Acquisition of Real Estate Properties. Our investment in real estate is recorded at historical cost, less accumulated depreciation. Upon acquisition of a property, the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed are initially measured based upon their relative fair values. We estimate the fair value of land by reviewing comparable sales within the same submarket and/or region. We estimate the fair value of buildings and improvements and tenant improvements as if the property was vacant, taking into consideration current replacement costs and other relevant market rate information and may engage third-party valuation specialists. Acquisition costs are capitalized as incurred. All of our acquisitions to date were recorded as asset acquisitions.

The fair value of acquired in-place leases is derived based on our assessment of estimated lost revenue and costs incurred for the period required to lease the “assumed vacant” property to the occupancy level when purchased. The amounts recorded for acquired in-place leases are reflected as in-place lease intangible assets, net on our condensed consolidated balance sheets and are amortized on a straight-line basis as a component of depreciation and amortization expense over the remaining term of the applicable leases.

The fair value of the above-market component of an acquired in-place operating lease is based upon the present value (calculated using a market discount rate) of the difference between (i) the contractual rents to be paid pursuant to the lease over its remaining non-cancellable lease term and (ii) our estimate of the rents that would be paid using fair market rental rates and rent escalations at the date of acquisition measured over the remaining non-cancellable term of the lease. The amount recorded for one above-market operating lease is included in other assets, net on our condensed consolidated balance sheets and is amortized on a straight-line basis as a reduction of rental revenue over the remaining term of the applicable lease.

Cost Capitalization and Depreciation. We capitalize costs associated with development and redevelopment activities and tenant improvements when we are considered to be the accounting owner of the resulting assets. The development and redevelopment activities may be funded by us pursuant to the lease. We are generally considered the accounting owner for such improvements that are attached to or built into the premises, which are required under the lease to be surrendered to us upon the expiration or earlier termination of the lease. Typically, such improvements include, but are not limited to, ground up development, and enhanced HVAC, plumbing, electrical and other building systems.

Amounts capitalized are depreciated over estimated useful lives determined by management. We depreciate buildings and improvements and tenant improvements based on our evaluation of the estimated useful life of each specific asset, not to exceed 40 years. For the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, we recognized depreciation expense of approximately $13.7 million and $8.8 million, respectively, which are included in depreciation and amortization expense in our condensed consolidated statements of income. We depreciate office equipment and furniture and fixtures over estimated useful lives ranging from three to six years. We depreciate the leasehold improvements at our corporate office over the shorter of the estimated useful lives or the initial lease term.

Determining whether expenditures meet the criteria for capitalization and the assignment of depreciable lives requires management to exercise significant judgment. Project costs that are clearly associated with the acquisition and development or redevelopment of a real estate project, for which we are the accounting owner, are capitalized as a cost of that project. Expenditures that meet one or more of the following criteria generally qualify for capitalization:

Provision for Impairment. On a quarterly basis, we review current activities and changes in the business conditions of all of our properties prior to and subsequent to the end of each quarter to determine the existence of any triggering events or impairment indicators requiring an impairment analysis. If triggering events or impairment indicators are identified, we review an estimate of the future undiscounted cash flows for the properties, including, if necessary, a probability-weighted approach if multiple outcomes are under consideration.

Long-lived assets are individually evaluated for impairment when conditions exist that may indicate that the carrying amount of a long-lived asset may not be recoverable. The carrying amount of a long-lived asset to be held and used is not recoverable if it exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the asset. Impairment indicators or triggering events for long-lived assets to be held and used are assessed by project and include significant fluctuations in estimated net operating income, occupancy changes, significant near-term lease expirations, current and historical operating and/or cash flow losses, construction costs, estimated completion dates, rental rates, and other market factors. We assess the expected undiscounted cash flows based upon numerous factors, including, but not limited to, construction costs, available market information, current and historical operating results, known trends, current market/economic conditions that may affect the property, and our assumptions about the use of the asset, including, if necessary, a probability-weighted approach if multiple outcomes are under consideration. Upon determination that an impairment has occurred, a write-down is recognized to reduce the carrying amount to its estimated fair value.

Revenue Recognition. Our leases are triple-net leases, an arrangement under which the tenant maintains the property while paying us rent. We account for our current leases as operating leases and record revenue for each of our properties on a cash basis due to the uncertain regulatory environment in the United States pertaining to the regulated cannabis industry, the limited operating history of certain tenants and the resulting uncertainty of collectability of lease payments from each tenant over the duration of the lease term. Contractually obligated reimbursements from tenants for recoverable real estate taxes, insurance and operating expenses are included in rental revenues in the period when such costs are reimbursed by the tenants. Contractually obligated real estate taxes that are paid directly by the tenant to the tax authorities are not reflected in our condensed consolidated financial statements.

Construction Loan. In June 2021, we executed a construction loan agreement with a developer, pursuant to which we agreed to lend up to $18.5 million for the development of a regulated cannabis cultivation and processing facility in California. We have an option to purchase the property, and may execute a negotiated lease with an affiliate of the developer or with another third party, if we determine to exercise our purchase option. The developer is required to complete construction by June 2022, subject to extension in certain circumstances. Interest on the construction loan is payable at maturity, which is December 25, 2022. As of March 31, 2022, we had funded approximately $15.5 million of the construction loan.

Cash and Cash Equivalents. We consider all highly-liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, approximately $32.5 million and $72.0 million, respectively, were invested in short-term money market funds, obligations of the U.S. government and certificates of deposit with an original maturity at the time of purchase of less than or equal to three months.

Restricted Cash. Restricted cash relates to cash held in escrow accounts for the reimbursement of improvements for tenants in accordance with certain lease agreements.

Investments. Investments consist of obligations of the U.S. government and certificates of deposit with an original maturity at the time of purchase of greater than three months. Investments are classified as held-to-maturity and stated at amortized cost.

Exchangeable Notes. The liability and equity components of exchangeable debt instruments that may be settled in cash upon exchange, including partial cash settlement, are required to be separately accounted for in a manner that reflects the issuer’s nonexchangeable debt borrowing rate. The initial proceeds from the sale of our Exchangeable Senior Notes (as defined below) were allocated between a liability component and an equity component in a manner that reflects interest expense at the rate of similar nonexchangeable debt that could have been issued at such time. The equity component represents the excess initial proceeds received over the fair value of the liability component of the Exchangeable Senior Notes as of the date of issuance. We measured the estimated fair value of the debt component of our Exchangeable Senior Notes as of the date of issuance based on our estimated nonexchangeable debt borrowing rate with the assistance of a third-party valuation specialist as we do not have a history of borrowing arrangements and there is limited empirical data available related to the Company’s industry due to the regulatory uncertainty of the cannabis market in which the Company’s tenants operate. The equity component of our Exchangeable Senior Notes was reflected within additional paid-in capital on our condensed consolidated balance sheets, and the resulting debt discount was amortized over the period during which the Exchangeable Senior Notes are expected to be outstanding (through the maturity date) as additional non-cash interest expense.

In August 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-06, Debt — Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging — Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity. ASU 2020-06 simplifies the accounting for convertible debt by eliminating the beneficial conversion and cash conversion accounting models, and convertible debt proceeds, unless issued with a substantial premium or an embedded conversion feature, will no longer be allocated between debt and equity components. ASU 2020-06 also updates the earnings per share calculation and requires entities to assume share settlement when the convertible debt can be settled in cash or shares. We adopted ASU 2020-06 on January 1, 2022 and recognized a cumulative-effect adjustment of approximately $728,000 to the opening balance of retained earnings and derecognized approximately $1.3 million of the remaining equity component relating to the outstanding principal balance of our Exchangeable Senior Notes at the date of adoption.

Deferred Financing Costs. The deferred financing costs that are included as a reduction in the net book value of the related liability on our condensed consolidated balance sheets reflect issuance and other costs related to our debt obligations. These costs are amortized as non-cash interest expense using the effective interest method over the life of the related obligations.

Stock-Based Compensation. Stock-based compensation for equity awards is based on the grant date fair value of the equity awards and is recognized over the requisite service or performance period. If awards are forfeited prior to vesting, we reverse any previously recognized expense related to such awards in the period during which the forfeiture occurs and reclassify any non-forfeitable dividends and dividend equivalents previously paid on these awards from retained earnings to compensation expense. Forfeitures are recognized as incurred. Certain equity awards are subject to vesting based upon the satisfaction of various market conditions. Forfeiture of share awards with market-based restrictions does not result in a reversal of previously recognized share-based compensation expense.

Lease Accounting. We adopted Topic 842 effective as of January 1, 2019 using the effective date method and elected the package of practical expedients that allows an entity not to reassess upon adoption (i) whether an expired or existing contract contains a lease, (ii) whether a lease classification related to expired or existing lease arrangements, and (iii) whether costs incurred on expired or existing leases qualify as initial direct costs, and as a lessor, the practical expedient not to separate certain non-lease components, such as common area maintenance, from the lease component if  the timing and pattern of transfer are the same for the non-lease component and associated lease component, and the lease component would be classified as an operating lease if accounted for separately. We also elected the lessor practical expedient, allowing us to continue to amortize previously capitalized initial direct leasing costs incurred prior to the adoption of Topic 842.

As lessee, we recognized a liability to account for our future obligations and a corresponding right-of-use asset related to our corporate office lease. The lease liability was initially measured based on the present value of the future lease payments discounted using the estimated incremental borrowing rate of 7.25%, which was the interest rate that we estimate we would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term for an amount equal to the lease payments. In November 2021, we amended the lease to extend the term from April 2025 to January 2027 in connection with an expansion of the leased space which did not commence until February 2022. As a result of the lease amendment, we re-measured the lease liability relating to the existing leased space and measured the lease liability relating to the expansion space based on the present value of the respective future lease payments (excluding the extension option that we are not reasonably certain to exercise), discounted using the estimated incremental borrowing rate of 5.5%, which was the interest rate that we estimate we would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term for an amount equal to the lease payments. Subsequently, the lease liability is accreted by applying a discount rate established at the lease commencement date to the lease liability balance as of the beginning of the period and is reduced by the payments made during the period.

The right-of-use asset is measured based on the corresponding lease liability. We did not incur any initial direct leasing costs and any other consideration exchanged with the landlord prior to the commencement of the lease. Subsequently, the right-of-use asset is amortized on a straight-line basis during the lease term. For the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, we recognized office lease expense of approximately $101,000 and $57,000, respectively, which are included in general and administrative expense in our condensed consolidated statements of income. For the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, amounts paid and classified as operating activities in our condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the office lease were approximately $60,000 and $59,000, respectively.

As lessor, for each of our real estate transactions involving the leaseback of the related property to the seller or affiliates of the seller, we determine whether these transactions qualify as sale and leaseback transactions under the accounting guidance. For these transactions, we consider various inputs and assumptions including, but not necessarily limited to, lease terms, renewal options, discount rates, and other rights and provisions in the purchase and sale agreement, lease and other documentation to determine whether control has been transferred to the Company or remains with the lessee. A transaction involving a sale leaseback will be treated as a purchase of a real estate property if it is considered to transfer control of the underlying asset from the lessee. A lease will be classified as direct-financing if risks and rewards are conveyed without the transfer of control and will be classified as a sales-type lease if control of the underlying asset is transferred to the lessee. Otherwise, the lease is treated as an operating lease. These criteria also include estimates and assumptions regarding the fair value of the leased facilities, minimum lease payments, the economic useful life of the facilities, the existence of a purchase option, and certain other terms in the lease agreements. The lease accounting guidance requires accounting for a transaction as a financing in a sale leaseback when the seller-lessee is provided an option to purchase the property from the landlord at the tenant’s option. Substantially all of our leases continued to be classified as operating leases and we continue to record revenue for each of our properties on a cash basis. Our tenant reimbursable revenue and property expenses continue to be presented on a gross basis as rental revenue and as property expenses, respectively, on our consolidated statements of income. Property taxes paid directly by the lessee to a third party continue to be excluded from our consolidated financial statements.

Concentration of Credit Risk. As of March 31, 2022, we owned 107 properties located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington. The ability of any of our tenants to honor the terms of their leases is dependent upon the economic, regulatory, competition, natural and social factors affecting the community in which that tenant operates.

As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, none of our properties individually represented more than 5% of our net real estate held for investment.

We have deposited cash with a financial institution that is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) up to $250,000. As of March 31, 2022, we had cash accounts in excess of FDIC insured limits. We have not experienced any losses in such accounts.

In-place lease intangible assets and related accumulated amortization as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 is as follows (in thousands):

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The above-market lease and related accumulated amortization included in other assets, net on our condensed consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 is as follows (in thousands):

Future contractual minimum rent (including base rent and property management fees) under the operating leases as of March 31, 2022 for future periods is summarized as follows (in thousands):

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