Ponce Financial Group, Inc. [PDLB] Filings

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

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

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023

OR

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

FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM TO

Commission File Number 001-41255

Ponce Financial Group, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (718) 931-9000

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

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

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262 (b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the Registrant, based on the closing price of the shares of common stock on The NASDAQ Stock Market on June 30, 2023 was $184,414,539.

As of March 18, 2024, the registrant had 23,790,497 shares of common stock, $0.01par value per share, outstanding.

Documents Incorporated by Reference: Portions of the Registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement relating to the Annual Meeting of Stockholders, scheduled to be held on June 13, 2024, are incorporated into Part III hereof.

Auditor Firm Id: 339 Auditor Name: Mazars USA LLP Auditor Location: New York, New York, USA

Table of Contents

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This annual report contains forward-looking statements, which can be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “assume,” “plan,” “seek,” “expect,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “indicate,” “would,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “target” and words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

These forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and expectations and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Company's control. In addition, these forward-looking statements are subject to assumptions with respect to future business strategies and decisions that are subject to change.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements:

Because of these and other uncertainties, our actual future results may be materially different from the results indicated by these forward-looking statements. The Company is under no duty to and does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

PART I

Item 1. Business

Ponce Financial Group, Inc.

Ponce Financial Group, Inc. (hereafter referred to as “we,” “our,” “us,” “Ponce Financial Group, Inc.,” or the “Company”), is the holding company of Ponce Bank (“Ponce Bank” or the “Bank”), a federally chartered stock savings association. The Company is authorized to pursue other business activities permitted by applicable laws and regulations for savings and loan holding companies, which may include the acquisition of banking and financial services companies.

The Company’s cash flow is dependent on earnings from investments and any dividends received from Ponce Bank. Ponce Financial Group, Inc. does not own nor lease any property, but instead uses the premises, equipment and furniture of Ponce Bank. At the present time, the Company employs only persons who are officers of Ponce Bank to serve as officers of Ponce Financial Group, Inc. It uses the support staff of Ponce Bank from time to time. These persons are not separately compensated by Ponce Financial Group, Inc. Ponce Financial Group, Inc. may hire additional employees, as appropriate, to the extent it so determines in the future.

The Company’s executive office is located at 2244 Westchester Avenue, Bronx, New York 10462, and the telephone number at that address is (718) 931-9000.

Available Information

Under Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), Ponce Financial Group, Inc. is required to file annual, quarterly, and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Company electronically files its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements and other reports as required with the SEC. The SEC website, www.sec.gov, provides access to all Company filings which have been filed electronically. Additionally, the Company’s SEC filings and additional shareholders’ information are available free of charge on the Bank’s website, www.poncebank.com (within the Investor Relations section). The references to our website address and the SEC’s website address do not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained in those websites and should not be considered part of this annual report.

The Company’s common stock is traded on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC under the symbol “PDLB.”

Ponce Bank

Ponce Bank is a federally-chartered stock savings association headquartered in the Bronx, New York. Ponce Bank was originally chartered in 1960 as a federally-chartered mutual savings and loan association under the name Ponce De Leon Federal Savings and Loan Association. In 1985, the Bank changed its name to “Ponce De Leon Federal Savings Bank.” In 1997, the Bank changed its name again to “Ponce De Leon Federal Bank.” In 2017, the Bank adopted its current name. The assets and liabilities of Ponce De Leon Federal Bank were transferred to and assumed by the Bank. The Bank is designated as a Minority Depository Institution (“MDI”) and a Community Development Financial Institution (“CDFI”) under applicable regulations and is a certified Small Business Administration (“SBA’) lender. The Bank is subject to comprehensive regulation and examination by the Office of Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”).

The Company’s business is conducted through the administrative office and 13 full service banking offices and 5 mortgage loan offices. The banking offices are located in New York City – the Bronx (4 branches), Queens (3 branches), Brooklyn (3 branches), Manhattan (2 branches) and Union City (1 branch), New Jersey. The mortgage loan offices are located in Queens (3) and Brooklyn (1), New York and Bergenfield (1), New Jersey. The Company’s primary market area currently consists of the New York City metropolitan area.

The Bank’s business primarily consists of taking deposits from the general public and investing those deposits, together with funds generated from operations and borrowings, in mortgage loans, consisting of one-to-four family residential (both investor-owned and owner-occupied), multifamily residential, nonresidential properties and construction and land, and, to a lesser extent, in business and consumer loans. The Bank also invests in securities, which have historically consisted of U.S. government and federal agency securities and securities issued by government-sponsored or owned enterprises, corporate securities, mortgage-backed securities and Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (the “FHLBNY”) stock. The Bank offers a variety of deposit accounts, including demand, savings, money markets and certificates of deposit accounts.

Business Strategy

The Company’s goal is to provide long-term value to our stockholders, customers, employees and the communities we serve (collectively our “stakeholders”) by executing a safe and sound business strategy that produces increasing value. The Company believes there is a significant opportunity for an immigrant community-focused, minority directed bank to provide a full range of financial services to commercial and retail customers in our market area and other similar communities.

Our current business strategy consists of the following:

For additional information related to our business strategies, see “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Vision 2025 Evolves."

Employees and Human Capital Resources

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had 237 full time equivalent employees. None of the Company’s employees are represented by a labor union, and management considers its relationship with employees to be good. The Company believes its ability to attract and retain employees is key to its success. Accordingly, the Company strives to offer competitive salaries and employee benefits to all employees and monitors salaries and other compensation in its market area.

The Company encourages and supports the growth and development of our employees. Continual learning and career development is advanced through ongoing performance and development conversations with employees, internally developed training programs and educational reimbursement programs.

The Company is responsible for creating an equitable workplace ensuring diversity at all management levels. The Company prides itself on establishing a diverse workforce that serves our diverse customer base in the New York metro area. The Company’s inclusion and diversity program focuses on its workforce, workplace, and community. The Company believes that its business is strengthened by a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which it operates. The Company believes that all of its team members should be treated with respect and equality, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious beliefs, or other characteristics. The Company has also broadened its focus on inclusion and diversity by including social and racial equity in its conversations and equipping and empowering its team leaders with appropriate tools and training.

Market Area

The Bank is headquartered in the Bronx, New York, with a primary market in the other boroughs of New York City (excluding Staten Island) and Hudson County, New Jersey. The size and complex nature of the geographic footprint makes for diverse demographics that continue to undergo significant changes, in terms of economic, racial, ethnic and age parameters, all with potentially substantial long-term institutional ramifications.

The Bank’s primary deposit base includes a large and stable base of locally employed blue-collar workers with low-to-medium income, middle-aged, and with limited investment funds. Within the base of locally employed blue-collar workers there is a significant, and growing, portion of recently immigrated, younger, lower-skilled laborers. The influx of immigrant lower-skilled workers, however, has been hampered by the increases in rental rates in the rental housing market within the New York City metropolitan area.

Another significant customer segment of the Bank consists of middle aged and older white-collar, high-income individuals, many of whom are self-employed real estate investors and developers. They constitute a large percentage of the borrowing base of the Bank and, increasingly, are becoming the source of a significant percentage of commercial deposits.

The Bank has historically been funded through local community deposits. The Bank continues to rely primarily on community deposits from its market areas to fund investments and loans. However, the mix of community deposits now includes demand and money market funds of consumer, commercial and not-for-profit entities, with a decreasing reliance on time deposits. Additionally, the Bank has been using alternative funding sources such as brokered deposits, FHLBNY and Federal Reserve Bank of New York ("FRBNY") advances to support loan growth.

Competition

The Company faces significant competition within its market area both in originating loans and attracting deposits. There is a high concentration of financial institutions in the market area, including national, regional and other locally-operated commercial banks, savings banks, savings associations and credit unions whose activities include banking as well as mortgage lending. Several “mega” banks exist in the market, such as JPMorgan Chase, Citibank and Capital One, many of whom are continuing to push for retail deposits and home mortgages. A number of the Bank’s competitors offer non-deposit products and services that the Bank does not currently offer, such as trust services, private banking, insurance services and asset management. Additionally, the Company faces an increasing level of competition from non-core financial service providers that do not necessarily maintain a physical presence in the Bank’s market area, such as Radius Bank, Quicken Loans, Freedom Mortgage and many internet financial service providers. The amount of competition facing the Company is extensive and can negatively impact its growth.

The market share of bank deposits in the New York area can be difficult to quantify, as some “mega” banks will include large scale deposits from around the world as held at headquarters. However, in Bronx County, New York, where the Bank maintains four branches, it holds 1.63% (as of June 30, 2023) of the market’s deposits. This represents the Bank’s largest market share in a county-level area. The Bank continues to work to improve its market position by expanding its brand within its current market area, and building its capacity to provide more products and services to its customers.

Lending Activities

General. The Bank’s principal lending activity is originating real estate-secured loans, including one-to-four family investor-owned and owner-occupied residential, multifamily residential, nonresidential property, construction and land loans, and commercial and industrial (“C&I”) business loans and consumer loans. It originates real estate and other loans through its loan officers, marketing efforts, customer base, walk-in customers and referrals from real estate brokers, builders and attorneys. Subject to market conditions and its asset-liability analysis, the Bank looks to maintain its emphasis on multifamily residential and nonresidential property loans while growing the overall loan portfolio and increasing the overall yield earned on loans.

In 2020, the Bank had entered into a partnership with Grain. Through Grain, the Bank provides a consumer line of credit using a mobile application geared nationally to the underbanked and new generations entering the financial services market that uses non-traditional underwriting methodologies. In establishing these lines of credit, the Company reserved the right to modify borrowers’ credit limits at its sole discretion. As discussed under Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, Factors Affecting the Comparability of Results, Write-off and Write-Down of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Company has taken a write-off and write-down relative to these loans due to cyber-fraud experienced by Grain. These Grain loans are reflected in the consumer loan portfolio and are now serviced by the Bank. On November 1, 2023, Ponce Financial Group, Inc. and Grain signed a Perpetual Software License Agreement in order for the Bank to assume the servicing of the remaining Grain loans. In order to facilitate the transfer of the servicing responsibilities to the Bank, Grain granted the Bank a perpetual right and license to use the Grain software, including the source code to service the remaining loans.

Lending activities are conducted primarily by the Bank’s salaried loan officers operating at its main and branch office locations as well as remotely. It also conducts lending activities through its subsidiary Ponce De Leon Mortgage Corporation. All loan originations are underwritten pursuant to the Bank’s policies and procedures. The Bank currently intends that substantially all of its mortgage loan originations will have adjustable interest rates. For its non-PPP business loan originations, variable rate pricing is offered based on prime rate plus a margin.

Loan Portfolio Composition. The following table sets forth the composition of the Bank’s loan portfolio by type of loan (excluding mortgage loans held for sale) at the dates indicated. Loans in process at December 31, 2023 and 2022 were $520.3 million and $205.6 million, respectively.

Loan Products Offered by the Bank. The following table provides a breakdown of the Bank’s loan portfolio by product type and principal balance outstanding at December 31, 2023, excluding mortgage loans held for sale.

One-to-four Family Investor-Owned Loans. At December 31, 2023, one-to-four family investor-owned loans were $343.7 million, or 17.9% of the Bank’s total loans. Investor-owned mortgage loans secured by non-owner-occupied one-to-four family residential property represents the Bank’s third largest lending concentration. The majority of the portfolio, $303.7 million, or 88.4%, are two-to-four family properties (459 accounts), while the remaining $39.9 million, or 11.6%, are primarily single family, non-owner-occupied investment properties (95 accounts). The three largest loans outstanding in this category had outstanding balances of $5.3 million, $3.4 million and $2.9 million. In this category, loans totaling $120.5 million, or 35.1%, are secured by properties located in Queens County, $85.2 million, or 24.8%, in Kings County, $25.5 million, or 7.4%, in Nassau County, $25.4 million, or 7.4%, in Essex County, $20.4 million, or 5.9%, in New York County, $18.3 million, or 5.3%, in Bronx County, $10.3 million, or 3.0%, in Hudson County, $9.5 million, or 2.8% in Bergen County, and $6.0 million, or 1.7% in Suffolk County. The rest of this category, 6.6%, is spread out in other counties and no other concentration exceeded $2.8 million, or 0.8%.

The Bank imposes prudent underwriting guidelines in the origination of such loans, including lower maximum loan-to-value ratios (“LTVs”) of 70% on purchases and 65% on refinances, a required minimum debt service coverage ratio (“DSCR,” net operating income divided by debt service requirement) of 1.20x that must be met by either the property on a standalone basis or by the inclusion of the owner(s) as co-borrower(s). In addition, all origination of such loans currently require that the transaction exhibit a global debt service coverage ratio (net operating income divided by debt service requirement) of no less than 1.0x. This coverage ratio indicates that the owner has the capacity to support the loan along with all personal obligations. On occasion, the Bank has required that the borrower establish a cash reserve to be held at the Bank in order to provide additional security. The maximum term on such loans is 30 years, typically with five-year adjustable rates.

One-to-four family investor-owned real estate loans involve a greater degree of risk than one-to-four family owner-occupied real estate loans. Rather than depending on the borrower’s repayment ability from employment or other income, the borrower’s repayment ability is primarily dependent on ensuring that a tenant occupies the investor property and has the financial capacity to pay sufficient rent to cover the borrower’s debt. In addition, if an investor borrower has several loans secured by properties in the same market, the loans have risks similar to a multifamily real estate loan and repayment of those loans is subject to adverse conditions in the rental market or the local economy.

One-to-four Family Owner-occupied Loans. One-to-four family owner-occupied loans totaled $152.3 million, or 7.9% of the Bank’s total loan portfolio at December 31, 2023. The three largest loans outstanding in this category had outstanding balances of $2.6 million, $2.2 million and $2.0 million. There are 26 loans with an outstanding balance in excess of $1.0 million, totaling $36.8 million, or approximately 23.5% of this category. At December 31, 2023, approximately $51.9 million, or 34.1%, of this category was secured by properties located in Queens County, $39.1 million, or 25.6%, in Kings County, $13.2 million, or 8.7%, in Bronx County, $12.3 million, or 8.1%, in New York County, $11.0 million, or 7.3%, in Nassau County, $7.7 million, or 5.1%, in Essex County, $7.0 million, or 4.6%, in Richmond County, $3.8 million, or 2.5%, in Bergen County, and $3.2 million, or 2.1%, in Suffolk County. The rest of this category, less than 2.0%, is spread out in other counties and no other concentration exceeded $1.5 million, or 0.9%.

It is the Bank’s policy to underwrite loans secured by one-to-four family owner-occupied residential real estate in a manner that ensures strict compliance with Dodd-Frank regulatory requirements. This includes underwriting only mortgages that have a debt-to-income ratio of 43% or less or that meet non-qualified mortgage standards. A qualified mortgage is presumed to meet the borrower’s ability to repay the loan. As part of this effort, the Bank employs software that tests each loan for qualified mortgage compliance. As a CDFI, the Bank is authorized to originate non-qualified mortgages. Non-qualified mortgages generally require greater down payments and have higher yields.

The Bank generally limits one-to-four family loans to a maximum loan-to-value ("LTV") ratio of 90% for a purchase and 80% for a refinance, based on the lower of the purchase price or appraised value. The maximum loan term is 30 years, self-amortizing. As a portfolio lender, the Bank presently does offer a fixed-rate product. The Bank currently offers mostly 5/1 and 5/5 adjustable rate loans that adjust based on a spread ranging between 2.75% to 3.00% over the one or five-year FHLBNY rate. The maximum amount by which the interest rate may increase generally is limited to 2% for the first two adjustments and 5% for the life of the loan.

Additionally, the Bank offers 1-4 loan family residential loans that are saleable in the secondary market, such as Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and investors. The programs give the Bank the option to offer Federal Housing Administration ("FHA"), conventional, and non-qualified loans to its consumers. These programs are underwritten specifically to the Government agencies guidelines and the designated investors requirements. These loan products may allow up to 97% LTV ( with mortgage insurance) and Debt ratios as high as 50%, based on credit and other factors, as well as Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae Automated underwriting system risk assessment. The terms offered are generally 10,15,20,25, and 30 years fixed rate.

Multifamily Loans. Multifamily loans totaled $550.6 million, or 28.7% of the Bank’s total loan portfolio at December 31, 2023. Loans secured by multifamily properties represent the Bank’s largest real estate lending category. The three largest loans were $20.7 million, $18.3 million and $17.3 million. Of the total of $550.6 million in multifamily loans, 154 loans have balances in excess of $1.0 million and account for $442.1 million, or approximately 80.5%, of this lending concentration. In terms of geographical concentrations, $205.0 million, or 37.2%, are secured by properties located in Queens County, $148.9 million, or 27.1%, in Kings County, $61.3 million, or 11.1%, in Nassau County, $53.1 million, or 9.6%, in Bronx County, $33.1 million, or 6.0%, in New York County, $21.9 million, or 4.0%, in Essex County, $8.4 million, or 1.5%, in Bergen County, $4.7 million, or 0.9%, in Suffolk County, $3.9 million, or 0.7%, in Hudson County, and $3.8 million, or 0.7%, in Fairfield County. All other concentrations by county, which account for 1.2% of this category, have balances of $1.7 million or less.

Nonresidential Loans. Nonresidential loans totaled $342.3 million, or 17.8% of the Bank’s total loan portfolio at December 31, 2023. Loans secured by nonresidential properties that represent the Bank’s fourth largest concentration. The three largest loans were $24.2 million, $12.6 million and $10.5 million. Of the total of $342.3 million in nonresidential loans, 83 loans have balances in excess of $1.0 million and account for $279.7 million, or approximately 81.7%, of this lending concentration. In terms of geographical concentrations, $83.6 million, or 24.4%, are secured by properties located in Queens County, $55.8 million, or 16.3%, in Kings County, $55.4 million, or 16.2%, in Bronx County, $30.0 million, or 8.8%, in New York County, $24.2 million, or 7.1%, in Dallas County, $22.3 million, or 6.5%, in Nassau County, $16.3 million, or 4.8%, in Essex County, $10.5 million, or 3.1%, in Passaic County, $10.2 million, or 3.0%, in Bergen County, $9.4 million, or 2.8%, in Suffolk County, $6.8 million, or 2.0%, in Cobb County, $5.1 million, or 1.4%, in Richmond County, and $2.5 million, or 0.6%, in Hudson County. All other concentrations by county, which account for 3.0% of this category, have balances of $2.4 million or less.

In the nonresidential portfolio, the overall mix is diverse in terms of property types, with the largest concentration being retail and wholesale at $117.0 million, or 34.2% of the portfolio, industrial and warehouse at $78.6 million, or 23.0%, offices at $43.3 million, or 12.7%, hotels and motels at $36.3 million, or 10.6%, service, doctor, dentist, daycare and schools at $22.6 million, or 6.6%, land at $15.9 million, or 4.7%, churches at $8.9 million, or 2.6%, medical, nursing home and hospital at $7.7 million, or 2.2%, restaurants at $7.6 million, or 2.2%, and the rest of the portfolio accounts for other property types, with none exceeding 1.0% as a portfolio concentration.

The Bank considers a number of factors when originating multifamily and nonresidential mortgages. Loans secured by multifamily and nonresidential real estate generally have larger balances and involve a greater degree of risk than one-to-four family residential real estate loans. The primary concern in this type of lending is the borrower’s creditworthiness and the viability and cash flow potential of the property. Payments on loans secured by income-producing properties often depend on successful operation and management of the

properties. As a result, repayment of such loans may be more subject to adverse conditions in the real estate market or the economy as compared to residential real estate loans. To address the risks involved, the Bank evaluates the qualifications and financial resources of the underlying principal(s) of the borrower, including credit history, profitability and expertise, as well as the value of cash flows and condition of the property securing the loan. When evaluating the qualifications of the borrower, the Bank considers the financial resources of the borrower, the experience of the underlying principal(s) of the borrower in owning or managing similar properties and the borrower’s payment history with the Bank and other financial institutions. In evaluating the property securing the loan, the factors considered include the net operating income of the mortgaged property before debt service and depreciation, the ratio of the loan amount to the appraised value or purchase price of the mortgaged property (whichever is lower), and the debt service coverage ratio. All multifamily and nonresidential loans are supported by appraisals that conform to the Bank’s appraisal policy. The Bank generally limits the maximum LTVs on these loans to 75%, based on the lower of the purchase price or appraised value of the subject property (70% on the refinance of nonresidential properties such as retail spaces, office buildings, and warehouses) and a DSCR of 1.20%. The maximum loan term ranges between 5 to 15 years. As is the Bank’s general policy, the Bank offers only adjustable rates on its multifamily and nonresidential mortgages ─ with adjustments based on a spread currently ranging between 2.50% to 3.00% over the five-year FHLBNY rate.

Construction and Land Loans. Construction and land loans totaled $503.9 million, or 26.2%, of the Bank’s total loan portfolio at December 31, 2023, (68 projects), with $448.1 million consisting of multifamily residential (57 projects). Loans secured by construction properties represent the Bank's second largest concentration. In terms of geographical concentrations, $180.3 million, or 35.8%, are secured by properties located in Queens County, $168.0 million, or 33.3%, in Kings County, $53.5 million, or 10.6%, in Nassau County, $28.8 million, or 5.7%, in New York County, $28.4 million, or 5.6%, in Bronx County, $18.3 million, or 3.6%, in Hudson County, $13.4 million, or 2.7%, in Richmond County, $8.0 million, or 1.6%, in Essex County, and $5.2 million, or 1.0%, in Bergen County. At December 31, 2023, loans in process related to construction loans totaled $520.3 million.

The Bank’s typical construction loan has a term of up to 36 months and contains:

The Bank’s approach to the underwriting of construction loans is driven by five factors: analysis of the developer; analysis of the contractor; analysis of the project; valuation of the project; and evaluation of the source of repayment. The developer’s character, capacity and capital are analyzed to determine that the individual or entity has the ability to first complete the project and then either sell it or carry permanent financing. The general contractor is analyzed for reputation, sufficient expertise and capacity to complete the project within the allotted time. The project is analyzed in order to ensure that the project will be completed within a reasonable period of time according to the plans and specifications, and can either be sold, rented or refinanced once completed. All construction loans are supported by appraisals which conform to the Bank’s appraisal policy and affirm the value of the project both “As Is” and “As Completed.” Lastly, the Bank reviews the developer’s cash flow estimations for the project on an “As Completed” basis. These projections are compared to the appraiser’s estimates.

Upon closing of the construction loan, the Bank begins monitoring the project and funding requisitions for completed stages upon inspection and confirmation by third party firms, such as engineers, of the work performed and its value and quality. Conversion to permanent financing usually occurs upon a conversion underwriting and receipt of certificates of occupancy, as applicable.

Most construction loans are made to borrowers that qualify for real estate tax abatements due to a percentage of the units being rent stabilized, generally 30% or less. The effects of rent stabilization may increase the risks related to such loans. See Item 1A.Risk

Factors - The performance of our multi-family real estate loans could be adversely impacted by law or regulation ‎relating to rent control and rent stabilization. Additional risks of our construction loans are also discussed under See Item 1A.Risk Factors – “We have increased our multifamily, nonresidential and construction and land loans, and intend to continue ‎to increase ‎originations of these types of loans. These loans may carry greater credit risk than loans secured by ‎one-to-four family real ‎estate that could adversely affect our financial condition and net income.”; “The unseasoned nature of our multifamily, nonresidential and construction and land loans portfolio may ‎result in changes to ‎our estimates of collectability, which may lead to additional provisions or charge-offs, which ‎could hurt our profits.”; and ‎“Our emphasis on construction lending involves risks that could adversely affect our financial condition and results ‎of ‎operations.”‎

C&I Loans and Lines of Credit. C&I loans (excluding PPP loans) and lines of credit represent 1.0% of the Bank’s total loan portfolio at December 31, 2023. Unlike real estate loans, which are secured by real property, and whose collateral value tends to be more easily ascertainable, commercial and industrial loans are of higher risk and typically are made on the basis of the borrower’s ability to make repayment from the cash flow of the borrower’s business. The collateral, such as accounts receivable, securing these loans may fluctuate in value.

Although the Bank’s loan policy allows for the extension of secured and unsecured financing, the Bank usually seeks to obtain collateral when in initial discussions with potential borrowers. Unsecured credit facilities are made only to strong borrowers that possess established track records with the Bank (or come highly recommended) and are supported by guarantors. Guarantees are required of any individual or entity owning or controlling 20% or more of the borrowing entity, with exceptions requiring approval from the Board of Directors. When credits are not secured by a specific lien on an asset, the Bank usually requires a general lien on all business assets as evidenced by a UCC filing. Pricing is typically based on the Wall Street Journal prime rate plus a spread driven by risk-rating variables.

Underwriters are required to identify at least two sources of repayment, usually recommend that loans contain covenants, such as minimum debt service coverage ratios, minimum global debt service coverage ratios, maximum leverage ratios, 30-day “cleanups” or “clean-downs,” as applicable, and must require periodic financial reporting. In addition, every effort is made to set up borrowers with auto-debit for loan payments and strongly encourage them to maintain operating accounts at the Bank.

Lines of credit are typically short-term facilities (12 months) that are provided for occasional or seasonal needs. They are extended to only qualifying borrowers who have established cash flow from operations and a clean credit history. At a minimum, a bi-annual 30-day clean-up, or 75% bi-annual pay-down period is required, although annually is preferred. A clean-up period generally is not required on amortizing secured lines. Guarantors, which are usually required, must have clean credit histories and a substantial outside net worth. Most lines contain an option to convert to a term loan upon maturity.

Secured term loans are long-term facilities extended typically for the purpose of financing the purchase of a long term asset. At a minimum, they will be collateralized by the asset being purchased. They may also be secured by an existing long term business asset or outside collateral pledged by the guarantor or borrower. Unsecured term loans are usually extended only to well-known borrowers who have established strong cash flow from operations and a clean credit history. Although Bank policy allows term loans for up to ten years, the preference is to offer self-amortizing term loans based on a term of no more than five-to-seven years.

Consumer Loans. Consumer loans generally have higher interest rates than mortgage loans. The risk involved in consumer loans fluctuates based on the type and nature of the collateral and, in certain cases, the absence of collateral. Consumer loans include passbook loans and other secured and unsecured loans that have been made for a variety of consumer purposes. As of December 31, 2023, there were $8.0 million, or 0.4% of total loans, in unsecured consumer loans, of which $8.0 million comprised of 14,727 individual loans were outstanding and are held by the Bank pursuant to its former arrangement with Grain.

Loan Originations, Purchases and Sales. The following table sets forth the Bank’s loan originations, sales, purchases and principal repayment activities, excluding mortgage loans held for sale, during the periods indicated.