Company Description
Clipper Realty Inc. (NYSE: CLPR) is a self-administered and self-managed real estate company focused on the acquisition, ownership, management, operation and repositioning of multifamily residential and commercial properties in the New York metropolitan area. According to the company’s public disclosures, its portfolio is concentrated in Manhattan and Brooklyn, with properties that generate both residential and commercial rental income.
Clipper Realty reports its business through two primary segments: Residential Rental Properties and Commercial Rental Properties. The company’s financial statements and earnings releases show that a substantial portion of its total revenues comes from the residential segment, reflecting the importance of multifamily rental properties in its overall portfolio mix.
Business model and property focus
The company states that it acquires, owns, manages, operates and repositions real estate assets. This includes multifamily residential buildings and commercial properties in the New York metropolitan area. Its disclosures highlight a portfolio in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and specific properties referenced in recent reports include Flatbush Gardens, Tribeca House, Aspen, 250 Livingston Street, 141 Livingston Street, 10 West 65th Street and a Dean Street development referred to as Prospect House.
Clipper Realty’s revenues are primarily derived from residential rental income and commercial rental income. Residential rental income is associated with multifamily properties, while commercial rental income comes from leased commercial space. The company’s results commentary frequently emphasizes occupancy levels, rental rates, lease renewals and new lease spreads as key drivers of performance, particularly in its residential portfolio.
Geographic concentration in New York City
All of the specific properties mentioned in the company’s earnings releases and SEC filings are located in the New York metropolitan area, with an identified portfolio in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Examples include:
- Flatbush Gardens, a large residential property where the company references an Article 11 agreement with New York City and related rental recoveries.
- 250 Livingston Street and 141 Livingston Street in Brooklyn, which are commercial properties with New York City agencies as tenants or counterparties to lease arrangements.
- Dean Street / Prospect House, a ground-up residential development in Brooklyn that has moved from construction into initial lease-up.
- 1010 Pacific Street, a residential rental property in Brooklyn that secures a mortgage loan described in a Form 8-K.
- 10 West 65th Street, a residential property in Manhattan that the company decided to sell.
Key themes from recent disclosures
In its recent earnings releases, Clipper Realty has highlighted several recurring themes:
- Strong residential leasing metrics, with references to high occupancy and new and renewal leases at higher rents compared to expiring leases.
- Portfolio activity, including the sale of the 10 West 65th Street property, the completion and lease-up of the Dean Street (Prospect House) development, and ongoing work at Flatbush Gardens under an Article 11 agreement with New York City.
- Commercial lease developments, such as the termination of a New York City lease at 250 Livingston Street and a five-year lease renewal with New York City at 141 Livingston Street.
- Financing and refinancing of properties, including a bridge loan for the Dean Street development and a new loan secured by 1010 Pacific Street.
The company also discusses non-GAAP performance measures such as net operating income (NOI), funds from operations (FFO) and adjusted funds from operations (AFFO), which it presents alongside GAAP metrics in its public financial reports.
Capital structure and debt arrangements
Clipper Realty’s balance sheets and Form 8-K filings describe various mortgage loans secured by specific properties. Examples include:
- A loan secured by 141 Livingston Street, subject to a Loan Agreement and a later Loan Modification Agreement that addressed litigation, a renewal tenant reserve letter of credit and approval of a five-year lease extension with a New York City tenant.
- A loan secured by 250 Livingston Street, where the company disclosed an event of default related to missed funding of a cash management account and noted that the lender may pursue remedies, including foreclosure, while the company negotiates a potential consent and cooperation agreement in connection with a possible sale of the property.
- A refinancing at 1010 Pacific Street, where a new loan replaced prior mortgage notes and is secured by that residential rental property.
- A bridge loan for the Dean Street (Prospect House) development, described as providing a lower interest rate than the prior construction loan and funding operating costs during lease-up.
These disclosures show that the company finances its properties with property-level mortgage debt and periodically refinances or modifies these loans in response to development progress, leasing outcomes and lender negotiations.
Dividend policy and REIT-style metrics
Clipper Realty’s press releases describe regular quarterly dividends on its common stock, and the company provides annual Federal income tax treatment information for its distributions. The company also emphasizes REIT-style performance metrics such as NOI, FFO and AFFO in its communications, and explains how these non-GAAP measures are calculated and used by management and investors.
While specific dividend amounts and quarterly performance figures change over time, the repeated discussion of recurring distributions and non-GAAP measures indicates an ongoing focus on cash flow from rental operations and its relevance to shareholders.
Governance and stockholder matters
In a recent Form 8-K, Clipper Realty reported the results of an Annual Meeting of Stockholders, where stockholders voted on the election of directors, ratification of the company’s independent registered public accounting firm and approval of equity incentive plans. The voting results show the company’s use of stockholder-approved plans for compensation and governance purposes.
Use of non-GAAP financial measures
The company’s filings and earnings releases include detailed sections on FFO, AFFO, Adjusted EBITDA and NOI. Clipper Realty explains that these measures are considered by management and some investors when evaluating property-level performance, cash generation and the ability to support dividends, while also noting that these metrics are not alternatives to GAAP net income or cash flows.
Summary
Overall, Clipper Realty Inc. is described in its public disclosures as a New York metropolitan area-focused real estate company with a portfolio of multifamily residential and commercial properties in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Its business model centers on owning and operating these properties, managing leasing and rent levels, and using property-level financing and refinancings to support operations, development and capital allocation decisions. Investors and analysts following CLPR commonly review the company’s segment information, rental income breakdown, non-GAAP performance measures and property-specific updates to understand its ongoing performance and risk profile.