This Annual Report on Form 10-K includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements regarding our or our tenants’, operators’, borrowers’ or managers’ expected future financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, funds from operations, dividends and dividend plans, financing opportunities and plans, capital markets transactions, business strategy, budgets, projected costs, operating metrics, capital expenditures, competitive positions, acquisitions, investment opportunities, dispositions, merger integration, growth opportunities, expected lease income, continued qualification as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”), plans and objectives of management for future operations, and statements that include words such as “anticipate,” “if,” “believe,” “plan,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and actual results may differ from our expectations. We do not undertake a duty to update these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made.

Our actual future results and trends may differ materially from expectations depending on a variety of factors discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). These factors include without limitation:

Many of these factors, some of which are described in greater detail under “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, are beyond our control and the control of our management.

Each of Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “Brookdale Senior Living”) and Kindred Healthcare, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “Kindred”) is subject to the reporting requirements of the SEC and is required to

Kindred, Atria Senior Living, Inc. (“Atria”), Sunrise Senior Living, LLC (together with its subsidiaries, “Sunrise”) and

We operate through three reportable business segments: triple-net leased properties, senior living operations and office operations. See our Consolidated Financial Statements and the related notes, including “NOTE 2—ACCOUNTING POLICIES” and “NOTE 19—SEGMENT INFORMATION,” included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Generating reliable and growing cash flows from our seniors housing and healthcare assets enables us to pay regular cash dividends to stockholders and creates opportunities to increase stockholder value through profitable investments. The combination of steady contractual growth from our long-term triple-net leases, steady, reliable cash flows from our loan investments and stable cash flows from our office buildings with the higher growth potential inherent in our seniors housing operating communities drives our ability to generate sustainable, growing cash flows that are resilient to economic downturns.

We believe that maintaining a balanced portfolio of high-quality assets diversified by investment type, geographic location, asset type, tenant/tenant or operator, revenue source and operating model diminishes the risk that any single factor or event could materially harm our business. Portfolio diversification also enhances the reliability of our cash flows by reducing our exposure to any individual tenant, operator or manager and making us less susceptible to single-state regulatory or reimbursement changes, regional climate events and local economic downturns.

A strong, flexible balance sheet and excellent liquidity position us favorably to capitalize on strategic growth opportunities in the seniors housing and healthcare industries through acquisitions, investments and development and redevelopment projects. We maintain our financial strength to pursue profitable investment opportunities by actively managing our leverage, improving our cost of capital and preserving our access to multiple sources of liquidity, including unsecured bank debt, mortgage financings and public debt and equity markets.

Our seniors housing communities include independent and assisted living communities, continuing care retirement communities and communities providing care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia or memory loss. These communities offer studio, one bedroom and two bedroom residential units on a month-to-month basis primarily to elderly individuals requiring various levels of assistance. Basic services for residents of these communities include housekeeping, meals in a central dining area and group activities organized by the staff with input from the residents. More extensive care and personal supervision, at additional fees, are also available for such needs as eating, bathing, grooming, transportation, limited therapeutic programs and medication administration, which allow residents certain conveniences and enable them to live as independently as possible according to their abilities. These services are often met by home health

Typically, our MOBs are multi-tenant properties leased to several unrelated medical practices, although in many cases they may be associated with a large single specialty or multi-specialty group. Tenants include physicians, dentists, psychologists, therapists and other healthcare providers, who require space devoted to patient examination and treatment, diagnostic imaging, outpatient surgery and other outpatient services. MOBs are similar to commercial office buildings, although they require greater plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems to accommodate physicians’ requirements such as sinks in every room, brighter lights and specialized medical equipment. As of December 31, 2017,2019, we owned or managed for third parties approximately 2321 million square feet of MOBs that are predominantly located on or near a health system.

Our life scienceresearch and innovation centers contain laboratory and office space primarily for scientific research for universities, academic medical centers, technology, biotechnology, medical device and pharmaceutical companies and other organizations involved in the life scienceresearch and innovation industry. While these properties have characteristics similar to commercial office buildings, they generally contain more advanced electrical, mechanical, and heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems. The facilities generally have specialty equipment including emergency generators, fume hoods, lab bench tops and related amenities. In many instances, life scienceresearch and innovation center tenants make significant investments to improve their leased space, in addition to landlord improvements, to accommodate biology, chemistry or medical device research initiatives. Our life scienceresearch and innovation centers are primarily located on or contiguous to university and academic medical campuses. The campus settings allow us the opportunity to provide flexible, contiguous/adjacent expansion to accommodate the growth of existing tenants.

We have 29 properties that are operated as LTACs. LTACs have a Medicare average length of stay of greater than 25 days and serve medically complex, chronically ill patients who require a high level of monitoring and specialized care, but whose conditions do not necessitate the continued services of an intensive care unit. The operators of these LTACs have the

We have 12 properties that are operated as health systems. Health systems provide medical and surgical services, including inpatient care, intensive care, cardiac care, diagnostic services and emergency services. These health systems also provide outpatient services such as outpatient surgery, laboratory, radiology, respiratory therapy, cardiology and physical therapy. In the United States, these health systems receive payments for patient services from the federal government primarily under the Medicare program, state governments under their respective Medicaid or similar programs, health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, other private insurers and directly from patients.

We have 1716 properties that are operated as SNFs. SNFs provide rehabilitative, restorative, skilled nursing and medical treatment for patients and residents who do not require the high technology, care-intensive, high cost setting of an acute care or rehabilitation hospital. Treatment programs include physical, occupational, speech, respiratory and other therapies, including sub-acute clinical protocols such as wound care and intravenous drug treatment. Charges for these services are generally paid from a combination of government reimbursement and private sources.

Our portfolio of seniors housing and healthcare properties is broadly diversified by geographic location throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, with properties in only one state (California) accounting for more than 10% of our total continuing revenues and net operating income (“NOI,” which is defined as total revenues, excluding interest and other income, less property-level operating expenses and office building services costs) for the year ended December 31, 2017.2019.

As of December 31, 2017,2019, we had $1.4$1.0 billion of net loans receivable and investments relating to seniors housing and healthcare operators or properties. Our loans receivable and investments provide us with interest income, principal amortization and transaction fees and are typically secured by mortgage liens or leasehold mortgages on the underlying properties and corporate or personal guarantees by affiliates of the borrowing entity. In some cases, the loans are secured by a pledge of ownership interests in the entity or entities that own the related seniors housing or healthcare properties. From time to time, we also make investments in mezzanine loans, which are subordinated to senior secured loans held by other investors that encumber the same real estate. See “NOTE 6—LOANS RECEIVABLE AND INVESTMENTS” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We are party to certain agreements that obligate us to develop seniors housing or healthcare properties funded through capital that we and, in certain circumstances, our joint venture partners provide. As of December 31, 2017,2019, we had 1422 properties under development pursuant to these agreements, including four properties that are owned through unconsolidated real estate entities. In addition, from time to time, we engage in redevelopment projects with respect to our existing seniors housing communities to maximize the value, increase NOI, maintain a market-competitive position, achieve property stabilization or change the primary use of the property.

We operate through three reportable business segments: triple-net leased properties, senior living operations and office operations. Non-segment assets, classified as “all other,” consist primarily of corporate assets, including cash, restricted cash, loans receivable and investments, and miscellaneous accounts receivable. Our chief operating decision makers evaluate performance of the combined properties in each reportable business segment and determine how to allocate resources to these segments, in significant part, based on segment NOI and related measures. For further information regarding our business segments and a discussion of our definition of segment NOI, see “NOTE 19—SEGMENT INFORMATION” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Each of our leases with Brookdale Senior Living, Ardent and Kindred is a triple-net lease that obligates the tenant to pay all property-related expenses, including maintenance, utilities, repairs, taxes, insurance and capital expenditures, and to

As of December 31, 2017,2019, we leased 129121 consolidated properties (excluding one propertytwo properties managed by Brookdale Senior Living pursuant to a long-term management agreementagreements and included in the senior living operations reportable business segment) to Brookdale Senior Living pursuant to multiple lease agreements.Living.

Pursuant to our lease agreements,agreement, Brookdale Senior Living is obligated to pay base rent, which escalates annually at a specified rate over the prior period base rent. As of December 31, 2017,2019, the aggregate 20182020 contractual cash rent due to us from Brookdale Senior Living, excluding variable interest that Brookdale Senior Living is obligatedincluding a reduction for an annual rent credit equal to pay as additional rent based on certain floating rate mortgage debt,$7.0 million, was approximately $180.3$182.8 million, and the current aggregate contractual base rent (computed in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”)) due to us from Brookdale Senior Living excluding the variable interest, was approximately $162.3 million (in each case, excluding six properties owned through investments in unconsolidated entities as of December 31, 2017). See “NOTE 3—CONCENTRATION OF CREDIT RISK” and “NOTE 14—COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.$184.1 million.

As of December 31, 2017,2019, we leased 10 properties (excluding one MOB leased to Ardent under a separate lease) to Ardent pursuant to a single, triple-net master lease agreement. Per our master lease agreement, Ardent is obligated to pay base rent, which escalates annually by the lesser of four times the increase in the consumer price indexConsumer Price Index (“CPI”) for the relevant period and 2.5%.  The initial term of the master lease expires on August 31, 2035 and Ardent has one ten-year renewal option.

As of December 31, 2017,2019, the aggregate 20182020 contractual cash rent due to us from Ardent was approximately $113.4$120.9 million, and the current aggregate contractual base rent (computed in accordance with GAAP) due to us from Ardent was also approximately $113.4$120.9 million.

As of December 31, 2017,2019, we leased 29 properties to Kindred pursuant to a master lease agreement. In November 2016, Kindred extended the lease term to 2025 for all of our LTACs operated by Kindred that were scheduled to mature in 2018 and 2020, at the current rent level.

The aggregate annual rent we receive under each Kindred master lease is referred to as “base rent.” Base rent escalates annually at a specified rate over the prior period base rent, contingent, in some cases, upon the satisfaction of specified facility revenue parameters. The annual rent escalator under the Kindred master lease for 25 properties is based on year-over-year changes in CPI, subject to a floor and cap, and is 2.7% for four properties. As of December 31, 2017,2019, the aggregate 20182020 contractual cash rent due to us from Kindred was approximately $122.0$127.4 million, and the current aggregate contractual base rent (computed in accordance with GAAP) due to us from Kindred was approximately $122.7$129.4 million.

As of December 31, 2017,2019, Atria and Sunrise, collectively, provided comprehensive property management and accounting services with respect to 269260 consolidated seniors housing communities for which we pay annual management fees pursuant to long-term management agreements. Mostagreements with us. Under these management agreements, the operators receive annual base management fees ranging from 4.5% to 7% of ourrevenues generated by the applicable properties and, in some cases, additional management fees based on the achievement of specified performance targets. Our management agreements with Atria have initial terms expiring either July 31,between 2024 or December 31,and 2027, with successive automatic ten-year renewal periods. The management fees payable to Atria under most of the Atria management agreements range from 4.5% to 5% of revenues generated by the applicable properties, and Atria can earn up to an additional 1% of revenues based on the achievement of specified performance targets. Most of our management agreements with Sunrise have terms ranging from 25 to 30 years (which commenced as early as 2004expiring between 2030 and as recently as 2012). The base management fees payable to Sunrise on consolidated assets under the Sunrise2038. In some cases, our management agreements generally range from 5% to 7% of revenues generated by the applicable properties. See “NOTE 3—CONCENTRATION OF CREDIT RISK” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.include renewal provisions.

Our 34% ownership interest in Atria entitles us to certaincustomary rights and minority protections, as well as the right to appoint two of six members on the Atria Board of Directors.

As of December 31, 2017,2019, we had 493516 employees, none of which is subject to a collective bargaining agreement. We believe that relations with our employees are positive.

We maintain or require in our lease, management and other agreements that our tenants, operators and managers maintain all applicable lines of insurance on our properties and their operations. We believe that the amount and scope of insurance coverage provided by our policies and the policies required to be maintained by our tenants, operators and managers are customary for similarly situated companies in our industry. Although we regularly monitor our tenants’, operators’ and managers’ compliance with their respective insurance requirements, we cannot assure you that they will maintain the required insurance coverages, and any failure, inability or unwillingness by our tenants, operators and managers to do so could have a Material Adverse Effect on us. We also cannot assure you that we will continue to require the same levels of insurance coverage under our lease, management and other agreements, that such insurance coverage will be available at a reasonable cost in the future or that the policies maintained will fully cover all losses related to our properties upon the occurrence of a catastrophic event, nor can we assure you of the future financial viability of the insurers.

We maintain the property insurance for all of our senior living operations, as well as the general and professional liability insurance for our seniors housing communities and related operations managed by Atria. However, Sunrise maintains the general and professional liability insurance for our seniors housing communities and related operations that it manages in accordance with the terms of our management agreements. Under our management agreements with Sunrise, we may elect, on an annual basis, whether we or Sunrise will bear responsibility for maintaining the required insurance coverage for the applicable properties, but the costs of such insurance are facility expenses paid from the revenues of those properties, regardless of who maintains the insurance.properties.

Through our office operations, we provide engineering, construction and architectural services in connection with new development projects, and any design, construction or systems failures related to the properties we develop could result in substantial injury or damage to our clients or third parties. Any such injury or damage claims may arise in the ordinary course and may be asserted with respect to ongoing or completed projects. Although we maintain liability insurance to protect us against these claims, if any claim results in a loss, we cannot assure you that our policy limits would be adequate to cover the loss in full. If we sustain losses in excess of our insurance coverage, we may be required to pay the difference and we could lose our investment in, or experience reduced profits and cash flows from, the affected MOB or life scienceresearch and innovation center, which could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

For various reasons, including to reduce and manage costs, many healthcare companies utilize different organizational and corporate structures coupled with self-insurance trusts or captive programs that may provide less coverage than a traditional insurance policy. As a result, companies that self-insure could incur large funded and unfunded general and professional liability expenses, which could have a material adverse effect on their liquidity, financial condition and results of operations. The implementation of a trust or captive by any of our tenants, operators or managers could adversely affect such person’s ability to satisfy its obligations under, or otherwise comply with the terms of, its respective lease, management and other agreements with us, which could have a Material Adverse Effect on us. Likewise, if we decide to implement a captive or self-insurance program, any large funded and unfunded general and professional liability expenses that we incur could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

We maintain a website at www.ventasreit.com. The information on our website is not incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and our web address is included as an inactive textual reference only.

We make available, free of charge, through our website our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. In addition, our Guidelines on Governance, our Global Code of Ethics and Business Conduct (including waivers from and amendments to that document) and the charters for each of our Audit and Compliance, Nominating and Corporate Governance and Executive Compensation Committees are available on our website, and we will mail copies of the foregoing documents to

Our tenants, operators and managers are typically subject to extensive and complex federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to quality of care, licensure and certificate of need, government reimbursement, fraud and abuse practices, qualifications of personnel, adequacy of plant and equipment, and other laws and regulations governing the operation of healthcare facilities. Healthcare is a highly regulated industry and that trend will, in general, continue in the future. The applicable rules are wide-ranging and can subject our tenants, operators and managers to civil, criminal, and administrative sanctions, including: the possible loss of accreditation or license; denial of reimbursement; imposition of fines; suspension, decertification, or exclusion from federal and state healthcare programs; or facility closure. Changes in laws or regulations, reimbursement policies, enforcement activity and regulatory non-compliance by tenants, operators and managers can all have a significant effect on their operations and financial condition, which in turn may adversely impact us, as detailed below and set forth under “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

In general, the operators of our inpatient rehabilitation and long-term acute care facilities, health systems and skilled nursing facilities (collectively “healthcare facilities”) must be licensed and periodically certified through various regulatory agencies that determine compliance with federal, state and local laws to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Legal requirements pertaining to such licensure and certification relate to the quality of medical care provided by the operator, qualifications of the operator’s administrative personnel and clinical staff, adequacy of the physical plant and equipment and continuing compliance with applicable laws and regulations. A loss of licensure or certification could adversely affect a healthcare facility operator’s ability to receive payments from the Medicare and Medicaid programs, which, in turn, could adversely affect its ability to satisfy its obligations to us.

Healthcare facilities and seniors housing communities that receive Medicaid payments are subject to various complex federal, state and local laws and regulations that govern healthcare providers' relationships and arrangements and prohibit fraudulent and abusive business practices. These laws and regulations include, among others:

The majority of SNF reimbursement, and a significant percentage of health system, IRF and LTAC reimbursement, is through Medicare and Medicaid. Medical buildings and other healthcare related properties have provider tenants that participate in Medicare and Medicaid. These programs are often their largest source of funding. Seniors housing communities generally do not receive funding from Medicare or Medicaid, but their ability to retain their residents is impacted by policy decisions and initiatives established by the administrators of Medicare and Medicaid. The passage of the ACA in 2010 allowed formerly uninsured Americans to acquire coverage and utilize additional health care services. In addition, the ACA gave new authorities to implement Medicaid waiver and pilot programs that impact healthcare and long term custodial care reimbursement by Medicare and Medicaid. These activities promote “aging in place”, allowing senior citizens to stay longer in seniors housing communities, and diverting or delaying their admission into SNFs. The potential risks that accompany these regulatory and market changes are discussed below.

For the year ended December 31, 2017,2019, approximately 8.4%7.3% of our total revenues and 14.5%13.3% of our total NOI (in each case excluding amounts in discontinued operations) were attributable to acute and post-acute healthcare facilities in which our third-party tenants receive reimbursement for their services under governmental healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. We are neither a participant in, nor a direct recipient of, any reimbursement under these programs with respect to those leased facilities.

In 2016, we entered the life scienceresearch and innovation (“life science”) sector through the acquisitions of substantially all of the university affiliated life scienceresearch and innovation real estate assets of Wexford Science & Technology, LLC from affiliates of Blackstone Real Estate Partners VIII, L.P. The life scienceresearch and innovation tenants of these assets are largely university-affiliated organizations. These university-affiliated life scienceresearch and innovation tenants are dependent on government funding to varying degrees. Creating a new pharmaceutical product or medical device requires substantial investments of time and capital, in part because of the extensive regulation of the healthcare industry; it also entails considerable risk of failure in demonstrating that the product is safe and effective and in gaining regulatory approval and market acceptance. Therefore, our tenants in the life scienceresearch and innovation industry face high levels of regulation, expense and uncertainty.

As an owner of real property, we are subject to various federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding environmental, health and safety matters.

This section discusses the most significant factors that affect our business, operations and financial condition. It does not describe all risks and uncertainties applicable to us, our industry or ownership of our securities. If any of the following risks, or any other risks and uncertainties that are not addressed below or that we have not yet identified, actually occur, we could be materially adversely affected and the value of our securities could decline.

We have grouped these risk factors into three general categories:

As of December 31, 2017,2019, Atria and Sunrise, collectively, managed 273260 of our consolidated seniors housing communities pursuant to long-term management agreements. These properties represent a substantial portion of our portfolio, based on their gross book value, and account for a significant portion of our revenues and NOI. Although we have various rights as the property owner under our management agreements, we rely on Atria’s and Sunrise’s personnel, expertise, technical resources and information systems, proprietary information, good faith and judgment to manage our senior living operations. We also rely on Atria and Sunrise to set appropriate resident fees, to provide accurate property-level financial results for our properties in a timely manner and to otherwise operate our seniors housing communities in compliance with the terms of our management agreements and all applicable laws and regulations. For example, we depend on Atria’s and Sunrise’s ability to attract and retain skilled management personnel who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of our seniors housing communities. A shortage of nurses or other trained personnel or general inflationary pressures may force Atria or Sunrise to enhance its pay and benefits package to compete effectively for such personnel, but it may not be able to offset these added

Because Atria and Sunrise manage our properties in exchange for the receipt of a management fee from us, we are not directly exposed to the credit risk of our managers in the same manner or to the same extent as our triple-net tenants. However, any adverse developments in Atria’s orand Sunrise’s business and affairs or financial condition could impair its ability to manage our properties efficiently and effectively and could have a Material Adverse Effect on us. If Atria or Sunrise experiences any significant financial, legal, accounting or regulatory difficulties due to a weak economy or otherwise, such difficulties could result in, among other adverse events, acceleration of its indebtedness, impairment of its continued access to capital, the enforcement of default remedies by its counterparties, or the commencement of insolvency proceedings by or against it under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, any one or a combination of which indirectly could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

The properties we lease to Brookdale Senior Living, Ardent and Kindred account for a significant portion of our revenues and NOI, and we depend on Brookdale Senior Living, Ardent and Kindred to pay all insurance, taxes, utilities and maintenance and repair expenses in connection with the leased properties and properties that are collateral for the loans. We cannot assure you that Brookdale Senior Living, Ardent and Kindred will have sufficient assets, income and access to financing to enable them to satisfy their respective obligations to us, and any failure, inability or unwillingness by Brookdale Senior Living, Ardent or Kindred to do so could have a Material Adverse Effect on us. In addition, any failure by Brookdale Senior Living, Ardent or Kindred to effectively conduct its operations or to maintain and improve such properties could adversely affect its business reputation and its ability to attract and retain patients and residents in such properties, which could have a Material Adverse Effect on us. Brookdale Senior Living, Ardent and Kindred have agreed to indemnify, defend and hold us harmless from and against various claims, litigation and liabilities arising in connection with their respective businesses, and we cannot assure you that Brookdale Senior Living, Ardent and Kindred will have sufficient assets, income, access to financing and insurance coverage to enable them to satisfy their respective indemnification obligations.

We lease our properties to unaffiliated tenants or operate them through independent third-party managers. We are also a direct or indirect lender to various tenants and operators.  We have very limited control over the success or failure of our tenants’ and operators’ businesses and, at any time, a tenant or operator may experience a downturn in its business that weakens its financial condition. If that happens, the tenant or operator may fail to make its payments to us when due. Although our lease, loan and management agreements give us the right to exercise certain remedies in the event of default on the obligations owing to us, we may determine not to do so if we believe that enforcement of our rights would be more detrimental to our business than seeking alternative approaches.

A debtor-lessee may reject our lease in a bankruptcy proceeding, in which case our claim against the debtor-lessee for unpaid and future rents would be limited by the statutory cap of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. This statutory cap could be substantially less than the remaining rent actually owed under the lease, and any claim we have for unpaid rent might not be paid in full. In addition, a debtor-lessee may assert in a bankruptcy proceeding that our lease should be re-characterized as a financing agreement, in which case our rights and remedies as a lender, compared to a landlord, generally would be more limited. If a debtor-manager seeks bankruptcy protection, the automatic stay provisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code would preclude us from enforcing our remedies against the manager unless relief is first obtained from the court having jurisdiction over the bankruptcy case. In any of these events, we also may be required to fund certain expenses and obligations (e.g., real estate taxes, debt costs and maintenance expenses) to preserve the value of our properties, avoid the imposition of liens on our properties or transition our properties to a new tenant, operator or manager.

We are parties to long-term management agreements pursuant to which Atria and Sunrise, collectively, provided comprehensive property management and accounting services with respect to 273260 of our consolidated seniors housing communities as of December 31, 2017.2019. Most of our management agreements with Atria have terms expiring either July 31, 2024 or December 31, 2027, with successive automatic ten-year renewal periods, and most of our management agreements with Sunrise have terms ranging from 25 to 30 years (which commenced as early as 2004 and as recently as 2012). Our ability to terminate these long-term management agreements is limited to specific circumstances set forth in the agreements and may relate to all properties or a specific property or group of properties.

We may terminate any of our Atria management agreements with Atria and Sunrise upon the occurrence of an event of default by Atriathe operator in the performance of a material covenant or term thereof (including, in certain circumstances, the revocation of any license or certificate necessary for operation), subject in most cases to Atria’ssuch operator’s right to cure such default, or upon the occurrence of certain insolvency events relating to Atria.such operator. In addition, we may terminate our management agreements with Atria based on thetheir failure to achieve certain NOI targets or upon the payment of a fee.

We continually monitor and assess our contractual rights and remedies under our management agreements with Atria and Sunrise. When determining whether to pursue any existing or future rights or remedies under those agreements, including termination rights, we consider numerous factors, including legal, contractual, regulatory, business and other relevant considerations. In the event that we exercise our rights to terminate the Atria or Sunrise management agreements for any reason or such agreements are not renewed upon expiration of their terms, we would attempt to reposition the affected properties with another manager. Although we believe that many qualified national and regional seniors housing operators would be interested in managing our seniors housing communities, we cannot assure you that we would be able to locate another suitable manager or, if we are successful in locating such a manager, that it would manage the properties effectively. Moreover, the transition to a replacement manager would require approval by the applicable regulatory authorities and, in most cases, the mortgage lenders for the properties, and we cannot assure you that such approvals would be granted on a timely basis, if at all. Any inability to replace, or a lengthy delay in replacing, Atria or Sunrise as the manager of our seniors housing communities following termination or non-renewal of the applicable management agreements could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

We cannot predict whether our tenants will renew existing leases beyond their current term. If our leases with Brookdale Senior Living or Ardent, the Kindred master leases or any of our other triple-net leases are not renewed, we would attempt to reposition those properties with another tenant or operator. In case of non-renewal, we generally have one year prior to expiration of the lease term to arrange for repositioning of the properties and our tenants are required to continue to perform all of their obligations (including the payment of all rental amounts) for the non-renewed assets until such expiration. However, following expiration of a lease term or if we exercise our right to replace a tenant or operator in default, rental payments on the related properties could decline or cease altogether while we reposition the properties with a suitable replacement tenant or operator. We also might not be successful in identifying suitable replacements or entering into leases or other arrangements with new tenants or operators on a timely basis or on terms as favorable to us as our current leases, if at all, and we may be required to fund certain expenses and obligations (e.g., real estate taxes, debt costs and maintenance expenses) to preserve the value of, and avoid the imposition of liens on, our properties while they are being repositioned. In addition, we may incur certain obligations and liabilities, including obligations to indemnify the replacement tenant or operator, which could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

In the event of non-renewal or a tenant default, our ability to reposition our properties with a suitable replacement tenant or operator could be significantly delayed or limited by state licensing, receivership, CON or other laws, as well as by the Medicare and Medicaid change-of-ownership rules, and we could incur substantial additional expenses in connection with any licensing, receivership or change-of-ownership proceedings. Our ability to locate and attract suitable replacement tenants also could be impaired by the specialized healthcare uses or contractual restrictions on use of the properties, and we may be forced to spend substantial amounts to adapt the properties to other uses. Any such delays, limitations and expenses could adversely impact our ability to collect rent, obtain possession of leased properties or otherwise exercise remedies for tenant default and could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

Moreover, in connection with certain of our properties, we have entered into intercreditor agreements with the tenants’ lenders or tri-party agreements with our lenders. Our ability to exercise remedies under the applicable leases or management agreements or to reposition the applicable properties may be significantly delayed or limited by the terms of the intercreditor agreement or tri-party agreement. Any such delay or limit on our rights and remedies could adversely affect our ability to mitigate our losses and could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

Market conditions, including, but not limited to, interest rates and credit spreads, the availability of credit and the actual and perceived state of the real estate markets and public capital markets generally could negatively impact our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

An important part of our business strategy is to continue to expand and diversify our portfolio through accretive acquisition, investment, development and redevelopment opportunities in domestic and international seniors housing and healthcare properties. Our execution of this strategy by successfully identifying, securing and consummating beneficial transactions is made more challenging by increased competition and can be affected by many factors, including our

Investments in and acquisitions of seniors housing and healthcare properties entail risks associated with real estate investments generally, including risks that the investment will not achieve expected returns, that the cost estimates for necessary property improvements will prove inaccurate or that the tenant, operator or manager will fail to meet performance expectations. Investments outside the United States raise legal, economic and market risks associated with doing business in foreign countries, such as currency exchange fluctuations, costly regulatory requirements and foreign tax risks. Domestic and international real estate development and redevelopment projects present additional risks, including construction delays or cost overruns that increase expenses, the inability to obtain required zoning, occupancy and other governmental approvals and permits on a timely basis, and the incurrence of significant costs prior to completion of the project. Furthermore, healthcare properties are often highly customized and the development or redevelopment of such properties may require costly tenant-specific improvements. As a result, we cannot assure you that we will achieve the economic benefit we expect from acquisition, investment, development and redevelopment opportunities.

We have made and expect to continue to make significant acquisitions and investments as part of our overall business strategy. Our significant acquisition and investment activity presents certain risks to our business and operations, including, among other things, that:

We cannot assure you that we will be able to integrate acquisitions and investments without encountering difficulties or that any such difficulties will not have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

We may assume or incur liabilities in connection with our acquisitions, including, in some cases, contingent liabilities. As we integrate these acquisitions, we may learn additional information about the sellers, the properties, their operations and their liabilities that adversely affects us, such as:

As a result, we cannot assure you that our past or future acquisitions will be successful or will not, in fact, harm our business. Among other things, if the liabilities we assume in connection with acquisitions are greater than expected, or if we discover obligations relating to the acquired properties or businesses of which we were not aware at the time of acquisition, our business and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

In addition, we have now, and may have in the future, certain surviving indemnification obligations in favor of third parties under the terms of acquisition agreements to which we are a party.  Most of these indemnification obligations will be capped as to amount and survival period, and we do not believe that these obligations will be material in the aggregate.  However, there can be no assurances as to the ultimate amount of such obligations or whether such obligations will have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

We invest primarily in seniors housing and healthcare properties and are constrained by the terms of our existing indebtedness from making investments outside those industries. This investment focus exposes us to greater economic risk than if our portfolio were to include real estate assets in other industries or assets unrelated to real estate.

The healthcare industry is highly regulated, and changes in government regulation and reimbursement can have material adverse consequences on its participants, some of which may be unintended. The healthcare industry is also highly competitive, and our operators and managers may encounter increased competition for residents and patients, including with respect to the scope and quality of care and services provided, reputation and financial condition, physical appearance of the properties, price and location. Our tenants, operators and managers are large employers who compete for labor, making their results sensitive to changes in the labor market and/or wages and benefits offered to their employees. If our tenants, operators

Real estate investments are relatively illiquid, and our ability to quickly sell or exchange our properties in response to changes in economic or other conditions is limited. In the event we market any of our properties for sale, the value of those properties and our ability to sell at prices or on terms acceptable to us could be adversely affected by a downturn in the real estate industry or any economic weakness in the seniors housing and healthcare industries. In addition, transfers of healthcare properties may be subject to regulatory approvals that are not required for transfers of other types of commercial properties. We cannot assure you that we will recognize the full value of any property that we sell for liquidity or other reasons, and the inability to respond quickly to changes in the performance of our investments could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our senior living operating assets and office assets expose us to various operational risks, liabilities and claims that could increase our costs or adversely affect our ability to generate revenues, thereby reducing our profitability. These operational risks include fluctuations in occupancy levels, the inability to achieve economic resident fees (including anticipated increases in those fees), increases in the cost of food, materials, energy, labor (as a result of unionization or otherwise) or other services, rent control regulations, national and regional economic conditions, the imposition of new or increased taxes, capital expenditure requirements, professional and general liability claims, and the availability and cost of professional and general liability insurance. Any one or a combination of these factors could result in operating deficiencies in our senior living operations or office operations reportable business segments, which could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

Our current or future ownership of properties outside the United States subjects us to risks that may be different or greater than those we face with our domestic properties. These risks include, but are not limited to:

Limited barriers to entry in the seniors housing and MOB industries could lead to the development of new seniors housing communities or MOBs that outpaces demand. Data published by the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care has indicated deliveries of new seniors housing communities will remain at elevated levels in 2018,2019, especially in certain geographic markets. If development outpaces demand for those assets in the markets in which our properties are located, those markets may become saturated and we could experience decreased occupancy, reduced operating margins and lower profitability, which could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

We derive a significant portion of our revenues from leasing properties pursuant to long-term triple-net leases that generally provide for fixed rental rates, subject to annual escalations. In certain cases, the annual escalations are contingent upon the achievement of specified revenue parameters or based on changes in CPI, with caps and floors. If, as a result of weak economic conditions or other factors, the properties subject to these leases do not generate sufficient revenue to achieve the specified rent escalation parameters or CPI does not increase, our growth and profitability may be hindered. If strong economic conditions result in significant increases in CPI, but the escalations under our leases are capped, our growth and profitability also may be limited.

Our investments in MOBs and other properties may be made through leasehold interests in the land on which the buildings are located, leases of air rights for the space above the land on which the buildings are located, or other similar restrictive arrangements. Many of these ground lease, air rights and other restrictive agreements impose significant limitations on our uses of the subject properties, restrict our ability to sell or otherwise transfer our interests in the properties or restrict the leasing of the properties. These restrictions may limit our ability to timely sell or exchange the properties, impair the properties’ value or negatively impact our ability to find suitable tenants for the properties. In addition, we could lose our interests in the subject properties if the ground lease, air rights or other restrictive agreements are breached by us or terminated.

If a borrower defaults under mortgage or other secured loans for which we are the lender, we may attempt to foreclose on the collateral securing those loans, including by acquiring any pledged equity interests or acquiring title to the subject properties, to protect our investment. In response, the defaulting borrower may contest our enforcement of foreclosure or other available remedies, seek bankruptcy protection against our exercise of enforcement or other available remedies, or bring claims against us for lender liability. If a defaulting borrower seeks bankruptcy protection, the automatic stay provisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code would preclude us from enforcing foreclosure or other available remedies against the borrower unless relief is first obtained from the court with jurisdiction over the bankruptcy case. In addition, we may be subject to intercreditor or tri-party agreements that delay, impact, govern or limit our ability to foreclose on a lien securing a loan or otherwise delay or limit our pursuit of our rights and remedies. Any such delay or limit on our ability to pursue our rights or remedies could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

Even if we successfully foreclose on the collateral securing our mortgage loans and other investments, costs related to enforcement of our remedies, high loan-to-value ratios or declines in the value of the collateral could prevent us from realizing the full amount of our secured loans, and we could be required to record a valuation allowance for such losses. Moreover, the collateral may include equity interests that we are unable to sell due to securities law restrictions or otherwise, or properties that we are unable to reposition with new tenants or operators on a timely basis, if at all, or without making improvements or repairs. Any delay or costs incurred in selling or repositioning acquired collateral could adversely affect our ability to recover our investments.

Some of our loan investments are subordinated to loans held by third parties.

Regulation of the healthcare industry generally has intensified over time both in the number and type of regulations and in the efforts to enforce those regulations. This is particularly true for large for-profit, multi-facility providers like Atria, Sunrise, Brookdale Senior Living, Ardent and Kindred. Federal, state and local laws and regulations affecting the healthcare industry include those relating to, among other things, licensure, conduct of operations, ownership of facilities, addition of facilities and equipment, allowable costs, services, prices for services, qualified beneficiaries, quality of care, patient rights, fraudulent or abusive behavior, financial and other arrangements that may be entered into by healthcare providers and the research, development, clinical testing, manufacture and marketing of life scienceresearch and innovation products. In addition, changes in enforcement policies by federal and state governments have resulted in an increase in the number of inspections, citations of regulatory deficiencies and other regulatory sanctions, including terminations from the Medicare and Medicaid programs, bars on Medicare and Medicaid payments for new admissions, civil monetary penalties and even criminal penalties. See “Governmental Regulation—Healthcare Regulation” included in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We are unable to predict the scope of future federal, state and local regulations and legislation, including the Medicare and Medicaid statutes and regulations, or the intensity of enforcement efforts with respect to such regulations and legislation, and any changes in the regulatory framework could have a material adverse effect on our tenants, operators and managers, which, in turn, could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

If our tenants, operators and managers fail to comply with the extensive laws, regulations and other requirements applicable to their businesses and the operation of our properties, they could become ineligible to receive reimbursement from governmental and private third-party payor programs, face bans on admissions of new patients or residents, suffer civil or criminal penalties or be required to make significant changes to their operations. Our tenants, operators and managers also

Certain of our tenants and operators rely on reimbursement from third-party payors, including the Medicare (both traditional Medicare and "managed" Medicare/Medicare Advantage) and Medicaid programs, for substantially all of their revenues. Federal and state legislators and regulators have adopted or proposed various cost-containment measures that would limit payments to healthcare providers, and budget crises and financial shortfalls have caused states to implement or consider Medicaid rate freezes or cuts. See “Governmental Regulation—Healthcare Regulation” included in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Private third-party payors also have continued their efforts to control healthcare costs. In addition, coverage expansions via the ACA through Medicaid expansion and health insurance exchanges may be scaled back asby litigation that may invalidate some or all of the current presidential administration and some membersACA, or waiver programs that reduce the number of Congress lead efforts to repeal and replace the ACA.people with Medicaid coverage in a given state. We cannot assure you that our tenants and operators who currently depend on governmental or private payor reimbursement will be adequately reimbursed for the services they provide. Significant limits by governmental and private third-party payors on the scope of services reimbursed or on reimbursement rates and fees, whether from legislation, administrative actions or private payor efforts, could have a material adverse effect on the liquidity, financial condition and results of operations of certain of our tenants and operators, which could affect adversely their ability to comply with the terms of our leases and have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

The healthcare industry trend away from a traditional fee for service reimbursement model towards value-based payment approaches may negatively impact certain of our tenants’ revenues and profitabilityprofitability.

If controls imposed on certain of our tenants who provide healthcare services that are reimbursed by Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payors to reduce admissions and length of stay affect inpatient volumes at our healthcare facilities, the financial condition or results of operations of those tenants could be adversely affected.

Our MOB operations depend on the competitiveness and financial viability of the hospitals on or near whose campuses our MOBs are located and their ability to attract physicians and other healthcare-related clients to our MOBs. The viability of these hospitals, in turn, depends on factors such as the quality and mix of healthcare services provided, competition for patients, physicians and physician groups, demographic trends in the surrounding community, market position and growth potential, as well as the ability of the affiliated health systems to provide economies of scale and access to capital. If a hospital on or near whose campus one of our MOBs is located fails or becomes unable to meet its financial obligations, and if an affiliated health system is unable to support that hospital, the hospital may be unable to compete successfully or could be forced to close or relocate, which could adversely impact its ability to attract physicians and other healthcare-related clients. Because we rely on proximity to and affiliations with hospitals to create leasing demand in our MOBs, a hospital’s inability to remain competitive or financially viable, or to attract physicians and physician groups, could materially adversely affect our MOB operations and have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

We consider and, when appropriate, invest in various development and redevelopment projects. In deciding whether to make an investment in a particular project, we make certain assumptions regarding the expected future performance of the property. Our assumptions are subject to risks generally associated with development and redevelopment projects, including, among others, that:

If any of the risks described above occur, our development and redevelopment projects, including projects undertaken through our joint ventures, may not yield anticipated returns, which could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

As of December 31, 2017,2019, we owned 4835 MOBs, 11 life science12 research and innovation centers, nine38 seniors housing communities and one IRF through consolidated joint ventures, and we had 25% ownership interests in 17five seniors housing communities 13 SNFs and one MOB through investments in unconsolidated entities. In addition, we had a 34% ownership interest in Atria, a 34% ownership interest in Eclipse Senior Living and a 9.9%9.8% interest in Ardent as of December 31, 2017.2019. These joint ventures and unconsolidated entities involve risks not present with respect to our wholly owned properties, including the following:

Assisted and independent living services generally are not reimbursable under government reimbursement programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. A large majority of the resident fee revenues generated by our senior living operations, therefore, are derived from private pay sources consisting of the income or assets of residents or their family members. In light of the significant expense associated with building new properties and staffing and other costs of providing services, typically only seniors with income or assets that meet or exceed the comparable region median can afford the daily resident and care fees at our seniors housing communities, and a weak economy, depressed housing market or changes in demographics could adversely affect their continued ability to do so. If the managers of our seniors housing communities are unable to attract and retain seniors that have sufficient income, assets or other resources to pay the fees associated with assisted and independent living services, the occupancy rates, resident fee revenues and results of operations of our senior living operations could decline, which, in turn, could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

We maintain or require in our lease, management and other agreements that our tenants, operators and managers maintain all applicable lines of insurance on our properties and their operations. Although we regularly review the amount and scope of insurance provided by our policies and required to be maintained by our tenants, operators and managers and believe

For various reasons, including to reduce and manage costs, many healthcare companies utilize different organizational and corporate structures coupled with self-insurance trusts or captive programs that may provide less insurance coverage than a traditional insurance policy. Companies that insure any part of their general and professional liability risks through their own captive limited purpose entities generally estimate the future cost of general and professional liability through actuarial studies that rely primarily on historical data. However, due to the rise in the number and severity of professional claims against healthcare providers, these actuarial studies may underestimate the future cost of claims, and reserves for future claims may not be adequate to cover the actual cost of those claims. As a result, the tenants and operators of our properties who self-insure could incur large funded and unfunded general and professional liability expenses, which could materially adversely affect their liquidity, financial condition and results of operations and, in turn, their ability to satisfy their obligations to us. If we or the managers of our senior living operations decide to implement a captive or self-insurance program, any large funded and unfunded general and professional liability expenses incurred could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

Should an uninsured loss or a loss in excess of insured limits occur, we could incur substantial liability or lose all or a portion of the capital we have invested in a property, as well as the anticipated future revenues from the property. Following the occurrence of such an event, we might nevertheless remain obligated for any mortgage debt or other financial obligations

From time to time, we may be subject to claims brought against us in lawsuits and other legal or regulatory proceedings arising out of our alleged actions or the alleged actions of our tenants, operators and managers for which such tenants, operators and managers may have agreed to indemnify, defend and hold us harmless. An unfavorable resolution of any such litigation or proceeding could materially adversely affect our or their liquidity, financial condition and results of operations and have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

In certain cases, we and our tenants, operators and managers may be subject to professional liability claims brought by plaintiffs’ attorneys seeking significant punitive damages and attorneys’ fees. Due to the historically high frequency and severity of professional liability claims against seniors housing and healthcare providers, the availability of professional liability insurance has decreased and the premiums on such insurance coverage remain costly. As a result, insurance protection against such claims may not be sufficient to cover all claims against us or our tenants, operators or managers, and may not be available at a reasonable cost. If we or our tenants, operators and managers are unable to maintain adequate insurance coverage or are required to pay punitive damages, we or they may be exposed to substantial liabilities.

As our reliance on technology has increased, our business is subject to greater risk from cyber incidents, including attempts to gain unauthorized access to our or our managers’ systems to disrupt operations, corrupt data or steal confidential information, and other electronic security breaches.  While we and our managers have implemented measures to help mitigate these threats, such measures cannot guarantee that we will be successful in preventing a cyber incident.  The occurrence of a cyber incident could disrupt our operations, or the operations of our managers, compromise the confidential information of our employees or the residents in our seniors housing communities, and/or damage our business relationships and reputation.

Our operators who engage in business with the federal government may be sued under a federal whistleblower statute designed to combat fraud and abuse in the healthcare industry. See “Governmental Regulation—Healthcare Regulation” included in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. These lawsuits can involve significant monetary damages and award bounties to private plaintiffs who successfully bring these suits. If any of these lawsuits were brought against our operators, such suits combined with increased operating costs and substantial uninsured liabilities could have a material adverse effect on our operators’ liquidity, financial condition and results of operations and on their ability to satisfy their obligations under our leases, which, in turn, could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

Under federal and state environmental laws and regulations, a current or former owner of real property may be liable for costs related to the investigation, removal and remediation of hazardous or toxic substances or petroleum that are released from or are present at or under, or that are disposed of in connection with such property. Owners of real property may also face other environmental liabilities, including government fines and penalties imposed by regulatory authorities and damages for injuries to persons, property or natural resources. Environmental laws and regulations often impose liability without regard to whether the owner was aware of, or was responsible for, the presence, release or disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or petroleum. In certain circumstances, environmental liability may result from the activities of a current or former operator of the property. Although we generally have indemnification rights against the current operators of our properties for contamination

The success of our business depends, in part, on the leadership and performance of our executive management team and key employees, and our ability to attract, retain and motivate talented employees could significantly impact our future performance. Competition for these individuals is intense, and we cannot assure you that we will retain our key officers and

Pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, we are required to provide a report by management on internal control over financial reporting, including management’s assessment of the effectiveness of such control. Because of its inherent limitations, including the possibility of human error, the circumvention or overriding of controls, or fraud, effective internal controls over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatement and can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements. If we fail to maintain the adequacy of our internal controls over financial reporting and our operating internal controls, including any failure to implement required new or improved controls as a result of changes to our business or otherwise, or if we experience difficulties in their implementation, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely harmed and we could fail to meet our reporting obligations.

For the year ended December 31, 2017,2019, approximately 35.6%34.8% of our total NOI was derived from properties located in California (13.9%), Texas (6.4%(13.8%), New York (5.7%(6.4%), Texas (5.9%), Illinois (5.1%(4.6%) and Florida (4.5%Pennsylvania (4.1%). As a result, we are subject to increased exposure to adverse conditions affecting these regions, including downturns in the local economies or changes in local real estate conditions, increased construction and competition or decreased demand for our properties, regional climate events and changes in state-specific legislation, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Our ownership of properties in Canada and the United Kingdom currently subjects us to fluctuations in the exchange rates between U.S. dollars and Canadian dollars or the British pound, which may, from time to time, impact our financial condition and results of operations. If we continue to expand our international presence through investments in, or acquisitions or development of, seniors housing or healthcare assets outside the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom, we may transact business in other foreign currencies. Although we may pursue hedging alternatives, including borrowing in local currencies, to protect against foreign currency fluctuations, we cannot assure you that such fluctuations will not have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

Our seniors housing communities include independent and assisted living communities, continuing care retirement communities and communities providing care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia or memory loss. These communities offer studio, one bedroom and two bedroom residential units on a month-to-month basis primarily to elderly individuals requiring various levels of assistance. Basic services for residents of these communities include housekeeping, meals in a central dining area and group activities organized by the staff with input from the residents. More extensive care and personal supervision, at additional fees, are also available for such needs as eating, bathing, grooming, transportation, limited therapeutic programs and medication administration, which allow residents certain conveniences and enable them to live as independently as possible according to their abilities. These services are often met by home health

Our Capital Structureresearch and innovation centers contain laboratory and office space primarily for scientific research for universities, academic medical centers, technology, biotechnology, medical device and pharmaceutical companies and other organizations involved in the research and innovation industry. While these properties have characteristics similar to commercial office buildings, they generally contain more advanced electrical, mechanical, and heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems. The facilities generally have specialty equipment including emergency generators, fume hoods, lab bench tops and related amenities. In many instances, research and innovation center tenants make significant investments to improve their leased space, in addition to landlord improvements, to accommodate biology, chemistry or medical device research initiatives. Our research and innovation centers are primarily located on or contiguous to university and academic medical campuses. The campus settings allow us the opportunity to provide flexible, contiguous/adjacent expansion to accommodate the growth of existing tenants.

We may becomehave 29 properties that are operated as LTACs. LTACs have a Medicare average length of stay of greater than 25 days and serve medically complex, chronically ill patients who require a high level of monitoring and specialized care, but whose conditions do not necessitate the continued services of an intensive care unit. The operators of these LTACs have the capability to treat patients who suffer from multiple systemic failures or conditions such as neurological disorders, head injuries, brain stem and spinal cord trauma, cerebral vascular accidents, chemical brain injuries, central nervous system disorders, developmental anomalies and cardiopulmonary disorders. Chronic patients often depend on technology for continued life support, such as mechanical ventilators, total parenteral nutrition, respiration or cardiac monitors and dialysis machines, and, due to their severe medical conditions, generally are not clinically appropriate for admission to a nursing facility or rehabilitation hospital. All of our LTACs are freestanding facilities, and we do not own any “hospitals within hospitals.” We also own eight IRFs devoted to the rehabilitation of patients with various neurological, musculoskeletal, orthopedic and other medical conditions following stabilization of their acute medical issues.

Our portfolio of seniors housing and healthcare properties is broadly diversified by geographic location throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, with properties in only one state (California) accounting for more leveraged.than 10% of our total continuing revenues and net operating income (“NOI,” which is defined as total revenues, excluding interest and other income, less property-level operating expenses and office building services costs) for the year ended December 31, 2019.

As of December 31, 2017,2019, we had approximately $11.3$1.0 billion of outstanding indebtedness. The instruments governing our existing indebtedness permitnet loans receivable and investments relating to seniors housing and healthcare operators or properties. Our loans receivable and investments provide us with interest income, principal amortization and transaction fees and are typically secured by mortgage liens or leasehold mortgages on the underlying properties and corporate or personal guarantees by affiliates of the borrowing entity. In some cases, the loans are secured by a pledge of ownership interests in the entity or entities that own the related seniors housing or healthcare properties. From time to time, we also make investments in mezzanine loans, which are subordinated to senior secured loans held by other investors that encumber the same real estate. See “NOTE 6—LOANS RECEIVABLE AND INVESTMENTS” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We are party to certain agreements that obligate us to incur substantial additional debt,develop seniors housing or healthcare properties funded through capital that we and, in certain circumstances, our joint venture partners provide. As of December 31, 2019, we had 22 properties under development pursuant to these agreements, including secured debt, and we may satisfy our capital and liquidity needsfour properties that are owned through additional borrowings. A high level of indebtedness would require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to the payment of debt service, thereby reducing the funds available to implement our business strategy and make distributions to stockholders. A high level of indebtedness could also have the following consequences:

We operate through three reportable business segments: triple-net leased properties, senior living operations and office operations. Non-segment assets, classified as “all other,” consist primarily of corporate assets, including cash, restricted cash, loans receivable and investments, and miscellaneous accounts receivable. Our chief operating decision makers evaluate performance of the combined properties in each reportable business segment and determine how to allocate resources to these segments, in significant part, based on segment NOI and related measures. For further information regarding our business segments and a discussion of our definition of segment NOI, see “NOTE 19—SEGMENT INFORMATION” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Each of our leases with Brookdale Senior Living, Ardent and Kindred is a triple-net lease that obligates the tenant to secure paymentpay all property-related expenses, including maintenance, utilities, repairs, taxes, insurance and capital expenditures, and to

We derive a significant portion of our revenues from leasing assets underproperties pursuant to long-term triple-net leases that generally provide for fixed rental rates, subject to annual escalations. In certain cases, the annual escalations while certainare contingent upon the achievement of our debt obligations are floating rate obligationsspecified revenue parameters or based on changes in CPI, with interestcaps and related payments that vary with the movementfloors. If, as a result of LIBOR, Bankers’ Acceptanceweak economic conditions or other indexes. Thefactors, the properties subject to these leases do not generate sufficient revenue to achieve the specified rent escalation parameters or CPI does not increase, our growth and profitability may be hindered. If strong economic conditions result in significant increases in CPI, but the escalations under our leases are capped, our growth and profitability also may be limited.

Our investments in MOBs and other properties may be made through leasehold interests in the land on which the buildings are located, leases of air rights for the space above the land on which the buildings are located, or other similar restrictive arrangements. Many of these ground lease, air rights and other restrictive agreements impose significant limitations on our debt obligations,uses of the subject properties, restrict our ability to sell or increaseotherwise transfer our interests in the costproperties or restrict the leasing of financing our acquisition, investment, development and redevelopment activity. An increase in interest rates also couldthe properties. These restrictions may limit our ability to refinance existing debt upon maturitytimely sell or cause us to pay higher rates upon refinancing, as well as decreaseexchange the amount that third parties are willing to pay for our assets, thereby limiting our ability to promptly reposition our portfolio in response to changes in economicproperties, impair the properties’ value or other conditions.

If a borrower defaults under mortgage or other secured loans for which we are the lender, we may attempt to foreclose on the collateral securing those loans, including by acquiring any pledged equity interests or acquiring title to the subject properties, to protect our revolving credit facilities and,investment. In response, the defaulting borrower may contest our enforcement of foreclosure or other available remedies, seek bankruptcy protection against our exercise of enforcement or other available remedies, or bring claims against us for lender liability. If a defaulting borrower seeks bankruptcy protection, the automatic stay provisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code would preclude us from enforcing foreclosure or other available remedies against the borrower unless relief is first obtained from the court with jurisdiction over time, could negativelythe bankruptcy case. In addition, we may be subject to intercreditor or tri-party agreements that delay, impact, govern or limit our ability to consummate acquisitions, repay indebtedness as it matures, fund capital expendituresforeclose on a lien securing a loan or make distributions to our stockholders.

Regulation of the healthcare industry generally has intensified over time both in the number and type of regulations and in the efforts to enforce those regulations. This is particularly true for large for-profit, multi-facility providers like Atria, Sunrise, Brookdale Senior Living, Ardent and Kindred. Federal, state and local laws and regulations affecting the healthcare industry include those relating to, among other things, licensure, conduct of operations, ownership of facilities, addition of facilities and equipment, allowable costs, services, prices for services, qualified beneficiaries, quality of care, patient rights, fraudulent or abusive behavior, financial and other arrangements that may be entered into by healthcare providers and the research, development, clinical testing, manufacture and marketing of research and innovation products. In addition, changes in enforcement policies by federal and state governments have resulted in an increase in the number of inspections, citations of regulatory deficiencies and other regulatory sanctions, including terminations from the Medicare and Medicaid programs, bars on Medicare and Medicaid payments for new admissions, civil monetary penalties and even criminal penalties. See “Governmental Regulation—Healthcare Regulation” included in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We are unable to predict the scope of future federal, state and local regulations and legislation, including the Medicare and Medicaid statutes and regulations, or the intensity of enforcement efforts with respect to such regulations and legislation, and any taxchanges in the regulatory framework could have a material adverse effect on our tenants, operators and managers, which, in turn, could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

We maintain or require in our lease, management and other agreements that our tenants, operators and managers maintain all applicable lines of insurance on our properties and their operations. Although we regularly review the statuteamount and scope of limitations has not expired),insurance provided by our policies and required to be maintained by our tenants, operators and managers and believe

For various reasons, including to reduce and manage costs, many healthcare companies utilize different organizational and corporate structures coupled with self-insurance trusts or captive programs that may provide less insurance coverage than a traditional insurance policy. Companies that insure any part of their general and professional liability risks through their own captive limited purpose entities generally estimate the funds availablefuture cost of general and professional liability through actuarial studies that rely primarily on historical data. However, due to the rise in the number and severity of professional claims against healthcare providers, these actuarial studies may underestimate the future cost of claims, and reserves for future claims may not be adequate to cover the actual cost of those claims. As a result, the tenants and operators of our properties who self-insure could incur large funded and unfunded general and professional liability expenses, which could materially adversely affect their liquidity, financial condition and results of operations and, in turn, their ability to satisfy ourtheir obligations to us. If we or the managers of our senior living operations decide to implement a captive or self-insurance program, any large funded and unfunded general and professional liability expenses incurred could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

Certain of our properties are located in areas particularly susceptible to revenue loss, cost increase or damage caused by catastrophic weather and other natural events, including fires, snow or ice storms, windstorms or hurricanes, earthquakes, flooding or other severe weather. These adverse weather and natural events could cause substantial damages or losses to our properties which could exceed our or our tenants’, operators’ and managers’ property insurance coverage. In the event of a loss in excess of insured limits, we could lose our capital invested in the affected property, as well as anticipated future revenue from that property. Any such loss could materially and adversely affect our business strategy and our financial condition and results of operations. Climate change may also have indirect effects on our business by increasing the cost of (or making unavailable) property insurance on terms we find acceptable.

To the extent that significant changes in the climate occur in areas where our properties are located, we may experience extreme weather and changes in precipitation and temperature, all of which may result in physical damage to make distributionsor a decrease in demand for properties located in these areas or affected by these conditions. Should the impact of climate change be material in nature, including destruction of our properties, or occur for lengthy periods of time, our financial condition or results of operations may be adversely affected.

In addition, changes in federal and state legislation and regulation on climate change could result in increased capital expenditures to improve the energy efficiency of our stockholders for eachexisting properties and could also require us to spend more on our new development properties without a corresponding increase in revenue.

In 2019, we derived 1.3% of our NOI from the United Kingdom. The decision made in the British referendum of June 23, 2016 to leave the European Union, commonly referred to as “Brexit,” has led to volatility in the financial markets of the United Kingdom (the “U.K.”), and more broadly across Europe and may also lead to weakening in consumer, corporate and financial confidence in such markets. The U.K. government initiated the official EU withdrawal process on March 29, 2017, and the exit from the EU was expected to occur by the end of March 2019. However, the withdrawal was extended several times due to deadlock in negotiations. On January 29, 2020, the U.K. Parliament approved a withdrawal agreement submitted on January 22, 2020, and the U.K. officially withdrew from the EU on January 31, 2020. There is a transition period through December 2020, with an option to extend an additional one to two years, involved because:to allow for businesses and individuals to adjust to its

From time to time, we may be subject to regular U.S. federal corporate income tax;claims brought against us in lawsuits and other legal or regulatory proceedings arising out of our alleged actions or the alleged actions of our tenants, operators and managers for which such tenants, operators and managers may have agreed to indemnify, defend and hold us harmless. An unfavorable resolution of any such litigation or proceeding could materially adversely affect our or their liquidity, financial condition and results of operations and have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

In certain cases, we and our tenants, operators and managers may be subject to increased stateprofessional liability claims brought by plaintiffs’ attorneys seeking significant punitive damages and local taxes;attorneys’ fees. Due to the historically high frequency and

As our reliance on technology has increased, our business is subject to greater risk from cyber incidents, including attempts to gain unauthorized access to our or our managers’ systems to disrupt operations, corrupt data or steal confidential information, and other electronic security breaches.  While we and our managers have implemented measures to help mitigate these threats, such measures cannot guarantee that we will be successful in preventing a cyber incident.  The occurrence of a cyber incident could disrupt our operations, or the operations of our common stock.managers, compromise the confidential information of our employees or the residents in our seniors housing communities, and/or damage our business relationships and reputation.

Our operators who engage in business with the applicationfederal government may be sued under a federal whistleblower statute designed to combat fraud and abuse in the healthcare industry. See “Governmental Regulation—Healthcare Regulation” included in Part I, Item 1 of highly technicalthis Annual Report on Form 10-K. These lawsuits can involve significant monetary damages and complex provisionsaward bounties to private plaintiffs who successfully bring these suits. If any of these lawsuits were brought against our operators, such suits combined with increased operating costs and substantial uninsured liabilities could have a material adverse effect on our operators’ liquidity, financial condition and results of operations and on their ability to satisfy their obligations under our leases, which, in turn, could have a Material Adverse Effect on us.

Under federal and state environmental laws and regulations, a current or former owner of real property may be liable for costs related to the investigation, removal and remediation of hazardous or toxic substances or petroleum that are released from or are present at or under, or that are disposed of in connection with such property. Owners of real property may also face other environmental liabilities, including government fines and penalties imposed by regulatory authorities and damages for injuries to persons, property or natural resources. Environmental laws and regulations often impose liability without regard to whether the owner was aware of, or was responsible for, the presence, release or disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or petroleum. In certain circumstances, environmental liability may result from the activities of a current or former operator of the Internal Revenue Codeproperty. Although we generally have indemnification rights against the current operators of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)our properties for which there are only limited judicial and administrative interpretations. The determinationcontamination

The success of our assets, a requirement that at least 95%business depends, in part, on the leadership and performance of our gross income in any year must be derived from qualifying sources,executive management team and we must make distributionskey employees, and our ability to attract, retain and motivate talented employees could significantly impact our stockholders aggregating annually at least 90% of our net taxable income, excluding capital gains. Although we believe that we currently qualify as a REIT,future performance. Competition for these individuals is intense, and we cannot assure you that we will continue to qualify for all future periods.

Our portfolio of seniors housing and healthcare properties is broadly diversified by geographic location throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, with properties in only one state (California) accounting for more than 10% of our total continuing revenues and net operating income (“NOI,” which is defined as total revenues, excluding interest and other income, less property-level operating expenses and office building services costs) for the year ended December 31, 2019.