in a tenant of the Trust’s or the Partnership’s real property, within the meaning of Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code, (y) such number of Equity Shares (rounded up to the nearest whole share) shall be designated Shares-in-Trust and, in accordance with the provisions of Section 2 hereof, transferred automatically and by operation of law to the Share Trust to be held in accordance with that Section 2 and (z) the Prohibited Owner shall submit such number of Equity Shares to the Trust for registration in the name of the Share Trust.  Such transfer to a Share Trust and the designation of shares as Shares-in-Trust shall be effective as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of the Transfer or Non-Transfer Event, as the case may be.
 
(d)            Remedies For Breach .  If the Trust, or its designees, shall at any time determine in good faith that a Transfer has taken place in violation of Section 1(B) hereof or that a Person intends to acquire or has attempted to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of any Equity Shares in violation of Section 1(B) hereof, the Trust shall take such action as it deems advisable to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such Transfer or acquisition, including, but not limited to, refusing to give effect to such Transfer on the books of the Trust or instituting proceedings to enjoin such Transfer or acquisition.
 
(e)            Notice of Restricted Transfer .  Any Person who acquires or attempts to acquire Equity Shares in violation of Section 1(B) hereof, or any Person who owned Equity Shares that were transferred to a Share Trust pursuant to the provisions of Section 1(C) hereof, shall immediately give written notice to the Trust of such event and shall provide to the Trust such other information as the Trust may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Transfer or Non-Transfer Event, as the case may be, on the Trust’s status as a REIT.
 
(f)             Owners Required To Provide Information .  From the date of the Initial Public Offering and prior to the Restriction Termination Date:

(i)               Every Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner of more than 5%, or such lower percentages as required pursuant to regulations under the Code, of the outstanding Equity Shares of the Trust shall, within 30 days after December 31 of each year, provide to the Trust a written statement or affidavit stating the name and address of such Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner, the number of Equity Shares Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned, and a description of how such shares are held.  Each such Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner shall provide to the Trust such additional information as the Trust may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership on the Trust’s status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the Ownership Limit and the other restrictions set forth in Section 1(B).
 
 
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(ii)              Each Person who is a Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner of Equity Shares and each Person (including the shareholder of record) who is holding Equity Shares for a Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner shall provide to the Trust a written statement or affidavit stating such information as the Trust may request in order to determine the Trust’s status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the Ownership Limit and the other restrictions set forth in Section 1(B).

(g)            Exception to Ownership Limit .  The Ownership Limit shall not apply to the acquisition of Equity Shares by an underwriter that participates in a public offering of such shares, for a period of 90 days following the purchase by such underwriter of such shares.  In addition, the Board of Trustees, upon receipt of advice of counsel or other evidence satisfactory to the Board of Trustees, in its sole and absolute discretion, in each case to the effect that the restrictions contained in Sections 1(B)(3), (4) and (5) hereof will not be violated and that REIT status will not otherwise be lost, may, in its sole and absolute discretion, exempt a Person from the Ownership Limit if such Person is not an individual for purposes of Section 542(a)(2) of the Code, provided that (i) the Board of Trustees obtains such representations and undertakings from such Person as are reasonably necessary to ascertain that no individual’s Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Equity Shares will violate the Ownership Limit as a result of the exemption and (ii) such Person agrees that any violation or attempted violation of the terms of the exemption will result in a transfer to the Share Trust of Equity Shares pursuant to Section 1(C) hereof.
 
(h)            New York Stock Exchange Transactions .  Notwithstanding any provision contained herein to the contrary, nothing in this Declaration of Trust shall preclude the settlement of any transaction entered into through the facilities of the New York Stock Exchange.  The fact that the settlement of any transaction occurs shall not negate the effect of any other provision of this Article VII and any transferee in such a transaction shall be subject to all of the provisions and limitations set forth in this Article VII.
 
Section 2.   Shares-in-Trust .
 
(a)            Share Trust .  Any Equity Shares transferred to a Share Trust and designated Shares-in-Trust pursuant to Section 1(C) hereof shall be held for the exclusive benefit of a Beneficiary.  The Trust shall name a Beneficiary of each Share Trust within five days after discovery of the existence thereof.  Any transfer to a Share Trust, and subsequent designation of Equity Shares as Shares-in-Trust, pursuant to Section 1(C) hereof shall be effective as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of the Transfer or Non-Transfer Event that results in the transfer to the Share Trust.  Shares-in-Trust shall remain issued and outstanding Equity Shares of the Trust and shall be entitled to the same rights and privileges on identical terms and conditions as are all other issued and outstanding Equity Shares of the same class and series.  When transferred to a Permitted Transferee in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(E) hereof, such Shares-in-Trust shall cease to be designated as Shares-in-Trust.
 
(b)            Dividend Rights .  The Share Trust, as record holder of Shares-in-Trust, shall be entitled to receive all dividends and distributions as may be declared by the Board of Trustees on such Equity Shares and shall hold such dividends or distributions in trust for the benefit of the Beneficiary.  The Prohibited Owner with respect to Shares-in-Trust shall repay to the Share Trust the amount of any dividends or distributions received by it that (i) are attributable to any Equity Shares designated Shares-in-Trust and (ii) the record date for which was on or after the date that such shares became Shares-in-Trust.  The Trust shall take all measures that it determines reasonably necessary to recover the amount of any such dividend or distribution paid to a Prohibited Owner, including, if necessary, withholding any portion of future dividends or distributions payable on Equity Shares Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned by the Person who, but for the provisions of Section 1(C) hereof, would Constructively Own or Beneficially Own the Shares-in-Trust; and, as soon as reasonably practicable following the Trust’s receipt or withholding thereof, shall pay over to the Share Trust for the benefit of the Beneficiary the dividends so received or withheld, as the case may be.

 
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(c)            Rights Upon Liquidation .  In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of, or any distribution of the assets of, the Trust, each holder of Shares-in-Trust shall be entitled to receive, ratably with each other holder of Equity Shares of the same class or series, that portion of the assets of the Trust that is available for distribution to the holders of such class or series of Equity Shares.  The Share Trust shall distribute to the Prohibited Owner the amounts received upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up, or distribution; provided, however, that the Prohibited Owner shall not be entitled to receive amounts pursuant to this Section 2(C) in excess of (i) in the case of a purported Transfer in which the Prohibited Owner gave value for Equity Shares and which Transfer resulted in the transfer of the shares to the Share Trust, the price per share, if any, such Prohibited Owner paid for the Equity Shares and (ii) in the case of a Non-Transfer Event or Transfer in which the Prohibited Owner did not give value for such shares (e.g., if the shares were received through a gift or devise) and which Non-Transfer Event or Transfer, as the case may be, resulted in the transfer of shares to the Share Trust, the price per share equal to the Market Price on the date of such Non-Transfer Event or Transfer.  Any remaining amount in such Share Trust shall be distributed to the Beneficiary.

(d)            Voting Rights .  The Share Trustee shall be entitled to vote all Shares-in-Trust.  Any vote by a Prohibited Owner as a holder of Equity Shares prior to the discovery by the Trust that the Equity Shares are Shares-in-Trust shall, subject to Maryland law, be rescinded and shall be void ab initio with respect to such Shares-in-Trust and the Prohibited Owner shall be deemed to have given, as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of the purported Transfer or Non-Transfer Event that results in the transfer to the Share Trust of Equity Shares under Section 1(C) hereof, an irrevocable proxy to the Share Trustee to vote the Shares-in-Trust in the manner in which the Share Trustee, in its sole and absolute discretion, desires; provided, however, that if the Trust has already taken irreversible trust action, the Share Trustee shall not have the authority to rescind and recast such vote.
 
(e)            Designation of Permitted Transferee .  The Share Trustee shall have the exclusive and absolute right to designate a Permitted Transferee of any and all Shares-in-Trust.  In an orderly fashion so as not to materially adversely affect the Market Price of the Shares-in-Trust, the Share Trustee shall designate any Person as Permitted Transferee, provided, however, that (i) the Permitted Transferee so designated purchases for valuable consideration (whether in a public or private sale), at a price as set forth in Section 2(G) hereof, the Shares-in-Trust and (ii) the Permitted Transferee so designated may acquire such Shares-in-Trust without such acquisition resulting in a transfer to a Share Trust and the redesignation of such Equity Shares so acquired as Shares-in-Trust under Section 1(C) hereof.  Upon the designation by the Share Trustee of a Permitted Transferee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(E), the Share Trustee shall (i) cause to be transferred to the Permitted Transferee that number of Shares-in-Trust acquired by the Permitted Transferee, (ii) cause to be recorded on the books of the Trust that the Permitted Transferee is the holder of record of such number of Equity Shares, (iii) cause the Shares-in-Trust to be canceled and (iv) distribute to the Beneficiary any and all amounts held with respect to the Shares-in-Trust after making the payment to the Prohibited Owner pursuant to Section 2(F) hereof.
 
(f)             Compensation to Record Holder of Equity Shares that Become Shares-in-Trust .  Any Prohibited Owner shall be entitled (following discovery of the Shares-in-Trust and subsequent designation of the Permitted Transferee in accordance with Section 2(E) hereof or following the acceptance of the offer to purchase such shares in accordance with Section 2(G) hereof) to receive from the Share Trustee following the sale or other disposition of such Shares-in-Trust the lesser of (i) in the case of (a) a purported Transfer in which the Prohibited Owner gave value for Equity Shares and which Transfer resulted in the transfer of the shares to the Share Trust, the price per share, if any, such Prohibited Owner paid for the Equity Shares, or (b) a Non-Transfer Event or Transfer in which the Prohibited Owner did not give value for such shares (e.g., if the shares were received through a gift or devise) and which Non-Transfer Event or Transfer, as the case may be, resulted in the transfer of shares to the Share Trust, the price per share equal to the Market Price on the date of such Non-Transfer Event or Transfer and (ii) the price per share received by the Share Trustee from the sale or other disposition of such Shares-in-Trust in accordance with Section 2(E) hereof.  Any amounts received by the Share Trustee in respect of such Shares-in-Trust and in excess of such amounts to be paid the Prohibited Owner pursuant to this Section 2(F) shall be distributed to the Beneficiary in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(E) hereof.  Each Beneficiary and Prohibited Owner waive any and all claims that they may have against the Share Trustee and the Share Trust arising out of the disposition of Shares-in-Trust, except for claims arising out of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of, or any failure to make payments in accordance with this Section 2 by, such Share Trustee or the Trust.

 
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(g)            Purchase Right in Shares-in-Trust .  Shares-in-Trust shall be deemed to have been offered for sale to the Trust, or its designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price per share in the transaction that created such Shares-in-Trust (or, in the case of devise, gift or Non-Transfer Event, the Market Price at the time of such devise, gift or Non-Transfer Event) and (ii) the Market Price on the date the Trust, or its designee, accepts such offer.  The Trust shall have the right to accept such offer for a period of ninety days after the later of (i) the date of the Non-Transfer Event or purported Transfer that resulted in such Shares-in-Trust and (ii) the date the Trust determines in good faith that a Transfer or Non-Transfer Event resulting in Shares-in-Trust has occurred, if the Trust does not receive a notice of such Transfer or Non-Transfer Event pursuant to Section 1(E) hereof.

Section 3.   Remedies Not Limited .  Subject to Section 1(H) hereof, nothing contained in this Article VII shall limit the authority of the Trust to take such other action as it deems necessary or advisable to protect the Trust and the interests of its shareholders by preservation of the Trust’s status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the Ownership Limit.
 
Section 4.   Ambiguity .  In the case of an ambiguity in the application of any of the provisions of Article VII, including any definition contained in Section 1(A) hereof, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to determine the application of the provisions of this Article VII with respect to any situation based on the facts known to it.
 
Section 5.   Legend .  Each certificate for Equity Shares shall bear substantially the following legend:
 
“The [Common or Preferred] Shares evidenced by this certificate are subject to restrictions on transfer.  Subject to certain further restrictions and except as provided in the Declaration of Trust of the Trust, no Person may (i) Beneficially or Constructively Own Common Shares in excess of 9.9% of the number of outstanding Common Shares of any class or series, (ii) Beneficially or Constructively Own Preferred Shares in excess of 9.9% of the number of outstanding Preferred Shares of any class or series, (iii) Beneficially Own Equity Shares that would result in the Equity Shares being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 Persons (determined without reference to any rules of attribution), (iv) Beneficially Own Equity Shares that would result in the Trust being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or (v) Constructively Own Equity Shares that would cause the Trust to Constructively Own 10% or more of the ownership interests in a tenant of the Trust’s or the Partnership’s real property, within the meaning of Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code.  Any Person who attempts to Beneficially or Constructively Own Equity Shares in excess of the above limitations must immediately notify the Trust in writing.  If any restrictions above are violated, the Equity Shares evidenced hereby will be transferred automatically to a Share Trust and shall be designated Shares-in-Trust for the benefit of one or more charitable beneficiaries.  In addition, upon the occurrence of certain events, attempted transfers in violation of the restrictions described above may be void ab initio.  All capitalized terms in this legend have the meanings defined in the Trust’s Declaration of Trust, as the same may be further amended from time to time, a copy of which, including the restrictions on transfer, will be sent without charge to each shareholder who so requests.  Such requests must be made to the Secretary of the Trust at its principal office or to the transfer agent.”
 
In place of the foregoing legend, the certificate may state that the Trust will furnish a full statement about certain restrictions or transferability to a shareholder on request and without charge.
 
 
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Section 6.   Severability .  If any provision of this Article VII or any application of any such provision is determined to be invalid by any federal or state court having jurisdiction over the issues, the validity of the remaining provisions shall not be affected and other applications of such provision shall be affected only to the extent necessary to comply with the determination of such court.
 
Section 7.   Non-Waiver .  No delay or failure on the part of the Trust or the Board of Trustees in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver of any right of the Trust or the Board of Trustees, as the case may be, except to the extent specifically waived in writing.

ARTICLE VIII
SHAREHOLDERS
 
Section 1.   Meetings .  There shall be an annual meeting of the shareholders, to be held on proper notice at such time (after the delivery of the annual report) and convenient location as shall be determined by or in the manner prescribed in the Bylaws, for the election of the Trustees, if required, and for the transaction of any other business within the powers of the Trust.  If there are no Trustees, the officers of the Trust shall promptly call a special meeting of the shareholders entitled to vote for the election of successor Trustees.  Any meeting may be adjourned and reconvened as the Trustees determine or as provided in the Bylaws.
 
Section 2.   Voting Rights .  Subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares then outstanding, the shareholders shall be entitled to vote only on the following matters: (a) termination of REIT status as provided in Article V, Section (1)(C), (b) election of Trustees as provided in Article V, Section 2(A) and the removal of Trustees as provided in Article V, Section 3; (c) amendment of the Declaration of Trust as provided in Article X; (d) termination of the Trust as provided in Article XII, Section 2; (e) merger or consolidation of the Trust, or the sale or disposition of substantially all of the Trust Property (as hereinafter defined), as provided in Article XI; and (f) such other matters with respect to which a vote of the shareholders is required by applicable law or the Board of Trustees has adopted a resolution declaring that a proposed action is advisable and directing that the matter be submitted to the shareholders for approval or ratification.  Except with respect to the foregoing matters, no action taken by the shareholders at any meeting shall in any way bind the Board of Trustees.
 
Section 3.   Preemptive and Appraisal Rights .  Except as may be provided by the Board of Trustees in setting the terms of classified or reclassified Shares pursuant to Article VI, Section 4 or as otherwise may be provided by contract, no holder of Shares shall, as such holder, (a) have any preemptive or preferential right to purchase or subscribe for any additional Shares of the Trust or any other security of the Trust that it may issue or sell or (b), except as expressly required by Title 8, have any right to require the Trust to pay him the fair value of his Shares in an appraisal or similar proceeding.
 
Section 4.   Extraordinary Actions .  Except as specifically provided in Article V, Sections 1(C) and 3, Article X, Section 3 and Article XII, Section 2 of this Declaration of Trust, notwithstanding any provision of law permitting or requiring action to be taken or authorized by the affirmative vote of the holders of a greater number of votes, any such action shall be effective and valid if taken or approved by the affirmative vote of holders of Shares entitled to cast a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.
 
Section 5.   Board Approval .  The submission of any action to the shareholders for their consideration shall first be approved as advised by the Board of Trustees.
 
Section 6.   Action By Shareholders Without a Meeting .  The Bylaws may provide that any action required or permitted to be taken by the shareholders may be taken without a meeting by the written consent of the shareholders entitled to cast a sufficient number of votes to approve the matter as required by statute, the Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws, as the case may be.
 
 
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ARTICLE IX
LIABILITY LIMITATION, INDEMNIFICATION
AND TRANSACTIONS WITH THE TRUST
 
Section 1.   Limitation of Shareholder Liability .  No shareholder shall be liable for any debt, claim, demand, judgment or obligation of any kind of, against or with respect to the Trust by reason of his being a shareholder, nor shall any shareholder be subject to any personal liability whatsoever, in tort, contract or otherwise, to any person in connection with the property or the affairs of the Trust by reason of his being a shareholder.
 
Section 2.   Limitation of Trustee and Officer Liability .  To the maximum extent that Maryland law in effect from time to time permits limitation of the liability of trustees and officers of a REIT, no Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be liable to the Trust or to any shareholder for money damages.  Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Section, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws inconsistent with this Section, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding sentence with respect to any act or failure to act that occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.  In the absence of any Maryland statute limiting the liability of trustees and officers of a Maryland REIT for money damages in a suit by or on behalf of the Trust or by any shareholder, no Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be liable to the Trust or to any shareholder for money damages except to the extent that (a) the Trustee or officer actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services, for the amount of the benefit or profit in money, property or services actually received; or (b) a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the Trustee or officer is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the Trustee’s or officer’s action or failure to act was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding.

Section 3.   Express Exculpatory Clauses in Instruments .  Neither the shareholders nor the Trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust shall be liable under any written instrument creating an obligation of the Trust, and all Persons shall look solely to the Trust Property for the payment of any claim under or for the performance of that instrument.  The omission of the foregoing exculpatory language from any instrument shall not affect the validity or enforceability of such instrument and shall not render any Shareholder, Trustee, officer, employee or agent liable thereunder to any third party, nor shall the Trustees or any officer, employee or agent of the Trust be liable to anyone for such omission.  As used in this Declaration of Trust, “Trust Property” means any and all property, real, personal or otherwise, tangible or intangible, which is transferred or conveyed to the Trust or the Trustees (including all rents, income, profits and gains therefrom), which is owned or held by, or for the account of, the Trust or the Trustees.
 
Section 4.   Indemnification .  The Trust shall have the power, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, to obligate itself to indemnify, and to pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to, (a) any individual who is a present or former shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust or (b) any individual who, while a Trustee of the Trust and at the request of the Trust, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, real estate investment trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise from and against any claim or liability to which such person may become subject or which such person may incur by reason of his status as a present or former shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust.  The Trust shall have the power, with the approval of its Board of Trustees, to provide such indemnification and advancement of expenses to a person who served as a predecessor of the Trust in any of the capacities described in (a) or (b) above, and to any employee or agent of the Trust or a predecessor of the Trust.
 
Section 5.   Transactions Between the Trust and its Trustees, Officers, Employees and Agents .  Subject to any express restrictions in the Declaration of Trust or adopted by the Trustees in the Bylaws or by resolution, the Trust may enter into any contract or transaction of any kind with any person, including any Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust or any person affiliated with a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, whether or not any of them has a financial interest in such transaction.
 
 
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ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS
 
Section 1.   General .  The Trust reserves the right from time to time to make any amendment to the Declaration of Trust, now or hereafter authorized by law, including any amendment altering the terms or contract rights, as expressly set forth in the Declaration of Trust, of any Shares.  All rights and powers conferred by this Declaration of Trust on shareholders, Trustees and officers are granted subject to this reservation.  An amendment to the Declaration of Trust (a) shall be signed and acknowledged by at least a majority of the Trustees or an officer duly authorized by at least a majority of the Trustees, (b) shall be filed for record with SDAT as provided in Article XIII, Section 5 and (c) shall become effective as of the later of the time the SDAT accepts the amendment for record or the time established in the amendment, not to exceed 30 days after the amendment is accepted for record.  All references to the Declaration of Trust shall include all amendments thereto.

Section 2.   By Trustees .  The Trustees by a majority vote may amend the Declaration of Trust from time to time in the manner provided by Title 8, without any action by the shareholders, to qualify as a REIT under the Code or under Title 8.

Section 3.   By Shareholders .  Other than amendments pursuant to Section 2 of this Article X and Section 1 of Article VI, any amendment to the Declaration of Trust shall be valid only if approved by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, except that any amendment to Article V, Article VII, Article X, Sections 2 and 3 and Article XII, Section 2 of this Declaration of Trust shall be valid only if approved by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter; but in each case only after due authorization, advice and approval of the Board of Trustees.
 
ARTICLE XI
MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR SALE OF TRUST PROPERTY
 
Subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares at the time outstanding, the Trust may (a) merge the Trust into another entity, (b) consolidate the Trust with one or more other entities into a new entity or (c) sell, lease, exchange or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of the Trust Property.  Any such action must be approved as advised by the Board of Trustees and, after notice to all shareholders entitled to vote on the matter, by the affirmative vote of a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, except where approval of the shareholders is not required by Title 8 or would not be required by the Maryland General Corporation Law if the Trust were a Maryland corporation.
 
ARTICLE XII
DURATION AND TERMINATION OF TRUST
 
Section 1.   Duration .  The Trust shall continue perpetually unless terminated pursuant to Section 2 of this Article XII or pursuant to any applicable provision of Title 8.
 
Section 2.   Termination .
 
(a)           Subject to the provision of any class or series of Shares at the time outstanding, the Trust may be terminated at any meeting of shareholders, by the affirmative vote of two thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, after due authorization, advice and approval thereof by a majority of the entire Board of Trustees.  Upon the termination of the Trust:
 
 
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(i)               The Trust shall carry on no business except for the purpose of winding up its affairs.
 
(ii)              The Trustees shall proceed to wind up the affairs of the Trust and all of the powers of the Trustees under the Declaration of Trust shall continue, including the powers to fulfill or discharge the Trust’s contracts, collect its assets, sell, convey, assign, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the remaining Trust Property to one or more persons at public or private sale for consideration that may consist in whole or in part of cash, securities or other property of any kind, discharge or pay its liabilities and do all other acts appropriate to liquidate its business.
 
(iii)             After paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities, and upon receipt of such releases, indemnities and agreements as it deems necessary for its protection, the Trust may distribute the remaining Trust Property among the shareholders so that after payment in full or the setting apart for payment of such preferential amounts, if any, to which the holders of any Shares at the time outstanding shall be entitled, the remaining Trust Property shall, subject to any participating or similar rights of Shares at the time outstanding, be distributed ratably among the holders of Common Shares at the time outstanding.

(b)           After termination of the Trust, the liquidation of its business and the distribution to the shareholders as herein provided, a majority of the Trustees shall execute and file with the Trust’s records a document certifying that the Trust has been duly terminated, and the Trustees shall be discharged from all liabilities and duties hereunder, and the rights and interests of all shareholders shall cease.

ARTICLE XIII
MISCELLANEOUS
 
Section 1.   Governing Law .  The Declaration of Trust is executed by the undersigned Trustees and delivered in the State of Maryland with reference to the laws thereof, and the rights of all parties and the validity, construction and effect of every provision hereof shall be subject to and construed according to the laws of the State of Maryland without regard to conflicts of laws provisions thereof.
 
Section 2.   Reliance by Third Parties .  Any certificate shall be final and conclusive as to any person dealing with the Trust if executed by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Trust or a Trustee, and if certifying to: (a) the number or identity of Trustees, officers of the Trust or shareholders; (b) the due authorization of the execution of any document; (c) the action or vote taken, and the existence of a quorum, at a meeting of the Board of Trustees or shareholders; (d) a copy of the Declaration of Trust or of the Bylaws as a true and complete copy as then in force; (e) an amendment to the Declaration of Trust; (f) the termination of the Trust; or (g) the existence of any fact relating to the affairs of the Trust.  No purchaser, lender, transfer agent or other person shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction purporting to be made by the Trust on its behalf or by any officer, employee or agent of the Trust.
 
Section 3.   Severability .
 
(a)           The provisions of the Declaration of Trust are severable, and if the Board of Trustees shall determine, with the advice of counsel, that any one or more of such provisions (the “Conflicting Provisions”) are in conflict with the Code, Title 8 or other applicable federal or state laws, the Conflicting Provisions, to the extent of the conflict, shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of the Declaration of Trust, even without any amendment of the Declaration of Trust pursuant to Article X and without affecting or impairing any of the remaining provisions of the Declaration of Trust or rendering invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination.  No Trustee shall be liable for making or failing to make such a determination.  In the event of any such determination by the Board of Trustees, the Board shall amend the Declaration of Trust in the manner provided in Article X, Section 2.
 
 
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(b)           If any provision of the Declaration of Trust shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such holding shall apply only to the extent of any such invalidity or unenforceability and shall not in any manner affect, impair or render invalid or unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction or any other provision of the Declaration of Trust in any jurisdiction.
 
Section 4.   Construction .  In the Declaration of Trust, unless the context otherwise requires, words used in the singular or in the plural include both the plural and singular and words denoting any gender include all genders. The title and headings of different parts are inserted for convenience and shall not affect the meaning, construction or effect of the Declaration of Trust.  In defining or interpreting the powers and duties of the Trust and its Trustees and officers, reference may be made by the Trustees or officers, to the extent appropriate and not inconsistent with the Code or Title 8, to Titles 1 through 3 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.  In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, in accordance with the provisions of Title 3, Subtitles 6 and 7, of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the Trust shall be included within the definition of “corporation” for purposes of such provisions.
 
Section 5.   Recordation .  The Declaration of Trust and any amendment hereto shall be filed for record with the SDAT and may also be filed or recorded in such other places as the Trustees deem appropriate, but failure to file for record the Declaration of Trust or any amendment hereto in any office other than in the State of Maryland shall not affect or impair the validity or effectiveness of the Declaration of Trust or any part thereof.  A restated Declaration of Trust shall, upon filing, be conclusive evidence of all amendments contained therein and may thereafter be referred to in lieu of the original Declaration of Trust and the various amendments thereto.

SECOND:  These Articles of Amendment and Restatement have been duly adopted by the Board of Trustees and approved by the Shareholders of the Trust as required by law.

THIRD:  The total number of shares of beneficial interest which the Trust had authority to issue immediately prior to the filing of these Articles of Amendment and Restatement was 1,000, all of which were common shares of beneficial interest, par value $.01 per share.  The aggregate par value of all shares of beneficial interest having par value was $10.00.
 
The total number of shares of beneficial interest which the Trust has authority to issue pursuant to these Articles of Amendment and Restatement is 110,000,000 consisting of 100,000,000 common shares of beneficial interest, par value $.01 per share and 10,000,000 of preferred shares of beneficial interest, par value $.01 per share.  The aggregate par value of all authorized shares of beneficial interest having par value is $1,100,000.00.
 
FOURTH:  The undersigned Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Chief Executive Officer acknowledges these Articles of Amendment and Restatement to be the trust act of the Trust and, as to all matters or facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Chief Executive Officer acknowledges that, to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, these matters are true in all material respects and that this statement is made under the penalties for perjury.
 
 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust has caused these Articles of Amendment and Restatement to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Chief Executive Officer, and attest to by its Secretary, on this 22nd day of December, 1998.
 
 
   
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
ATTEST:
   
     
     
/s/Kiran P. Patel
 
/s/ Hasu P. Shah
Secretary
 
Hasu P. Shah
   
Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Chief Executive
Officer
 
 
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HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
 
ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY
 
Hersha Hospitality Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Trust”), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:
 
FIRST: Under a power contained in Article VI of the Trust’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration”), the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board of Trustees”), by resolution duly adopted at a meeting duly called and held, classified and designated 350,000 preferred shares of beneficial interest (as defined in the Declaration) as Series A Preferred Shares of beneficial interest, par value $.01 per share (the “Series A Preferred Shares”), with the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption set forth below.  Upon any restatement of the Declaration, Sections 1 through 10 of this Article FIRST shall become part of Article Sixth of the Declaration, with such changes in enumeration as are necessary to complete such restatement.
 
SERIES A PREFERRED SHARES
 
1.              Designation and Amount; Rank .  350,000 preferred shares of beneficial interest are classified and designated as Series A Preferred Shares of beneficial interest, par value $.01 per share (the “Series A Preferred Shares”).  The Series A Preferred Shares shall rank (i) senior to any class of common shares of the Trust regardless of whether or not existing on the date of filing of these Articles Supplementary, which shall include, without limitation, the Trust’s Priority Class A Common Shares, $.01 par value per share, and the Trust’s Class B Common Shares, $.01 par value per share, and any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust, either specifically ranking by its terms junior to the Series A Preferred Shares or not specifically ranking by its terms senior to or on parity with the Series A Preferred Shares (collectively, the “Junior Securities”), (ii) on parity with any class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust specifically ranking by its terms on parity with the Series A Preferred Shares, and (iii) junior to any class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust specifically ranking by its terms senior to the Series A Preferred Shares, in each case, as to payment of dividends, voting, distributions of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, whether voluntary or involuntary, or otherwise.
 
2.             Dividend Rights .
 
(a)           Each Series A Preferred Share shall entitle the holder thereof to receive dividends out of any assets legally available therefor, prior to and in preference to any declaration or payment of any dividend on any Junior Securities and pari passu with any shares of beneficial interest ranking on parity with the Series A Preferred Shares.  Dividends shall be payable when and as authorized by the Board of Trustees and declared by the Trust.  Dividends on each Series A Preferred Share shall accrue at 10.5% per annum (the “Dividend Rate”) on the Original Issue Price (as hereafter defined), which dividend shall commence accruing on the Original Issue Date (as hereinafter defined).  Dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares shall be cumulative and shall be payable in cash in arrears on a date no later than the twentieth (20th) day after the end of each quarter (each a “Dividend Payment Date”), commencing with the quarter ending June 30, 2003, to holders of record on the close of business on the last Business day of the applicable quarter.  Dividends shall accrue whether or not they have been declared and whether or not there are profits, surplus or other funds of the Trust legally available for the payment of dividends.  To the extent that any dividend on the Series A Preferred Shares is not paid on the Dividend Payment Date, such dividend shall accumulate, but not compound, from that date at the Dividend Rate until such dividend is paid in full.  The date on which the Trust initially issues a Series A Preferred Share shall be referred to as the “Original Issue Date” regardless of the number of transfers of such shares made on the share records maintained by or for the Trust and regardless of the number of certificates that may be issued to evidence such share.

 
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(b)           The Trust shall not (i) pay or set aside for payment any dividends on Junior Securities or (ii) redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire any Junior Securities, except as required by Article VII of the Declaration of Trust or the excess share and real estate investment trust qualification provisions of applicable law in a manner which satisfies Section 305(b) of the Code, until all accumulated, accrued and unpaid dividends have been paid on the Series A Preferred Shares through the last preceding Dividend Payment Date.

(c)           The amount of dividends payable for each quarterly dividend period for the Series A Preferred Shares shall be computed by multiplying the Original Issue Price by the Dividend Rate and dividing the result by four.  The amount of dividends payable for the initial dividend period or any other period shorter or longer than a full quarterly period shall be computed on the basis of twelve 30-day months and a 360-day year.
 
(d)           Dividend payments shall be made by wire transfer to an account designated by each holder of the Series A Preferred Shares or, if no account information is provided to the Trust by a holder of the Series A Preferred Shares, dividend payments shall be made by check delivered by first class mail to the address of such holder as set forth in the share records of the Trust.
 
(e)           For the sole purpose of determining whether a distribution (as defined in Section 2-301 of the Maryland General Corporation Law) is permitted under Maryland law, amounts that would be needed, if the Trust were dissolved at the time of the distribution, to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of shareholders whose preferential rights on dissolution are superior to those receiving the distribution shall not be added to the Trust’s total liabilities.
 
3.              Liquidation Rights .
 
(a)           In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, whether voluntary or involuntary, after payment or provision for payment of debts and other liabilities of the Trust, each holder of Series A Preferred Shares, before any distribution or payment is made upon any Junior Securities, shall be entitled to receive, out of the assets of the Trust available for distribution to the Trust’s shareholders, the sum of (A) $100.00 per share (subject to equitable adjustment to reflect share splits, share combinations, share dividends, recapitalizations, and like occurrences) and (B) all accrued but unpaid dividends (if any) payable with respect to such shares (the “Liquidation Preference”).
 
(b)           In the event the assets to be distributed among the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, whether voluntary or involuntary, shall be insufficient to permit full payment of the Liquidation Preference and similar payments on any other class of shares ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares upon liquidation, then the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and such other shares shall share ratably in any such distribution of the Trust’s assets in proportion to the full respective distributable amounts to which they are entitled.
 
(c)           Upon any such liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, after the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and any other class of beneficial interests ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares upon liquidation shall have been paid in full in accordance with the rights and preferences to which they are entitled, the remaining net assets of the Trust shall be distributed to the holders of Junior Securities.
 
(d)           Written notice of such liquidation, dissolution or winding up, stating a payment date, the amount of the Liquidation Preference and the place where said sums shall be payable shall be given by mail, postage prepaid, not less than 30 or more than 60 days prior to the payment date stated therein, to the holders of record of the Series A Preferred Shares, such notice to be addressed to each such holder at his post office address as shown on the records of the Trust.
 
 
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(e)           For purposes of this Section, a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust shall be deemed to be occasioned by, or to include, (A) the acquisition of a majority of the beneficial interests in the Trust by another entity by means of any transaction or series of related transactions (including, without limitation, any reorganization, merger or consolidation, but excluding any merger effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Trust) in which outstanding shares of the Trust are exchanged for securities or other consideration issued, or caused to be issued by the acquiring entity or its subsidiary (an “Acquisition”), or (B) a sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Trust (an “Asset Transfer”), unless in each of the cases set forth in (A) and (B) of this Section 3(e), the Trust’s shareholders of record as constituted immediately prior to such Acquisition or Asset Transfer will, immediately after such Acquisition or Asset Transfer (by virtue of securities issued as consideration for the Trust’s Acquisition or sale or otherwise) hold at least 50% of the voting power of the surviving, continuing or purchasing entity.

(f)           Whenever the distribution provided for in this Section 3 shall be payable in property other than cash, the value of such property shall be the fair market value thereof as determined in good faith by a majority of the independent Trustees then serving on the Board of Trustees.  For purposes of this provision, the “independent” Trustees shall be those Trustees serving on the Board of Trustees of the Trust who satisfy the requirements for treatment as an “independent” trustee or “independent” director under the rules of the American Stock Exchange.
 
4.              Conversion .  The holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall have the following rights with respect to the conversion of the Series A Preferred Shares into shares of the Trust’s Priority Class A Common Shares (the “Conversion Rights”):
 
(a)            Optional Conversion .  Subject to and in compliance with the provisions of this Section 4, any Series A Preferred Shares may, at the option of the holder, be converted at any time into fully paid and nonassessable shares of the Trust’s Priority Class A Common Shares.  The number of shares of Priority Class A Common Shares to which a holder of Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled upon conversion shall be the product obtained by multiplying the Conversion Rate then in effect (determined as provided in Section 4(b)) by the number of Series A Preferred Shares being converted.
 
(b)            Conversion Rate .  The conversion rate in effect at any time for conversion of the Series A Preferred Shares (the “Conversion Rate”) shall be the quotient obtained by dividing (x) $100.00 (hereinafter, the “Original Issue Price”), plus the per share amount of all accrued but unpaid dividends outstanding on the shares to be converted by (y) the Conversion Price, calculated as provided in Section 4(c).
 
(c)            Conversion Price .  The conversion price for the Series A Preferred Shares shall initially be equal to $6.7555 (as adjusted as hereinafter provided, the “Conversion Price”).  Such initial Conversion Price shall be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Section 4.  All references to the Conversion Price herein shall mean the Conversion Price as so adjusted.
 
 
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(d)            Mechanics of Conversion .
 
(i)            The Conversion Rights in this Section 4 shall be exercised by the holder thereof by giving written notice that the holder elects to convert a stated number of Series A Preferred Shares into Priority Class A Common Shares and by surrender of a certificate or certificates for the shares so to be converted and delivery of the undertaking described in Subsection (d)(ii) below, to the Trust at its principal office (or such other office or agency of the Trust as the Trust may designate by notice in writing to the holder or holders of the Series A Preferred Shares) at any time during its usual business hours on the date set forth in such notice, together with a statement of the name or names (with addresses), subject to compliance with Article VII of the Declaration and applicable laws to the extent such designation shall involve a transfer, in which the certificate or certificates for shares of Priority Class A Common Shares shall be issued.  Promptly after the receipt by the Trust of the written notice referred to in this Subsection 4(d) and surrender of the certificate or certificates for the share or shares of the Series A Preferred Shares to be converted, the Trust shall issue and deliver, or cause to be issued and delivered, to the holder, within five (5) business days, registered in such name or names as such holder may direct, subject to compliance with Article VII of the Declaration and applicable laws to the extent such designation shall involve a transfer, a certificate or certificates for the number of whole shares of Priority Class A Common Shares issuable upon the conversion of such share or Series A Preferred Shares.  To the extent permitted by law, such conversion shall be deemed to have been effected as of the close of business on the date on which such written notice shall have been received by the Trust and the certificate or certificates for such share or shares shall have been surrendered as aforesaid, and at such time the rights of the holder of such Series A Preferred Shares shall cease, and the person or persons in whose name or names any certificate or certificates for shares of Priority Class A Common Shares shall be issuable upon such conversion shall be deemed to have become the holder or holders of record of the shares represented thereby.

(ii)           It shall be a condition to the exercise of the conversion rights hereunder that each proposed registered holder of the Priority Class A Shares shall have executed and delivered to the Trust an undertaking to reimburse the Trust for the amount of any “unearned dividends” with respect to such shares.  The per share amount of such “unearned dividends” shall be equal to the product of (A) the amount of the per share dividend paid in respect of the Priority Class A Shares in respect of the next record date which is on or after the effective date of the conversion (which record date is hereafter referred to as the “Current Record Date”) multiplied by (B) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in the period beginning with the day following the record date for the preceding dividend payment date (the “Prior Record Date”) and ending with the effective date of the conversion and the denominator of which is the number of days in the period beginning with the day following the Prior Record Date and ending on the Current Record Date.  Such undertaking shall acknowledge that the certificates representing the Priority Class A Shares may bear a legend referring to the provisions of this clause (ii) and such undertaking, which shall be binding on any transferee of such shares.

(e)            Adjustment for Shares Splits and Combinations .  If the Trust shall, at any time or from time to time after the Original Issue Date, effect a subdivision of the outstanding Priority Class A Common Shares without a corresponding subdivision of the Series A Preferred Shares, the Conversion Price in effect immediately before that subdivision shall be proportionately decreased.  Conversely, if the Trust shall, at any time or from time to time after the Original Issue Date, combine the outstanding shares of Priority Class A Common Shares into a smaller number of shares without a corresponding combination of the Series A Preferred Shares, the Conversion Price in effect immediately before the combination shall be proportionately increased.  Any adjustment under this Subsection 4(e) shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective.
 
(f)            Adjustment for Reclassification, Exchange and Substitution .  If, at any time or from time to time after the Original Issue Date, the Priority Class A Common Shares issuable upon the conversion of the Series A Preferred Shares are changed into the same or a different number of shares of any class or classes of shares, whether by recapitalization, reclassification or otherwise (other than a subdivision or combination of shares or share dividend or a reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale of assets provided for elsewhere in this Section 4), each holder of Series A Preferred Shares shall have the right thereafter to convert such shares into the kind and amount of shares and other securities and property receivable upon such recapitalization, reclassification or other change by holders of the maximum number of shares of Priority Class A Common Shares into which such Series A Preferred Shares could have been converted immediately prior to such recapitalization, reclassification or change, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein or with respect to such other securities or property by the terms thereof.
 
(g)            Reorganizations, Mergers, Consolidations or Sales of Assets .  If, at any time or from time to time after the Original Issue Date, there is a capital reorganization of the Priority Class A Common Shares (other than an Acquisition or Asset Transfer as defined in Section 3, or a recapitalization, subdivision, combination, reclassification, exchange or substitution of shares provided for elsewhere in this Section 4), as a part of such capital reorganization, provision shall be made so that the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall thereafter be entitled to receive upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Shares the number of shares or other securities or property of the Trust to which a holder of the number of shares of Priority Class A Common Shares deliverable upon conversion would have been entitled on such capital reorganization, subject to adjustment in respect of such shares or securities by the terms thereof.  In any such case, appropriate adjustment shall be made in the application of the provisions of this Section 4 with respect to the rights of the holders of Series A Preferred Shares after the capital reorganization such that the provisions of this Section 4 (including adjustment of the Conversion Price then in effect and the number of shares issuable upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Shares) shall be applicable after that event and be as nearly equivalent as practicable.
 
 
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(h)            Sale of HT Common Shares Below Conversion Price .
 
(i)            If, at any time or from time to time after the Original Issue Date, the Trust issues or sells, or is “deemed” by the express provisions of this Subsection 4(h)(i) to have issued or sold (other than in connection with an “Antidilution Carve Out Event”), Additional HT Common Shares (as defined in Subsection 4(h)(iv) below), for an Effective Price (as defined in Subsection 4(h)(iv) below) that is less than eighty-five percent (85%) of the then effective Conversion Price, then and in each such case, the then existing Conversion Price shall be reduced, as of the opening of business on the date of such issue or sale, to a price determined by multiplying the Conversion Price by a fraction (i) the numerator of which shall be (A) the number of HT Common Shares deemed outstanding (as defined in the next sentence) immediately prior to such issue or sale, plus (B) the number of HT Common Shares which the aggregate consideration received (as defined in Subsection 4(h)(ii)) by the Trust for the total number of Additional HT Common Shares so issued would purchase at such Conversion Price, and (ii) the denominator of which shall be the number of HT Common Shares deemed outstanding (as defined below) immediately prior to such issue or sale plus the total number of Additional HT Common Shares actually issued.  As used herein, the number of HT Common Shares “deemed” to be outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of (A) the number of HT Common Shares actually outstanding, (B) the number of HT Common Shares into which the then outstanding Series A Preferred Shares could be converted if fully converted on the day immediately preceding the given date, and (C) the number of HT Common Shares which could be obtained through the exercise or conversion of all other rights, options and convertible securities outstanding on the day immediately preceding the given date as set forth in Section 4(h)(ii) below.  As used herein, an “Antidilution Carve Out Event” shall mean the issuance of HT Common Shares (A) as a dividend or other distribution on any class of shares, (B) pursuant to a subdivision or combination of HT Common Shares as provided in Section 4(e) above, (C) pursuant to any employee benefit plan approved by the Board of Trustees which plans shall issue, in the aggregate, no more than 650,000 shares of HT Common Shares (an “Approved Employee Benefit Plan”), (D) pursuant to a plan providing for the issuance of additional HT Common Shares upon reinvestment of dividends and additional optional amounts under such plan where the dividends are reinvested at an amount per HT Common Share issued thereunder that is equal to or greater than 95% of the fair market value of such HT Common Shares (a “DRIP”) or (E) upon exchange of partnership interests in the Operating Partnership pursuant to and in accordance with Section 8.05 of the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership (the “HLP Agreement”).

(ii)           For the purpose of making any adjustment required under this Section 4(h), the consideration received by the Trust for any issue or sale of securities shall (A) to the extent it consists of cash, be computed at the net amount of cash received by the Trust, after deduction of any underwriting or similar discount, commission, compensation or concessions paid or allowed by the Trust in connection with such issue or sale, but without deduction of any expenses payable by the Trust, (B) to the extent it consists of property other than cash, be computed at the fair value of that property as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees, and (C) if Additional HT Common Shares, Convertible Securities (as defined in subsection 4(h)(iii)) or rights or options to purchase either Additional HT Common Shares or Convertible Securities are issued or sold together with other stock or securities or other assets of the Trust for a consideration which covers both, be computed as the portion of the consideration so received that may be reasonably determined in good faith by the Trust’s Board of Trustees to be allocable to such Additional HT Common Shares, Convertible Securities or rights or options.

 
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(iii)           For the purpose of the adjustment required under this Section 4(h), if the Trust issues or sells (i) stock or other securities convertible into Additional HT Common Shares (such convertible stock or securities being herein referred to as “Convertible Securities”) or (ii) rights or options for the purchase of Additional HT Common Shares or Convertible Securities, and if the Effective Price of such Additional HT Common Shares is less than eighty-five percent (85%) of the then effective Conversion Price, then in each such case, the Trust shall be deemed to have issued at the time of the issuance of such rights or options or Convertible Securities the maximum number of Additional HT Common Shares issuable upon exercise or conversion thereof and to have received as consideration for the issuance of such shares an amount equal to the total amount of the consideration, if any, received by the Trust for the issuance of such rights or options or Convertible Securities, plus, in the case of such rights or options, the minimum amounts of consideration, if any, payable to the Trust upon the exercise of such rights or options, plus, in the case of Convertible Securities, the minimum amount of consideration, if any, payable to the Trust (other than by cancellation of liabilities or obligations evidenced by such Convertible Securities) upon the conversion thereof; provided that if in the case of Convertible Securities the minimum amount of such consideration cannot be ascertained, but is a function of antidilution or similar protective clauses, the Trust shall be deemed to have received the minimum amounts of consideration without reference to such clauses; provided further that if the minimum amount of consideration payable to the Trust upon the exercise or conversion of rights, options or Convertible Securities is reduced over time or on the occurrence or non-occurrence of specified events other than by reason of antidilution adjustments, the Effective Price shall be recalculated using the figure to which such minimum amount of consideration is reduced; and provided further that if the minimum amount of consideration payable to the Trust upon the exercise or conversion of such rights, options or Convertible Securities is subsequently increased, the Effective Price shall be again recalculated using the increased minimum amount of consideration payable to the Trust upon the exercise or conversion of such rights, options or Convertible Securities.  No further adjustment of the Conversion Price, as adjusted upon the issuance of such rights, options or Convertible Securities, shall be made as a result of the actual issuance of Additional HT Common Shares on the exercise of any such rights or options or the conversion of any such Convertible Securities.  If any such rights or options or the conversion privilege represented by any such Convertible Securities shall expire without having been exercised, the Conversion Price as adjusted upon the issuance of such rights, options or Convertible Securities shall be readjusted to the Conversion Price which would have been in effect had an adjustment been made on the basis that the only Additional HT Common Shares so issued were the Additional HT Common Shares, if any, actually issued or sold on the exercise of such rights or options or rights of conversion of such Convertible Securities, and such Additional HT Common Shares, if any, were issued or sold for the consideration actually received by the Trust upon such exercise, plus the consideration, if any, actually received by the Trust for the granting of all such rights or options, whether or not exercised, plus the consideration received for issuing or selling the Convertible Securities actually converted, plus the consideration, if any, actually received by the Trust (other than by cancellation of liabilities or obligations evidenced by such Convertible Securities) on the conversion of such Convertible Securities, provided that such readjustment shall not apply to prior conversions of Series A Preferred Shares.

(iv)           “HT Common Shares” shall mean and include the Trust’s authorized Priority Class A Common Shares, as constituted on the date of filing of these Articles Supplementary; provided, however, that such term, when used to describe the securities receivable upon conversion of shares of the Series A Preferred Shares, shall include only shares designated as HT Common Shares of the Trust on the date of filing of these Articles Supplementary, any shares resulting from any combination or subdivision thereof referred to in Section 4, or in case of any reorganization or reclassification of the outstanding shares thereof, the stock, securities or assets provided for in Section 4).  “Additional HT Common Shares” shall mean all HT Common Shares issued by the Trust or deemed to be issued pursuant to this Section 4(h), whether or not subsequently reacquired or retired by the Trust.  The “Effective Price” of Additional HT Common Shares shall mean the quotient determined by dividing the aggregate consideration received, or deemed to have been received by the Trust for such issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale under this Section 4(h), for such Additional HT Common Shares by the total number of Additional HT Common Shares issued or sold, or deemed to have been issued or sold by the Trust under this Section 4(h).
 
 
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(v)           If the Trust proposes to issue or sell Additional HT Common Shares for an Effective Price that is less than eighty-five percent (85%) of the Conversion Price and such issuance or sale will result in a reduction of the Conversion Price pursuant to this Section (h) (an “AMEX Dilutive Issuance”), then the AMEX Dilutive Issuance and the resulting potential issuance of Additional HT Common Shares upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Shares at a Conversion Price below the initial Conversion Price, must be approved by the shareholders of the Trust to the extent required by the rules of the American Stock Exchange.  If such holders do not approve the AMEX Dilutive Issuance, and the resulting potential issuance of Additional HT Common Shares upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Shares at a Conversion Price below the initial Conversion Price, as required to be approved by the preceding sentence, then the Trust shall not consummate the AMEX Dilutive Issuance in any manner that would cause a reduction of the Conversion Price pursuant to this Subsection (h).

(i)             Certificate of Adjustment .  In each case of an adjustment or readjustment of the Conversion Price for the number of Priority Class A Common Shares or other securities issuable upon conversion of any Series A Preferred Shares, if the Series A Preferred Shares are then convertible pursuant to this Section 4, the Trust, at its expense, shall compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance with the provisions hereof and prepare a certificate showing such adjustment or readjustment, and shall mail such certificate, by first class mail, postage prepaid, to each registered holder of Series A Preferred Shares at such holder’s address as shown in the Trust’s books and records.  The certificate shall set forth such adjustment or readjustment, showing in detail the facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based, including a statement of (i) the consideration received or deemed to be received by the Trust for any Additional HT Common Shares issued or sold or deemed to have been issued or sold, (ii) the Conversion Price in effect at the time, (iii) the number of Additional HT Common Shares issued or sold or deemed to have been issued or sold and (iv) the type and amount, if any, of other property which at the time would be received upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Shares.
 
(j)             Minimum Adjustment .  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no adjustment of the Conversion Price shall be made pursuant to this Section 4 in an amount less than $.01 per share, and any such lesser adjustment shall be carried forward and shall be made at the time and together with the next subsequent adjustment which together with any adjustments so carried forward shall amount to $.01 per share or more.
 
(k)            Notices of Record Date .  Upon (i) any taking by the Trust of a record of the holders of any class of securities for the purpose of determining the holders thereof who are entitled to receive any dividend or other distribution, or (ii) any Acquisition (as defined in Section 3) or other capital reorganization of the Trust, any reclassification or recapitalization of the capital stock of the Trust, any merger or consolidation of the Trust with or into any other entity, or any Asset Transfer (as defined in Section 3), or any voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Trust, the Trust shall mail to each holder of Series A Preferred Shares at least ten (10) days prior to the record date specified therein a notice specifying (A) the date on which any such record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend or distribution and a description of such dividend or distribution, (B) the date on which any such Acquisition, reorganization, reclassification, transfer, consolidation, merger, Asset Transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding up is expected to become effective, and (C) the date, if any, that is to be fixed as to when the holders of record of Priority Class A Common Shares (or other securities) shall be entitled to exchange their shares of Priority Class A Common Shares (or other securities) for securities or other property deliverable upon such Acquisition, reorganization, reclassification, transfer, consolidation, merger, Asset Transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding up.

 
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(l)            Optional Redemption by the Trust .
 
(i)            At any time, and from time to time, the Trust, by vote of a majority of the members of the Board of Trustees, may redeem all or any part of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares (which number shall be in an amount not less than the lesser of the number of such shares outstanding or 50,000 shares), by giving written notice at least 30 but not more than 90 days prior to the Call Date (as defined below) (the “Redemption Notice”) to those holders whose Series A Preferred Shares the Trust wishes to redeem of the date on which such redemption will occur (the “Call Date”), during which period (the “Redemption Notice Period”), the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares who have received a Redemption Notice may in lieu of having their shares redeemed, elect to convert the Series A Preferred Shares covered by the Redemption Notice in accordance with the conversion provisions set forth in Section 4(d).  Notice having been mailed as aforesaid, from and after the Call Date (unless the Trust shall fail to make available an amount of cash necessary to effect such redemption), (i) except as otherwise provided herein, dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares so called for redemption shall cease to accrue, (ii) such shares shall no longer be deemed to be outstanding, and (iii) all rights of the holders thereof as holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall cease (except the rights to convert and to receive the cash payable upon such redemption, without interest thereon, upon surrender and endorsement of their certificates if so required and to receive any dividends payable thereon as described in clause (iii) below).  The Trust’s obligation to provide cash in accordance with the preceding sentence shall be deemed fulfilled if, on or before the Call Date, the Trust shall, in a segregated account separate from the Trust’s general assets, deposit with a bank or trust company (which may be an affiliate of the Trust) that has an office in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, and that has, or is an affiliate of a bank or trust company that has, capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000, the cash necessary for such redemption, in trust, with irrevocable instructions that such cash be applied to the redemption of the Series A Preferred Shares so called for redemption.  No interest shall accrue for the benefit of the holders of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed on any cash so set aside by the Trust.  Subject to applicable escheat laws, any such cash unclaimed at the end of two years from the Call Date shall revert to the general funds of the Trust, after which reversion the holders of such shares so called for redemption shall look only to the general funds of the Trust for the payment of such cash.

Promptly after the surrender (in accordance with such notice) of the certificates for any such shares so redeemed (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Trust shall so require and if the notice shall so state), such shares shall be exchanged for any cash (without interest thereon) for which such shares have been redeemed.  If fewer than all the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares are to be redeemed, shares to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trust from outstanding Series A Preferred Shares not previously called for redemption pro rata (as nearly as may be), by lot or by any other method determined by the Trust in its sole discretion to be equitable.  If fewer than all the Series A Preferred Shares evidenced by any certificate are redeemed, then new certificates evidencing the unredeemed shares shall be issued without cost to the holder thereof.
 
(ii)           The Redemption Notice shall set forth (A) the number of shares to be redeemed, (B) the Call Date, (C) the amount of the Redemption Price and (D) all other relevant terms.  The Redemption Notice shall be mailed by the Trust, postage prepaid, to each holder whose shares are to be redeemed at its address shown on the records of the Trust.  If the Trust elects to redeem any Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to this Section 4(l), such election shall not be revocable by the Trust and the Trust shall be obligated to redeem at the Redemption Price all shares to be redeemed on the Call Date set forth in the Redemption Notice, as described above.
 
(iii)           The per share Redemption Price shall be the sum of (A) the Original Issue Price, (B) all accrued but unpaid dividends thereon pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, through and including the Call Date, without interest, and (C) a premium (the “Premium”), which Premium shall decline on a straight line basis over a ten (10) year period equal to: $10.50 per share, with respect to redemptions noticed during the first twelve month period immediately following the Original Issue Date; $9.45 per share with respect to redemptions noticed during the second twelve month period immediately following the Original Issue Date; $8.40 per share with respect to redemptions noticed during the third twelve month period immediately following the Original Issue Date; $7.35 per share with respect to redemptions noticed during the fourth twelve month period immediately following the Original Issue Date; $6.30 per share with respect to redemptions noticed during the fifth twelve month period immediately following the Original Issue Date; $5.25 per share with respect to redemptions noticed during the sixth twelve month period immediately following the Original Issue Date; $4.20 per share with respect to redemptions noticed during the seventh twelve month period immediately following the Original Issue Date; $3.15 per share with respect to redemptions noticed during the eighth twelve month period immediately following the Original Issue Date; $2.10 per share with respect to redemptions noticed during the ninth twelve month period immediately following the Original Issue Date; $1.05 per share with respect to redemptions noticed during the tenth twelve month period immediately following the Original Issue Date; and, no premium with respect to redemptions noticed after completion of the tenth twelve month period immediately following the Original Issue Date.  If the Call Date falls after a dividend payment record date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, then each holder of Series A Preferred Shares at the close of business on such dividend payment record date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding any redemption of such shares before such Dividend Payment Date.  Except as provided above, the Trust shall make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on Series A Preferred Shares called for redemption.

 
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(m)            Fractional Shares .  No fractional shares of Priority Class A Common Shares shall be issued upon conversion of Series A Preferred Shares.  All shares of Priority Class A Common Shares (including fractions thereof) issuable upon conversion of more than one share of Series A Preferred Shares by a holder thereof shall be aggregated for purposes of determining whether the conversion would result in the issuance of any fractional share.  If, after the aforementioned aggregation, the conversion would result in the issuance of any fractional share, the Trust shall, in lieu of issuing any fractional shares, pay cash equal to the product of such fraction multiplied by the Priority Class A Common Shares’ fair market value per share on the date of conversion (as reported by the securities exchange on which the Priority Class A Common Shares are then listed for trading, or if none, the most recently reported “over the counter” trade price or if none, as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees).
 
(n)            Reservation of Shares Issuable Upon Conversion .  The Trust shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued shares of Priority Class A Common Shares, solely for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the shares of the Series A Preferred Shares, such number of its shares of Priority Class A Common Shares as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion of all outstanding shares of the Series A Preferred Shares.  If at any time the number of authorized but unissued shares of Priority Class A Common Shares shall not be sufficient to effect the conversion of all then outstanding shares of the Series A Preferred Shares, the Trust shall, prior to exceeding such number of authorized but unissued shares, take such Trust action as may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary to increase its authorized but unissued shares of Priority Class A Common Shares to such number of shares as shall be sufficient for such purpose.
 
(o)            Notices .  Any notice required by the provisions of this Section 4 shall be in writing and shall be deemed effectively given: (i) upon personal delivery to the party to be notified, (ii) when sent by confirmed telex or facsimile if sent during normal business hours of the recipient; if not, then on the next business day, (iii) five (5) days after having been sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or (iv) one (1) day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight courier, specifying next day delivery, with written verification of receipt.  All notices shall be addressed to each holder of record at the address of such holder appearing on the books of the Trust.
 
(p)            Payment of Taxes .  The Trust shall pay any and all stamp, transfer and other similar taxes payable or determined to be payable in connection with the issuance of the Series A Preferred Shares and all Priority Class A Common Shares issuable upon exchange of the Convertible Preferred Units, or conversion of the Series A Preferred Shares.
 
5.            Voting Rights .
 
(a)            General Rights .  Holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall have the right to notice of and to vote, on an as converted basis, and as a single class with holders of Priority Class A Common Shares on all matters which holders of Priority Class A Common Shares have a right to vote by law, rules of any securities exchange on which any of the Trust’s securities are listed, provision of the Declaration, or otherwise, and as a separate class on those matters set forth in Section 5(c) hereof; provided, however, that holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall not have the right to participate in the designation, election or removal of trustees except as provided in Section 5(b) below.
 
 
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(b)            Board of Trustees Designees .  If a Voting Event (as defined below) occurs, the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares, voting separately as a class, shall, have the right to nominate and elect at least one member and in any event no less than 11.1% of the total members of the Board of Trustees (the “Series A Preferred Share Trustees”) at each meeting of holders of shares of HT’s shares of beneficial interest held (or pursuant to action by written consent taken) for the purpose of electing members of the Board of Trustees.  Further, if either (x) the Trust fails to pay in full for two consecutive quarters the dividend required pursuant to Section 2 hereof, or the Operating Partnership, pursuant to the HLP Agreement , fails to pay two consecutive quarterly dividends or distributions with respect to its 10.5% Series A Preferred Units (the “Convertible Preferred Units”), as the case may be, or (y) the Trust fails to maintain its status as a real estate investment trust under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (the “Code”), then, upon notice from the holders of a majority of the Series A Preferred Shares outstanding (if any), either (A) 40% of the Board of Trustees shall resign and the holders of a majority of the Series A Preferred Shares shall have the right to elect members to the Board of Trustees to fill the vacancies created by such resignations, or (B) the Trust shall cause (and promptly take all Trust action as may be necessary to cause) the Declaration and/or the Trust’s Bylaws to be amended to increase the size of the Board of Trustees and the holders of a majority of the Series A Preferred Shares outstanding (if any) shall have the right to elect such number of members of the increased Board of Trustees as shall constitute 40% of the number of members of the increased Board of Trustees.  In the event 40% of the Board of Trustees, absent an increase, does not equal a whole number of Trustees, the Trust shall cause (and promptly take all Trust action as may be necessary to cause) the Declaration and/or the Trust’s Bylaws to be amended to increase or decrease (at the option of the Trust) the size of the Board of Trustees such that 40% of the total number of Trustees that the holders of a majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares have the right to elect shall equal a whole number of Trustees.  While such voting rights continue, only the holders of a majority of the Series A Preferred Shares shall nominate and elect the Series A Preferred Share Trustees and the Series A Preferred Share Trustees shall be removed and replaced and their vacancies filled only by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Series A Preferred Shares.  One Series A Preferred Share Trustee shall be a member of all committees and sub-committees of the Board of Trustees.  In the event such Series A Preferred Share Trustee shall, by virtue of any law or the rules and regulations of the SEC or any national securities exchange on which the Trust’s Priority Class A Common Shares are listed for trading, be precluded from being a member of the Trust’s audit or other committee, then the Series A Preferred Share Trustee shall have the right to observe and be present, but not vote, at all such committee meetings and shall have all other rights attendant to members of such committees but shall not be counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present.  A “Voting Event” shall mean any of: (w) the receipt by the holder of a majority of the Series A Preferred Shares of a favorable ruling (a “Private Letter Ruling”) from the Internal Revenue Service which permits such holder of a majority of the Series A Preferred Shares to continue to qualify as a real estate investment trust within the meaning of Section 856 et seq. of the Code in the event such securities qualified as securities described in Section 856(c)(4)(A) of the Code as of the close of a quarter but failed to so qualify as of the close of a subsequent quarter and also failed to satisfy the requirements of Section 856(c)(4)(B)(iii) of the Code as of the close of such subsequent quarter or the close of any quarter thereafter, provided certain other requirements are met, (x) a change in law providing for relief comparable to that sought in the above referenced Private Letter Ruling, (y) the receipt by the holder of a majority of the Series A Preferred Shares of an opinion of counsel that is consistent with the relief sought in the above referenced Private Letter Ruling, or (z) a transfer of Convertible Preferred Units whereby the holder of a majority of the Series A Preferred Shares was a transferee of Convertible Preferred Units of the Operating Partnership which were converted into Series A Preferred Shares and such holder of a majority of the Series A Preferred Shares could hold such securities without causing such holder to violate the requirements of Section 856(c)(4) of the Code in the event such securities were to fail to qualify as securities defined in Section 856(c)(4)(A) of the Code and 856(c)(4)(B)(iii) of the Code as of the close of any quarter (including, for this purpose, a holder of Series A Preferred Shares which has not made an election to be taxable as a real estate investment trust pursuant to the provisions of Section 856 et.seq. of the Code).  The right to nominate and elect members of the Board of Trustees hereunder shall only exist at such times as holders of the Series A Preferred Shares hold that number of Series A Preferred Shares and other convertible and exchangeable securities that represents, on an as converted/exchanged basis, at least 5% of the HT Common Shares then issued and outstanding, on a fully diluted basis (which shall assume the conversion and/or exchange of all the Trust’s and the Operating Partnership’s securities convertible into or exchangeable for HT Common Shares):

 
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(c)            Separate Class Voting Rights .  In addition to any other vote or consent required herein or by law, the vote or written consent of the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding Series A Preferred Shares shall be necessary for effecting the following actions, except for any such action that provides that all holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall as a result of and simultaneously with such action receive a distribution of cash which is not less than the Liquidation Preference, plus the applicable Premium calculated pursuant to Section 4(l)(iii), provided, that the separate voting rights of the holders of Series A Preferred Shares described in clauses (v), (vi), (vii), (x) and (xi) below, shall only exist at such times as holders of the Series A Preferred Shares hold that number of Series A Preferred Shares that represents on an as converted basis at least 5% of the HT Common Shares then issued and outstanding, on a fully diluted basis (which shall assume the conversion and/or exchange of all the Trust’s and the Operating Partnership’s securities convertible into or exchangeable for HT Common Shares):

(i)            (A) any authorization or any designation, whether by reclassification or otherwise, of any new class or series of shares of beneficial interest or any other security convertible into equity securities of the Trust (or any increase in the authorized or designated number of any such new class or series) ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to payment of dividends, distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up (whether voluntary or involuntary), voting or otherwise; or (B) other than in connection with a “Voting/Preemptive Rights Carve Out Event” as defined below, any issuance of any class or series of equity interest of the Trust or the Operating Partnership prior, in the case of the events set forth in this Subsection (i)(B), to the first to occur of (1) the issuance and sale of an aggregate 250,000 Convertible Preferred Units pursuant to the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement or (2) a “SPA Termination,” defined as the termination of the Securities Purchase Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1 or 7.2 of the Securities Purchase Agreement.  As used herein, “Voting/Preemptive Rights Carve Out Event” shall mean (w) at any time after the consummation of the First Closing and the Second Closing under the Securities Purchase Agreement, the issuance of Common Units in exchange for a contribution of properties to the Operating Partnership approved by the Board of Trustees, (x) the issuance of Class B Common Shares upon redemption of Common Units, pursuant to the HLP Agreement, (y) the issuance of any securities pursuant to an Approved Employee Benefit Plan, which plans shall issue, in the aggregate, no more than 650,000 shares of HT Class A Common Shares or (z) the issuance of securities pursuant to a DRIP;
 
(ii)           Any purchase, redemption or other acquisition for value (or payment into or setting aside as a sinking fund for such purpose) of any shares of Junior Securities or any partnership or other interest in the Operating Partnership (other than the issuance of Class B Common Shares upon redemption of Common Units) in accordance with Section 8.05 of the HLP Agreement;

(iii)           Any action that results in the declaration or payment of dividends or any other distribution, direct or indirect on account of the Junior Securities, or any partnership or other interest in the Operating Partnership or the setting aside of any funds for any such purpose provided, that no such vote or consent shall be required if the Trust or the Operating Partnership (as the case may be) is not in default of its obligations to pay quarterly dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares or quarterly distributions on the Convertible Preferred Units at the time of such action;
 
(iv)           Any action that results in any amendment, alteration, or repeal (by merger or consolidation or otherwise) of any provisions of these Articles Supplementary, the Declaration, the Trust’s Bylaws, or of the HLP Agreement, the certificate of limited partnership of the Operating Partnership or any certificate amendatory thereof which eliminates, amends or affects any term (adversely or otherwise) of the Series A Preferred Shares and/or the Class A Shares or shares of any series ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Shares, including, without limitation, the redemption, dividend, voting, preemptive, antidilution and other powers, rights and preferences of such shares or adversely affects any holder thereof;
 
 
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(v)           Any action where the Trust, the Operating Partnership or any of its or their subsidiaries merges with or into or consolidates with any other entity;
 
(vi)           Any action where the Trust, the Operating Partnership or any of its or their subsidiaries directly or indirectly sells, leases (other than in the case of operating leases entered into in the Trust’s and/or the Operating Partnership’s ordinary course of business), transfers, conveys or assigns (whether in a single transaction or series of related transactions) all or substantially all of the Trust’s, the Operating Partnership’s or any of its or their subsidiaries assets;

(vii)          All transactions involving the Trust, the Operating Partnership or any of its subsidiaries of the type referred in paragraph (a) of Rule 145 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all transactions involving the Trust constituting a change-in-control within the meaning of Rule 14(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
 
(viii)         Any action where the Trust, the Operating Partnership or any of its or their subsidiaries files any voluntary, or consents to the filing of any involuntary, petition for relief under title 11 of the United States Code or any successor statute or under any reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, readjustment of debt, dissolution or liquidation law with respect to the Trust, the Operating Partnership or any of its or their subsidiaries;
 
(ix)           Any action where the Trust, the Operating Partnership or any of its or their subsidiaries appoints or consents to, or acquiesces in, the appointment of a receiver, conservator, trustee or other similar official charged with the administration, control, management, operation, liquidation, dissolution or valuation of the Trust, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries, or any of their respective businesses or assets;
 
(x)           Any action where the Trust, the Operating Partnership or any of its or their subsidiaries, or Hersha Hospitality Management, L.P., a Pennsylvania limited partnership, on the one hand, engages in any transaction with an affiliate of the Trust on the other hand, provided, however, to the extent such transactions are of the type which, but for their affiliated nature, would fall within the ordinary course of business and day-to day affairs of the Trust, such actions need not be approved on a transaction-by-transaction basis but may be entered into pursuant to annual budgets and purchase plans approved by the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares.  For purposes of this provision and these Articles Supplementary, “affiliate”, and all derivations thereof, shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and shall include, without limitation, for the avoidance of doubt, (a) the trustees and senior officers of HT, HLP and any Subsidiary, his or her spouse, parent, sibling, mother-in-law, father in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, aunt, uncle, or first cousin, (b) any Person directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding the power to vote 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of HT, HLP or any Subsidiary, and (c) any Person 5% or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned, controlled or held with power to vote by HT, HLP or any subsidiary.
 
(xi)           The conduct by the Trust of any trade or business or the ownership of any asset (other than partnership interests in the Operating Partnership), in each case, other than through the Operating Partnership;
 
(xii)          For the Trust, the Operating Partnership or any of its or their Subsidiaries to engage in any business where either the operation of such business or ownership of the assets related to such business will result in the Trust failing to satisfy the provisions of Section 856 of the Code;
 
(xiii)         The termination of the Trust’s status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes; and
 
(xiv)         Any agreement to do any of the transactions set forth in this Section.

 
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6.            Preemptive Rights .
 
Pursuant to Article VIII, Section 3 of the Declaration, each of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall have the following preemptive rights:
 
(a)            Sale .  At all times commencing on the Original Issue Date and terminating three years thereafter, before the Trust offers to any party (a “Sale”) any shares of any class or series or any equity security, or any obligation or instrument convertible into or exchangeable for shares of any class or series of equity security of the Trust (the “Offered Securities”), other than in connection with the issuance of securities pursuant to a Voting/Preemptive Rights Carve Out Event, the Trust shall provide written notice at least fifteen (15) days in advance of the consummation of such Sale (the “Offer Notice”) to each holder of Series A Preferred Shares.  The holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall have no rights under this Section 6 in connection with the ultimate conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities if, prior to issuing such convertible or exchangeable securities, such convertible or exchangeable securities were offered to the holders of Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to this Section 6.

(b)            Offer .  The Offer Notice shall be irrevocable and shall constitute an offer by the Trust to sell to each holder of the Series A Preferred Shares at the per share sale price which the Trust would receive upon consummation of such proposed Sale (the “Sales Price”) up to such number of Offered Securities (or in the event the Trust desires to sell a fixed number of securities to a particular third party, such number of additional securities of the same class or series to permit the Trust to sell such fixed number of securities to such third party and satisfy its obligations under this Section 6) equal to the percentage which (i) the total number of shares of Priority Class A Common Shares into which such holders’ equity securities in the Trust and the Operating Partnership are convertible plus the number of Priority Class A Common Shares such Holder then holds, bears to (ii) the total number of shares of Priority Class A Common Shares into which any outstanding equity securities of the Trust and the Operating Partnership (which are convertible into Priority Class A Common Shares) are convertible plus the total number of Priority Class A Common Shares then issued and outstanding (the “Pro Rata Share”).
 
(c)            Response Period .  Each holder of the Series A Preferred Shares shall have a period of fifteen (15) days after receipt of the Offer Notice in which to elect to purchase up to its Pro Rata Share of the Offered Securities at the Sales Price, such election to be made by such holder by written notice (the “Acceptance Notice”).  Each Acceptance Notice shall also specify the maximum amount of additional Offered Securities which such holder desires to purchase in the event any other Holder fails to elect to purchase all of its Pro Rata Share of Offered Securities pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence on a timely basis or elects in writing not to do so (such unpurchased Offered Securities are hereinafter referred to as the “Remaining Securities”).  In the event that there are Remaining Securities available for purchase, each holder of the Series A Preferred Shares having specified in its Acceptance Notice a desire to purchase such Remaining Securities shall purchase such Remaining Securities on a pro rata basis (up to the amount of Remaining Securities specified by such holder in its Acceptance Notice), or in such other proportions as such holders may all agree, on the terms set forth herein.
 
(d)            Closing and Payment .  The closing of the sale and delivery of the share certificates representing the Offered Securities purchased hereunder by any such holder of the Series A Preferred Shares, and payment therefor (which shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to an account designated by the Trust), shall be at a time and place designated by the Trust on the tenth (10th) day following the Trust’s receipt of such holder’s Acceptance Notice or such later date agreed to by a majority of the participating holders of Series A Preferred Shares.  The closing of any sale of Offered Securities to the participating holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall be conditioned on the closing of the initial proposed Sale.
 
(e)            Authorization of Securities .  The Trust shall reserve from time to time a sufficient number of Priority Class A Common Shares so that the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares may exercise the rights set forth in this Article 6 hereof to the fullest extent permitted hereunder.
 
 
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7.              Tax Procedures .  While any Series A Preferred Shares are outstanding, the Trust shall (i) maintain such controls and procedures designed to ensure REIT compliance as are specified pursuant to Section 5.2(s) of the Securities Purchase Agreement, and (ii) within a reasonable period of time prior to consummation of any acquisition, disposition or other extraordinary corporate transaction, deliver to holders of the Series A Preferred Shares, any summary of the material terms and an analysis of the federal and state tax implications of such transaction delivered to any member of the Board of Trustees.

8.             Appraisal Rights .  Each holder of Series A Preferred Shares shall have the same rights to require the Trust to make payment of the fair value of its shares in an appraisal or similar proceeding, as set forth in Title 3 Subtitle 2 of the MGCL.

9.              No Waiver .  Except as otherwise modified or provided for herein, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall also be entitled to, and shall not be deemed to have waived, any other applicable rights granted to such holders under applicable law.
 
10.            No Impairment .  The Trust shall not by amendment of its Declaration, or these Articles Supplementary, through any reorganization, transfer of assets, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms to be observed or performed hereunder by the Trust but will at all times in good faith, assist in the carrying out of all the provisions of these Articles Supplementary and in the taking of all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order to protect the conversion rights and liquidation preferences granted hereunder to the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares against impairment.
 
SECOND: The Series A Preferred Shares have been classified and designated by the Board of Trustees under the authority contained in the Declaration.
 
THIRD: These Articles Supplementary have been approved by the Board of Trustees in the manner and by the vote required by law.
 
FOURTH: The undersigned President and Chief Executive Officer acknowledges these Articles Supplementary to be the trust act of the Trust and, as to all matters or facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned President and Chief Executive Officer acknowledges that to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, these matters and facts are true in all material respects and that this statement is made under the penalties for perjury.
 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust has caused these Articles Supplementary to be executed on behalf of the Trust by its President and Chief Executive Officer and attested to by its Secretary this 21st day of April 2003.

 
ATTEST:
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
     
By:
/s/ Kiran P. Patel
 
By:
/s/ Hasu P. Shah
         
 
Name: Kiran P. Patel
   
Name: Hasu P. Shah
 
Title: Secretary
   
Title:  President and Chief Executive Officer

 
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HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
 
ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY
ESTABLISHING AND FIXING THE RIGHTS AND PREFERENCES
OF
 
8.00% SERIES A CUMULATIVE REDEEMABLE PREFERRED SHARES

Pursuant to Section 8-203 of
Title 8 of the Corporations and Associations Article
of the Annotated Code of Maryland
 
Hersha Hospitality Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Trust”), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State (“SDAT”) of Maryland that:
 
FIRST: Pursuant to the authority expressly vested in the Board of Trustees of the Trust by Article VI of its Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (which, as hereafter restated or amended from time to time, are together with these Articles Supplementary herein referred to as the “Declaration”), the Board of Trustees has, by unanimous written consent, duly redesignated and reclassified its previously classified but unissued Series A preferred shares of beneficial interest of the Trust into a newly classified series of 2,400,000 preferred shares of beneficial interest designated the 8.00% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of beneficial interest, par value $.01 per shares (the “Series A Preferred Shares”), and has provided for the issuance of such series. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings given to them in the Declaration.
 
SECOND: Subject in all cases to the provisions of the Declaration, including without limitation, Article VII with respect to limitations on the transfer and ownership of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust, the Series A Preferred Shares shall have the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption as set forth below:
 
(1)            Designation and Number . A series of preferred shares of beneficial interest, par value $.01 per share, designated the “8.00% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest” (the “Series A Preferred Shares”), is hereby established. The number of Series A Preferred Shares hereby authorized shall be 2,400,000. The terms of these Articles Supplementary replace in their entirety the terms of the Articles Supplementary designating the series A preferred shares of beneficial interest and filed with the SDAT on April 18, 2003.
 
(2)            Rank . The Series A Preferred Shares shall, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, rank (a) senior to all classes or series of Common Shares of the Trust, and to all equity securities issued by the Trust ranking junior to such Series A Preferred Shares; (b) on a parity with all other equity securities issued by the Trust the terms of which specifically provide that such equity securities rank on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up; and (c) junior to (i) all indebtedness of the Trust and (ii) equity securities issued by the Trust the terms of which specifically provide that such equity securities rank senior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up. The term “equity securities” shall not include convertible debt securities.
 
(3)            Dividends .
 
(a)           Holders of the then outstanding Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board of Trustees, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, cumulative cash dividends at the rate of 8.00% per year of the $25.00 liquidation preference (equivalent to a fixed annual amount of $2.00 per share). Dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares are payable quarterly in arrears on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year and, if such day is not a business day, the next succeeding business day, commencing on October 15, 2005 (each, a “Dividend Payment Date”). The quarterly period between Dividend Payment Dates is referred to herein as a “dividend period” and the dividend which shall accrue in respect of any full dividend period shall be $0.50 regardless of the actual number of days in such full dividend period. The first dividend will be for less than a full quarter and will cover the period from August 5, 2005 to October 15, 2005. Such dividend and any dividend payable on the Series A Preferred Shares for any partial dividend period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Dividends will be payable to holders of record as they appear in the stock records of the Trust at the close of business on the applicable record date, which shall be the first day of the calendar month in which the applicable Dividend Payment Date falls or on such other date designated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust as the record date for the payment of dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares that is not more than 30 nor less than 10 days prior to such Dividend Payment Date (each, a “Dividend Record Date”).

 
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(b)           No dividends on Series A Preferred Shares shall be declared by the Board of Trustees of the Trust or paid or set apart for payment by the Trust at such time as the terms and provisions of any agreement of the Trust, including any agreement relating to its indebtedness, (i) prohibits such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment of dividends or (ii) provides that such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment of dividends would constitute a breach thereof or a default thereunder, or if such declaration or payment shall be restricted or prohibited by law.
 
(c)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares shall accrue whether or not the terms and provisions set forth in Section 3(b) hereof at any time prohibit the current payment of dividends, whether or not the Trust has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of such dividends and whether or not such dividends are declared.
 
(d)           Accrued but unpaid dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares will accumulate as of the Dividend Payment Date on which they first become payable. Except as provided in Section 3(e) below, no dividends will be declared or paid or set apart for payment, and no distribution will be made on any shares of beneficial interest in the Trust or any other series of Preferred Shares ranking, as to dividends, on a parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Shares other than a dividend that consists of the Trust’s Common Shares or shares of any other class of shares of beneficial interest ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to dividends and upon liquidation, for any period unless full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid, or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for such payment on the Series A Preferred Shares for all dividend periods ending on or prior to the date of such action with respect to our Common Shares or any other series of Preferred Shares ranking, as to dividends, on a parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Shares.
 
(e)           When dividends are not paid in full (or a sum sufficient for such full payment is not so set apart) upon the Series A Preferred Shares and the shares of any other series of Preferred Shares ranking on a parity as to dividends with the Series A Preferred Shares, all dividends declared upon the Series A Preferred Shares and any other series of Preferred Shares ranking on a parity as to dividends with the Series A Preferred Shares shall be declared pro rata so that the amount of dividends declared per share of Series A Preferred Shares and such other series of Preferred Shares shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accrued dividends per share on the Series A Preferred Shares and such other series of Preferred Shares (which shall not include any accrual in respect of unpaid dividends for prior dividend periods if such Preferred Shares do not have a cumulative dividend) bear to each other. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on Series A Preferred Shares which may be in arrears.
 
(f)            Except as provided in the immediately preceding paragraph, unless full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, no dividends (other than dividends paid in Common Shares or other shares of beneficial interest ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to dividends and upon liquidation) shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment, nor shall any other distribution be declared or made, upon the Common Shares or any other shares of beneficial Interest of the Trust ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares as to dividends or upon liquidation, nor shall any Common Shares, or any other shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares as to dividends or upon liquidation be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such shares) by the Trust (except by conversion into or exchange for other shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to dividends and upon liquidation and except for the redemption, purchase or acquisition of “Shares-in-Trust” under the Declaration, which are intended to assist the Trust in qualifying as a REIT for federal income tax purposes).

 
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(g)           Holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or shares of beneficial interest in excess of full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares as provided above. Any dividend payment made on Series A Preferred Shares shall first be credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid dividend due with respect to such shares which remains payable.

(4)            Liquidation Preference .
 
(a)           Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Trust, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares then outstanding are entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Trust legally available for distribution to its shareholders a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends to the date of payment, before any distribution of assets is made to holders of Common Shares or any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust that ranks junior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to liquidation rights. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distributions to which they are entitled, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares will have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Trust.
 
(b)           In the event that, upon any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the available assets of the Trust are insufficient to pay the amount of the liquidating distributions on all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares and the corresponding amounts payable on all shares of other classes or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares in the distribution of assets, then the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and all other such classes or series of shares of beneficial interest shall share ratably in any such distribution of assets in proportion to the full liquidating distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled.
 
(c)           Written notice of any such liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, stating the payment date or dates when, and the place or places where, the amounts distributable in such circumstances shall be payable, shall be given by first class mail, postage pre-paid, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the payment date stated therein, to each record holder of the Series A Preferred Shares at the respective addresses of such holders as the same shall appear on the stock transfer records of the Trust.
 
(d)           The consolidation, combination or merger of the Trust with or into any other corporation, trust or entity or consolidation or merger of any other corporation with or into the Trust, or the sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of the Trust’s assets, property or business or any statutory share exchange, shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust.
 
 
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(5)            Redemption .
 
(a)            Right of Optional Redemption . The Series A Preferred Shares are not redeemable prior to August 5, 2010. However, in an effort to ensure that the Trust remains a qualified real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for federal income tax purposes, the Series A Preferred Shares are, together with all other classes or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust, subject in all respects to the provisions of Article VII of the Declaration. Accordingly, pursuant to Article VII of the Declaration, a purported Transfer (as defined in Article VII) of Series A Preferred Shares as a result of which any person would maintain Beneficial Ownership (as defined in Article VII) of more than 9.9% of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares will cause the number of Series A Preferred shares in excess of the Ownership Limit (rounded up to the nearest whole share) to be designated Shares-in-Trust and in accordance with the provisions of Article VII of the Declaration, be transferred to a Share Trust (as such term is defined in the Declaration), and the Trust will have the right to purchase such Shares-in-Trust from the holder.

On and after August 5, 2010, the Trust, at its option and upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ written notice, may redeem the Series A Preferred Shares, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to all accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to the date fixed for redemption (except as provided in Section 5(c) below), without interest. If less than all of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares is to be redeemed, the Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed shall be selected pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional shares) or by any other equitable method determined by the Trust.
 
(b)            Limitations on Redemption . Unless full cumulative dividends on all Series A Preferred Shares shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, no Series A Preferred Shares shall be redeemed unless all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares are simultaneously redeemed, and the Trust shall not purchase or otherwise acquire directly or indirectly any Series A Preferred Shares (except by exchange for shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to dividends and upon liquidation); provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase by the Trust of Shares-in-Trust in order to ensure that the Trust remains qualified as a REIT for federal income tax purposes or the purchase or acquisition of Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares.

(c)            Payment of Dividends in Connection with Redemption . Immediately prior to any redemption of Series A Preferred Shares, the Trust shall pay, in cash, any accumulated and unpaid dividends through the redemption date, unless a redemption date falls after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, in which case each holder of Series A Preferred Shares at the close of business on such Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares before such Dividend Payment Date. Except as provided above, the Trust will make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on Series A Preferred Shares which are redeemed.
 
(d)            Procedures for Redemption .
 
(i)            Notice of redemption will be given (A) by publication in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal or other newspaper of similar general circulation in the city of New York, such publication to be made once a week for two successive weeks commencing not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, and (B) mailed by the Trust, postage prepaid, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, addressed to the respective holders of record of the Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed at their respective addresses as they appear on the stock transfer records of the Trust. No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any Series A Preferred Shares except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given.
 
 
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(ii)           In addition to any information required by law or by the applicable rules of any exchange upon which Series A Preferred Shares may be listed or admitted to trading, such notice shall state: (A) the redemption date; (B) the redemption price; (C) the number of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed; (D) the place or places where the Series A Preferred Shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and (E) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on such redemption date. If less than all of the Series A Preferred Shares held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of Series A Preferred Shares held by such holder to be redeemed.

(iii)           If notice of redemption of any Series A Preferred Shares has been given and if the funds necessary for such redemption have been set aside by the Trust in trust for the benefit of the holders of any Series A Preferred Shares so called for redemption, then from and after the redemption date dividends will cease to accrue on such Series A Preferred Shares, such Series A Preferred Shares shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights of the holders of such shares will terminate, except the right to receive the redemption price. Holders of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed shall surrender such Series A Preferred Shares at the place designated in such notice and, upon surrender in accordance with said notice of the certificates for Series A Preferred Shares so redeemed (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Trust shall so require and the notice shall so state), such Series A Preferred Shares shall be redeemed by the Trust at the redemption price plus any accrued and unpaid dividends payable upon such redemption. In case less than all the Series A Preferred Shares represented by any such certificate are redeemed, a new certificate or certificates shall be issued representing the unredeemed Series A Preferred Shares without cost to the holder thereof.
 
(iv)           The deposit of funds with a bank or trust corporation for the purpose of redeeming Series A Preferred Shares shall be irrevocable except that:
 
(A) the Trust shall be entitled to receive from such bank or trust corporation the interest or other earnings, if any, earned on any money so deposited in trust, and the holders of any shares redeemed shall have no claim to such interest or other earnings; and
 
(B) any balance of monies so deposited by the Trust and unclaimed by the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares entitled thereto at the expiration of two years from the applicable redemption dates shall be repaid, together with any interest or other earnings thereon, to the Trust, and after any such repayment, the holders of the shares entitled to the funds so repaid to the Trust shall look only to the Trust for payment without interest or other earnings.
 
(e)            Shares-In-Trust Provisions . The Series A Preferred Shares are subject to the provisions of Article VII of the Declaration, including, without limitation, the provision for the purchase of Shares-in-Trust. In addition to the purchase right set forth in Article VII of the Declaration, Shares-in-Trust issued upon exchange of Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to such Article VII may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time when outstanding Series A Preferred Shares are being redeemed, for cash, at a redemption price of $25.00 per Series A Preferred Share, plus all accrued and unpaid dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares that were exchanged for such Shares-in-Trust, through the date of such exchange, without interest. If the Trust elects to redeem Shares-in-Trust pursuant to the redemption right set forth in the preceding sentence, such Shares-in-Trust shall be redeemed in such proportion and in accordance with such procedures as Series A Preferred Shares are being redeemed.

(f)            Status of Redeemed Shares . Any Series A Preferred Shares that shall at any time have been redeemed shall, after such redemption, have the status of authorized but unissued Preferred Shares, without designation as to series until such shares are thereafter designated as part of a particular series by the Board of Trustees.
 
 
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(6)            Voting Rights .
 
(a)           Holders of the Series A Preferred Shares will not have any voting rights, except as set forth below or as otherwise from time to time required by law.
 
(b)           Whenever dividends on any Series A Preferred Shares shall be in arrears for six or more quarterly periods, whether or not consecutive (a “Preferred Dividend Default”), the holders of Series A Preferred Shares (voting separately as a class with the holders of all other series of Preferred Shares ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares as to dividends or upon liquidation (“Parity Preferred”) upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable) will be entitled to vote for the election of a total of two trustees of the Trust (the “Preferred Share Trustees”) at a special meeting of the shareholders called by the holders of record of at least 20% of the Series A Preferred Shares or the holders of 20% of any other series of Parity Preferred so in arrears (unless such request is received less than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual or special meeting of shareholders), and at each subsequent annual meeting until all dividends accrued on such Series A Preferred Shares for the past dividend periods shall have been fully paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside for payment.

(c)           If and when all accumulated dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares shall have been paid in full or declared and set aside for payment in full, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall be divested of the voting rights set forth in Section 6(b) hereof (subject to revesting in the event of each and every Preferred Dividend Default) and, if all accumulated dividends have been paid in full or declared and set aside for payment in full on all other series of Parity Preferred upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, the term of office of each Preferred Share Trustee so elected shall terminate. Any Preferred Share Trustee may be removed at any time with or without cause by the vote of, and shall not be removed otherwise than by the vote of, the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares when they have the voting rights set forth in Section 6(b) (voting separately as a class with all other series of Parity Preferred upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable). So long as a Preferred Dividend Default shall continue, any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Share Trustee may be filled by written consent of the Preferred Share Trustee remaining in office, or if none remains in office, by a vote of the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares when they have the voting rights set forth in Section 6(b) (voting separately as a class with all other series of Parity Preferred upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable). The Preferred Share Trustees shall each be entitled to one vote per trustee on any matter.
 
(d)           So long as any Series A Preferred Shares remain outstanding, the Trust shall not, without the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the Series A Preferred Shares outstanding at the time, given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting (voting separately as a class), (i) authorize or create, or increase the authorized or issued amount of, any class or series of shares of beneficial interest ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Shares with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up or reclassify any authorized shares of beneficial interest of the Trust into any such shares, or create, authorize or issue any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any such shares or (ii) amend, alter or repeal the provisions of the Declaration, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, so as to materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series A Preferred Shares or the holders thereof; provided, however, that with respect to the occurrence of any event set forth in (ii) above, the occurrence of any such event will not be deemed to materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series A Preferred Shares or the holders thereof so long as the Series A Preferred Shares remain outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged or, if the Trust is not the surviving entity in such transaction, are exchanged for a security of the surviving entity with terms that are materially the same as the Series A Preferred Shares, the occurrence of any such event shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and; provided, further, that (x) any increase in the amount of the authorized Common Shares or Preferred Shares or the creation or issuance of any other series of Common Shares or Preferred Shares, in each case ranking on a parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Shares with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, (y) any change to the number or classification of our trustees, or (z) any amendment to Article VII of the Declaration relating to Shares-In-Trust, the Ownership Limit or any other matter described therein of any type or nature shall in no event be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers so long as after such amendment any single holder may maintain “beneficial ownership” (as defined in Article VII prior to or after such amendment) 9.9% of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares and 9.9% of any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest without violating the Ownership Limit.
 
 
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(e)           The foregoing voting provisions will not apply if, at or prior to the time when the act with respect to which such vote would otherwise be required to be effected, all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares shall have been redeemed or called for redemption upon proper notice and sufficient funds shall have been deposited in trust to effect such redemption.

(7)            Conversion . The Series A Preferred Shares are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Trust, except that the Series A Preferred Shares will automatically be exchanged by the Trust for Shares-In-Trust, in accordance with Article VII of the Declaration in the same manner that Common Shares are exchanged for Shares-In-Trust pursuant thereto, in order to ensure that the Trust remains qualified as a REIT for federal income tax purposes.
 
THIRD: The Series A Preferred Shares have been classified and designated by the Board of Trustees under the authority contained in the Declaration.
 
FOURTH: These Articles Supplementary have been approved by the Board of Trustees in the manner and by the vote required by law.
 
FIFTH: The undersigned President and Chief Operating Officer acknowledges these Articles Supplementary to be the trust act of the Trust and, as to all matters or facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned President and Chief Operating Officer acknowledges that to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, these matters and facts are true in all material respects and that this statement is made under the penalties for perjury.
 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust has caused these Articles Supplementary to be executed on behalf of the Trust by its President and Chief Operating Officer and attested to by its Secretary this 2nd day of August 2005.
 
 
By:
 /s/ Jay H. Shah
   
 Jay H. Shah
   
President and Chief Operating Officer
 
 
 Attest:
 
By:
 /s/ Kiran P. Patel
 
 
 Kiran P. Patel
 
 
Secretary
 
 
 
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HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT TO DECLARATION OF TRUST

Hersha Hospitality Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Trust”), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:

FIRST: Pursuant to the authority expressly vested in the Board of Trustees of the Trust by Article VI of its Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”), the Board of Trustees of the Trust has, by unanimous written consent, duly authorized an increase in the aggregate number of Common Shares (as defined below) that the Trust has authority to issue from 81,000,000 Common Shares to 151,000,000 Common Shares, of which 150,000,000 shares now will be Priority Common Shares (as defined below) and 1,000,000 shares will continue to be Class B Common Shares (as defined below). In furtherance thereof, Section 1 of Article VI of the Declaration of Trust is hereby amended and
replaced in its entirety by the following:

“Section 1. Authorized Shares. The beneficial interest of the Trust shall be divided into shares of beneficial interest (the “Shares”). The Trust has authority to issue: (i) one hundred fifty one million (151,000,000) common shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per share (“Common Shares”), of which one hundred fifty million (150,000,000) will be Priority Class A Common Shares (the “Priority Common Shares”) and one million (1,000,000) will be Class B Common Shares (the “Class B Common Shares”); and (ii) twenty nine million (29,000,000) will be preferred shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per share (“Preferred Shares”). If Shares of one class are classified or reclassified into Shares of another class pursuant to this Article VI, the number of authorized Shares of the former class shall be automatically decreased and the number of Shares of the latter class shall be automatically increased, in each case by the number of Shares so classified or reclassified, so that the aggregate number of Shares of all classes that the Trust has the authority to issue shall not be more than the total number of Shares set forth in the second sentence of this paragraph. The Board of Trustees, without any action by the shareholders of the Trust, may amend the Declaration of Trust to increase or decrease the aggregate number of Shares or the number of Shares of any class or series that the Trust has authority to issue.”

SECOND: The Shares have been authorized by the Board of Trustees under the authority contained in the Declaration of Trust.

THIRD: These Articles of Amendment to the Declaration of Trust (this “Amendment”) have been duly adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Trust in the manner and by the vote required by law.

FOURTH: The undersigned Chief Executive Officer of the Trust acknowledges this Amendment to be the act of the Trust and, as to all matters or facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned Chief Executive Officer of the Trust acknowledges that, to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, these matters are true in all material respects and that this statement is made under the penalties for perjury.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the Trust has caused these Articles of Amendment to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its Chief Executive Officer, and attested to by its Secretary, on this 26 day of May, 2009.

ATTEST:
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
     
By:  /s/ David L. Desfor
 
By:  /s/ Jay H. Shah
     
Name:  David L. Desfor
 
Name:  Jay H. Shah
Title:  Treasurer and Corporate Secretary
 
Title:  Chief Executive Officer
 
 
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HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST

ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT TO DECLARATION OF TRUST

Hersha Hospitality Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “ Trust” ), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:

FIRST: Pursuant to the authority expressly vested in the Board of Trustees of the Trust by Article VI of its Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the “ Declaration of Trust” ), the Board of Trustees of the Trust has duly authorized an increase in the aggregate number of Common Shares (as defined below) that the Trust has authority to issue from 151,000,000 Common Shares to 301,000,000 Common Shares, of which 300,000,000 shares now will be Priority Common Shares (as defined below) and 1,000,000 shares will continue to be Class B Common Shares (as defined below).  In furtherance thereof, Section 1 of Article VI of the Declaration of Trust is hereby amended and replaced in its entirety by the following:

“Section 1. Authorized Shares . The beneficial interest of the Trust shall be divided into shares of beneficial interest (the “ Shares ”). The Trust has authority to issue: (i) 301,000,000 common shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per share (“ Common Shares ”), of which 300,000,000 will be Priority Class A Common Shares (the “ Priority Common Shares ”) and 1,000,000 will be Class B Common Shares (the “ Class B Common Shares ”); and (ii) 29,000,000 will be preferred shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per share (“ Preferred Shares ”).  If Shares of one class are classified or reclassified into Shares of another class pursuant to this Article VI, the number of authorized Shares of the former class shall be automatically decreased and the number of Shares of the latter class shall be automatically increased, in each case by the number of Shares so classified or reclassified, so that the aggregate number of Shares of all classes that the Trust has the authority to issue shall not be more than the total number of Shares set forth in the second sentence of this paragraph. The Board of Trustees, without any action by the shareholders of the Trust, may amend the Declaration of Trust to increase or decrease the aggregate number of Shares or the number of Shares of any class or series that the Trust has authority to issue.”

SECOND: The Shares have been authorized by the Board of Trustees under the authority contained in the Declaration of Trust.

THIRD: These Articles of Amendment to the Declaration of Trust (this “ Amendment ”) have been duly adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Trust in the manner and by the vote required by law.

FOURTH: The undersigned Chief Executive Officer of the Trust acknowledges this Amendment to be the act of the Trust and, as to all matters or facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned Chief Executive Officer of the Trust acknowledges that, to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, these matters are true in all material respects and that this statement is made under the penalties for perjury.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the Trust has caused these Articles of Amendment to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its Chief Executive Officer, and attested to by its Secretary, on this 18th day of March, 2010.
 

ATTEST:
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
     
     
By:
/s/ David L. Desfor
 
By:
/s/ Jay H. Shah
 
Name:   David L. Desfor
   
Name:   Jay H. Shah
 
Title:     Treasurer and Corporate Secretary
   
Title:    Chief Executive Officer

 
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HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
 
ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY
ESTABLISHING AND FIXING THE RIGHTS AND PREFERENCES
OF
8.00% SERIES B CUMULATIVE REDEEMABLE PREFERRED SHARES
 
 
Pursuant to Section 8-203 of
Title 8 of the Corporations and Associations Article
of the Annotated Code of Maryland
 
 
Hersha Hospitality Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “ Trust ”), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland (“ SDAT ”) that:
 
FIRST:                     Pursuant to the authority expressly vested in the Board of Trustees of the Trust by Article VI of its Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (which, as hereafter restated or amended from time to time, are together with these Articles Supplementary herein referred to as the “ Declaration ”), the Board of Trustees has duly classified and designated 4,600,000 authorized but unissued preferred shares of beneficial interest, par value $.01 per share, of the Trust as 8.00% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest, par value $.01 per share (the “ Series B Preferred Shares ”), and has provided for the issuance of such series. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings given to them in the Declaration.
 
SECOND:               Subject in all cases to the provisions of the Declaration, including without limitation, Article VII with respect to limitations on the transfer and ownership of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust, the Series B Preferred Shares shall have the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption as set forth below:
 
1.               Designation and Number . A series of preferred shares of beneficial interest, par value $.01 per share, designated the “8.00% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest” is hereby established. The number of Series B Preferred Shares hereby authorized shall be 4,600,000.
 
2.               Rank . The Series B Preferred Shares shall, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, rank (a) senior to all classes or series of Common Shares of the Trust, and to all equity securities issued by the Trust ranking junior to such Series B Preferred Shares; (b) on a parity with the Trust’s 8.00% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest, par value $.01 per share, and all other equity securities issued by the Trust the terms of which specifically provide that such equity securities rank on a parity with the Series B Preferred Shares as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up; and (c) junior to (i) all indebtedness of the Trust and (ii) equity securities issued by the Trust the terms of which specifically provide that such equity securities rank senior to the Series B Preferred Shares as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up. The term “equity securities” shall not include convertible debt securities.
 
 
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3.               Dividends .
 
(a)            Holders of the then outstanding Series B Preferred Shares shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board of Trustees, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, cumulative cash dividends at the rate of 8.00% per year of the $25.00 liquidation preference (equivalent to a fixed annual amount of $2.00 per share). Dividends on the Series B Preferred Shares are payable quarterly in arrears on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year and, if such day is not a business day, the next succeeding business day, commencing on July 15, 2011 (each, a “ Dividend Payment Date ”). The quarterly period between Dividend Payment Dates is referred to herein as a “dividend period” and the dividend which shall accrue in respect of any full dividend period shall be $[0.50] regardless of the actual number of days in such full dividend period. The first dividend will be for less than a full quarter and will cover the period from May 18, 2011 to June 30, 2011. Such dividend and any dividend payable on the Series B Preferred Shares for any partial dividend period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Dividends will be payable to holders of record as they appear in the stock records of the Trust at the close of business on the applicable record date, which shall be the first day of the calendar month in which the applicable Dividend Payment Date falls or on such other date designated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust as the record date for the payment of dividends on the Series B Preferred Shares that is not more than 30 nor less than 10 days prior to such Dividend Payment Date (each, a “ Dividend Record Date ”).
 
(b)            No dividends on Series B Preferred Shares shall be declared by the Board of Trustees of the Trust or paid or set apart for payment by the Trust at such time as the terms and provisions of any agreement of the Trust, including any agreement relating to its indebtedness, (i) prohibits such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment of dividends or (ii) provides that such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment of dividends would constitute a breach thereof or a default thereunder, or if such declaration or payment shall be restricted or prohibited by law.
 
(c)            Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends on the Series B Preferred Shares shall accrue whether or not the terms and provisions set forth in Section 3(b) hereof at any time prohibit the current payment of dividends, whether or not the Trust has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of such dividends and whether or not such dividends are declared.
 
 
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(d)            Accrued but unpaid dividends on the Series B Preferred Shares will accumulate as of the Dividend Payment Date on which they first become payable. Except as provided in Section 3(e) below, no dividends will be declared or paid or set apart for payment, and no distribution will be made on any shares of beneficial interest in the Trust or any other series of Preferred Shares ranking, as to dividends, on a parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Shares other than a dividend that consists of the Trust’s Common Shares or shares of any other class of shares of beneficial interest ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Shares as to dividends and upon liquidation, for any period unless full cumulative dividends on the Series B Preferred Shares have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid, or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for such payment on the Series B Preferred Shares for all dividend periods ending on or prior to the date of such action with respect to our Common Shares or any other series of Preferred Shares ranking, as to dividends, on a parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Shares.
 
(e)            When dividends are not paid in full (or a sum sufficient for such full payment is not so set apart) upon the Series B Preferred Shares and the shares of any other series of Preferred Shares ranking on a parity as to dividends with the Series B Preferred Shares, all dividends declared upon the Series B Preferred Shares and any other series of Preferred Shares ranking on a parity as to dividends with the Series B Preferred Shares shall be declared pro rata so that the amount of dividends declared per share of Series B Preferred Shares and such other series of Preferred Shares shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accrued dividends per share on the Series B Preferred Shares and such other series of Preferred Shares (which shall not include any accrual in respect of unpaid dividends for prior dividend periods if such Preferred Shares do not have a cumulative dividend) bear to each other. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on Series B Preferred Shares which may be in arrears.
 
(f)             Except as provided in the immediately preceding paragraph, unless full cumulative dividends on the Series B Preferred Shares have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, no dividends (other than dividends paid in Common Shares or other shares of beneficial interest ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Shares as to dividends and upon liquidation) shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment, nor shall any other distribution be declared or made upon the Common Shares or any other shares of beneficial Interest of the Trust ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series B Preferred Shares as to dividends or upon liquidation, nor shall any Common Shares, or any other shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series B Preferred Shares as to dividends or upon liquidation be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such shares) by the Trust (except by conversion into or exchange for other shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Shares as to dividends and upon liquidation and except for the redemption, purchase or acquisition of “ Shares-in-Trust ” under the Declaration, which are intended to assist the Trust in qualifying as a REIT for federal income tax purposes).
 
(g)            Holders of the Series B Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or shares of beneficial interest in excess of full cumulative dividends on the Series B Preferred Shares as provided above. Any dividend payment made on Series B Preferred Shares shall first be credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid dividend due with respect to such shares which remains payable.
 
 
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4.               Liquidation Preference .
 
(a)            Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Trust, the holders of Series B Preferred Shares then outstanding are entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Trust legally available for distribution to its shareholders a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends to the date of payment, before any distribution of assets is made to holders of Common Shares or any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust that ranks junior to the Series B Preferred Shares as to liquidation rights. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distributions to which they are entitled, the holders of Series B Preferred Shares will have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Trust.
 
(b)            In the event that, upon any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the available assets of the Trust are insufficient to pay the amount of the liquidating distributions on all outstanding Series B Preferred Shares and the corresponding amounts payable on all shares of other classes or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking on a parity with the Series B Preferred Shares in the distribution of assets, then the holders of the Series B Preferred Shares and all other such classes or series of shares of beneficial interest shall share ratably in any such distribution of assets in proportion to the full liquidating distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled.
 
(c)            Written notice of any such liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, stating the payment date or dates when, and the place or places where, the amounts distributable in such circumstances shall be payable, shall be given by first class mail, postage pre-paid, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the payment date stated therein, to each record holder of the Series B Preferred Shares at the respective addresses of such holders as the same shall appear on the stock transfer records of the Trust.
 
(d)            The consolidation, combination or merger of the Trust with or into any other corporation, trust or entity or consolidation or merger of any other corporation with or into the Trust, or the sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of the Trust’s assets, property or business or any statutory share exchange, shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust.
 
 
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5.              Redemption .
 
(a)            Optional Redemption .  The Series B Preferred Shares are not redeemable prior to May 18, 2016, except as otherwise provided in this Section 5 and Section 6 below.  On and after May 18, 2016, the Trust, at its option and upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ written notice, may redeem the Series B Preferred Shares, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to all accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to the date fixed for redemption (except as provided in Section 5(c) below), without interest. If less than all of the outstanding Series B Preferred Shares is to be redeemed, the Series B Preferred Shares to be redeemed shall be selected pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional shares) or by lot or by any other equitable method determined by the Trust.  If such redemption is to be by lot and, as a result of such redemption, any holder of Series B Preferred Shares would become a holder of a number of Series B Preferred Shares in excess of the Ownership Limit because such holder’s Series B Preferred Shares were not redeemed, or were only redeemed in part then, except as otherwise provided in the Declaration, the Trust will redeem the requisite number of Series B Preferred Shares of such holder such that no holder will hold in excess of the Ownership Limit subsequent to such redemption.
 
(b)            REIT Qualification .  In an effort to ensure that the Trust remains qualified as a real estate investment trust (“ REIT ”) for federal income tax purposes, the Series B Preferred Shares are, together with all other classes or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust, subject in all respects to the provisions of Article VII of the Declaration. Accordingly, pursuant to Article VII of the Declaration, a purported Transfer (as defined in Article VII) of Series B Preferred Shares as a result of which any person would maintain Beneficial Ownership (as defined in Article VII) of more than 9.9% of the outstanding Series B Preferred Shares will cause the number of Series B Preferred shares in excess of the Ownership Limit (rounded up to the nearest whole share) to be designated Shares-in-Trust and in accordance with the provisions of Article VII of the Declaration, be transferred to a Share Trust (as such term is defined in the Declaration), and the Trust will have the right to purchase such Shares-in-Trust from the holder.
 
(c)             Limitations on Redemption . Unless full cumulative dividends on all Series B Preferred Shares shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, no Series B Preferred Shares shall be redeemed unless all outstanding Series B Preferred Shares are simultaneously redeemed, and the Trust shall not purchase or otherwise acquire directly or indirectly any Series B Preferred Shares (except by exchange for shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Shares as to dividends and upon liquidation); provided, however , that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase by the Trust of Shares-in-Trust in order to ensure that the Trust remains qualified as a REIT for federal income tax purposes or the purchase or acquisition of Series B Preferred Shares pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding Series B Preferred Shares.
 
(d)            Payment of Dividends in Connection with Redemption . Immediately prior to any redemption of Series B Preferred Shares, the Trust shall pay, in cash, any accumulated and unpaid dividends to the redemption date, unless a redemption date falls after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, in which case each holder of Series B Preferred Shares at the close of business on such Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares before such Dividend Payment Date. Except as provided above, the Trust will make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on Series B Preferred Shares which are redeemed.
 
 
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(e)            Procedures for Redemption .
 
 (i)          Notice of redemption will be given (A) by publication in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal or other newspaper of similar general circulation in the city of New York, such publication to be made once a week for two successive weeks commencing not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, and (B) mailed by the Trust, postage prepaid, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, addressed to the respective holders of record of the Series B Preferred Shares to be redeemed at their respective addresses as they appear on the stock transfer records of the Trust. No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any Series B Preferred Shares except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given.
 
 (ii)         In addition to any information required by law or by the applicable rules of any exchange upon which Series B Preferred Shares may be listed or admitted to trading, such notice shall state: (A) the redemption date; (B) the redemption price; (C) the number of Series B Preferred Shares to be redeemed; (D) the place or places where the Series B Preferred Shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and (E) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on such redemption date. If less than all of the Series B Preferred Shares held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of Series B Preferred Shares held by such holder to be redeemed.
 
 (iii)        If notice of redemption of any Series B Preferred Shares has been given and if the funds necessary for such redemption have been set aside by the Trust in trust for the benefit of the holders of any Series B Preferred Shares so called for redemption, then from and after the redemption date dividends will cease to accrue on such Series B Preferred Shares, such Series B Preferred Shares shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights of the holders of such shares will terminate, except the right to receive the redemption price; provided, however , if the redemption date falls after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, each holder of Series B Preferred Shares so called for redemption at the close of business on such Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares before such Dividend Payment Date. Holders of Series B Preferred Shares to be redeemed shall surrender such Series B Preferred Shares at the place designated in such notice and, upon surrender in accordance with said notice of the certificates for Series B Preferred Shares so redeemed (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Trust shall so require and the notice shall so state), such Series B Preferred Shares shall be redeemed by the Trust at the redemption price plus any accrued and unpaid dividends payable upon such redemption. In case less than all the Series B Preferred Shares represented by any such certificate are redeemed, a new certificate or certificates shall be issued representing the unredeemed Series B Preferred Shares without cost to the holder thereof.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Series B Preferred Shares are held in book-entry form through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”), such notice shall comply with applicable procedures of DTC.
 
 
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 (iv)       The deposit of funds with a bank or trust corporation for the purpose of redeeming Series B Preferred Shares shall be irrevocable except that:
 
(A) the Trust shall be entitled to receive from such bank or trust corporation the interest or other earnings, if any, earned on any money so deposited in trust, and the holders of any shares redeemed shall have no claim to such interest or other earnings; and
 
(B) any balance of monies so deposited by the Trust and unclaimed by the holders of the Series B Preferred Shares entitled thereto at the expiration of two years from the applicable redemption dates shall be repaid, together with any interest or other earnings thereon, to the Trust, and after any such repayment, the holders of the shares entitled to the funds so repaid to the Trust shall look only to the Trust for payment without interest or other earnings.
 
(f)             Shares-In-Trust Provisions . The Series B Preferred Shares are subject to the provisions of Article VII of the Declaration, including, without limitation, the provision for the purchase of Shares-in-Trust. In addition to the purchase right set forth in Article VII of the Declaration, Shares-in-Trust issued upon exchange of Series B Preferred Shares pursuant to such Article VII may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time when outstanding Series B Preferred Shares are being redeemed, for cash, at a redemption price of $25.00 per Series B Preferred Share, plus all accrued and unpaid dividends on the Series B Preferred Shares that were exchanged for such Shares-in-Trust, through the date of such exchange, without interest. If the Trust elects to redeem Shares-in-Trust pursuant to the redemption right set forth in the preceding sentence, such Shares-in-Trust shall be redeemed in such proportion and in accordance with such procedures as Series B Preferred Shares are being redeemed.
 
(g)            Status of Redeemed Shares . Any Series B Preferred Shares that shall at any time have been redeemed shall, after such redemption, have the status of authorized but unissued Preferred Shares, without designation as to series until such shares are thereafter designated as part of a particular series by the Board of Trustees.
 
6.               Special Optional Redemption .
 
(a)            Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined in Section 6(b)(ii) below), the Trust, at its option and upon giving notice not less than 30 nor more than 60 days in advance of the date fixed for redemption, may redeem the Series B Preferred Shares, in whole or in part, within 120 days after the first date on which such Change of Control occurred, at a cash redemption price of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to all accrued and unpaid dividends to the date fixed for redemption (the “ Special Optional Redemption Right ”).
 
 
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(b)            A “ Change of Control ” is when, after the original issuance of the Series B Preferred Shares, the following have occurred and are continuing:
 
(i)   the acquisition by any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust entitling such person to exercise more than 50% of the total voting power of all shares of beneficial interest of the Trust entitled to vote generally in elections of trustees (except that such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition); and
 
(ii)          following the closing of any transaction referred to in Section 6(b)(i) above, neither the Trust nor the acquiring or surviving entity has a class of common securities (or American Depositary Receipts representing such securities) listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “ NYSE ”), the NYSE Amex Equities (the “ NYSE Amex ”), or the NASDAQ Stock Market (“ NASDAQ ”) or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE Amex or NASDAQ.
 
(c)            If fewer than all of the outstanding Series B Preferred Shares are to be redeemed pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right, the shares to be redeemed shall be selected pro rata (as nearly as practicable without creating fractional shares) or by lot or in such other equitable method prescribed by the Trust.  If such redemption is to be by lot and, as a result of such redemption, any holder of Series B Preferred Shares would become a holder of a number of Series B Preferred Shares in excess of the Share Ownership Limit because such holder’s Series B Preferred Shares were not redeemed, or were only redeemed in part then, except as otherwise provided in the Declaration, the Trust will redeem the requisite number of Series B Preferred Shares of such holder such that no holder will hold in excess of the Share Ownership Limit subsequent to such redemption.
 
(d)            Limitations on Special Optional Redemption . Unless full cumulative dividends on all Series B Preferred Shares shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, no Series B Preferred Shares shall be redeemed pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right unless all outstanding Series B Preferred Shares are simultaneously redeemed pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right, and the Trust shall not purchase or otherwise acquire directly or indirectly any Series B Preferred Shares (except by exchange for shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Shares as to dividends and upon liquidation); provided, however , that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase by the Trust of Shares-in-Trust in order to ensure that the Trust remains qualified as a REIT for federal income tax purposes or the purchase or acquisition of Series B Preferred Shares pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding Series B Preferred Shares.
 
 
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(e)            Payment of Dividends in Connection with Special Optional Redemption . Immediately prior to any redemption of Series B Preferred Shares pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right, the Trust shall pay, in cash, any accumulated and unpaid dividends to the redemption date, unless a redemption date falls after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, in which case each holder of Series B Preferred Shares at the close of business on such Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares before such Dividend Payment Date. Except as provided above, the Trust will make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on Series B Preferred Shares which are redeemed.
 
(f)              Procedures for Special Optional Redemption .
 
(i)   Notice of redemption will be given (A) by publication in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal or other newspaper of similar general circulation in the city of New York, such publication to be made once a week for two successive weeks commencing not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, and (B) mailed by the Trust, postage prepaid, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, addressed to the respective holders of record of the Series B Preferred Shares to be redeemed pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right at their respective addresses as they appear on the stock transfer records of the Trust. No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any Series B Preferred Shares except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given.
 
(ii)          In addition to any information required by law or by the applicable rules of any exchange upon which the Series B Preferred Shares may be listed or admitted to trading,  the redemption notice contemplated by this Section 6 shall state:  (A) the redemption date; (B) the redemption price; (C) the number of Series B Preferred Shares to be redeemed pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right; (D) the place or places where the certificates for the Series B Preferred Shares, to the extent Series B Preferred Shares are certificated, are to be surrendered (if so required in the notice) for payment of the redemption price; (E)  a brief description of the transaction or transactions constituting such Change of Control and that holders of the Series B Preferred Shares to which the notice relates will not be able to tender such Series B Preferred Shares for conversion in connection with the Change of Control and each Series B Preferred Share tendered for conversion that is selected, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, for redemption will be redeemed on the related redemption date instead of converted on the Change of Control Conversion Date; and (F) that distributions on the Series B Preferred Shares to be redeemed will cease to accumulate on such redemption date.  If fewer than all of the Series B Preferred Shares held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of Series B Preferred Shares held by such holder to be redeemed pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right.
 
 
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(iii)         If notice of redemption of any Series B Preferred Shares pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right has been given and if the funds necessary for such redemption have been set aside by the Trust in trust for the benefit of the holders of any Series B Preferred Shares so called for redemption pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right, then from and after the redemption date dividends will cease to accrue on such Series B Preferred Shares, such Series B Preferred Shares shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights of the holders of such shares will terminate, except the right to receive the redemption price; provided, however , if the redemption date falls after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, each holder of Series B Preferred Shares so called for redemption at the close of business on such Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares before such Dividend Payment Date. Holders of Series B Preferred Shares to be redeemed pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right shall surrender such Series B Preferred Shares at the place designated in such notice and, upon surrender in accordance with said notice of the certificates for Series B Preferred Shares so redeemed (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Trust shall so require and the notice shall so state), such Series B Preferred Shares shall be redeemed by the Trust at the redemption price plus any accrued and unpaid dividends payable upon such redemption. In case less than all the Series B Preferred Shares represented by any such certificate are redeemed pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right, a new certificate or certificates shall be issued representing the unredeemed Series B Preferred Shares without cost to the holder thereof.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Series B Preferred Shares are held in book-entry form through the facilities of DTC, such notice shall comply with applicable procedures of DTC.
 
(iv)        The deposit of funds with a bank or trust corporation for the purpose of redeeming Series B Preferred Shares pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right shall be irrevocable except that:
 
(A) the Trust shall be entitled to receive from such bank or trust corporation the interest or other earnings, if any, earned on any money so deposited in trust, and the holders of any shares redeemed shall have no claim to such interest or other earnings; and
 
(B) any balance of monies so deposited by the Trust and unclaimed by the holders of the Series B Preferred Shares entitled thereto at the expiration of two years from the applicable redemption dates shall be repaid, together with any interest or other earnings thereon, to the Trust, and after any such repayment, the holders of the shares entitled to the funds so repaid to the Trust shall look only to the Trust for payment without interest or other earnings.
 
 
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(g)           Status of Redeemed Shares . Any Series B Preferred Shares that shall at any time have been redeemed pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right shall, after such redemption, have the status of authorized but unissued Preferred Shares, without designation as to series until such shares are thereafter designated as part of a particular series by the Board of Trustees.
 
7.              Change of Control Rights .   The Series B Preferred Shares are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Trust, except upon the occurrence of a Change of Control as provided in this Section  7 .
 
(a)            Change of Control .  Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined in Section 6(b) above), each holder of Series B Preferred Shares shall have the right, unless, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date (as defined in Section 7(b)(v) hereof), the Trust provides notice of its election to redeem the Series B Preferred Shares pursuant to the redemption right set forth in Section  5 above or Special Optional Redemption Right set forth in Section 6 above, to convert some or all of the Series B Preferred Shares held by such holder (the “ Change of Control Conversion Right ”) on the Change of Control Conversion Date into a number Common Shares, per Series B Preferred Share to be converted (the “ Common Share Conversion Consideration ”) equal to the lesser of: (A) the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of (x) the $25.00 liquidation preference plus (y) the amount of any accrued and unpaid distributions to the Change of Control Conversion Date (unless the Change of Control Conversion Date is after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid distribution will be included in such sum) by (ii) the Common Share Price (as defined in Section 7(b)(vi) hereof); and (B) 8.2237 Common Shares (the “ Share Cap ”), subject to the immediately succeeding paragraph.
 
(i)           The Share Cap is subject to pro rata adjustments for any share splits (including those effected pursuant to a Common Share distribution), subdivisions or combinations (in each case, a “ Share Split ”) with respect to Common Shares.  The adjusted Share Cap as the result of a Share Split shall be the number of Common Shares that is equivalent to the product obtained by multiplying (A) the Share Cap in effect immediately prior to such Share Split by (B) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding after giving effect to such Share Split and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to such Share Split.
 
(ii)         For the avoidance of doubt, subject to the immediately succeeding sentence, the aggregate number of Common Shares (or equivalent Alternative Conversion Consideration (as defined below), as applicable) issuable in connection with the exercise of the Change of Control Conversion Right shall not exceed 37,829,020 Common Shares (or equivalent Alternative Conversion Consideration, as applicable) (the “ Exchange Cap ”).  The Exchange Cap is subject to pro rata adjustments for any Share Splits on the same basis as the corresponding adjustment to the Share Cap.
 
 
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(iii)        In the case of a Change of Control pursuant to which Common Shares shall be converted into cash, securities or other property or assets (including any combination thereof) (the “ Alternative Form Consideration ”), a holder of Series B Preferred Shares shall receive upon conversion of such Series B Preferred Shares the kind and amount of Alternative Form Consideration which such holder of Series B Preferred Shares would have owned or been entitled to receive upon the Change of Control had such holder of Series B Preferred Shares held a number of Common Shares equal to the Common Share Conversion Consideration immediately prior to the effective time of the Change of Control (the “ Alternative Conversion Consideration ”; and the Common Share Conversion Consideration or the Alternative Conversion Consideration, as may be applicable to a Change of Control, shall be referred to herein as the “ Conversion Consideration ”).
 
(iv)        In the event that holders of Common Shares have the opportunity to elect the form of consideration to be received in the Change of Control, the consideration that the holders of Series B Preferred Shares shall receive shall be the form of consideration elected by the holders of the Common Shares who participate in the determination (based on the weighted average of elections) and shall be subject to any limitations to which all holders of Common Shares are subject, including, without limitation, pro rata reductions applicable to any portion of the consideration payable in the Change of Control.
 
(v)         The “ Change of Control Conversion Date ” shall be a date fixed by the Board of Trustees, in its sole discretion, as the date the Series B Preferred Shares shall be converted pursuant to the Change of Control Conversion Right, which shall be a business day set forth in the notice of Change of Control provided in accordance with Section 7(d) below that is no less than 20 days nor more than 35 days after the date on which the Trust provides such notice.
 
(vi)        The “ Common Share Price ” shall be (i) the amount of cash consideration per Common Share, if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by holders of Common Shares is solely cash, and (ii) the average of the closing prices per Common Share on the NYSE for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the effective date of the Change of Control, if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by holders of Common Shares is other than solely cash.
 
(b)            No fractional Common Shares shall be issued upon the conversion of Series B Preferred Shares.  In lieu of fractional shares, holders shall be entitled to receive the cash value of such fractional shares based on the Common Share Price.
 
(c)            Within 15 days following the occurrence of a Change of Control, a notice of occurrence of the Change of Control, describing the resulting Change of Control Conversion Right, shall be delivered to the holders of record of the Series B Preferred Shares at their addresses as they appear on the Trust’s share transfer records and notice shall be provided to the Trust’s transfer agent.  No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the conversion of any Series B Preferred Shares except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given.  Each notice shall state: (i) the events constituting the Change of Control; (ii) the date of the Change of Control; (iii) the Change of Control Conversion Date; (iv) the method and period for calculating the Common Share Price; (v) that if, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, the Trust provides notice of its election to redeem all or any portion of the Series B Preferred Shares, the holder will not be able to convert Series B Preferred Shares and such Series B Preferred Shares shall be redeemed on the related redemption date, even if they have already been tendered for conversion pursuant to the Change of Control Conversion Right; (vi) if applicable, the type and amount of Alternative Conversion Consideration entitled to be received per Series B Preferred Share; (vii) the name and address of the paying agent and the conversion agent; and (viii) the procedures that the holders of Series B Preferred Shares must follow to exercise the Change of Control Conversion Right.
 
 
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(d)            The Trust shall issue a press release for publication on the Dow Jones & Company, Inc., Business Wire, PR Newswire, Bloomberg Business News or such other news or press organization as is reasonably calculated to broadly disseminate the relevant information to the public, or post notice on the Trust’s website, in any event prior to the opening of business on the first business day following any date on which the Trust provides notice pursuant to Section 7(c) above to the holders of Series B Preferred Shares.
 
(e)            In order to exercise the Change of Control Conversion Right, a holder of Series B Preferred Shares shall be required to deliver to the Trust’s transfer agent, on or before the close of business on the business day prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, the certificates evidencing the Series B Preferred Shares, to the extent such shares are certificated, to be converted, duly endorsed for transfer, together with a written conversion notice.  Such conversion notice shall state: (i) the relevant Change of Control Conversion Date; (ii) the number of Series B Preferred Shares to be converted; and (iii) that terms of the Series B Preferred Shares pursuant to which the Series B Preferred Shares are to be converted.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Series B Preferred Shares are held in book-entry form through the facilities of DTC, such notice shall comply with applicable procedures of DTC.
 
(f)             Holders of Series B Preferred Shares may withdraw any notice of exercise of a Change of Control Conversion Right (in whole or in part) by a written notice of withdrawal delivered to the Trust’s transfer agent prior to the close of business on the business day prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date.  The notice of withdrawal must state: (i) the number of withdrawn Series B Preferred Shares; (ii) if certificated Series B Preferred Shares have been issued, the certificate numbers of the withdrawn Series B Preferred Shares; and (iii) the number of Series B Preferred Shares, if any, which remain subject to the conversion notice.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Series B Preferred Shares are held in book-entry form through the facilities of DTC, such notice shall comply with applicable procedures of DTC.
 
(g)            Series B Preferred Shares as to which the Change of Control Conversion Right has been properly exercised and for which the conversion notice has not been properly withdrawn shall be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration in accordance with the Change of Control Conversion Right on the Change of Control Conversion Date, unless, prior to the close of business on the Change of Control Conversion Date, the Trust provides notice of its election to redeem such Series B Preferred Shares, whether pursuant to its Redemption Right or Special Optional Redemption Right.  If the Trust elects to redeem Series B Preferred Shares that would otherwise be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration on a Change of Control Conversion Date, such Series B Preferred Shares shall not be so converted and the holders of such shares shall be entitled to receive on the applicable redemption date $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid distributions thereon to, but not including, the redemption date.
 
 
13

 
 
(h)            The Trust shall deliver the applicable Conversion Consideration no later than the third business day following the Change of Control Conversion Date.
 
(i)              Limitations on Conversion .  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, no holder of Series B Preferred Shares will be entitled to convert such Series B Preferred Shares into Common Shares to the extent that receipt of such Common Shares would cause the holder of such Common Shares (or any other person) to Beneficially Own or Constructively Own, within the meaning of the Declaration, Common Shares of the Trust in excess of the Share Ownership Limit, as such term is defined in the Declaration, as applicable.
 
8.              Voting Rights .
 
(a)            Holders of the Series B Preferred Shares will not have any voting rights, except as set forth below or as otherwise from time to time required by law.
 
(b)            Whenever dividends on any Series B Preferred Shares shall be in arrears for six or more quarterly periods, whether or not consecutive (a “ Preferred Dividend Default ”), the holders of Series B Preferred Shares (voting separately as a class with the holders of all other series of Preferred Shares ranking on a parity with the Series B Preferred Shares as to dividends or upon liquidation (“ Parity Preferred ”) upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable) will be entitled to vote for the election of a total of two trustees of the Trust (the “ Preferred Share Trustees ”) at a special meeting of the shareholders called by the holders of record of at least 20% of the Series B Preferred Shares or the holders of 20% of any other series of Parity Preferred so in arrears (unless such request is received less than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual or special meeting of shareholders), and at each subsequent annual meeting until all dividends accrued on such Series B Preferred Shares for the past dividend periods shall have been fully paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside for payment.
 
(c)            If and when all accumulated dividends on the Series B Preferred Shares shall have been paid in full or declared and set aside for payment in full, the holders of Series B Preferred Shares shall be divested of the voting rights set forth in Section 8(b) hereof (subject to revesting in the event of each and every Preferred Dividend Default) and, if all accumulated dividends have been paid in full or declared and set aside for payment in full on all other series of Parity Preferred upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, the term of office of each Preferred Share Trustee so elected shall terminate. Any Preferred Share Trustee may be removed at any time with or without cause by the vote of, and shall not be removed otherwise than by the vote of, the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding Series B Preferred Shares when they have the voting rights set forth in Section 8(b) (voting separately as a class with all other series of Parity Preferred upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable). So long as a Preferred Dividend Default shall continue, any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Share Trustee may be filled by written consent of the Preferred Share Trustee remaining in office, or if none remains in office, by a vote of the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding Series B Preferred Shares when they have the voting rights set forth in Section 8(b) (voting separately as a class with all other series of Parity Preferred upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable). The Preferred Share Trustees shall each be entitled to one vote per trustee on any matter.
 
 
14

 
 
(d)            So long as any Series B Preferred Shares remain outstanding, the Trust shall not, without the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the Series B Preferred Shares outstanding at the time, given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting (voting separately as a class), (i) authorize or create, or increase the authorized or issued amount of, any class or series of shares of beneficial interest ranking senior to the Series B Preferred Shares with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up or reclassify any authorized shares of beneficial interest of the Trust into any such shares, or create, authorize or issue any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any such shares or (ii) amend, alter or repeal the provisions of the Declaration, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, so as to materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series B Preferred Shares or the holders thereof; provided, however , that with respect to the occurrence of any event set forth in (ii) above, the occurrence of any such event will not be deemed to materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series B Preferred Shares or the holders thereof so long as the Series B Preferred Shares remain outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged or, if the Trust is not the surviving entity in such transaction, are exchanged for a security of the surviving entity with terms that are materially the same as the Series B Preferred Shares, the occurrence of any such event shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the holders of the Series B Preferred Shares and; provided, further , that (x) any increase in the amount of the authorized Common Shares or Preferred Shares or the creation or issuance of any other series of Common Shares or Preferred Shares, in each case ranking on a parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Shares with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, (y) any change to the number or classification of our trustees, or (z) any amendment to Article VII of the Declaration relating to Shares-In-Trust, the Ownership Limit or any other matter described therein of any type or nature shall in no event be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers so long as after such amendment any single holder may maintain “beneficial ownership” (as defined in Article VII prior to or after such amendment) 9.9% of the outstanding Series B Preferred Shares and 9.9% of any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest without violating the Ownership Limit.
 
(e)            The foregoing voting provisions will not apply if, at or prior to the time when the act with respect to which such vote would otherwise be required to be effected, all outstanding Series B Preferred Shares shall have been redeemed or called for redemption upon proper notice and sufficient funds shall have been deposited in trust to effect such redemption.
 
 
15

 
 
9.              Conversion .       Except as set forth in Section 7 above upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, the Series B Preferred Shares are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Trust, except that the Series B Preferred Shares will automatically be exchanged by the Trust for Shares-In-Trust, in accordance with Article VII of the Declaration in the same manner that Common Shares are exchanged for Shares-In-Trust pursuant thereto, in order to ensure that the Trust remains qualified as a REIT for federal income tax purposes.
 
10.            Information Rights .        During any period in which the Trust is not subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and any Series B Preferred Shares are outstanding, the Trust will: (a) transmit by mail or other permissible means under the Exchange Act to all holders of Series B Preferred Shares as their names and addresses appear in the Trust’s record books and without cost to such holders, copies of the Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q that the Trust would have been required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act if the Trust were subject thereto (other than any exhibits that would have been required); and (b) within 15 days following written request, supply copies of such reports to any prospective holder of the Series B Preferred Shares. The Trust will mail (or otherwise provide) the reports to the holders of Series A Preferred Shares within 15 days after the respective dates by which the Trust would have been required to file such reports with the SEC if the Trust was subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
 
THIRD:                   The Series B Preferred Shares have been classified and designated by the Board of Trustees under the authority contained in the Declaration.
 
FOURTH:               These Articles Supplementary have been approved by the Board of Trustees in the manner and by the vote required by law.
 
FIFTH:                    The undersigned President and Chief Operating Officer acknowledges these Articles Supplementary to be the trust act of the Trust and, as to all matters or facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned President and Chief Operating Officer acknowledges that to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, these matters and facts are true in all material respects and that this statement is made under the penalties for perjury.
 
[Signature page follows.]

 
16

 
 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust has caused these Articles Supplementary to be executed on behalf of the Trust by its President and Chief Operating Officer and attested to by its Assistant Secretary this 17th day of May 2011.
 
 
 
     
       
Date
By:
/s/ Neil H. Shah
 
   
Name:        Neil H. Shah
 
       
   
Title:          President and Chief Operating Officer            
       
 
 
Attest:
 
 
 
By:
/s/ Ashish R. Parikh
 
 
Name:        Ashish R. Parikh
 
     
 
Title:          Assistant Secretary
 
     
 
 
Articles Supplementary
 
Series B Preferred Shares
 
 
17


Exhibit 10.1
 
FOURTH AMENDMENT
 
TO
 
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
 
OF
 
HERSHA HOSPITALITY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
 
May 18, 2011
 
THIS FOURTH AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP (this “ Fourth Amendment ”), dated as of May 18, 2011, is entered into by HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST, a Maryland real estate investment trust, as general partner (the “ General Partner ”) of HERSHA HOSPITALITY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, a Virginia limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), for itself and on behalf of the limited partners of the Partnership.
 
WHEREAS, the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership was executed on January 26, 1999, a First Amendment thereto was executed on December 31, 1999, a Second Amendment thereto was executed on April 21, 2003 and a Third Amendment thereto was executed on August 5, 2005 (the “ Partnership Agreement ”); and
 
WHEREAS, Section 4.02(a) of the Partnership Agreement authorizes the General Partner to cause the Partnership to issue additional Partnership Units in one or more classes or series, with such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, powers and duties as shall be determined by the General Partner, without the approval of the Limited Partners; and
 
WHEREAS, on May 18, 2011, the General Partner issued 4,600,000 shares of its 8.00% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest, par value $0.01 per share (the “ Series B Preferred Shares ”) at a gross offering price of $25.00 per Series B Preferred Share and, in connection therewith, the General Partner, pursuant to Section 4.02(b) of the Partnership Agreement, is contributing the net proceeds of such issuance to the Partnership and is causing the Partnership to issue to the General Partner Series B Preferred Partnership Units (as hereinafter defined); and
 
WHEREAS, pursuant to the authority granted to the General Partner pursuant to Sections 4.02(a) and Article XI of the Partnership Agreement and as authorized by the resolutions of the General Partner dated May 6, 2011, the General Partner desires to amend the Partnership Agreement (i) to set forth the designations, rights, powers, preferences and duties of the Series B Preferred Partnership Units and (ii) to issue the Series B Preferred Partnership Units to the General Partner.
 
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which hereby are acknowledged, the General Partner hereby amends the Partnership Agreement as follows:
 
 
1

 
 
1.            The Partnership Agreement is hereby amended by the addition of a new annex thereto, entitled Annex B, in the form attached hereto, which sets forth the designations, allocations, preferences and other special rights, powers and duties of the Series B Preferred Partnership Units and which shall be attached to and made a part of the Agreement.
 
2.            Pursuant to Section 4.02(a) of the Partnership Agreement, effective as of May 18, 2011, the issuance date of the Series B Preferred Shares by the General Partner, the Partnership hereby issues 4,600,000 Series B Preferred Partnership Units to the General Partner.  The Series B Preferred Partnership Units have been created and are being issued in conjunction with the General Partner’s issuance of the Series B Preferred Shares, and as such, the Series B Preferred Partnership Units are intended to have designations, preferences and other rights, all such that the economic interests are substantially identical to the designations, preferences and other rights of the Series B Preferred Shares, and the terms of this Fourth Amendment, including without limitation the attached Annex B, shall be interpreted in a fashion consistent with this intent.  In return for the issuance to the General Partner of the Series B Preferred Partnership Units, the General Partner has contributed to the Partnership the funds raised through its issuance of the Series B Preferred Shares (the General Partner’s capital contribution shall be deemed to equal the amount of the gross proceeds of that share issuance ( i.e. , the net proceeds actually contributed, plus any underwriter’s discount or other expenses incurred, with any such discount or expense deemed to have been incurred by the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership)).
 
3.            In order to reflect the issuance of the Series B Preferred Partnership Units, Exhibit A to the Partnership Agreement is hereby amended by adding to the end of such Exhibit A the following table:
 
Partner
 
Cash Contribution
   
Agreed Value of Capital Contribution
   
Series B Preferred
Partnership Units
   
Percentage Interest
of
Series
 
Hersha Hospitality Trust
  $ 111,377,500     $ 115,000,000       4,600,000       100.00 %

4.            The foregoing recitals are incorporated in and are part of this Fourth Amendment.
 
5.            Except as specifically defined herein, all capitalized terms shall have the definitions provided in the Partnership Agreement.  This Fourth Amendment has been authorized by the General Partner pursuant to Article XI of the Partnership Agreement and does not require execution by the Limited Partners.  No other changes to the Partnership Agreement are authorized under this Fourth Amendment.
 
[ Signature Page Follows. ]
 
 
2

 


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Fourth Amendment has been executed as of the date first above written.
 
 
GENERAL PARTNER:
 
     
     
  HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST,  
  a Maryland real estate investment trust  
     
     
       
Date
By:
/s/ Ashish R. Parikh  
   
Name:         Ashish R. Parikh
 
   
Title:           Chief Financial Officer
 
       

            
SIGNATURE PAGE TO FOURTH AMENDMENT TO PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

 
3

 

ANNEX B
 
DESIGNATION OF THE SERIES B PREFERRED PARTNERSHIP UNITS
OF
HERSHA HOSPITALITY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

1.             Designation and Number . A series of preferred partnership units, designated the “Series B Preferred Partnership Units” (the “ Series B Preferred Partnership Units ”), is hereby established.  The number of Series B Preferred Partnership Units hereby authorized shall be 4,600,000.
 
2.             Rank . The Series B Preferred Partnership Units shall, with respect to distribution rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Partnership, rank (a) senior to all classes or series of Partnership Units the terms of which do not specifically provide that such units rank on a parity with or senior to the Series B Preferred Partnership Units (the “ Common Units ”); (b) on a parity with the Series A Preferred Partnership Units of the Partnership and all other Partnership Units issued by the Partnership the terms of which specifically provide that such Partnership Units rank on a parity with the Series B Preferred Partnership Units as to the payment of distributions and the distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up; and (c) junior to (i) all indebtedness of the Partnership and (ii) Partnership Units issued by the Partnership the terms of which specifically provide that such Partnership Units rank senior to the Series B Preferred Partnership Units as to the payment of distributions and the distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
 
3.             Distributions .
 
(a)            Holders of the then outstanding Series B Preferred Partnership Units shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Partnership, out of funds legally available for the payment of distributions, cumulative cash distributions at the rate of 8.00% per year of the $25.00 liquidation preference (equivalent to a fixed annual amount of $2.00 per share). Distributions on the Series B Preferred Partnership Units are payable quarterly in arrears on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year and, if such day is not a business day, the next succeeding business day, commencing on July 15, 2011 (each, a “ Distribution Payment Date ”). The quarterly period between Distribution Payment Dates is referred to herein as a “ distribution period ” and the distribution which shall accrue in respect of any full distribution period shall be $0.50 regardless of the actual number of days in such full distribution period. The first distribution will be for less than a full quarter and will cover the period from May 18, 2011 to June 30, 2011. Such distribution and any distribution payable on the Series B Preferred Partnership Units for any partial distribution period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Distributions will be payable to holders of record as they appear in the stock records of the Partnership at the close of business on the applicable record date, which shall be the first day of the calendar month in which the applicable Distribution Payment Date falls or on such other date designated by the Partnership as the record date for the payment of distributions on the Series B Preferred Partnership Units that is not more than 30 nor less than 10 days prior to such Distribution Payment Date (each, a “ Distribution Record Date ”).
 
(b)            No distributions on Series B Preferred Partnership Units shall be declared by the Partnership or paid or set apart for payment by the Partnership at such time as the terms and provisions of any agreement of the Partnership, including any agreement relating to its indebtedness, (i) prohibits such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment of distributions or (ii) provides that such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment of distributions would constitute a breach thereof or a default thereunder, or if such declaration or payment shall be restricted or prohibited by law.
 
(c)            Notwithstanding the foregoing, distributions on the Series B Preferred Partnership Units shall accrue whether or not the terms and provisions set forth in Section 3(b) hereof at any time prohibit the current payment of distributions, whether or not the Partnership has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of such distributions and whether or not such distributions are declared.
 
 
B-1

 
 
(d)            Accrued but unpaid distributions on the Series B Preferred Partnership Units will accumulate as of the Distribution Payment Date on which they first become payable. Except as provided in Section 3(e) below, no distributions will be declared or paid or set apart for payment, and no distribution will be made on any Common Units or any other class or series of Partnership Units ranking, as to distributions, on a parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Partnership Units other than a distribution that consists of the Partnership’s Common Units or units of any other class or series of Partnership Units ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Partnership Units as to distributions and upon liquidation, for any period unless full cumulative distributions on the Series B Preferred Partnership Units have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid, or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for such payment on the Series B Preferred Partnership Units for all distribution periods ending on or prior to the date of such action with respect to the Common Units or any other class or series of Partnership Units ranking, as to distributions, on a parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Partnership Units.
 
(e)            When distributions are not paid in full (or a sum sufficient for such full payment is not so set apart) upon the Series B Preferred Partnership Units and the units of any other class or series of Partnership Units ranking on a parity as to distributions with the Series B Partnership Units, all distributions declared upon the Series B Preferred Partnership Units and any other class or series of Partnership Units ranking on a parity as to distributions with the Series B Preferred Partnership Units shall be declared pro rata so that the amount of distributions declared per unit of Series B Preferred Partnership Units and such other class or series of Partnership Units shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accrued distributions per unit on the Series B Preferred Partnership Units and such other class or series of Partnership Units (which shall not include any accrual in respect of unpaid distributions for prior distribution periods if such Partnership Units do not have a cumulative distribution) bear to each other. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any distribution payment or payments on Series B Preferred Partnership Units which may be in arrears.
 
(f)            Except as provided in the immediately preceding paragraph, unless full cumulative distributions on the Series B Preferred Partnership Units have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for payment for all past distribution periods, no distributions (other than distributions paid in Common Units or any other class or series of Partnership Units ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Partnership Units as to distributions and upon liquidation) shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment, nor shall any other distribution be declared or made, upon the Common Units or any other class or series of Partnership Units ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series B Preferred Partnership Units as to distributions or upon liquidation, nor shall any Common Units, or any other class or series of Partnership Units ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series B Preferred Partnership Units as to distributions or upon liquidation be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such units) by the Partnership (except by conversion into or exchange for any other class or series of Partnership Units ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Partnership Units as to distributions and upon liquidation) and except in connection with the redemption of Partnership Units in connection with a redemption of “Shares-in-Trust” under the Articles of Amendment and Restatement, which intended to assist the General Partner in qualifying as a REIT for federal income tax purposes.
 
(g)            Holders of the Series B Preferred Partnership Units shall not be entitled to any distribution, whether payable in cash, property or Partnership Units in excess of full cumulative distributions on the Series B Preferred Partnership Units as provided above. Any distribution payment made on Series B Preferred Partnership Units shall first be credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid distribution due with respect to such units which remains payable.
 
 
B-2

 
 
4.             Liquidation Preference .
 
(a)            Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Partnership, the holders of Series B Preferred Partnership Units then outstanding are entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Partnership legally available for distribution to its partners a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid distributions to the date of payment, before any distribution of assets is made to holders of Common Units or any other class or series of Partnership Units that ranks junior to the Series B Preferred Partnership Units as to liquidation rights.  After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distributions to which they are entitled, the holders of Series B Preferred Partnership Units will have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Partnership.
 
(b)            In the event that, upon any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the available assets of the Partnership are insufficient to pay the amount of the liquidating distributions on all outstanding Series B Preferred Partnership Units and the corresponding amounts payable on all Partnership Units of other classes or series of Partnership Units ranking on a parity with the Series B Preferred Partnership Units in the distribution of assets, then the holders of the Series B Preferred Partnership Units and all other such classes or series of Partnership Units shall share ratably in any such distribution of assets in proportion to the full liquidating distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled.
 
(c)            Written notice of any such liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Partnership, stating the payment date or dates when, and the place or places where, the amounts distributable in such circumstances shall be payable, shall be given by first class mail, postage pre-paid, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the payment date stated therein, to each record holder of the Series B Preferred Partnership Units at the respective addresses of such holders as the same shall appear in the books and records of the Partnership.
 
(d)            The consolidation, combination or merger of the Partnership with or into any other corporation, partnership or entity or consolidation or merger of any other corporation with or into the Partnership, or the sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of the Partnership’s assets, property or business or any statutory share exchange, shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Partnership.
 
5.             Redemption .
 
(a)             Right of Optional Redemption .  Except as expressly provided herein, the Series B Preferred Partnership Units are not redeemable prior to May 18, 2016.  On and after May 18, 2016, the Partnership, at its option and upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ written notice, may redeem the Series B Preferred Partnership Units, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to all accrued and unpaid distributions thereon to the date fixed for redemption (except as provided in Section 5(c) below), without interest. If less than all of the outstanding Series B Preferred Partnership Units are to be redeemed, the Series B Preferred Partnership Units to be redeemed shall be selected pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional units) or by any other equitable method determined by the Partnership.
 
(b)             Limitations on Redemption .  Unless full cumulative distributions on all Series B Preferred Partnership Units shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart for payment for all past distribution periods, no Series B Preferred Partnership Units shall be redeemed unless all outstanding Series B Preferred Partnership Units are simultaneously redeemed, and the Partnership shall not purchase or otherwise acquire directly or indirectly any Series B Preferred Partnership Units (except by exchange for Partnership Units ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Partnership Units as to distributions and upon liquidation); provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase or acquisition of Series B Preferred Partnership Units pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding Series B Preferred Partnership Units.
 
 
B-3

 
 
(c)             Payment of Distributions in Connection with Redemption .  Immediately prior to any redemption of Series B Preferred Partnership Units, the Partnership shall pay, in cash, any accumulated and unpaid distributions through the redemption date, unless a redemption date falls after a Distribution Record Date and prior to the corresponding Distribution Payment Date, in which case each holder of Series B Preferred Partnership Units at the close of business on such Distribution Record Date shall be entitled to the distribution payable on such units on the corresponding Distribution Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such units before such Distribution Payment Date. Except as provided above, the Partnership will make no payment or allowance for unpaid distributions, whether or not in arrears, on Series B Preferred Partnership Units which are redeemed.
 
(d)             Other Redemptions .  At any time that the General Partner exercises its right to redeem all or any of the Series B Preferred Shares, the General Partner shall cause the Partnership to concurrently redeem an equal number of Series B Preferred Partnership Units, at a redemption price per Series B Preferred Partnership Unit payable in cash and equal to the same price per share paid by the General Partner to redeem the Series B Preferred Shares (i.e., a redemption price of $25.00 per Series B Preferred Share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon).  No interest shall accrue for the benefit of the Series B Preferred Partnership Units to be redeemed on any cash set aside by the Partnership.
 
(e)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Partnership may redeem one Series B Preferred Partnership Unit for each Series B Preferred Share purchased in the open market, through tender or by private agreement with the General Partner.
 
(f)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Partnership may redeem Series B Preferred Partnership Units at any time in connection with any redemption by the General Partner of Series B Preferred Shares.
 
(g)             Status of Redeemed Units .  Any Series B Preferred Partnership Units that shall at any time have been redeemed shall, after such redemption, have the status of authorized but unissued Partnership Units, without designation as to class or series until such Partnership Units are thereafter classified or designated as part of a particular series.
 
6.             Voting Rights .  Except as provided by law, the General Partner, in its capacity as the holder of the Series B Preferred Partnership Units, shall not be entitled to vote for any purpose or otherwise participate in any action taken by the Partnership or the Partners.
 
7.             Conversion .
 
(a)            Except as otherwise set forth herein, the Series B Preferred Partnership Units are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or units of the Partnership.
 
(b)            In the event that a holder of Series B Preferred Shares of the General Partner exercises its right to convert the Series B Preferred Shares into Common Shares of the General Partner in accordance with the terms of the Articles Supplementary, then, concurrently therewith, an equivalent number of Series B Preferred Partnership Units held by the General Partner shall automatically be converted into a number of Common Units of the Partnership equal to the number of Common Shares issued upon conversion of such Series B Preferred Shares; provided, however, that if a holder of Series B Preferred Shares of the General Partner receives cash or other consideration in addition to or in lieu of Common Shares in connection with such conversion, then the General Partner, as the holder of Series B Preferred Partnership Units, shall be entitled to receive cash or such other consideration
 
 
B-4

 
 
8.             Allocations .
 
(a)            Sections 5.01(a) and (b) of the Partnership Agreement are hereby deleted and replaced by sections (a) and (b), below.
 
“(a)            Net Profit .  Except as otherwise provided herein, Net Profit for any fiscal year or other applicable period shall be allocated in the following order and priority:
 
(i)           first, to the General Partner in respect of its Series A Preferred Partnership Units and its Series B Preferred Partnership Units to the extent that Net Loss previously allocated to such holder pursuant to Section 5.01(b)(iii) below for all prior fiscal years or other applicable periods exceeds Net Profit previously allocated to the General Partner pursuant to this Section 5.01(a)(i) for all prior fiscal years or other applicable periods,
 
(ii)          second, to the General Partner and the Limited Partners holding Common Units in proportion to their respective Percentage Interests to the extent that Net Loss previously allocated to such holders pursuant to Section 5.01(b)(ii) below for all prior fiscal years or other applicable periods exceeds Net Profit previously allocated to such Partners pursuant to this Section 5.01(a)(ii) for all prior fiscal years or other applicable periods,
 
(iii)         third, to the General Partner in respect of its Series A Preferred Partnership Units and its Series B Preferred Partnership Units until it has been allocated Net Profit equal to the excess of (x) the cumulative amount of distributions the General Partner has received for all fiscal years or other applicable period or to the date of redemption, to the extent such Series A Preferred Partnership Units and such Series B Preferred Partnership Units are redeemed during such period, over (y) the cumulative Net Profit allocated to the General Partner, pursuant to this Section 5.01(a)(iii) for all prior fiscal years or other applicable periods, and
 
(iv)         thereafter, to the Partners holding Common Units in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests.
 
(b)            Net Loss .  Except as otherwise provided herein, Net Loss for any fiscal year or other applicable period shall be allocated in the following order and priority:
 
(i)           first, to the Partners holding Common Units in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests to the extent of Net Profit previously allocated to such Partners pursuant to Section 5.01(a)(iv) above for all prior fiscal years or other applicable period exceeds Net Loss previously allocated to such Partners pursuant to this Section 5.01(b)(i) for all prior fiscal years or other applicable periods,
 
(ii)          second, to the General Partner and the Limited Partners holding Common Units in proportion to their respective Percentage Interests until the adjusted Capital Account (including for this purpose any amounts a Partner is obligated to contribute to the capital of the Partnership or is deemed obligated to contribute pursuant to Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c)(2)) of each Partner with respect to such Common Units is reduced to zero, and
 
(iii)         thereafter, to the General Partner in respect of its Series A Preferred Partnership Units and its Series B Preferred Partnership Units, until the adjusted Capital Account (modified in the same manner as in clause (ii)) of the General Partner with respect to such Series A Preferred Partnership Units and such Series B Preferred Partnership Units is reduced to zero.
 
It is the intention of the parties hereunder that the aggregate Capital Account balance of the General Partner in respect of its Series A Preferred Partnership Units and its Series B Preferred Partnership Units at any date shall not exceed the amount of the original Capital Contributions made in respect of its Series A Preferred Partnership Units and its Series B Preferred Partnership Units plus all accrued and unpaid distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the extent not previously distributed.”
 
 
B-5

 
 
(b)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in connection with the liquidation of the Partnership or the interest of a holder of Series A Preferred Partnership Units and Series B Preferred Partnership Units, and prior to making any other allocations of Net Profit or Net Loss, items of income and gain or deduction and loss shall first be allocated to the General Partner in respect of its Series A Preferred Partnership Units and its Series B Preferred Partnership Units in such amounts as is required to cause the General Partner’s adjusted Capital Account Balance (taking into account any amounts such Partner is obligated to contribute to the capital of the Partnership or is deemed obligated to contribute pursuant to Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c)(2)) to equal the amount such Partner is entitled to receive pursuant to the provisions of Sections 4 and 5 hereof.
 
(c)            For purposes of this Section 8, “Net Profit” means the excess of the Partnership’s Profit over the Partnership’s Loss for any fiscal year or portion thereof, and “Net Loss” means the excess of the Partnership’s Loss over the Partnership’s Profit for any fiscal year or portion thereof.
 
B-6


Exhibit 31.1
 
CERTIFICATION
 
I, Jay H. Shah, certify that:
 
1.           I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2011 of Hersha Hospitality Trust;
 
2.           Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
 
3.           Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
 
4.           The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
 
a)           Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
 
b)           Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
 
c)           Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
 
d)           Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
 
5.           The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
 
a)           All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
 
b)           Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
 
Date: August 8, 2011

 
/s/ Jay H. Shah
 
 
Jay H. Shah
 
 
Chief Executive Officer
 
 
 


Exhibit 31.2
CERTIFICATION
 
I, Ashish R. Parikh, certify that:
 
1.           I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2011 of Hersha Hospitality Trust;
 
2.           Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
 
3.           Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
 
4.           The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f))  for the registrant and have:
 
a)           Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
 
b)           Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
 
c)           Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
 
d)           Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
 
5.           The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions);
 
a)           All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information: and
 
b)           Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
 
Date: August 8, 2011

 
 
  /s/ Ashish R. Parikh
 
 
Ashish R. Parikh
 
 
Chief Financial Officer
 



Exhibit 32.1


CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Hersha Hospitality Trust (the “Company”) for the period ended June 30, 2011 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Jay H. Shah, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to § 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

(1)
the Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

(2)
the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.


August 8, 2011
  /s/ Jay H. Shah
 
 
Jay H. Shah
 
 
Chief Executive Officer
 
 
 


Exhibit 32.2


CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Hersha Hospitality Trust (the “Company”) for the period ended June 30, 2011 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Ashish R. Parikh, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to § 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

(1)
the Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

(2)
the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.


August 8, 2011
  /s/ Ashish R. Parikh
 
 
Ashish R. Parikh
 
 
Chief Financial Officer