ENRIQUE S. LAMOUTTE, Bankruptcy Judge.
This case is before the court upon the motion to dismiss filed by Loiza Ponce Holdings, LLC ("Loiza Ponce"), alleging that the petition was filed in bad faith and the opposition filed by the debtor, La Trinidad Elderly LP SE (`Debtor" or "Trinidad"). Loiza Ponce alleges that the instant petition was filed in bad faith as the purpose for filing the same was solely to stay the judicial sale of its real estate property and that Debtor lacks any reasonable likelihood of rehabilitation. Debtor opposes the motion to dismiss alleging that it has complied with all requirements regarding the filing of schedules, statement of financial affairs, monthly reports of operation, a disclosure statement and chapter 11 plan. Debtor also challenges the validity of Loiza Ponce's secured claim as the forbearance agreement which was entered by the debtor regarding the secured loan is null and void for not being authorized by the entity required to do so. Debtor also alleges that the petition was filed to protect its main asset from foreclosure. Loiza Ponce replied alleging that the instant petition, as well as the prior petition were exclusively filed to thwart the execution of the pending judicial sale of Debtor's only asset, the real property in which the elderly housing project sits. Regarding the nullity of the forbearance agreement Loiza Ponce alleges that the issue was presented before the state court and Debtor is now estopped by its own acts as it created the situation which it now challenges.
Debtor admits that its first petition filed on September 25, 2018, case number 18-05549, was correctly dismissed on January 29, 2019 as the petition was not filed by an authorized agent/partner in accordance with the terms of the partnership agreement, that is, the investor limited partner did not consent to the filing in writing. The dismissal order was a bench ruling made at an evidentiary hearing on the motion to dismiss filed by Loiza alleging a bad faith filing. Since evidence was presented at the hearings held on November 29, 2018, December 11, 2018 and January 29, 2019, the parties have jointly moved the court to submit the present motion to dismiss on the evidence heard on these dates.
At the hearing held on June 18, 2019, the court ordered the parties to submit proposed findings of fact based on the evidence presented in case number 18-05549 in order to support their respective positions. The court further ordered the parties to address in their proposed findings of fact the value of the property, the rental income, the amounts currently being paid to Loiza, whether there is a final judgment in the state court action considering the nullity of the forbearance agreement, and whether there have been any factual changes since the hearings in the prior petition.
The parties have submitted their proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law. After reviewing the same, the court finds that the relevant facts are not in controversy. The determinant factors concern the inferences that the court may draw from the facts and the legal conclusions resulting from the same.
This court has jurisdiction over the present contested matter pursuant to 28 U. S. C. §§ 157(a) and 1334(b). The dismissal of a bankruptcy petition is a core matter pursuant to 28 U. S. C. § 157(b). Venue is proper under 28 U. S. C. §§ 1408 and 1409(a).
On October 28, 2016, Loiza Ponce acquired all the rights over commercial loan 241889, originally for $5,000,000, granted on May 19, 2005, to Inmobiliaria La Trinidad, Inc., Builders Group & Development Corp., Miramar Plaza Realty, Inc, and Jorge Alberto Ríos Pulpeiro ("Loan"). The Loan was originally issued by FirstBank Puerto Rico and subsequently assigned to CPG/GS PR NPL, LLC ("CPG"). CPG further assigned it to Loiza Ponce. On August 24, 2010, Debtor substituted Inmobiliaria La Trinidad, Inc. as the principal debtor of the Loan, through an Assumption and Modification of Loan. The Loan's collateral included a Mortgage Note for the principal sum of $4,000,000.00 guaranteed by a mortgage over a property in Ponce, a lot with a building with 130 subsidized rental units: Property 44,613 registered in the Puerto Rico Property Registration, First Section of Ponce, Volume 1,930, Page 93 ("Property").
On October 28, 2016, the Loan debtors executed a Forbearance and Settlement Agreement, and, accordingly, executed a Joint Stipulation requesting that the Court enter judgment in favor of Loiza Ponce. The Stipulation was filed with the Court of First Instance of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in Ponce ("State Court") on October 28, 2016, in case JCD2012-1013(406). Pursuant to the Stipulation, the Debtor recognized the amounts owed and, among other things, authorized the foreclosure of the Property. On November 17, 2016, the State Court issued a Judgment, approving and incorporating by reference the terms of the Stipulation.
On May 7, 2018, Loiza Ponce requested the execution of the Judgment. The State Court granted said petition on June 7, 2018 and issued the corresponding execution order and writ of execution on June 11, 2018. A notice of public sale was issued by the Marshal of the Court on July 26, 2018, scheduling the first public auction to be held on September 26, 2018. On September 25, 2018, the Debtor filed the first petition under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, case number 18-05549, which was dismissed on January 29, 2019 because the bankruptcy petition was filed without the express authorization of Debtor's limited partner, who was required to approve such filing.
After the dismissal of the previous Chapter 11 petition, Loiza Ponce renewed the execution of the State Court Judgment and on March 19, 2019, the Marshal reissued the notice of public sale, scheduling the first sale for April 3, 2019. On April 2, 2019, again on the eve of the first judicial sale, debtor filed the instant petition.
1. La Trinidad Elderly LP SE was created in 2007. This partnership agreement has been amended with its last amendment in force subscribed on September 1, 2010. Currently, the composition of the Debtor is: Affordable Housing Living, Inc., who is the managing partner of the partnership and holds .01% of interest and 1602 CATS # 1 Investments LLC, who is the limited partner and holds 99.99% interest. Debtor owns a 130-residential unit apartment building located at Castillo Street #11, Ponce, Puerto Rico, which provides affordable housing to eligible low-income elderly tenants. They are subsidized rental income. Forty-nine are under Federal "Section 8" and eighty-one under Law 173 of Puerto Rico.
2. The property, referred to as La Trinidad Elderly Project (the "Property), is also subject to a housing assistance contract, which provides for the receipt of rental assistance subsidies from the Puerto Rico Department of Housing pursuant to the provisions of Law No. 173 and the Section 8 Housing Project Based Program. The entities also are subject to different tax credits and tax grants. On August 24, 2010, the Debtor entered into a Subaward Agreement with the PRHFA, a government instrumentality of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, under the Tax Credit Exchange Program [TCEP] created pursuant to Section 1602 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act [ARRA] of 2009. Under this agreement, PRHFA provided a grant to the Company of $14,565,340 to partially fund the development costs of the Project. The grant amount provided from PRHFA was in the form of cash assistance and is not required to be repaid unless there is a recapture event with respect to a qualified low-income unit of the Project.
3. The closing of an initial forbearance agreement with First Bank was completed on August 24th, 2010. After the signature of the Forbearance Agreement with First Bank, 1602 CATS #1 Investments LLC became the limited partner of the project. CPG/GS PR NPL, LLC, acquired the Property on August 24, 2010, assuming a commercial loan number 241889 (the "Loan") issued by FirstBank Puerto Rico on May 19, 2005.
4. On August 24, 2010, Debtor entered into a Subaward Agreement with the Puerto Rico Housing Finance Authority ("PRHFA), under the Tax Credit Exchange Program created pursuant to Section 1602 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
5. On November 1, 2012, CPG/GS PR NPL LLC filed a Complaint against Debtor for collection of monies and foreclosure of real property, Civil Case J CD2012-1013 (406) before the Court of First Instance, Ponce Section, captioned CPG/GS PR NPL LLC v. LaTrinidad Elderly L.P., S.E. (the "Ponce Mortgage Foreclosure Case").
6. On September 22, 2015, as part of the proceedings in the Ponce Mortgage Foreclosure Case, the Court of First Instance, Ponce Section, appointed Star Management Corporation as judicial administrator of Debtor's business, an elderly housing project (the "Property"). Star Management Corporation continues to administer the Property.
7. On October 28, 2016, pursuant to a Loan Purchase and Sale Agreement and a Bill of Sale, Loíza Ponce acquired from CPG/GS PR NPL, LLC all of CPG's rights and interests arising from the Loan for the principal sum of $5,000,000.00 issued by FirstBank pursuant to a Credit Agreement dated May 19, 2005 as amended and modified by an Assumption and Modification of Loan dated August 24, 2010. By virtue of the Assumption and Modification of Loan, Debtor was substituted as the Loan's debtor.
8. In addition to the purchase of the Loan, Loíza Ponce also acquired from CPG all guarantees and collateral securing the Loan, including:
9. On October 28, 2016, Loíza Ponce and Debtor executed a Forbearance and Settlement Agreement whereby Debtor acknowledged its indebtedness to Loíza Ponce, its default in its obligations to Loíza Ponce, and assumed additional obligations in exchange for Loíza Ponce agreeing to forbear and refrain from exercising remedies available to it pursuant to the Loan and Collateral Documents.
10. Pursuant to the Forbearance and Settlement Agreement, Debtor entered into a Stipulation for the entry of Judgment in the Ponce Mortgage Foreclosure Case.
11. In light of the above referenced Stipulation, the Court of First Instance, Ponce Section, entered Judgment on November 17, 2016, which Judgment is now final and unappealable.
12. Commencing on October 26, 2016, Star Management Corporation forwarded the receipts of the rents of the Property, less its management fee and operation expenses to Loíza Ponce.
13. On June 11, 2018, the Court of First Instance, Ponce Section, issued an Order of Execution of Judgment and the Clerk of the Court issued the corresponding Writ of Execution.
14. On July 26, 2018, the Marshal of the Court of First Instance, Ponce Section, issued the corresponding Edict of Judicial Sale, which Edict was published twice in a newspaper of general circulation and notified to all interested parties in compliance with Rule 51.7 of the Puerto Rico Rules of Civil Procedure.
15. The first judicial sale was scheduled for September 26, 2018.
16. On September 25, 2018, Debtor filed the first Chapter 11 petition.
17. On January 29, 2019, this Honorable Court dismissed Case No. 18-05549 for Debtor's limited member's failure to agree to the Chapter 11 petition filed.
18. Upon dismissal of Case No. 18-05549, Loíza Ponce renewed the execution of the State Court Ju19ment. On March 19, 2019, the Marshal reissued the notice of public sale, scheduling the first sale for April 3, 2019.
19. On April 2, 2019 the Debtor filed the instant petition. The mandatory schedules, including the Statement of Financial Affairs were filed on April 17, 2019. Debtor filed its Amended Schedules and Statement of Financial Affairs on May 22, 2019.
20. On July 1, 2019, Debtor filed its Disclosure Statement and Plan of Reorganization dated June 30, 2019. The Court scheduled the hearing to consider Debtor's Disclosure Statement for September 17, 2019. Debtor has filed its Monthly Operating Reports for the months of April, May and June 2019.
21. Debtor's assets are the real property, a lot with a building with 130 subsidized rental units valued at $3,500,000.00, and the inventory, furniture, equipment, accounts receivable, and operational accounts related to the operation of said real property.
22. Loíza Ponce is a secured creditor and has a claim over Debtor's property which amounts to $5,862,334, as of January 24, 2019, interest accruing at the per diem rate of $946.18.
23. Debtor also lists as secured debts taxes owed to the Municipal Revenue Collection Center ("CRIM", in Spanish) and a second mortgage granted by PRHFA in the amount of $14,565,340.00.
24. Debtor has no employees.
25. Debtor is not receiving income, as the receipts of the rents of the Property, less Star Management Corporation's management fees and operation expenses, were forwarded to Loíza Ponce and are now deposited in Star Management's Operational bank account.
The Court's discretion to dismiss or convert a Chapter 11 case is limited if cause is established.
Although Section 1112(b)(4) of the Bankruptcy Code fails to define what the term "cause" means, it provides a list of circumstances that constitute "cause" for conversion or dismissal. This list of causes is non-exhaustive and therefore a case may be converted or dismissed for other causes. See
Section 1112(b)(1) requires "notice and a hearing" prior to dismissal or conversion. The phrase "notice and a hearing" is defined as "after such notice is appropriate in the particular circumstances, and such opportunity for a hearing is appropriate in the particular circumstances". 11 U.S.C. § 102(A) (emphasis added).
After the moving party establishes that there is cause to dismiss or convert the case to Chapter 7, the court must choose between dismissal or conversion, "whichever is in the best interest of creditors and the estate." 11 U.S.C. § 1112(b)(1). The standard for choosing between conversion or dismissal based on "the best interest of creditors and the estate" implies application of a balancing test by the bankruptcy court.
Lack of Good Faith (or Bad Faith) may be grounds for dismissal under section 1112(b). This court in
Several Circuits have determined that lack of good faith (or bad faith) in filing a chapter 11 bankruptcy petition constitutes "cause" to dismiss or convert a case to Chapter 7 pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 1112(b). See
The First Circuit has determined that if 11 U.S.C. § 1112(b) imposes a good faith filing requirement, then it is the movant that must establish prima facie that the petition was filed in bad faith before the burden shifts to the debtor. See
The determination of whether the movant has established prima facie that there is a lack of good faith (or bad faith) in the filing of a bankruptcy petition is a fact intensive inquiry in which the court analyzes the totality of the circumstances. See
The totality of the circumstances test cannot be reduced to a mechanical checklist (irrespective of the chapter or whether it is in the filing of the petition and/or the confirmation of the plan). See
In this case the key factors are the timing of the bankruptcy petition, the litigation between the Debtor and Loiza Ponce, the nature and extent of the secured claim held by Loiza Ponce, the value of the property, the payment under the chapter 11 plan of Loiza Ponce's claim, and the likelihood of rehabilitation pursuant to the terms of the confirmed plan.
Pursuant to the Rooker-Feldman doctrine, federal district courts do not have jurisdiction over "federal complaints. . .[that] essentially invite[] federal courts of first instance to review and reverse unfavorable state-court judgments."
In
The Court explained the limited circumstances in which Rooker-Feldman applies and stated that "[i]n both cases, the losing party in state court filed suit in federal court after the state proceedings ended. . ."
In
The court of appeals goes on to discuss three situations, or tests, to determine whether state proceedings have "ended." 410 F. 3d at 24. First, state proceedings have ended "when the highest state court in which review is available has affirmed the judgment below and nothing is left to be resolved."
Pursuant to the laws of Puerto Rico, a judgment is a decision that revolves in final form the controversy before it so that an appeal may be taken.
It is the debtor's position that the Forbearance and Settlement Agreement subscribed on October 28, 2016 and the complementary documents are null ab initio and invalid because the limited partner 1602 CATS #1 Investments, LLC did not authorize any of those transactions in conformity with the Partnership Agreement. With this contention as a basis, the Debtor has submitted a chapter 11 plan which classifies Loiza Ponce (Class 5) as a creditor holding a disputed claim as to both the nature and amount owed, fixed at no more than $3,682,427.00. Loiza Ponce filed a proof of claim as a secured creditor in the amount of $6,082,818.91. Distribution to Loiza Ponce under the proposed chapter 11 plan hinges on a final determination of an adversary proceeding challenging the nature of the claim and an objection to claim opposing the amounts claimed by as secured. The Debtor has not filed an adversary proceeding against Loiza Ponce nor an objection to its proof of claim. Consequently, the secured proof of claim filed by Loiza Ponce is deemed allowed. 11 U. S. C. § 502(a). Moreover, the claim is based on a final judgment in a state court action, which this court may not revisit under the Rooker Feldman doctrine.
The undisputed value of the real property which is subject to Loiza Ponce's lien is $3,500,000.00. Therefore, Loiza Ponce is an under secured creditor.
The holders of the lien over the Debtor's real property, CPG/GS PR NPL LLC and now Loiza Ponce have tried to collect on the amounts owed by the Debtor and foreclose the real property since November 1, 2012. The state court has entered a final judgment in favor of the plaintiff secured creditor, has issued execution orders, writs of execution, and has scheduled a public sale for September 26, 2018 and April 3, 2019. The Debtor filed the first chapter 11 petition on September 25, 2018 and the current petition on April 2, 2019, that is the day before each of the dates for which the public sale of the property was scheduled.
The Debtor is not making current payments to the secured creditor and is presumptively reserving the amounts in its bank account. The repayment terms proffered in the chapter 11 plan are not clear and premised on weak legal basis. Thus, any positive cash balance in the monthly reports of operations must be adjusted to conform to this reality.
The court notes that the Debtor does not have employees and is operated by a state court ordered judicial administrator, Star Management Corporation.
After considering the above facts in light of the applicable law, the court finds that the instant bankruptcy petition was filed solely for the purpose of forestalling the imminent public sale of its real property. The court further finds that the Debtor has not shown a likelihood to have a chapter 11 plan within a reasonable time in view of its treatment of the secured claim held by Loiza Ponce. Therefore, the court concludes that the petition was not filed in good faith, that is, for a valid bankruptcy purpose.
In view of the foregoing reasons, the motion to dismiss filed by Loiza Ponce is hereby granted and the instant bankruptcy petition is dismissed.
IT IS SO ORDERED.