UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Form 8-K

 

Current Report

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 16, 2019

 

SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Maryland

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

000-55617

(Commission File Number)

46-1722812

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

 

10 Terrace Road, Ladera Ranch, California 92694

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

 

(877) 327-3485

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

None

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None.

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).  Emerging growth company

 

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

 

 

 


Item 1.01.Entry Into a Material Definitive Agreement.

As previously disclosed in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. (the “Company”) on August 6, 2018, the Company entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and certain of its executive officers substantially the form attached thereto as Exhibit 10.1 (the “Prior Indemnification Agreement”). The description of the Prior Indemnification Agreement is incorporated herein by reference.

On September 17, 2019, as a result of the amendments to the Company’s charter, as described more fully below in Item 5.03, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) approved revisions to the Prior Indemnification Agreement (the “Revised Indemnification Agreement”). The revisions were made in order to remove certain limitations previously required by the North American Securities Administrators Association Statement of Policy Regarding Real Estate Investment Trusts (“NASAA REIT Guidelines”) and to conform the scope of the indemnification to be consistent with the Company’s revised charter, as follows: (i) changes were made to increase the scope of indemnification provided to the maximum amount permitted under the Maryland General Corporation Law (“MGCL”), and (ii) the NASAA REIT Guidelines limitation on certain advancement of expenses in a stockholder derivative suit was removed. The foregoing summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Revised Indemnification Agreement attached as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

On and effective as of September 17, 2019, the Company executed a Revised Indemnification Agreement with each of its directors and executive officers, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1.

Item 5.03.Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

Amendments to Articles of Incorporation

As discussed in Item 5.07, below, on September 16, 2019, the Company held its 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”), at which the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of shares of the Company’s common stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting approved three separate proposals to amend and restate the Company’s charter. The foregoing proposals and a description of the proposed amendments are included in the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement (the “Proxy Statement”), as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 19, 2019, which is incorporated into this Item 5.03 disclosure by reference.

Proposal Nos. 2A through 2.C of the Proxy Statement related to the amendment and restatement of the Company’s charter (the “Second Amended and Restated Charter”). Specifically, Proposal No. 2A proposed the amendment and restatement of the Company’s charter to remove of certain limitations required by the North American Securities Administrators Association and make other conforming and ministerial changes, Proposal No. 2B proposed revisions in order to bring the Company’s charter more in line with those of publicly-listed companies, and Proposal No. 2C proposed revisions to enable the transfer of shares to prevent the possibility of a continuing violation of the ownership restrictions for REIT qualification.

As stated in the Proxy Statement, following stockholder approval of Proposal Nos. 2A through 2C, the Second Amended and Restated Charter would become effective once it was filed with, and accepted by, the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland (“SDAT”). The Second Amended and Restated Charter was filed with the SDAT and became effective on September 17, 2019.

A copy of the Second Amended and Restated Charter is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Amendments to Bylaws

On September 17, 2019, the Board approved the amendment and restatement of the Company’s bylaws (the “Amended and Restated Bylaws”), which became effective upon approval. The general intent of the Amended and Restated Bylaws is to conform the Company’s bylaws to the provisions of its charter that changed upon the filing of the Second Amended and Restated Charter with SDAT, including the removal of various provisions previously required by the NASAA REIT Guidelines. Additionally, the Amended and Restated Bylaws reflect recent updates and developments in public company governance. A copy of the complete text of the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, effective September 17, 2019, is attached as Exhibit 3.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and


 

incorporated herein by reference. The following is a discussion of the material provisions adopted or amended in the Amended and Restated Bylaws.

Article II has been amended: (i) to remove the NASAA REIT Guidelines requirement that the annual meeting of stockholders be held not less than 30 days after delivery of the annual report to stockholders; (ii) to establish the procedures for stockholders to call a special meeting, including: (a) increasing the percentage of shares entitled to require a special meeting from 10% to a majority, (b) clarifying the necessary content of, and establishing the required procedures for, stockholder notices requesting a special meeting, (c) clarifying the procedures for fixing the record date for determining stockholders entitled to request, receive notice of, and vote at a special meeting, (d) clarifying the procedures for setting the time, date, and place of special meetings of stockholders, and (e) clarifying other procedural matters related to the handling of stockholder requests for a special meeting; (iii) with respect to provisions related to the provision of notice for stockholder meetings, including: (a) allowing the “householding” of notices as provided by the MGCL and the federal proxy rules and (b) clarifying that a minor irregularity in providing such notice will not affect the validity of the meeting held thereby; (iv) to provide for plurality voting of directors, rather than majority; (v) to establish the procedures for stockholders to make director nominations and other stockholder proposals for consideration at stockholder meetings, including: (a) expanding the stockholder qualifications required to make director nominations, (b) expanding the advance notice provisions for director nominations and other stockholder proposals to provide the Board sufficient time and information to adequately consider and respond to such nominations or proposals, and (c) providing additional procedures to govern the consideration of director nominations at a stockholder meeting; and (vi) to exempt the Company from the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act.

Article III has been amended (i) to remove the NASAA REIT Guidelines requirement that certain transactions be approved by the independent directors of the Company; (ii) with respect to provisions related to removal of directors and filling of vacancies on the board of directors, including removal of (a) the provision allowing stockholders to remove any or all directors, with or without cause, by a majority vote and (b) the requirement that a vacancy in one of the Company’s independent director positions must be filled by affirmative vote of a majority of the Company’s independent directors; (iii) to remove unnecessary provisions concerning presumption of director assent to actions; (iv) to add a provision related to ratification of prior Company actions; and (v) to add a provision to provide for procedural flexibility in the event of an emergency.

Article IV has been amended (i) to provide that each committee shall be composed of a minimum of one director (rather than two directors) and (ii) to remove the NASAA REIT Guidelines requirement that all committees be comprised of a majority of independent directors.  Article V has been amended to include the office of “executive chairman” as an enumerated executive office and to make various other conforming revisions.  Article VI has been amended with respect to investment and deposit of Company funds, and Article XII has been amended to provide that waiver of notice as required by the Company’s charter or the bylaws may be made by electronic transmission.

Item 5.05.Amendments to the Registrant’s Code of Ethics, or Waiver of a Provision of the Code of Ethics.

On September 16, 2019, the Board approved amendments to the Company’s Code of Ethics and Business Conduct (the “Code Amendments”), effective immediately. Among other ministerial changes, the Code Amendments revised the Company’s Code of Ethics and Business Conduct to reflect the fact that the Company is now a self-managed REIT with its own employees and that it has neither an external advisor nor an external property manager. Accordingly, references to the Company’s advisor, property manager, sponsor and dealer manager were removed throughout and conforming changes were made. In addition, references to the newly created role of Executive Chairman were added alongside references to Chief Executive Officer. The revised Code of Ethics and Business Conduct is available at www.strategicreit.com/site/sst2/page/information#gov.

Item 5.07.Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

On September 16, 2019, the Company held its Annual Meeting. Set forth below are the final voting results from the Annual Meeting.

Proposal 1 – Election of Directors

The following five individuals were elected to the Board to serve as directors until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors have been duly elected and qualified.

 


 

Director

Votes For

Votes Withheld

H. Michael Schwartz

32,260,260

1,220,593

Paula Mathews

32,271,752

1,209,100

Timothy S. Morris  

32,228,995

1,251,857

David J. Mueller

32,232,023

1,248,829

Harold “Skip” Perry

32,118,868

1,361,984

 

Proposal 2 – Charter Amendments

The Company solicited votes on three separate proposals to amend and restate its Articles of Amendment and Restatement, all of which were approved by the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of shares of the Company’s common stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, as follows:

 

Proposal 2A – Amendments to Remove of Certain Limitations Required by the North American Securities Administrators Association and Make Other Conforming and Ministerial Changes

 

Votes For

Votes Against

Votes Abstained

30,469,240

926,144

2,085,469

 

Proposal 2B – Revisions In Order To Bring the Company’s Charter More In Line With Those of Publicly-Listed Companies

 

Votes For

Votes Against

Votes Abstained

31,265,229

507,852

1,707,771

 

Proposal 2C – Revisions to Enable the Transfer of Shares to Prevent the Possibility of a Continuing Violation of the Ownership Restrictions for REIT Qualification

 

Votes For

Votes Against

Votes Abstained

31,316,945

423,323

1,740,584

 

Proposal 3 – Ratification of the Appointment of BDO USA, LLP

The appointment of BDO USA, LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2019 was ratified by the stockholders by the following vote:

 

Votes For

Votes Against

Votes Abstained

31,766,464

302,414

1,411,975

 

Proposal 4 – Adjournment of the Annual Meeting

The proposal to approve the adjournment of the Annual Meeting, if necessary, to solicit additional proxies in favor of the foregoing proposals was approved by the following vote:

 

Votes For

Votes Against

Votes Abstained

31,521,942

495,661

1,463,249

 

*The vote numbers in the tables above are rounded to the nearest share.

 

Item 9.01.Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)  Exhibits.

3.1Second Amended and Restated Charter

3.2Amended and Restated Bylaws

10.1Form of Indemnification Agreement


 


 

SIGNATURE

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 hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

 

 

SMARTSTOP SELF STORAGE REIT, Inc.

Date:  September 19, 2019

By:

 

/s/ James Barry

 

 

 

 

 

James Barry

 

 

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

 

Exhibit 3.1

SECOND ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT
OF
SMARTSTOP SELF STORAGE REIT, INC.

FIRST:  SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc., a Maryland corporation, desires to amend and restate its charter as currently in effect and as hereinafter amended.

SECOND:  The following provisions are all the provisions of the charter currently in effect and as hereinafter amended:

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the corporation is SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. (the “Corporation”).

ARTICLE II

PURPOSE

The Corporation is formed for the purpose of carrying on any lawful business or activity, which may include qualifying as a real estate investment trust under Sections 856 through 860, or any successor sections, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

ARTICLE III

PRINCIPAL OFFICE IN STATE AND RESIDENT AGENT

The name and address of the resident agent for service of process of the Corporation in the State of Maryland is The Corporation Trust Incorporated, 2405 York Road, Suite 201, Lutherville Timonium, Maryland 21093. The address of the Corporation’s principal office in the State of Maryland is c/o The Corporation Trust Incorporated, 2405 York Road, Suite 201, Lutherville Timonium, Maryland 21093.

ARTICLE IV

DEFINITIONS

As used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context otherwise requires:

Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit.  9.8% in value of the aggregate of the outstanding shares of Stock or such other percentage determined by the board of directors in accordance with Section 6.1.8 herein.

Beneficial Ownership.  Ownership of Stock by a Person, whether the interest in the shares of Stock is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that would be treated as owned 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,” “Beneficially Owningˮ and “Beneficially Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

Business Day.  Any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in New York City are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Charitable Beneficiary.  One or more beneficiaries of the Trust as determined pursuant to Section 6.2.6, provided that each such organization must be described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and contributions to each such organization must be eligible for deduction under each of Sections 170(b)(1)(A), 2055 and 2522 of the Code.

Code.  The term shall have the meaning as provided in Article II herein.

 

 


Class A Common Stock.  The term shall have the meaning as provided in Section 5.1 herein.

Class T Common Stock.  The term shall have the meaning as provided in Section 5.1 herein.

Common Stock.  The term shall have the meaning as provided in Section 5.1 herein.

Common Stock Ownership Limit.  9.8% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of the aggregate of the outstanding shares of Common Stock or such other percentage determined by the board of directors in accordance with Section 6.1.8 herein.

Common Stockholders.  The holders of record of Common Stock.

Constructive Ownership.  Ownership of Stock by a Person, whether the interest in the shares of Stock is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that would be treated as owned through the application of Section 318(a) of the Code, as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Code.  The terms “Constructive Owner,” “Constructively Owns,” “Constructively Owning” and “Constructively Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

Corporation.  The term shall have the meaning as provided in Article I herein.

Excepted Holder.  A stockholder of the Corporation for whom an Excepted Holder Limit is created by the board of directors pursuant to Section 6.1.7.

Excepted Holder Limit.  The percentage limit established by the board of directors pursuant to Section 6.1.7 provided that the affected Excepted Holder agrees to comply with the requirements established by the board of directors pursuant to Section 6.1.7, and subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 6.1.8.

Independent Director.  A director who satisfies the independence requirements of the New York Stock Exchange as in effect from time to time.

Market Price.  With respect to any class or series of outstanding shares of Stock, the Closing Price for such Stock on such date.  The “Closing Priceˮ on any date shall mean the last sale price for such Stock, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, for such Stock, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the principal national securities exchange on which such Stock is listed or admitted to trading or, if such Stock is 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 NASDAQ or, if NASDAQ is no longer in use, the principal other automated quotation system that may then be in use or, if such Stock is not quoted by any such system, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such Stock selected by the board of directors or, in the event that no trading price is available for such Stock, the fair market value of the Stock, as determined in good faith by the board of directors.

MGCL.  The Maryland General Corporation Law, as amended from time to time.

Net Asset Value Per Share of Class A Common Stock. The net asset value of the Corporation allocable to the Class A Common Stock, determined as described in the Corporation’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, divided by the number of outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock.

Net Asset Value Per Share of Class T Common Stock. The net asset value of the Corporation allocable to the Class T Common Stock, determined as described in the Corporation’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, divided by the number of outstanding shares of Class T Common Stock.

Person.  An individual, corporation, association, estate, trust (including a trust qualified under Sections 401(a) or 501(c)(17) of the Code), a portion of a trust permanently set aside for or to be used exclusively for the purposes

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described in Section 642(c) of the Code, private foundation within the meaning of Section 509(a) of the Code, joint stock company, partnership, limited liability company or other legal 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, and a group to which an Excepted Holder Limit (as defined in Article VI) applies.

Preferred Stock.  The term shall have the meaning as provided in Section 5.1 herein.

Prohibited Owner.  With respect to any purported Transfer, any Person who but for the provisions of Section 6.1.1 would Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Stock and, if appropriate in the context, shall also mean any Person who would have been the record owner of the shares that the Prohibited Owner would have so owned.

REIT.  A corporation, trust or association which is engaged in investing in equity interests in real estate (including fee ownership and leasehold interests) or in loans secured by mortgages on real estate or both and that qualifies as a real estate investment trust under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code.

Restriction Termination Date.  The first day on which the board of directors determines pursuant to Section 7.2 that it is no longer in the best interests of the Corporation to attempt to, or continue to, qualify as a REIT or that compliance with any or all of the restrictions and limitations on Beneficial Ownership, Constructive Ownership and Transfers of shares of Stock set forth herein is no longer required in order for the Corporation to qualify as a REIT.

SDAT.  The State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland.

Stock.  All classes or series of stock of the Corporation, including, without limitation, Common Stock and Preferred Stock.

Stockholder Servicing Fee. The stockholder servicing fee on the Class T Common Stock payable to the Dealer Manager and to be re-allowed to participating broker-dealers, as described in the Corporation’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Transfer.  Any issuance, sale, transfer, gift, assignment, devise or other disposition as well as any other event that causes any Person to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Stock or the right to vote or receive distributions on Stock, or any agreement to take any such actions or cause any such events, including (a) the granting or exercise of any option (or any disposition of any option), (b) any disposition of any securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for Stock or any interest in Stock or any exercise of any such conversion or exchange right, and (c) Transfers of interests in other entities that result in changes in Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Stock; in each case, whether voluntary or involuntary, whether owned of record, Constructively Owned or Beneficially Owned, and whether by operation of law or otherwise.  The terms “Transferringˮ and “Transferredˮ shall have the correlative meanings.

Trust.  Any trust provided for in Section 6.2.1.

Trustee.  The Person unaffiliated with the Corporation and a Prohibited Owner that is appointed by the Corporation to serve as trustee of the Trust.

ARTICLE V

STOCK

Section 5.1.  Authorized Shares.  The Corporation has authority to issue 700,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), of which 350,000,000 shares of Common Stock shall be designated as Class A Common Stock (“Class A Common Stock”) and 350,000,000 shares of Common Stock shall be designated as Class T Common Stock (“Class T Common Stock”), and 200,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share (“Preferred Stock”).  The aggregate par value of all authorized shares of Stock having par value is $900,000.  The board of directors, without any action by the stockholders of the Corporation, may amend the

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charter from time to time to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of Stock or the number of shares of Stock of any class or series that the Corporation has the authority to issue.  If shares of one class of stock are classified or reclassified into shares of another class of stock pursuant to this Article V, 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, as the case may be, so that the aggregate number of shares of Stock of all classes that the Corporation has authority to issue shall not be more than the total number of shares of Stock set forth in the first sentence of this Section 5.1.

Section 5.2. Common Stock.

Section 5.2.1. Description. Subject to the provisions of Article VI and except as may otherwise be specified in the charter, each share of Common Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote. The board of directors may reclassify any unissued shares of Common Stock from time to time into one or more classes or series of Stock.

Section 5.2.2. Common Stock Subject to Terms of Preferred Stock. The Common Stock shall be subject to the express terms of any series of Preferred Stock.

Section 5.2.3. Rights Upon Liquidation. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up, or any distribution of the assets of the Corporation, (a) the holder of each share of Class A Common Stock shall be entitled to be paid, out of the assets of the Corporation that are legally available for distribution to the stockholders, a liquidation payment equal to the Net Asset Value Per Share of Class A Common Stock; and (b) the holder of each share of Class T Common Stock shall be entitled to be paid, out of the assets of the Corporation that are legally available for distribution to the stockholders, a liquidation payment equal to the Net Asset Value Per Share of Class T Common Stock.

Section 5.2.4. Voting Rights. Except as may be provided otherwise in the charter, and subject to the express terms of any class or series of Preferred Stock, each holder of a share of Common Stock shall vote together with the holders of all other shares of Common Stock, as a single class on all actions to be taken by the stockholders, and the holders of the Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote on all matters (as to which a Common Stockholder shall be entitled to vote pursuant to applicable law) at all meetings of the stockholders; provided, however, that with respect to any matter that would alter only the contract rights of a particular class of Common Stock, only the holders of such affected class of Common Stock shall have the right to vote on such matter.

Section 5.2.5.Conversion Upon Listing. Upon the listing of a class of Common Stock for trading on a national securities exchange, each share of Stock of the classes of Common Stock that are not so listed shall automatically and without any action on the part of the holder thereof convert into a number of shares of Stock of the listed class of Common Stock equal to a fraction, the numerator of which is the net asset value of the Corporation allocable to the shares of Stock of the applicable non-listed class of Common Stock and the denominator of which is the net asset value of the Corporation allocable to the shares of Stock of the listed class of Common Stock.

Section 5.3.  Preferred Stock.  The board of directors may classify any unissued shares of Preferred Stock and reclassify any previously classified but unissued shares of Preferred Stock of any series from time to time into one or more classes or series of Stock.

Section 5.4.  Classified or Reclassified Shares.  Prior to the issuance of classified or reclassified shares of any class or series, the board of directors by resolution shall: (a) designate that class or series to distinguish it from all other classes and series of Stock; (b) specify the number of shares to be included in the class or series; (c) set or change, subject to the provisions of Article VI and subject to the express terms of any class or series of Stock 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 class or series; and (d) cause the Corporation to file articles supplementary with the SDAT.  Any of the terms of any class or series of

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Stock set or changed pursuant to clause (c) of this Section 5.4 may be made dependent upon facts or events ascertainable outside the charter (including determinations by the board of directors or other facts or events within the control of the Corporation) 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 Stock is clearly and expressly set forth in the articles supplementary filed with the SDAT.

Section 5.5.  Charter and Bylaws.  The rights of all stockholders and the terms of all Stock are subject to the provisions of the charter and the bylaws.

Section 5.6.  No Preemptive Rights or Appraisal Rights.  Except as may be provided by the board of directors in setting the terms of classified or reclassified shares of Stock pursuant to Section 5.4 above or as may otherwise be provided by contract approved by the board of directors, no holder of shares of Stock of any class shall have any preemptive right to subscribe to or purchase any additional shares of any class, or any bonds or convertible securities of any nature.  Holders of shares of Stock shall not be entitled to exercise any rights of an objecting stockholder provided for under Title 3, Subtitle 2 of the MGCL or any successor statute unless the board of directors, upon such terms and conditions as may be specified by the board of directors, shall determine that such rights apply, with respect to all or any classes or series of Stock, to one or more transactions occurring after the date of such determination in connection with which holders of such shares of Stock would otherwise be entitled to exercise such rights.

Section 5.7.  Issuance of Shares Without Certificates.  The board of directors may authorize the issuance of shares of Stock without certificates.  The Corporation shall continue to treat the holder of uncertificated Stock registered on its stock ledger as the owner of the shares noted therein until the new owner delivers a properly executed form provided by the Corporation for that purpose.

Section 5.8.  Distributions.  The board of directors may from time to time authorize payments to stockholders in connection with their Stock, in cash or other assets of the Corporation or in Stock, including in Stock of one class payable to holders of Stock of another class.  Until the board of directors determines that it is no longer in the best interest of the Corporation to qualify as a REIT, the board of directors shall endeavor to authorize dividends to the extent necessary to preserve the status of the Corporation as a REIT; provided, however, that stockholders shall have no right to any dividend or other distribution unless and until authorized by the board of directors and declared by the Corporation.  The exercise of the powers and rights of the board of directors pursuant to this section shall be subject to the provisions of any class or series of Stock at the time outstanding.

The per share amount of distributions, if any, paid on the shares of Class A Common Stock and Class T Common Stock will differ because of the Stockholder Servicing Fee. With respect to distributions, other than distributions pursuant to a program or programs by which the Corporation voluntarily repurchases shares from its stockholders, each stockholder of a class or series of shares of Stock shall be treated the same as every other stockholder of that class or series and no class or series of Stock shall be treated other than in accordance with its rights as a class or series as set forth in the charter.

ARTICLE VI

RESTRICTION ON TRANSFER AND OWNERSHIP OF SHARES

Section 6.1.  Stock.

Section 6.1.1.  Ownership Limitations.  Prior to the Restriction Termination Date but subject to Section 6.3:

(a)Basic Restrictions.

(i)(1) No Person, other than an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Stock in excess of the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit, (2) no Person, other than an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Common Stock in excess of the Common

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Stock Ownership Limit, and (3) no Excepted Holder shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Stock in excess of the Excepted Holder Limit for such Excepted Holder.

(ii)No Person shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Stock to the extent that such Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Stock would result in the Corporation (1) being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year), or (2) otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT (including, but not limited to, Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership that would result in the Corporation actually owning or Constructively Owning an interest in a tenant that is described in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code if the income derived by the Corporation from such tenant would cause the Corporation to fail to satisfy any of the gross income requirements of Section 856(c) of the Code).

(iii)Any Transfer of shares of Stock that, if effective, would result in the Stock being Beneficially Owned by less than 100 Persons (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code) shall be void ab initio, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such shares of Stock; provided, however, that the board of directors may waive the application of this Section 6.1.1(a)(iii) if, in the opinion of the board of directors, such Transfer would not adversely affect the Corporation’s ability to qualify as a REIT.

(b)Transfer in Trust.  If any Transfer of shares of Stock  occurs that, if effective, would result in any Person Beneficially Owning or Constructively Owning shares of Stock in violation of Section 6.1.1(a)(i) or Section 6.1.1(a)(ii),

(i)then that number of shares of Stock the Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of which otherwise would cause such Person to violate Section 6.1.1(a)(i) or Section 6.1.1(a)(ii) (rounded to the nearest whole share) shall be automatically transferred to a Trust for the benefit of a Charitable Beneficiary, as described in Section 6.2, effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the date of such Transfer and such Person shall acquire no rights in such shares; provided, however,

(ii)if the Transfer to the Trust described in clause (i) of this sentence would not be effective for any reason to prevent the violation of Section 6.1.1(a)(i) or Section 6.1.1(a)(ii), then the Transfer of that number of shares of Stock that otherwise would cause any Person to violate Section 6.1.1(a)(i) or Section 6.1.1(a)(ii) shall be void ab initio and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such shares of Stock.

To the extent that, upon a transfer of shares of Stock pursuant to this Section 6.1.1(b), a violation of any provision of this Article VI would nonetheless be continuing (for example where the ownership of shares of Stock by a single Charitable Trust would violate the 100 stockholder requirement applicable to REITs), the shares of Stock shall be transferred to that number of Charitable Trusts, each having a distinct Charitable Trustee and a Charitable Beneficiary or Beneficiaries that are distinct from those of each other Charitable Trust, such that there is no violation of any provision of this Article VI.

Section 6.1.2.  Remedies for Breach.  If the board of directors shall at any time determine in good faith that a Transfer or other event has taken place that results in a violation of Section 6.1.1(a) or that a Person intends to acquire or has attempted to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of any shares of Stock in violation of Section 6.1.1(a) (whether or not such violation is intended), the board of directors or a committee thereof shall take such action as it deems advisable to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such Transfer or other event, including, without limitation, causing the Corporation to redeem shares, refusing to give effect to such Transfer on the books of the Corporation or instituting proceedings to enjoin such Transfer or other event; provided, however, that any Transfers or attempted Transfers or other events in violation of Section 6.1.1(a) shall automatically result in the Transfer to the Trust described above and, where applicable, such Transfer (or other event) shall be void ab initio as provided above irrespective of any action (or non-action) by the board of directors.

Section 6.1.3.  Notice of Restricted Transfer.  Any Person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of shares of Stock that will or may violate Section 6.1.1(a) or any Person who would have owned shares of Stock that resulted in a Transfer to the Trust pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1.1(b) shall immediately give written notice to the Corporation of such event or, in the case of such a proposed or attempted transaction, give at least 15 days prior written notice and shall provide to the Corporation such

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other information as the Corporation may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Transfer on the Corporationʼs status as a REIT.

Section 6.1.4.  Owners Required to Provide Information.  Prior to the Restriction Termination Date:

(a)every owner of 5% or more (or such higher percentage as required by the Code or the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder) of the outstanding shares of Stock, within 30 days after the end of each taxable year, shall give written notice to the Corporation stating the name and address of such owner, the number of shares of Stock and other shares of the Stock Beneficially Owned and a description of the manner in which such shares are held.  Each such owner shall provide to the Corporation such additional information as the Corporation may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Beneficial Ownership on the Corporationʼs status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit; and

(b)each Person who is a Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner of Stock and each Person (including the stockholder of record) who is holding Stock for a Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner shall provide to the Corporation such information as the Corporation may request, in good faith, in order to determine the Corporationʼs status as a REIT and to comply with requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance.

Section 6.1.5.  Remedies Not Limited.  Subject to Section 7.2, nothing contained in this Section 6.1 shall limit the authority of the board of directors to take such other action as it deems necessary or advisable to protect the Corporation and the interests of its stockholders in preserving the Corporationʼs status as a REIT.

Section 6.1.6.  Ambiguity.  In the case of an ambiguity in the application of any of the provisions of this Section 6.1, Section 6.2 or any definition contained herein, the board of directors shall have the power to determine the application of the provisions of this Section 6.1 or Section 6.2 with respect to any situation based on the facts known to it.  In the event Section 6.1 or Section 6.2 requires an action by the board of directors and the charter fails to provide specific guidance with respect to such action, the board of directors shall have the power to determine the action to be taken so long as such action is not contrary to the provisions of Sections 6.1 or 6.2.  Absent a decision to the contrary by the board of directors, if a Person would have (but for the remedies set forth in Section 6.2) acquired Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Stock in violation of Section 6.1(a), such remedies (as applicable) shall apply first to the shares of Stock which, but for such remedies, would have been Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned (but not actually owned) by such Person, pro rata among the Persons who actually own such shares of Stock based upon the relative number of the shares of Stock held by each such Person.

Section 6.1.7.  Exceptions.

(a)Subject to Section 6.1.1(a)(ii), the board of directors, in its sole and absolute discretion, may exempt (prospectively or retroactively) a Person from the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit and the Common Stock Ownership Limit, as the case may be, and may establish or increase an Excepted Holder Limit for such Person if:

(i) the board of directors obtains such representations and undertakings from such Person as are reasonably necessary to ascertain that no Personʼs Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of such shares of Stock will violate Section 6.1.1(a)(ii);

(ii) such Person does not and represents that it will not own, actually own or Constructively Own, an interest in a tenant of the Corporation (or a tenant of any entity owned or controlled by the Corporation) that would cause the Corporation to actually own or Constructively Own more than a 9.9% interest (as set forth in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code) in such tenant and the board of directors obtains such representations and undertakings from such Person as are reasonably necessary to ascertain this fact (for this purpose, a tenant from whom the Corporation (or an entity owned or controlled by the Corporation) derives (and is expected to continue to derive) a sufficiently small amount of revenue such that, in the opinion of the board of directors, rent from such tenant would not adversely affect the Corporation's ability to qualify as a REIT shall not be treated as a tenant of the Corporation); and

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(iii) such Person agrees that any violation or attempted violation of such representations or undertakings (or other action which is contrary to the restrictions contained in Sections 6.1.1 through 6.1.6) will result in such shares of Stock being automatically transferred to a Trust in accordance with Section 6.1.1(b) and Section 6.2.

(b)Prior to granting any exception pursuant to Section 6.1.7(a), the board of directors may require a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or an opinion of counsel, in either case, in form and substance satisfactory to the board of directors in its sole and absolute discretion, as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to determine or ensure the Corporationʼs status as a REIT.  Notwithstanding the receipt of any ruling or opinion, the board of directors may impose such conditions or restrictions as it deems appropriate in connection with granting such exception.

(c)Subject to Section 6.1.1(a)(ii), an underwriter which participates in a public offering or a private placement of Stock (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Stock) may Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Stock (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Stock) in excess of the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit, the Common Stock Ownership Limit or both such limits, but only to the extent necessary to facilitate such public offering or private placement.

(d)The board of directors may only reduce the Excepted Holder Limit for an Excepted Holder: (i) with the written consent of such Excepted Holder at any time; or (ii) pursuant to the terms and conditions of the agreements and undertakings entered into with such Excepted Holder in connection with the establishment of the Excepted Holder Limit for that Excepted Holder.  No Excepted Holder Limit shall be reduced to a percentage that is less than the Common Stock Ownership Limit.

Section 6.1.8.  Increase in Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit and Common Stock Ownership Limit.  Subject to Section 6.1.1(a)(ii), the board of directors may from time to time increase the Common Stock Ownership Limit and the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit for one or more Persons and increase or decrease the Common Share Ownership Limit and the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit for all other Persons.  No decreased Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Share Ownership Limit will be effective for any Person whose percentage of ownership in Stock is in excess of such decreased Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, as applicable, until such time as such Person’s percentage of ownership in Stock equals or falls below the decreased Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, but any further acquisition of Stock in excess of such percentage ownership of Stock will be in violation of the Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Share Ownership Limit and, provided further, that the new Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Share Ownership Limit would not allow five or fewer Persons to Beneficially Own more than 49.9% in value of the outstanding Stock.

Section 6.1.9.  Legend.  Each certificate for shares of Stock, if certificated, or any written statement of information in lieu of a certificate delivered to a holder of uncertificated shares of Stock shall bear substantially the following legend:

The shares represented by this certificate are subject to restrictions on Beneficial Ownership, Constructive Ownership and Transfer for the purpose of the Corporationʼs maintenance of its status as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).  Subject to certain further restrictions and except as expressly provided in the Corporationʼs charter:  (a) no Person may Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of the Corporationʼs Common Stock in excess of 9.8% (in value or number of shares) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock unless such Person is an Excepted Holder (in which case the Excepted Holder Limit for such Excepted Holder shall be applicable); (b) no Person may Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Stock of the Corporation in excess of 9.8% of the value of the total outstanding shares of Stock, unless such Person is an Excepted Holder (in which case the Excepted Holder Limit for such Excepted Holder shall be applicable); (c) no Person may Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Stock that would result in the Corporation being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code or otherwise

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cause the Corporation to fail to qualify as a REIT; and (d) other than as provided in the Corporation’s charter, any Transfer of shares of Stock that, if effective, would result in the Stock being Beneficially Owned by fewer than 100 Persons (as determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code) shall be void ab initio, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such shares of Stock.  Any Person who Beneficially Owns or Constructively Owns or attempts to Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Stock which causes or will cause a Person to Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Stock in excess or in violation of the above limitations must immediately notify the Corporation in writing (or, in the case of an attempted transaction, give at least 15 days prior written notice).  If any of the restrictions on Transfer or ownership as set forth in (a), (b) or (c) above are violated, the shares of Stock in excess or in violation of the above limitations will be automatically transferred to a Trustee of a Trust for the benefit of one or more Charitable Beneficiaries.  In addition, the Corporation may redeem Stock upon the terms and conditions specified by the board of directors in its sole and absolute discretion if the board of directors determines that ownership or a Transfer or other event may violate the restrictions described above.  Furthermore, upon the occurrence of certain events, attempted Transfers in violation of the restrictions described in (a), (b) or (c) above may be void ab initio

All capitalized terms in this legend have the meanings defined in the charter of the Corporation, as the same may be amended from time to time, a copy of which, including the restrictions on Transfer and ownership, will be furnished to each holder of Stock on request and without charge.  Requests for such a copy may be directed to the Secretary of the Corporation at its principal office.

Instead of the foregoing legend, the certificate or written statement of information delivered in lieu of a certificate, if any, may state that the Corporation will furnish a full statement about certain restrictions on transferability to a stockholder on request and without charge.

Section 6.2.  Transfer of Stock in Trust.

Section 6.2.1.  Ownership in Trust.  Upon any purported Transfer or other event described in Section 6.1.1(b) that would result in a transfer of shares of Stock to a Trust, such shares of Stock shall be deemed to have been Transferred to the Trustee as trustee of a Trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more Charitable Beneficiaries.  Such Transfer to the Trustee shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the purported Transfer or other event that results in the Transfer to the Trust pursuant to Section 6.1.1(b).  The Trustee shall be appointed by the Corporation and shall be a Person unaffiliated with the Corporation and any Prohibited Owner.  Each Charitable Beneficiary shall be designated by the Corporation as provided in Section 6.2.6.

Section 6.2.2.  Status of Shares Held by the Trustee.  Shares of Stock held by the Trustee shall be issued and outstanding shares of Stock.  The Prohibited Owner shall have no rights in the shares held by the Trustee.  The Prohibited Owner shall not benefit economically from ownership of any shares held in trust by the Trustee and shall have no rights to dividends or other distributions attributable to the shares held in the Trust.

Section 6.2.3.  Distributions and Voting Rights.  The Trustee shall have all voting rights and rights to distributions with respect to shares of Stock held in the Trust, which rights shall be exercised for the exclusive benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary.  Any distribution paid prior to the discovery by the Corporation that the shares of Stock have been transferred to the Trustee shall be paid by the recipient of such distribution to the Trustee upon demand, and any distribution authorized but unpaid shall be paid when due to the Trustee.  Any distribution so paid to the Trustee shall be held in trust for the Charitable Beneficiary.  The Prohibited Owner shall have no voting rights with respect to shares held in the Trust, and, subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that the shares of Stock have been transferred to the Trustee, the Trustee shall have the authority with respect to the shares held in the Trust (at the Trustee's sole discretion) (a) to rescind as void any vote cast by a Prohibited Owner prior to the discovery by

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the Corporation that the shares of Stock have been transferred to the Trustee and (b) to recast such vote in accordance with the desires of the Trustee acting for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary; provided, however, that if the Corporation has already taken irreversible corporate action, then the Trustee shall not have the authority to rescind and recast such vote.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article VI, until the Corporation has received notification that shares of Stock have been transferred into a Trust, the Corporation shall be entitled to rely on its share transfer and other stockholder records for purposes of preparing lists of stockholders entitled to vote at meetings, determining the validity and authority of proxies and otherwise conducting votes of stockholders.

Section 6.2.4.  Sale of Shares by Trustee.  Within 20 days of receiving notice from the Corporation that shares of Stock have been transferred to the Trust, the Trustee of the Trust shall sell the shares held in the Trust to a Person, designated by the Trustee, whose ownership of the shares will not violate the ownership limitations set forth in Section 6.1.1(a).  Upon such sale, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner and to the Charitable Beneficiary as provided in this Section 6.2.4.  The Prohibited Owner shall receive the lesser of (a) the price paid by the Prohibited Owner for the shares or, if the Prohibited Owner did not give value for the shares in connection with the event causing the shares to be held in the Trust (e.g., in the case of a gift, devise or other such transaction), the Market Price of the shares on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in the Trust or (b) the price per share received by the Trustee from the sale or other disposition of the shares held in the Trust.  The Trustee may reduce the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner by the amount of dividends and other distributions which have been paid to the Prohibited Owner and are owed by the Prohibited Owner to the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.2.3 of this Article VI.  Any net sale proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner shall be immediately paid to the Charitable Beneficiary.  If, prior to the discovery by the Corporation that shares of Stock have been transferred to the Trustee, such shares are sold by a Prohibited Owner, then (i) such shares shall be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the Trust and (ii) to the extent that the Prohibited Owner received an amount for such shares that exceeds the amount that such Prohibited Owner was entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 6.2.4, such excess shall be paid to the Trustee upon demand.

Section 6.2.5.  Purchase Right in Stock Transferred to the Trustee.  Shares of Stock transferred to the Trustee shall be deemed to have been offered for sale to the Corporation, or its designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (a) the price per share in the transaction that resulted in such Transfer to the Trust (or, in the case of a devise or gift, the Market Price at the time of such devise or gift) or (b) the Market Price on the date the Corporation, or its designee, accepts such offer.  The Corporation shall have the right to accept such offer until the Trustee has sold the shares held in the Trust pursuant to Section 6.2.4.  Upon such a sale to the Corporation, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner.  The Corporation may reduce the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner by the amount of dividends and other distributions which have been paid to the Prohibited Owner and are owed by the Prohibited Owner to the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.2.3 of this Article VI.  The Corporation may pay the amount of such reduction to the Trustee for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary.

Section 6.2.6.  Designation of Charitable Beneficiaries.  By written notice to the Trustee, the Corporation shall designate one or more nonprofit organizations to be the Charitable Beneficiary of the interest in the Trust such that (a) the shares of Stock held in the Trust would not violate the restrictions set forth in Section 6.1.1(a) in the hands of such Charitable Beneficiary and (b) each such organization must be described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and contributions to each such organization must be eligible for deduction under each of Sections 170(b)(1)(A), 2055 and 2522 of the Code.  Neither the failure of the Corporation to make such designation nor the failure of the Corporation to appoint the Trustee before the automatic transfer provided in Section 6.1(b) shall make such transfer ineffective, provided that the Corporation thereafter makes such designation and appointment.

Section 6.3.  Settlement.  Nothing in this Article VI shall preclude the settlement of any transaction entered into through the facilities of any national securities exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system.  The fact that the settlement of any transaction is so permitted shall not negate the effect of any other provision of this Article VI and any transferee in such a transaction shall be subject to all of the provisions and limitations set forth in this Article VI.

Section 6.4.  Enforcement.  The Corporation is authorized specifically to seek equitable relief, including injunctive relief, to enforce the provisions of this Article VI.

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Section 6.5.  Non-Waiver.  No delay or failure on the part of the Corporation or the board of directors in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver of any right of the Corporation or the board of directors, as the case may be, except to the extent specifically waived in writing.

ARTICLE VII

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 7.1.  Number of Directors.  The number of directors of the Corporation shall be five.  The number of directors of the Corporation may be increased or decreased from time to time pursuant to the bylaws but shall never be less than the minimum number required by the MGCL.  A majority of the directors will be Independent Directors.  The Corporation elects pursuant to Section 3-804(c) of the MGCL that, except as may be provided by the board in setting the terms of any class or series of Preferred Stock, any and all vacancies on the board may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any director elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which such vacancy occurred and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies.  No reduction in the number of directors shall cause the removal of any director from office prior to the expiration of his or her term, except as may otherwise be provided in the terms of any Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation.  The names of the directors who shall serve on the board until the next annual meeting of the stockholders and until their successor are duly elected and qualify, subject to the filling of vacancies or an increase in the number of directors prior to the next annual meeting of the stockholders, are:

H. Michael Schwartz

Paula Mathews

Timothy S. Morris

David J. Mueller

Harold “Skip” Perry

 

Section 7.2.  REIT Qualification.  The board of directors shall use its reasonable best efforts to take such actions as are necessary or appropriate to preserve the status of the Corporation as a REIT; however, if the board of directors determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the Corporation to continue to be qualified as a REIT, the board of directors may revoke or otherwise terminate the Corporation’s REIT election pursuant to Section 856(g) of the Code.  The board of directors, in its sole and absolute discretion, also may (a) determine that compliance with any restriction or limitation on ownership and Transfers of Stock set forth in Article VI is no longer required for REIT qualification and (b) make any other determination or take any other action pursuant to Article VI. 

Section 7.3.  Determinations by the Board.  The determination as to any of the following matters, made by or pursuant to the direction of the board of directors, shall be final and conclusive and shall be binding upon the Corporation and every holder of shares of Stock: (a) the amount of the net income of the Corporation for any period and the amount of assets at any time legally available for the payment of dividends, redemption of Stock or the payment of other distributions on its Stock; (b) the amount of paid-in surplus, net assets, other surplus, annual or other net profit, net assets in excess of capital, undivided profits or excess of profits over losses on sales of assets; (c) the amount, purpose, time of creation, increase or decrease, alteration or cancellation of any reserves or charges and the propriety thereof (whether or not any obligation or liability for which such reserves or charges shall have been created shall have been paid or discharged); (d) the fair value, or any sale, bid or asked price to be applied in determining the fair value, of any asset owned or held by the Corporation or any shares of Stock; (e) the number of shares of Stock of any class of the Corporation; (f) any interpretation or resolution of any ambiguity with respect to any provision of the charter (including any of the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers or rights, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of any shares of any class or series of Stock) or of the bylaws; (g) any interpretation of the terms and conditions of one or more agreements with any Person; (h) any matter relating to the acquisition, holding and disposition of any assets by the Corporation; or (i) any other matter relating to the business and affairs of the Corporation or required or permitted by applicable law, the charter or bylaws or otherwise to be determined by the board of directors; provided, however, that

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any determination by the board of directors as to any of the preceding matters shall not render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination and no director shall be liable for making or failing to make such a determination.

Section 7.4.  Removal of Directors. Subject to the rights of holders of one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock to elect or remove one or more directors, any director, or the entire board of directors, may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and then only by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of directors.  For the purpose of this paragraph, “cause” shall mean, with respect to any particular director, conviction of a felony or a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction holding that such director caused demonstrable, material harm to the Company through bad faith or active and deliberate dishonesty.

Section 7.5  Authorization by Board of Stock Issuance.  The board of directors may authorize the issuance from time to time of shares of Stock of any class or series, whether now or hereafter authorized, or securities or rights convertible into shares of Stock of any class or series, whether now or hereafter authorized, for such consideration as the board of directors may deem advisable (or without consideration in the case of a stock split or stock dividend), subject to such restrictions or limitations, if any, as may be set forth in the charter or the bylaws.

ARTICLE VIII

LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS,
OFFICERS AND OTHER AGENTS

Section 8.1.  Limitation of Director and Officer Liability.  To the maximum extent that Maryland law in effect from time to time permits limitation of the liability of directors and officers of a corporation, no present or former director or officer of the Corporation shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for money damages.  Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Section 8.1, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the charter or bylaws inconsistent with this Section 8.1, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding sentence with respect to any act or failure to act which occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.

Section 8.2.  Indemnification.

(a)To the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, the Corporation shall indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, shall pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding to: (i) any individual who is a present or former director or officer of the Corporation and who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in, the proceeding by reason of his or her service in such capacity; or (ii) any individual who, while a director or officer of the Corporation and at the request of the Corporation, serves or has served as a director, officer, member, manager, partner or trustee of another corporation, real estate investment trust, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in, the proceeding by reason of his or her service in such capacity.  With the approval of the board of directors, the Corporation shall have the power to provide such indemnification and advancement of expenses to an individual who served a predecessor of the Corporation in any of the capacities described in (a) or (b) above and to any employee or agent of the Corporation or a predecessor of the Corporation.  The indemnification and payment or reimbursement of expenses provided herein shall not be deemed exclusive of or limit in any way other rights to which any person seeking indemnification or payment or reimbursement of expenses may be or may become entitled under any bylaw, resolution, insurance, agreement or otherwise.

(b)Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Section 8.2, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the charter or bylaws inconsistent with this Section 8.2, shall limit or eliminate the right of indemnification or advancement of expenses provided hereunder with respect to acts or omissions occurring prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.

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ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENT

The Corporation reserves the right from time to time to make any amendment to the charter, now or hereafter authorized by law, including any amendment altering the terms or contract rights, as expressly set forth in the charter, of any shares of outstanding Stock.  All rights and powers conferred by the charter on stockholders, directors and officers are granted subject to this reservation.

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 10.1.  Governing Law.  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 law provisions thereof.

Section 10.2  Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations.  

(a)The provisions of the charter are severable, and if the board of directors shall determine that any one or more of such provisions are in conflict with the REIT provisions of the Code, or other applicable federal or state laws, the conflicting provisions shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of the charter, even without any amendment of the charter pursuant to Article IX hereof; provided, however, that such determination by the board of directors shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions of the charter or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination. No director shall be liable for making or failing to make such a determination.

(b)If any provision of the charter shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such holding shall not in any manner affect or render invalid or unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction or any other provision of the charter in any jurisdiction.

Section 10.3  Extraordinary Actions. Notwithstanding any provision of law permitting or requiring any action to be taken or approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a greater number of votes, any such action shall be effective and valid if taken or approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

THIRD:  The amendment and restatement of the charter of the Corporation as hereinabove set forth has been duly advised by the board of directors and approved by the stockholders of the Corporation as required by law.

FOURTH:  The current address of the principal office of the Corporation in the State of Maryland is as set forth in Article III of the foregoing amendment and restatement of the charter.

FIFTH:  The name and address of the Corporation’s current resident agent are as set forth in Article III of the foregoing amendment and restatement of the charter.

SIXTH:  The number of directors of the Corporation and the names of those currently in office are as set forth in Section 7.1 of the foregoing amendment and restatement of the charter.

SEVENTH:  The undersigned acknowledges the foregoing amendment and restatement of the charter to be the corporate act of the Corporation and as to all matters and facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned 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.

[SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. has caused the foregoing Second Articles of Amendment and Restatement to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its Chief Executive Officer and attested to by its Secretary on this 16th day of September, 2019.

 

ATTEST:SMARTSTOP SELF STORAGE REIT, INC.

 

By:/s/ Nicholas M. LookBy:/s/ Michael S. McClure

      Nicholas M. LookMichael S. McClure

      SecretaryChief Executive Officer

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.2

 

SMARTSTOP SELF STORAGE REIT, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

Section 1. PRINCIPAL OFFICE. The principal office of SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Maryland shall be located at such place as the Board of Directors may designate from time to time.

Section 2. ADDITIONAL OFFICES. The Corporation may have additional offices, including a principal executive office, at such places as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.

ARTICLE II

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

Section 1. PLACE. All meetings of stockholders shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation or at such other place as shall be set in accordance with these Bylaws and stated in the notice of the meeting.

Section 2. ANNUAL MEETING. An annual meeting of the stockholders for the election of directors and the transaction of any business within the powers of the Corporation shall be held on a date and at the time and place set by the Board of Directors. The purpose of each annual meeting of the stockholders shall be to elect directors of the Corporation and to transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

Section 3. SPECIAL MEETINGS.

(a) General. Each of the chairman of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president and the Board of Directors may call a special meeting of stockholders. Except as provided in subsection (b)(4) of this Section 3, a special meeting of stockholders shall be held on the date and at the time and place set by the chairman of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Directors, whoever has called the meeting. Subject to subsection (b) of this Section 3, a special meeting of stockholders shall also be called by the secretary of the Corporation to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a special meeting of stockholders upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting.

(b) Stockholder-Requested Special Meetings.

(1) Any stockholder of record seeking to have stockholders request a special meeting shall, by sending written notice in proper form to the secretary of the Corporation (the Record Date Request Notice) at the principal executive office of the Corporation by registered mail, return receipt requested, request the Board of Directors to fix a record date to determine the stockholders entitled to request a special meeting (the Request Record Date). To be in proper form, the Record Date Request Notice shall (A) set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it, (B) be signed by one or more stockholders of record as of the date of signature (or his, her or their agent or agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the Record Date Request Notice), (C) bear the date of signature of each such stockholder (or such agent) and (D) set forth all information relating to each such stockholder and each matter proposed to be acted on at the special meeting that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of directors in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such a solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the Exchange Act). Upon receiving the Record Date Request Notice, the Board of Directors may fix a Request Record Date. The Request Record Date shall not precede and shall not be more than 10 days after the close of business on the date on which the resolution fixing the Request Record Date is adopted by the Board of Directors. If the Board of Directors, within 10 days after the date on which a valid Record Date Request Notice is received, fails to adopt a resolution fixing the Request Record Date, the Request Record Date shall be the close of business on the 10th day after the first date on which such Record Date Request Notice is received by the secretary.

(2) In order for a stockholder to request a special meeting to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders (a Stockholder Requested Special Meeting), one or more written requests for a special meeting (collectively, the Special Meeting Request) in proper form and signed by stockholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the request) as of the Request Record Date entitled to cast not less than a majority of all

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of the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting (the Special Meeting Percentage) shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation. To be in proper form, the Special Meeting Request shall (A) set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it (which shall be limited to those lawful matters set forth in the Record Date Request Notice received by the secretary), including the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration), (B) bear the date of signature of each such stockholder (or such agent) signing the Special Meeting Request, (C) set forth (i) the name and address, as they appear in the Corporations books, of each stockholder signing such request (or on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is signed), (ii) the class, series and number of all shares of stock of the Corporation which are owned (beneficially or of record) by each such stockholder, (iii) the nominee holder for, and number of, shares of stock of the Corporation owned beneficially but not of record by such stockholder, (D) be sent to the secretary by registered mail, return receipt requested, and (E) be received by the secretary within 60 days after the Request Record Date. Any requesting stockholder (or agent duly authorized in writing accompanying the revocation of the Special Meeting Request) may revoke his, her or its request for a special meeting at any time by written revocation delivered to the secretary.

(3) The secretary shall inform the requesting stockholders of the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and mailing or delivering the notice of the special meeting (including the Corporations proxy materials). The secretary shall not be required to call a special meeting upon stockholder request and such meeting shall not be held unless, in addition to the documents required by paragraph (b)(2) of this Section 3, the secretary receives payment of such reasonably estimated cost prior to the preparation and mailing or delivery of such notice of the meeting.

(4) In the case of any special meeting called by the secretary upon the request of stockholders (a Stockholder-Requested Meeting), such meeting shall be held at such place, date and time as may be designated by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the date of any Stockholder-Requested Meeting shall be not more than 90 days after the record date for such meeting (the Meeting Record Date); and provided further that if the Board of Directors fails to designate, within 10 days after the date that a valid Special Meeting Request is actually received by the secretary (the Delivery Date), a date and time for a Stockholder-Requested Meeting, then such meeting shall be held at 2:00 p.m., local time, on the 90th day after the Meeting Record Date or, if such 90th day is not a Business Day (as defined below), on the first preceding Business Day; and provided further that in the event that the Board of Directors fails to designate a place for a Stockholder-Requested Meeting within 10 days after the Delivery Date, then such meeting shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation. In fixing a date for a Stockholder-Requested Meeting, the Board of Directors may consider such factors as it deems relevant, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for the meeting and any plan of the Board of Directors to call an annual meeting or a special meeting. In the case of any Stockholder-Requested Meeting, if the Board of Directors fails to fix a Meeting Record Date that is a date within 30 days after the Delivery Date, then the close of business on the 30th day after the Delivery Date shall be the Meeting Record Date. The Board of Directors may revoke the notice for any Stockholder-Requested Meeting in the event that the requesting stockholders fail to comply with the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Section 3(b). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these bylaws, the Board of Directors may submit its own proposal or proposals for consideration at any such special meeting.

(5) If written revocations of the Special Meeting Request have been delivered to the secretary and the result is that stockholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in writing), as of the Request Record Date, entitled to cast less than the Special Meeting Percentage have delivered, and not revoked, requests for a special meeting on the matter to the secretary: (A) if the notice of meeting has not already been sent to the stockholders of the Corporation, the secretary shall refrain from sending the notice of the meeting and shall send to all requesting stockholders who have not revoked such requests written notice of any revocation of a request for a special meeting on the matter, or (B) if the notice of meeting has been sent to the stockholders of the Corporation, and if the secretary first sends to all requesting stockholders who have not revoked requests for a special meeting on the matter written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting and written notice of the Corporations intention to revoke the notice of and to cancel the meeting or for the chairman of the meeting to adjourn the meeting without acting on the matter, (i) the secretary may revoke the notice of and cancel the meeting at any time before 10 days before the commencement of the meeting or (ii) the chairman of the meeting may call the meeting to order and adjourn the meeting without acting on the matter. Any request for a special meeting received after a revocation by the secretary of a notice of a meeting shall be considered a request for a new special meeting.

(6) The chairman of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Directors may appoint independent inspectors of elections to act as the agent of the Corporation for the purpose of promptly performing a ministerial review of the validity of any purported Special Meeting Request received by the secretary. For the purpose of permitting the inspectors to perform such review, no such purported Special Meeting Request shall be deemed to have been received by the secretary until the earlier of (A) five Business Days after actual receipt by the secretary of such purported request and (B) such date as the independent inspectors certify to the Corporation that the valid requests received by the secretary represent, as of the Request Record Date, stockholders of record entitled to cast not less than the Special Meeting

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Percentage. Nothing contained in this paragraph (6) shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Corporation or any stockholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any request, whether during or after such five Business Day period, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution or defense of any litigation with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).

(7) The secretary shall not accept, and the secretary and the Corporation shall consider ineffective, any request from any stockholder to hold a special meeting or to establish a Request Record Date or Meeting Record Date that (A) does not comply with this Section 3(b) or (B) proposes or includes an item of business to be transacted at such special meeting that is not a proper subject for stockholder action under the charter of the Corporation (the “Charter”), these Bylaws or applicable law.

(8) For purposes of these Bylaws, Business Day shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York or the State of Maryland are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

Section 4. NOTICE. Not less than 10 nor more than 90 days before each meeting of stockholders, the secretary shall give to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting and to each stockholder not entitled to vote who is entitled to notice of the meeting written or printed notice stating the time and place of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting or as otherwise may be required by the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”), the purpose for which the meeting is called. Notice shall be deemed delivered to a stockholder upon (i) presenting it to such stockholder personally, (ii) leaving it at the stockholder’s residence or usual place of business, (iii) mailing it to the stockholder, (iv) transmitting it to the stockholder by electronic mail to any electronic mail address of the stockholder or by any other electronic means, or (v) by any other means permitted by Maryland law. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the stockholder at the stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation, with postage thereon prepaid. The Corporation may give a single notice to all stockholders who share an address, which single notice shall be effective as to any stockholder at such address, unless such stockholder objects to receiving such single notice or revokes prior consent to receiving such single notice. Failure to give notice of any meeting to one or more stockholders, or any irregularity in such notice, shall not affect the validity of any meeting fixed in accordance with this Article II or the validity of any proceedings at any such meeting.

Subject to Section 12(a) of this Article II, any business of the Corporation may be transacted at an annual meeting of stockholders without being specifically designated in the notice, except such business as is required by the MGCL to be stated in such notice. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting of stockholders except as specifically designated in the notice. The Corporation may postpone or cancel a meeting of stockholders by making a public announcement (as defined in Section 12(c)(3) of this Article II) of such postponement or cancellation prior to the meeting. Notice of the date, time and place to which the meeting is postponed shall be given not less than ten days prior to such date and otherwise as set forth in this section.

Section 5. ORGANIZATION AND CONDUCT. Every meeting of stockholders shall be conducted by an individual appointed by the Board of Directors to be chairman of the meeting or, in the absence of such appointment or appointed individual, by the chairman of the Board of Directors or, in the case of a vacancy in the office or absence of the chairman of the Board of Directors, by one of the following officers present at the meeting: the vice chairman of the Board of Directors, if there be one; the president; the vice presidents in their order of rank and seniority; or, in the absence of such officers, a chairman chosen by the stockholders by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by stockholders present in person or by proxy. The secretary, or, in the secretary’s absence, an assistant secretary, or in the absence of both the secretary and assistant secretaries, a person appointed by the Board of Directors or, in the absence of such appointment, a person appointed by the chairman of the meeting shall act as secretary. In the event that the secretary presides at a meeting of the stockholders, an assistant secretary, or in the absence of assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting, shall record the minutes of the meeting. The order of business and all other matters of procedure at any meeting of stockholders shall be determined by the chairman of the meeting. The chairman of the meeting may prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and take such action as, in the discretion of such chairman, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation: (a) restricting admission to the time set for the commencement of the meeting; (b) limiting attendance at the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (c) limiting participation at the meeting on any matter to stockholders of record of the Corporation entitled to vote on such matter, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (d) limiting the time allotted to questions or comments by participants; (e) determining when the polls should be opened and closed; (f) maintaining order and security at the meeting; (g) removing any stockholder or any other individual who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as set forth by the chairman of the meeting; (h) concluding a meeting or recessing or adjourning the meeting to a later date and time and at a place announced at the meeting;

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and (i) complying with any state and local laws and regulations concerning safety and security. Unless otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

Section 6. QUORUM. At any meeting of stockholders, the presence in person or by proxy of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting on any matter shall constitute a quorum; but this section shall not affect any requirement under any statute, the Charter or these Bylaws for the vote necessary for the adoption of any measure. If, however, such quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the stockholders, the chairman of the meeting shall have the power to adjourn the meeting from time to time to a date not more than 120 days after the original record date without notice other than announcement at the meeting. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified.

The stockholders present either in person or by proxy, at a meeting which has been duly called and convened, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.

Section 7. VOTING. A plurality of all votes cast at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to elect a director. Each share may be voted for as many individuals as there are directors to be elected and for whose election the share is entitled to be voted. A majority of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to approve any other matter which may properly come before a meeting duly called and at which a quorum is present, unless more than a majority of the votes cast is required by the MGCL, the Charter or these Bylaws. Unless otherwise provided by statute or by the Charter, each outstanding share, regardless of class, shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of stockholders.

Section 8. PROXIES. A stockholder may cast the votes entitled to be cast by the shares of stock owned of record by the stockholder in person or by proxy executed by the stockholder or by the stockholder’s duly authorized agent in any manner permitted by law. Such proxy or evidence of authorization of such proxy shall be filed with the secretary of the Corporation before or at the meeting. No proxy shall be valid more than 11 months after its date unless otherwise provided in the proxy.

Section 9. VOTING OF STOCK BY CERTAIN HOLDERS. Stock of the Corporation registered in the name of a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity, if entitled to be voted, may be voted by the president or a vice president, managing member, manager, general partner or trustee thereof, as the case may be, or a proxy appointed by any of the foregoing individuals, unless some other person who has been appointed to vote such stock pursuant to a bylaw or a resolution of the governing body of such corporation or other entity or agreement of the partners of a partnership presents a certified copy of such bylaw, resolution or agreement, in which case such person may vote such stock. Any trustee or other fiduciary may vote stock registered in his or her name as such trustee or fiduciary, either in person or by proxy.

Shares of stock of the Corporation directly or indirectly owned by it shall not be voted at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares entitled to be voted at any given time, unless they are held by it in a fiduciary capacity, in which case they may be voted and shall be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any given time.

The Board of Directors may adopt by resolution a procedure by which a stockholder may certify in writing to the Corporation that any shares of stock registered in the name of the stockholder are held for the account of a specified person other than the stockholder. The resolution shall set forth the class of stockholders who may make the certification, the purpose for which the certification may be made, the form of certification and the information to be contained in it; if the certification is with respect to a record date or closing of the stock transfer books, the time after the record date or closing of the stock transfer books within which the certification must be received by the Corporation; and any other provisions with respect to the procedure which the Board of Directors considers necessary or desirable. On receipt of such certification, the person specified in the certification shall be regarded as, for the purposes set forth in the certification, the stockholder of record of the specified stock in place of the stockholder who makes the certification.

Section 10. INSPECTORS. The Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting may appoint, before or at the meeting, one or more inspectors for the meeting and any successor to the inspector. Except as otherwise provided by the chairman of the meeting, the inspectors, if any, shall (i) determine the number of shares of stock represented at the meeting, in person or by proxy, and the validity and effect of proxies, (ii) receive and tabulate all votes, ballots or consents, (iii) report such tabulation to the chairman of the meeting, (iv) hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in connection with the right to vote, and (v) do such acts as are proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all stockholders. Each such report shall be in writing and signed by the inspector or by a majority of them if there is more than one inspector acting at such meeting. If there is more than one inspector, the report of a majority shall be the report of the inspectors. The report of the inspector or inspectors on the number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall be prima facie evidence thereof.

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Section 11. VOTING BY BALLOT. Voting on any question or in any election may be viva voce unless the chairman of the meeting shall order that voting be by ballot.

Section 12. NOMINATIONS AND STOCKHOLDER BUSINESS.

(a) Annual Meetings of Stockholders.

(1) Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (A) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of such meeting, (B) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (C) by any stockholder of the Corporation who (i) was a stockholder of record at the record date set by the Board of Directors for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting, at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 12(a) and at the time of the annual meeting in question (and any postponement or adjournment thereof), (ii) is entitled to vote at such meeting in the election of each person so nominated or on any such other business, and (iii) has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 12(a). Clause (C) of the immediately preceding sentence shall be the sole and exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or other business proposals before an annual meeting of stockholders (other than matters properly brought under, and to the extent required by, Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and included in the Corporation’s notice of meeting).

(2) For nominations or other business to be properly brought at an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to this paragraph (a)(2) or paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 12, the stockholder must give timely notice thereof in writing to the secretary of the Corporation and any such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for action by the stockholders. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not earlier than the 150th day nor later than 5:00 p.m., local time, on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of mailing of the notice for the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of mailing of the notice for the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of mailing of the notice for the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 150th day prior to the date of mailing of the notice for such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., local time, on the later of the 120th day prior to the date of mailing of the notice for such annual meeting or the 10th day following the day on which disclosure of the date of mailing of the notice for such meeting is first made. In no event shall the public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of an annual meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

(3) Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth:

(A) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director (each, a “Proposed Nominee”) all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act;

(B) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a description of such business, the stockholder’s reasons for proposing such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person (as defined below), individually or in the aggregate, including any anticipated benefit to the stockholder or the Stockholder Associated Person therefrom;

(C) as to the stockholder giving the notice, any Proposed Nominee and any Stockholder Associated Person,

(i) the class, series and number of all shares or other securities of the Corporation or any affiliate thereof (collectively, the “Company Securities”), if any, which are owned (beneficially or of record) by such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, the date on which each such Company Security was acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition, and any short interest (including any opportunity to profit or share in any benefit from any decrease in the price of such shares or other security) in any Company Securities of any such person;

(ii) the nominee holder for, and number of, any Company Securities owned beneficially but not of record by such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person;

(iii) whether and the extent to which such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, directly or indirectly (through brokers, nominees or otherwise), is subject to or during the last six months has engaged in any hedging, derivative or other transaction or series of transactions or entered into any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short interest, any borrowing or lending of securities or any proxy or voting agreement), the effect or intent of which is to (a) manage risk or benefit from changes in the price of Company Securities or (b) increase or decrease

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the voting power of such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person in the Corporation or any affiliate thereof disproportionately to such person’s economic interest in the Company Securities; and

(iv) any substantial interest, direct or indirect (including, without limitation, any existing or prospective commercial, business or contractual relationship with the Corporation), by security holdings or otherwise, of such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, in the Corporation or any affiliate thereof, other than an interest arising from the ownership of Company Securities where such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person receives no extra or special benefit not shared on a pro rata basis by all other holders of the same class or series;

(D) as to the stockholder giving the notice, any Stockholder Associated Person with an interest or ownership referred to in clauses (a)(3)(B) or (a)(3)(C) of this Section 12 and any Proposed Nominee,

(i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s stock ledger, and the current name and business address, if different, of each such Stockholder Associated Person and any Proposed Nominee; and

(ii) the investment strategy or objective, if any, of such stockholder and each such Stockholder Associated Person who is not an individual and a copy of the prospectus, offering memorandum or similar document, if any, provided to investors or potential investors of such stockholder and each such Stockholder Associated Person;

(E) the name and address of any person who contacted or was contacted by the stockholder giving the notice or any Stockholder Associated Person about the Proposed Nominee or other business proposal; and

(F) to the extent known by the stockholder giving the notice, the name and address of any other stockholder supporting the Proposed Nominee or the proposal of other business.

(4) Such stockholder’s notice shall, with respect to any Proposed Nominee, be accompanied by a certificate executed by the Proposed Nominee (i) certifying that such Proposed Nominee (a) is not, and will not become, a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation in connection with service or action as a director that has not been disclosed to the Corporation and (b) will serve as a director of the Corporation if elected; and (ii) attaching a completed Proposed Nominee questionnaire (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Corporation, upon request, to the stockholder providing the notice and shall include all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, or would be required pursuant to the rules of any national securities exchange on which any securities of the Corporation are listed or over-the-counter market on which any securities of the Corporation are traded).

(5) Notwithstanding anything in this subsection (a) of this Section 12 to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased and there is no public announcement naming all of the nominees for directors or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors made by the Corporation at least 130 days prior to the first anniversary of the mailing of the notice for the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 12 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation no later than 5:00 p.m. local time, on the 10th day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

(6) For purposes of this Section 12, “Stockholder Associated Person” of any stockholder shall mean (i) any person acting in concert with, such stockholder, (ii) any beneficial owner of shares of stock of the Corporation owned of record or beneficially by such stockholder (other than a stockholder that is a depositary) and (iii) any person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person.

(b) Special Meetings of Stockholders. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporations notice of meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected only (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (ii) provided that the special meeting has been called in accordance with Section 3(b) of this Article II for the purpose of electing directors, by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record at the record date set by the Board of Directors for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to vote at the special meeting, at the time of giving notice provided for in this Section 12 and at the time of the special meeting (and any postponement or adjournment thereof), who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 12. Section 3 above shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before a special meeting of the stockholders. In the event the Corporation calls a special

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meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more individuals to the Board of Directors, any stockholder may nominate an individual or individuals (as the case may be) for election as a director as specified in the Corporations notice of meeting, if the stockholders notice, containing the information required by Section 12(a)(3) and (4) is delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not earlier than the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m. local time, on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of a special meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholders notice as described above.

(c) General.

(1) If information submitted pursuant to this Section 12 by any stockholder proposing a nominee for election as a director or any proposal for other business at a meeting of stockholders shall be inaccurate in any material respect, such information may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 12. Any such stockholder shall (A) notify the Corporation of any inaccuracy or change (within two Business Days of becoming aware of such inaccuracy or change) in any such information and (B) promptly update and supplement the information previously provided to the Corporation pursuant to this Section 12, if necessary so that the information provided or required to be provided shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is 10 Business Days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation. Upon written request by the secretary or the Board of Directors, any such stockholder shall provide, within five Business Days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), (i) written verification, satisfactory, in the discretion of the Board of Directors or any authorized officer of the Corporation, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 12, (ii) a written update of any information (including, if requested by the Corporation, written confirmation by such stockholder that it continues to intend to bring such nomination or other business proposal before the meeting) submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 12 as of an earlier date and (iii) any other information requested by the Corporation as may reasonably be required to determine the eligibility of any Proposed Nominee to serve as an independent director of the Corporation or that would be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such Proposed Nominee. If a stockholder fails to provide such written verification or written update within such period, the information as to which written verification or a written update was requested may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 12.

(2) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 12 shall be eligible to serve as directors and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 12, except as required pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or such similar rule promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) that governs the inclusion of stockholder proposals in proxy materials or consideration at a stockholders’ meeting. The presiding officer of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 12, and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with this Section 12, to declare that such defective nomination or proposal, if any, be disregarded.

(3) For purposes of this Section 12, (i) the “date of mailing of the notice” shall mean the date of the proxy statement for the solicitation of proxies for election of directors and (ii) “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 12, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of state law and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 12. Nothing in this Section 12 shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in, or the right of the Corporation to omit a proposal from, the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act.

(5) Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, except as otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, if the stockholder giving notice as provided for in this Section 12 does not appear in person or by proxy at such annual or special meeting to present each nominee for election as a director or the proposed business, as applicable, such matter shall not be considered at the meeting.

Section 13. EXEMPTION FROM CONTROL SHARE ACQUISITION STATUTE. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Charter, these Bylaws or any contrary provision of law, Title 3, Subtitle 7 of the MGCL, as amended from time to time, or any successor statute thereto, shall not apply to any acquisition by any person of shares of the Corporation. This Section may be repealed, in whole or in part, at any time, whether before or after an acquisition of control shares and, upon such repeal,

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may, to the extent provided by any successor bylaw, apply to any prior or subsequent control share acquisition.

ARTICLE III

DIRECTORS

Section 1. GENERAL POWERS. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed under the direction of its Board of Directors.

Section 2. NUMBER, TENURE AND QUALIFICATIONS. At any regular meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose, a majority of the entire Board of Directors may establish, increase or decrease the number of directors, provided that the number thereof shall never be less than the minimum number required by the MGCL, nor more than 15, and further provided that the tenure of office of a director shall not be affected by any decrease in the number of directors.

Section 3. ANNUAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS. An annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held immediately after and at the same place as the annual meeting of stockholders, no notice other than this Bylaw being necessary. In the event such meeting is not so held, the meeting may be held at such time and place as shall be specified in a notice given as hereinafter provided for special meetings of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may provide, by resolution, the time and place for the holding of regular meetings of the Board of Directors, either within or without the State of Maryland, without other notice than such resolution.

Section 4. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by or at the request of the chairman of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president or by a majority of the directors then in office. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Directors may fix any place as the place for holding any special meeting of the Board of Directors called by them. The Board of Directors may provide, by resolution, the time and place for the holding of special meetings of the Board of Directors without other notice than such resolution.

Section 5. NOTICE. Notice of any special meeting of the Board of Directors shall be delivered personally or by telephone, electronic mail, facsimile transmission, United States mail or courier to each director at his or her business or residence address. Notice by personal delivery, telephone, electronic mail or facsimile transmission shall be given at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Notice by United States mail shall be given at least three days prior to the meeting. Notice by courier shall be given at least two days prior to the meeting. Telephone notice shall be deemed to be given when the director or his or her agent is personally given such notice in a telephone call to which the director or his or her agent is a party. Electronic mail notice shall be deemed to be given upon transmission of the message to the electronic mail address given to the Corporation by the director. Facsimile transmission notice shall be deemed to be given upon completion of the transmission of the message to the number given to the Corporation by the director and receipt of a completed answer-back indicating receipt. Notice by United States mail shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail properly addressed, with postage thereon prepaid. Notice by courier shall be deemed to be given when deposited with or delivered to a courier properly addressed. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any annual, regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors need be stated in the notice, unless specifically required by statute or these Bylaws.

Section 6. QUORUM. A majority of the directors shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, provided that, if less than a majority of such directors are present at said meeting, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice, and provided further that if, pursuant to applicable law, the Charter or these Bylaws, the vote of a majority of a particular group of directors is required for action, a quorum must also include a majority of such group.

The directors present at a meeting which has been duly called and convened may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough directors to leave less than a quorum.

Section 7. VOTING. The action of the majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the action of the Board of Directors, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Charter or these Bylaws. If enough directors have withdrawn from a meeting to leave less than a quorum but the meeting is not adjourned, the action of the majority of that number of directors necessary to constitute a quorum at such meeting shall be the action of the Board of Directors, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Charter or these Bylaws.

Section 8. ORGANIZATION. At each meeting of the Board of Directors, the chairman of the Board of Directors or, in the absence of the chairman, the vice chairman of the Board of Directors, if any, shall act as chairman of the meeting. In the absence of both the chairman and vice chairman of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer or in the absence of the chief executive officer, the president or in the absence of the president, a director chosen by a majority of the directors present, shall

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act as chairman of the meeting. The secretary or, in his or her absence, an assistant secretary of the Corporation, or in the absence of the secretary and all assistant secretaries, a person appointed by the Chairman, shall act as secretary of the meeting.

Section 9. TELEPHONE MEETINGS. Directors may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

Section 10. CONSENT BY DIRECTORS WITHOUT A MEETING. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each director and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors.

Section 11. VACANCIES. If for any reason any or all the directors cease to be directors, such event shall not terminate the Corporation or affect these Bylaws or the powers of the remaining directors hereunder (even if fewer than three directors remain). Except as may be provided by the Board of Directors in setting the terms of any class or series of preferred stock, any vacancy on the Board of Directors may be filled only by a majority of the remaining directors, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum. Any director elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the class in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualifies.

Section 12. COMPENSATION. Directors, by resolution of the Board of Directors, may receive compensation per year or per month, fixed sums per meeting and/or per visit to real property or other facilities owned or leased by the Corporation and for any service or activity they performed or engaged in as directors. Directors may be reimbursed for expenses of attendance, if any, at each annual, regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof and for their expenses, if any, in connection with each property visit and any other service or activity they performed or engaged in as directors; but nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any directors from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.

Section 13. LOSS OF DEPOSITS. No director shall be liable for any loss which may occur by reason of the failure of the bank, trust company, savings and loan association, or other institution with whom moneys or stock have been deposited.

Section 14. SURETY BONDS. Unless required by law, no director shall be obligated to give any bond or surety or other security for the performance of any of his or her duties.

Section 15. RELIANCE. Each director, officer, employee and agent of the Corporation shall, in the performance of his or her duties with respect to the Corporation, be fully justified and protected with regard to any act or failure to act in reliance in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Corporation, upon an opinion of counsel or upon reports made to the Corporation by any of its officers or employees or by the adviser, accountants, appraisers or other experts or consultants selected by the Board of Directors or officers of the Corporation, regardless of whether such counsel or expert may also be a director.

Section 16. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS. The directors shall have no responsibility to devote their full time to the affairs of the Corporation. Any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, in his or her personal capacity or in a capacity as an affiliate, employee, or agent of any other person, or otherwise, may have business interests and engage in business activities similar to, in addition to or in competition with those of or relating to the Corporation, subject to any restrictions set forth in the Charter.

Section 17. RATIFICATION. The Board of Directors or the stockholders may ratify and make binding on the Corporation any action or inaction by the Corporation or its officers to the extent that the Board of Directors or the stockholders could have originally authorized the matter. Moreover, any action or inaction questioned in any stockholders’ derivative proceeding or any other proceeding on the ground of lack of authority, defective or irregular execution, adverse interest of a director, officer or stockholder, non-disclosure, miscomputation, the application of improper principles or practices of accounting or otherwise, may be ratified, before or after judgment, by the Board of Directors or by the stockholder, and if so ratified, shall have the same force and effect as if the questioned action or inaction had been originally duly authorized, and such ratification shall be binding upon the Corporation and its stockholders and shall constitute a bar to any claim or execution of any judgment in respect of such questioned action or inaction.

Section 18. EMERGENCY PROVISIONS. Notwithstanding any other provision in the Charter or these Bylaws, this Section 18 shall apply during the existence of any catastrophe, or other similar emergency condition, as a result of which a quorum of the Board of Directors under Article III of these Bylaws cannot readily be obtained (an “Emergency”). During any Emergency, unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, (a) a meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof may be called by any director or officer by any means feasible under the circumstances; (b) notice of any meeting of the Board

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of Directors during such an Emergency may be given less than 24 hours prior to the meeting to as many directors and by such means as may be feasible at the time, including publication, television or radio; and (c) the number of directors necessary to constitute a quorum shall be one-third of the entire Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IV

COMMITTEES

Section 1. NUMBER, TENURE AND QUALIFICATIONS. The Board of Directors may designate an Audit Committee, a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and a Compensation Committee, and any other committee it deems appropriate and in the best interest of the Corporation. Each committee shall be composed of one or more directors, to serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.

Section 2. POWERS. To the extent permitted by law, the Board of Directors may delegate to committees appointed under Article IV, Section 1 any of the powers of the Board of Directors.

Section 3. MEETINGS. Notice of committee meetings shall be given in the same manner as notice for special or regular meetings of the Board of Directors, as applicable. A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the committee. The act of a majority of the committee members present at a meeting shall be the act of such committee. The Board of Directors may designate a chairman of any committee, and such chairman or, in the absence of a chairman, any two members of any committee (if there are at least two members of the committee) may fix the time and place of its meeting unless the Board shall otherwise provide. In the absence of any member of any such committee, the members thereof present at any meeting, whether or not they constitute a quorum, may appoint another director to act in the place of such absent member. Each committee shall keep minutes of its proceedings.

Section 4. TELEPHONE MEETINGS. Members of a committee of the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

Section 5. CONSENT BY COMMITTEES WITHOUT A MEETING. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of a committee of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each member of the committee and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of such committee.

Section 6. VACANCIES. Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board of Directors shall have the power at any time to change the membership of any committee, to fill all vacancies, to designate alternate members to replace any absent or disqualified member or to dissolve any such committee.

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS

Section 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS. The officers of the Corporation shall include a president, a secretary and a treasurer and may include a chairman of the Board of Directors, a vice chairman of the Board of Directors, an executive chairman, a chief executive officer, one or more vice presidents, a chief operating officer, a chief financial officer, one or more assistant secretaries and one or more assistant treasurers. In addition, the Board of Directors may from time to time elect such other officers with such powers and duties as they shall deem necessary or desirable. The officers of the Corporation shall be elected annually by the Board of Directors, except that the executive chairman, the chief executive officer or the president may from time to time appoint one or more vice presidents, assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers or other officers. If an election of officers shall not be held at such meeting, such election shall be held as soon thereafter as may be convenient.

Each officer shall hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualifies or until his or her death, or his or her resignation or removal in the manner hereinafter provided. In its discretion, the Board of Directors may leave unfilled any office except that of president, treasurer and secretary. Any two or more offices except president and vice president may be held by the same person. Election of an officer or agent shall not of itself create contract rights between the Corporation and such officer or agent.

Section 2. REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION. Any officer or agent of the Corporation may be removed, with or without cause, by the Board of Directors if in its judgment the best interests of the Corporation would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. Any officer of the Corporation may resign at any time by delivering his or her resignation to the Board of Directors, the chairman of the Board of Directors, the

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president or the secretary. Any resignation shall take effect immediately upon its receipt or at such later time specified in the resignation. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation. Such resignation shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the Corporation.

Section 3. VACANCIES. A vacancy in any office may be filled by the Board of Directors for the balance of the term.

Section 4. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. The Board of Directors may designate a chief executive officer. In the absence of such designation, the chairman of the Board of Directors shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation. The chief executive officer shall have general responsibility for implementation of the policies of the Corporation, as determined by the Board of Directors, and for the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation. He or she may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Corporation or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of chief executive officer and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors from time to time.

Section 5. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER. The Board of Directors may designate a chief operating officer. The chief operating officer shall have the responsibilities and duties as set forth by the Board of Directors, the executive chairman or the chief executive officer.

Section 6. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. The Board of Directors may designate a chief financial officer. The chief financial officer shall have the responsibilities and duties as set forth by the Board of Directors, the executive chairman or the chief executive officer.

Section 7. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. The Board of Directors may designate from among its members a chairman of the Board of Directors, who shall not, solely by reason of these Bylaws, be an officer of the Corporation. The chairman of the Board of Directors shall preside over the meetings of the Board of Directors. The chairman of the Board of Directors shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may designate the chairman of the Board of Directors as an executive chairman with such additional duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors.

Section 8. PRESIDENT. In the absence of an executive chairman or a chief executive officer, the president shall in general supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Corporation. In the absence of a designation of a chief operating officer by the Board of Directors, the president shall be the chief operating officer. He or she may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Corporation or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of president and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors from time to time.

Section 9. VICE PRESIDENTS. In the absence of the president or in the event of a vacancy in such office, the vice president (or in the event there be more than one vice president, the vice presidents in the order designated at the time of their election or, in the absence of any designation, then in the order of their election) shall perform the duties of the president and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the president; and shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to such vice president by the executive chairman, the chief executive officer, the president or by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may designate one or more vice presidents as executive vice president, senior vice president, or vice president for particular areas of responsibility.

Section 10. SECRETARY. The secretary shall (a) keep the minutes of the proceedings of the stockholders, the Board of Directors and committees of the Board of Directors in one or more books provided for that purpose, (b) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or as required by law, (c) be custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the Corporation, (d) keep a register of the post office address of each stockholder which shall be furnished to the secretary by such stockholder, (e) have general charge of the stock transfer books of the Corporation, and (f) in general perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the executive chairman, the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Directors.

Section 11. TREASURER. The treasurer shall have the custody of the funds and securities of the Corporation and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors and in general perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the executive chairman, the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Directors. In the absence of a designation of a chief financial officer by the Board of Directors, the treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the Corporation.

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The treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the president and Board of Directors, at the regular meetings of the Board of Directors or whenever it may so require, an account of all his or her transactions as treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation.

Section 12. ASSISTANT SECRETARIES AND ASSISTANT TREASURERS. The assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers, in general, shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to them by the secretary or treasurer, respectively, or by the executive chairman, the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Directors.

Section 13. SALARIES. The salaries and other compensation of the officers shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors and no officer shall be prevented from receiving such salary or other compensation by reason of the fact that he is also a director.

ARTICLE VI

CONTRACTS, LOANS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS

Section 1. CONTRACTS. The Board of Directors or a committee of the Board of Directors within the scope of its delegated authority may authorize any officer or agent to enter into any contract or to execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Any agreement, deed, mortgage, lease or other document shall be valid and binding upon the Corporation when duly authorized or ratified by action of the Board of Directors or such committee and executed by an authorized person.

Section 2. CHECKS AND DRAFTS. All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or agent of the Corporation in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 3. DEPOSITS. All funds of the Corporation not otherwise employed shall be deposited or invested from time to time to the credit of the Corporation as the Board of Directors, the executive chairman, the chief executive officer, the president, the chief financial officer or any other officer designated by the Board of Directors may designate.

ARTICLE VII

STOCK

Section 1. CERTIFICATES; REQUIRED INFORMATION. In the event that the Corporation issues shares of stock represented by certificates, such certificates shall be signed by the officers of the Corporation in the manner permitted by the MGCL and contain the statements and information required by the MGCL. In the event that the Corporation issues shares of stock without certificates, the Corporation shall provide to holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by the MGCL to be included on stock certificates. There shall be no differences in the rights and obligations of stockholders based on whether or not their shares are represented by certificates.

Section 2. TRANSFERS. All transfers of shares shall be made on the books of the Corporation, by the holder of the shares, in person or by his or her attorney, in such manner as the Board of Directors or any officer of the Corporation may prescribe and, if such shares are certificated, upon surrender of certificates duly endorsed. The issuance of a new certificate upon the transfer of certificated shares is subject to the determination of the Board of Directors that such shares shall no longer be represented by certificates. Upon the transfer of any uncertificated shares, to the extent then required by the MGCL, the Corporation shall provide to the record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by the MGCL to be included on share certificates.

The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share of stock as the holder in fact thereof and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Maryland.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, transfers of shares of any class of stock will be subject in all respects to the Charter and all of the terms and conditions contained therein.

Section 3. REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE. Any officer of the Corporation may direct a new certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate to be lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated; provided, however, if such shares

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have ceased to be certificated, no new certificate shall be issued unless requested in writing by such stockholder and the Board of Directors has determined that such certificates may be issued. Unless otherwise determined by an officer of the Corporation, the owner of such lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated certificate or certificates, or his or her legal representative, shall be required, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, to give the Corporation a bond in such sums as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation.

Section 4. CLOSING OF TRANSFER BOOKS OR FIXING OF RECORD DATE. The Board of Directors may set, in advance, a record date for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or determining stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any other rights, or in order to make a determination of stockholders for any other proper purpose. Such date, in any case, shall not be prior to the close of business on the day the record date is fixed and shall be not more than 90 days and, in the case of a meeting of stockholders, not less than 10 days, before the date on which the meeting or particular action requiring such determination of stockholders of record is to be held or taken.

In lieu of fixing a record date, the Board of Directors may provide that the stock transfer books shall be closed for a stated period but not longer than 20 days. If the stock transfer books are closed for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders, such books shall be closed for at least 10 days before the date of such meeting.

If no record date is fixed and the stock transfer books are not closed for the determination of stockholders, (a) the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day on which the notice of meeting is mailed or the 30th day before the meeting, whichever is the closer date to the meeting, and (b) the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive payment of a dividend or an allotment of any other rights shall be the close of business on the day on which the resolution of the directors, declaring the dividend or allotment of rights, is adopted, provided that the payment or allotment may not be made more than 60 days after the date on which such resolution is adopted.

When a determination of stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders has been made as provided in this section, such determination shall apply to any adjournment or postponement thereof, except when (i) the determination has been made through the closing of the transfer books and the stated period of closing has expired, or (ii) the meeting is adjourned or postponed to a date more than 120 days after the record date fixed for the original meeting, in either case a new record date shall be determined as set forth herein.

Section 5. STOCK LEDGER. The Corporation shall maintain at its principal office or at the office of its counsel, accountants or transfer agent, an original or duplicate share ledger containing the name and address of each stockholder and the number of shares of each class held by such stockholder.

Section 6. FRACTIONAL STOCK; ISSUANCE OF UNITS. The Board of Directors may authorize the Corporation to issue fractional shares or authorize the issuance of scrip, all on such terms and under such conditions as it may determine. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Charter or these Bylaws, the Board of Directors may authorize the issuance of units consisting of different securities of the Corporation. Any security issued in a unit shall have the same characteristics as any identical securities issued by the Corporation, except that the Board of Directors may provide that for a specified period securities of the Corporation issued in such unit may be transferred on the books of the Corporation only in such unit.

ARTICLE VIII

ACCOUNTING YEAR

The Board of Directors shall have the power, from time to time, to fix the fiscal year of the Corporation by a duly adopted resolution.

ARTICLE IX

DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 1. AUTHORIZATION. Dividends and other distributions upon the stock of the Corporation may be authorized by the Board of Directors, subject to the provisions of law and the Charter. Dividends and other distributions may be paid in cash, property or stock of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of law and the Charter.

Section 2. CONTINGENCIES. Before payment of any dividends or other distributions, there may be set aside out of any assets of the Corporation available for dividends or other distributions such sum or sums as the Board of Directors may from

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time to time, in its absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve fund for contingencies, for equalizing dividends or other distributions, for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation or for such other purpose as the Board of Directors shall determine to be in the best interest of the Corporation, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve.

ARTICLE X

INVESTMENT POLICY

Subject to the provisions of the Charter, the Board of Directors may from time to time adopt, amend, revise or terminate any policy or policies with respect to investments by the Corporation as it shall deem appropriate in its sole discretion.

ARTICLE XI

SEAL

Section 1. SEAL. The Board of Directors may authorize the adoption of a seal by the Corporation. The seal shall contain the name of the Corporation and the year of its incorporation and the words “Incorporated Maryland.” The Board of Directors may authorize one or more duplicate seals and provide for the custody thereof.

Section 2. AFFIXING SEAL. Whenever the Corporation is permitted or required to affix its seal to a document, it shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of any law, rule or regulation relating to a seal to place the word “(SEAL)” adjacent to the signature of the person authorized to execute the document on behalf of the Corporation.

ARTICLE XII

WAIVER OF NOTICE

Whenever any notice of a meeting is required to be given pursuant to the Charter or these Bylaws or pursuant to applicable law, a waiver thereof in writing or by electronic transmission, given by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any meeting need be set forth in the waiver of notice of such meeting, unless specifically required by statute. The attendance of any person at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where such person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

 

ARTICLE XIII

AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

The Board of Directors shall have the exclusive power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of these Bylaws and to make new Bylaws.

ARTICLE XIV

EXCLUSIVE FORUM FOR CERTAIN LITIGATION

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland, or, if that Court does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division, shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of any duty owed by any director or officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the stockholders of the Corporation, (c) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any director or officer or other employee of the Corporation arising pursuant to any provision of the MGCL, the Charter or these Bylaws, or (d) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any director or officer or other employee of the Corporation that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine.

As adopted on this 17th day of September, 2019.

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Exhibit 10.1

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the _____ day of September, 2019, by and between SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and _________________________ (“Indemnitee”).

WHEREAS, at the request of the Company, Indemnitee currently serves as a director, officer or service provider of the Company and may, therefore, be subjected to claims, suits or proceedings arising as a result of such service;

WHEREAS, as an inducement to Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve in such capacity, the Company has agreed to indemnify Indemnitee and to advance expenses and costs incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any such claims, suits or proceedings, to the maximum extent permitted by law; and

WHEREAS, the parties by this Agreement desire to set forth their agreement regarding indemnification and advance of expenses;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:

Section 1.Definitions.  For purposes of this Agreement:

(a)“Change in Control” means a change in control of the Company occurring after the Effective Date of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or in response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement; provided, however, that, without limitation, such a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred if, after the Effective Date (i) any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 15% or more of the combined voting power of all of the Company’s then-outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors without the prior approval of at least two-thirds of the members of the Board of Directors in office immediately prior to such person’s attaining such percentage interest; (ii) the Company is a party to a merger, consolidation, sale of assets, plan of liquidation or other reorganization not approved by at least two-thirds of the members of the Board of Directors then in office, as a consequence of which members of the Board of Directors in office immediately prior to such transaction or event constitute less than a majority of the Board of Directors thereafter; or (iii) at any time, a majority of the members of the Board of Directors are not individuals (A) who were directors as of the Effective Date or (B) whose election by the Board of Directors or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then in office who were directors as of the Effective Date or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved.

(b)“Corporate Status” means the status of a person as a present or former director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or as a director, trustee, officer, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person is or was serving in such capacity at the request of the Company.  As a clarification and without limiting the circumstances in which Indemnitee may be serving at the request of the Company, service by Indemnitee shall be deemed to be at the request of the Company:  (i) if Indemnitee serves or served as a director, trustee, officer, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (1) of which a majority of the voting power or equity interest is or was owned directly or indirectly by the Company or (2) the management of which is controlled directly or indirectly by the Company and (ii) if, as a result of Indemnitee’s service to the Company or any of its affiliated entities, Indemnitee is subject to duties by, or required to perform services for, an employee benefit plan or its participants or beneficiaries, including as a deemed fiduciary thereof.


(c)“Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification and/or advance of Expenses is sought by Indemnitee.

(d)“Effective Date” means the date set forth in the first paragraph of this Agreement.

(e)“Expenses” means any and all reasonable and out-of-pocket attorneys’ fees and costs, retainers, court costs, arbitration and mediation costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and any other disbursements or expenses incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in or otherwise participating in a Proceeding.  Expenses shall also include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding including, without limitation, the premium for, security for and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond or other appeal bond or its equivalent.  

(f)“Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent:  (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to or participant or witness in the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification or advance of Expenses hereunder.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.  

(g)“Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing, claim, demand or discovery request or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, except one pending or completed on or before July 31, 2018, unless otherwise specifically agreed in writing by the Company and Indemnitee.  If Indemnitee reasonably believes that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding, such situation shall also be considered a Proceeding.

Section 2.Services by Indemnitee.  Indemnitee will serve as a director, officer or service provider of the Company.  However, this Agreement shall not impose any independent obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to the Company.  This Agreement shall not be deemed an employment contract between the Company (or any other entity) and Indemnitee.

Section 3.General.  The Company shall indemnify, and advance Expenses to, Indemnitee (a) as provided in this Agreement and (b) otherwise to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect on the Effective Date and as amended from time to time; provided, however, that no change in Maryland law shall have the effect of reducing the benefits available to Indemnitee hereunder based on Maryland law as in effect on the Effective Date.  The rights of Indemnitee provided in this Section 3 shall include, without limitation, the rights set forth in the other sections of this Agreement, including any additional indemnification permitted by Section 2-418(g) of the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”).

Section 4.Standard for Indemnification.  If, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be, made a party to any Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with any such Proceeding unless it is established by clear and convincing evidence that (a) the act or omission of Indemnitee was material to the matter giving rise to the Proceeding and (i) was committed in bad faith or (ii) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) Indemnitee actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (c) in the case of any criminal Proceeding, Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

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Section 5.Certain Limits on Indemnification.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement (other than Section 6), Indemnitee shall not be entitled to:

(a)indemnification hereunder if the Proceeding was one by or in the right of the Company and Indemnitee is adjudged, in a final adjudication of the Proceeding not subject to further appeal, to be liable to the Company;

(b)

indemnification hereunder if Indemnitee is adjudged, in a final adjudication of the Proceeding not subject to further appeal, to be liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received in any Proceeding charging improper personal benefit to Indemnitee, whether or not involving action in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status; or

(c)indemnification or advance of Expenses hereunder if the Proceeding was brought by Indemnitee, unless:  (i) the Proceeding was brought to enforce indemnification under this Agreement, and then only to the extent in accordance with and as authorized by Section 12 of this Agreement, or (ii) the Company’s charter or Bylaws, a resolution of the stockholders entitled to vote generally in the election of directors or of the Board of Directors or an agreement approved by the Board of Directors to which the Company is a party expressly provide otherwise.

Section 6.Court-Ordered Indemnification.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, a court of appropriate jurisdiction, upon application of Indemnitee and such notice as the court shall require, may order indemnification of Indemnitee by the Company in the following circumstances:

(a)if such court determines that Indemnitee is entitled to reimbursement under Section 2-418(d)(1) of the MGCL, the court shall order indemnification, in which case Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover the Expenses of securing such reimbursement; or

(b)if such court determines that Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant circumstances, whether or not Indemnitee (i) has met the standards of conduct set forth in Section 2-418(b) of the MGCL or (ii) has been adjudged liable for receipt of an improper personal benefit under Section 2-418(c) of the MGCL, the court may order such indemnification as the court shall deem proper without regard to any limitation on such court-ordered indemnification contemplated by Section 2-418(d)(2)(ii) of the MGCL.

Section 7.Indemnification for Expenses of an Indemnitee Who is Wholly or Partially Successful.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, and without limiting any such provision, to the extent that Indemnitee was or is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, made a party to (or otherwise becomes a participant in) any Proceeding and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee for all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.  If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee under this Section 7 for all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each such claim, issue or matter, allocated on a reasonable and proportionate basis.  For purposes of this Section 7, and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.

Section 8.Advance of Expenses for Indemnitee.  If, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be, made a party to any Proceeding, the Company shall, without requiring a preliminary determination of Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification hereunder, advance all reasonable Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with such Proceeding.  The Company shall make such advance or advances within ten days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding, and such advance or advances may be in the form of, in the reasonable discretion of Indemnitee (but without duplication), (a) payment of such Expenses directly to third parties on behalf of Indemnitee, (b) advance of funds to Indemnitee in an amount sufficient to pay such Expenses or (c) reimbursement to Indemnitee for Indemnitee’s payment of such

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Expenses.  Such statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by a written affirmation by Indemnitee and a written undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A or in such form as may be required under applicable law as in effect at the time of the execution thereof.  To the extent that Expenses advanced to Indemnitee do not relate to a specific claim, issue or matter in the Proceeding, such Expenses shall be allocated on a reasonable and proportionate basis.  The undertaking required by this Section 8 shall be an unlimited general obligation by or on behalf of Indemnitee and shall be accepted without reference to Indemnitee’s financial ability to repay such advanced Expenses and without any requirement to post security therefor.

Section 9.Indemnification and Advance of Expenses as a Witness or Other Participant.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is or may be, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, made a witness or otherwise asked to participate in any Proceeding, whether instituted by the Company or any other person, and to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be advanced all reasonable Expenses and indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith within ten days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting any such advance or indemnification from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding.  Such statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee.  In connection with any such advance of Expenses, the Company may require Indemnitee to provide an affirmation and undertaking substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Section 10.Procedure for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification.

(a)To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary or appropriate to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification.  Indemnitee may submit one or more such requests from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in Indemnitee’s sole discretion.  The officer of the Company receiving any such request from Indemnitee shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board of Directors in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.

(b)Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(a) above, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall promptly be made in the specific case:  (i) if a Change in Control has occurred, by Independent Counsel, in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, which Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee and approved by the Board of Directors in accordance with Section 2-418(e)(2)(ii) of the MGCL, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld; or (ii) if a Change in Control has not occurred, (A) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors or by the majority vote of a group of Disinterested Directors designated by the Disinterested Directors to make the determination, (B) if Independent Counsel has been selected by the Board of Directors in accordance with Section 2-418(e)(2)(ii) of the MGCL and approved by Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, by Independent Counsel, in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (C) if so directed by the Board of Directors, by the stockholders of the Company, other than directors or officers who are parties to the Proceeding.  If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall make payment to Indemnitee within ten days after such determination.  Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination in the discretion of the Board of Directors or Independent Counsel if retained pursuant to clause (ii)(B) of this Section 10(b).  Any Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company shall indemnify and hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.

(c)The Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel, if one is appointed.

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Section 11.Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.

(a)In making any determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 10(a) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of overcoming that presumption in connection with the making of any determination contrary to that presumption.  

(b)The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, or entry of an order of probation prior to judgment, does not create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet the requisite standard of conduct described herein for indemnification.

(c)The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or any other director, trustee, officer, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining any other right to indemnification under this Agreement.

Section 12.Remedies of Indemnitee.

(a)If (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 10(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advance of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 8 or 9 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 10(b) of this Agreement within 60 days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 7 or 9 of this Agreement within ten days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, or (v) payment of indemnification pursuant to any other section of this Agreement or the charter or Bylaws of the Company is not made within ten days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court located in the State of Maryland, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, of Indemnitee’s entitlement to such indemnification or advance of Expenses.  Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association.  Indemnitee shall commence a proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 12(a); provided, however, that the foregoing clause shall not apply to a proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under Section 7 of this Agreement.  Except as set forth herein, the provisions of Maryland law (without regard to its conflicts of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration.  The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.

(b)In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 12, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to indemnification or advance of Expenses, as the case may be, under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advance of Expenses, as the case may be.  If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Section 12, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed).  The Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 12 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all of the provisions of this Agreement.

(c)If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 10(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 12, absent a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material

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fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification.

(d)In the event that Indemnitee is successful in seeking, pursuant to this Section 12, a judicial adjudication of or an award in arbitration to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover from the Company, and shall be indemnified by the Company for, any and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in such judicial adjudication or arbitration.  If it shall be determined in such judicial adjudication or arbitration that Indemnitee is entitled to receive part but not all of the indemnification or advance of Expenses sought, the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such judicial adjudication or arbitration shall be appropriately prorated.  

(e)Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at the maximum rate allowed to be charged for judgments under the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland for amounts which the Company pays or is obligated to pay for the period (i) commencing with either the tenth day after the date on which the Company was requested to advance Expenses in accordance with Section 8 or 9 of this Agreement or the 60th day after the date on which the Company was requested to make the determination of entitlement to indemnification under Section 10(b) of this Agreement, as applicable, and (ii) ending on the date such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.

Section 13.Defense of the Underlying Proceeding.

(a)Indemnitee shall notify the Company promptly in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, request or other document relating to any Proceeding which may result in the right to indemnification or the advance of Expenses hereunder and shall include with such notice a description of the nature of the Proceeding and a summary of the facts underlying the Proceeding.  The failure to give any such notice shall not disqualify Indemnitee from the right, or otherwise affect in any manner any right of Indemnitee, to indemnification or the advance of Expenses under this Agreement unless the Company’s ability to defend in such Proceeding or to obtain proceeds under any insurance policy is materially and adversely prejudiced thereby, and then only to the extent the Company is thereby actually so prejudiced.

(b)Subject to the provisions of the last sentence of this Section 13(b) and of Section 13(c) below, the Company shall have the right to defend Indemnitee in any Proceeding which may give rise to indemnification hereunder; provided, however, that the Company shall notify Indemnitee of any such decision to defend within 15 calendar days following receipt of notice of any such Proceeding under Section 13(a) above.  The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, consent to the entry of any judgment against Indemnitee or enter into any settlement or compromise which (i) includes an admission of fault of Indemnitee, (ii) does not include, as an unconditional term thereof, the full release of Indemnitee from all liability in respect of such Proceeding, which release shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee or (iii) would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee.  This Section 13(b) shall not apply to a Proceeding brought by Indemnitee under Section 12 of this Agreement.

(c)Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13(b) above, if in a Proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, (i) Indemnitee reasonably concludes, based upon an opinion of counsel approved by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, that Indemnitee may have separate defenses or counterclaims to assert with respect to any issue which may not be consistent with other defendants in such Proceeding, (ii) Indemnitee reasonably concludes, based upon an opinion of counsel approved by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, that an actual or apparent conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest exists between Indemnitee and the Company, or (iii) if the Company fails to assume the defense of such Proceeding in a timely manner, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be represented by separate legal counsel of Indemnitee’s choice, subject to the prior approval of the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, at the expense of the Company.  In addition, if the Company fails to comply with any of its obligations under this Agreement or in the event that the Company or any other person takes any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any Proceeding to deny or to recover from Indemnitee the benefits intended to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall have the right to retain counsel of Indemnitee’s choice, subject to the prior approval of the Company, which approval

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shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, at the expense of the Company (subject to Section 12(d) of this Agreement), to represent Indemnitee in connection with any such matter.

Section 14.Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Subrogation.

(a)The rights of indemnification and advance of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the charter or Bylaws of the Company, any agreement or a resolution of the stockholders entitled to vote generally in the election of directors or of the Board of Directors, or otherwise.  Unless consented to in writing by Indemnitee, no amendment, alteration or repeal of the charter or Bylaws of the Company, this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal, regardless of whether a claim with respect to such action or inaction is raised prior or subsequent to such amendment, alteration or repeal.  No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right or remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right or remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise.  The assertion of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prohibit the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.

(b)In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.

Section 15.Insurance.  

(a)The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to acquire directors and officers liability insurance, on terms and conditions deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors, with the advice of counsel, covering Indemnitee or any claim made against Indemnitee by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status and covering the Company for any indemnification or advance of Expenses made by the Company to Indemnitee for any claims made against Indemnitee by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status.  In the event of a Change in Control, the Company shall maintain in force any and all directors and officers liability insurance policies that were maintained by the Company immediately prior to the Change in Control for a period of six years with the insurance carrier or carriers and through the insurance broker in place at the time of the Change in Control; provided, however, (i) if the carriers will not offer the same policy and an expiring policy needs to be replaced, a policy substantially comparable in scope and amount shall be obtained and (ii) if any replacement insurance carrier is necessary to obtain a policy substantially comparable in scope and amount, such insurance carrier shall have an AM Best rating that is the same or better than the AM Best rating of the existing insurance carrier; provided, further, however, in no event shall the Company be required to expend in the aggregate in excess of 250% of the annual premium or premiums paid by the Company for directors and officers liability insurance in effect on the date of the Change in Control.  In the event that 250% of the annual premium paid by the Company for such existing directors and officers liability insurance is insufficient for such coverage, the Company shall spend up to that amount to purchase such lesser coverage as may be obtained with such amount.

(b)Without in any way limiting any other obligation under this Agreement, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee for any payment by Indemnitee arising out of the amount of any deductible or retention and the amount of any excess of the aggregate of all judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with a Proceeding over the coverage of any insurance referred to in Section 15(a).  The purchase, establishment and maintenance of any such insurance shall not in any way limit or affect the rights or obligations of the Company or Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights or obligations of the Company under any such insurance policies.  If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies.

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(c)

Indemnitee shall cooperate with the Company or any insurance carrier of the Company with respect to any Proceeding.

Section 16.Coordination of Payments.  The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable or payable or reimbursable as Expenses hereunder if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.

Section 17.Contribution.  If the indemnification provided in this Agreement is unavailable in whole or in part and may not be paid to Indemnitee for any reason, other than for failure to satisfy the standard of conduct set forth in Section 4 or due to the provisions of Section 5, then, with respect to any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), to the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying and holding harmless Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for Expenses, judgments, penalties, and/or amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.

Section 18.Reports to Stockholders.  To the extent required by the MGCL, the Company shall report in writing to its stockholders the payment of any amounts for indemnification of, or advance of Expenses to, Indemnitee under this Agreement arising out of a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company with the notice of the meeting of stockholders of the Company next following the date of the payment of any such indemnification or advance of Expenses or prior to such meeting.

Section 19.Duration of Agreement; Binding Effect.

(a)This Agreement shall continue until and terminate on the later of (i) the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or as a director, trustee, officer, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other foreign or domestic corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person is or was serving in such capacity at the request of the Company and (ii) the date that Indemnitee is no longer subject to any actual or possible Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement).

(b)The indemnification and advance of Expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or a director, trustee, officer, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person is or was serving in such capacity at the request of the Company, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives.

(c)The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

(d)The Company and Indemnitee agree that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm.  Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may enforce this Agreement by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which Indemnitee may be entitled.  Indemnitee

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shall further be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertakings in connection therewith.  The Company acknowledges that, in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by a court, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking.

Section 20.Severability.  If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, void, illegal or otherwise unenforceable for any reason whatsoever:  (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.

Section 21.Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts (delivery of which may be by facsimile or via e-mail as a portable document format (.pdf) or other electronic format), each of which will be deemed to be an original, and it will not be necessary in making proof of this Agreement or the terms of this Agreement to produce or account for more than one such counterpart.  One such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought shall be sufficient to evidence the existence of this Agreement.

Section 22.Headings.  The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.

Section 23.Modification and Waiver.  No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto.  No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor, unless otherwise expressly stated, shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

Section 24.Notices.  All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (i) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, on the day of such delivery, or (ii) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed:

(a)If to Indemnitee, to the address set forth on the signature page hereto.

(b)If to the Company, to:

SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc.

10 Terrace Road

Ladera Ranch, California 92694

Attn:  General Counsel

 

or to such other address as may have been furnished in writing to Indemnitee by the Company or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.

 

Section 25.Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to its conflicts of laws rules.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]


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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

SMARTSTOP SELF STORAGE REIT,
INC.

 

 

 

By:  ________________________________

        Name:

        Title:

 

 

INDEMNITEE

 

 

 

____________________________________

Name:

Address:

 

 

 

 

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EXHIBIT A

AFFIRMATION AND UNDERTAKING TO REPAY EXPENSES ADVANCED

To:  The Board of Directors of SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc.

 

Re:  Affirmation and Undertaking

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This Affirmation and Undertaking is being provided pursuant to that certain Indemnification Agreement, dated the _____ day of September, 2019, by and between SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and the undersigned Indemnitee (the “Indemnification Agreement”), pursuant to which I am entitled to advance of Expenses in connection with [Description of Proceeding] (the “Proceeding”).

Terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings specified in the Indemnification Agreement.

I am subject to the Proceeding by reason of my Corporate Status or by reason of alleged actions or omissions by me in such capacity.  I hereby affirm my good faith belief that at all times, insofar as I was involved as a director, officer or service provider of the Company, in any of the facts or events giving rise to the Proceeding, I (1) did not act with bad faith or active or deliberate dishonesty, (2) did not receive any improper personal benefit in money, property or services and (3) in the case of any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that any act or omission by me was unlawful.

In consideration of the advance by the Company for Expenses incurred by me in connection with the Proceeding (the “Advanced Expenses”), I hereby agree that if, in connection with the Proceeding, it is established that (1) an act or omission by me was material to the matter giving rise to the Proceeding and (a) was committed in bad faith or (b) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (2) I actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (3) in the case of any criminal proceeding, I had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful, then I shall promptly reimburse the portion of the Advanced Expenses relating to the claims, issues or matters in the Proceeding as to which the foregoing findings have been established.  

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have executed this Affirmation and Undertaking on this _____ day of _______________, 20____.

 

 

_____________________________

Name: