Company: CMCT
Filing Date: 2025-03-07
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000908311-25-000017
Chunk: 95

Company: Creative Media & Community Trust Corp
Filing Date: 2025-03-07
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 95
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 disposal or treatment of hazardous or toxic substances may be liable for the costs of cleaning up contamination at the disposal site.

These laws often impose liability regardless of whether the person knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of the hazardous or toxic substances that caused the contamination. The presence of, or contamination resulting from, any of these substances, or the failure to properly remediate them, may adversely affect our ability to sell or rent our property, to borrow using the property as collateral or create lender’s liability for us. In addition, third parties exposed to hazardous or toxic substances may sue for personal injury damages and/or property damages. For example, some laws impose liability for release of or exposure to asbestos-containing materials. As a result, in connection with our former, current or future ownership, operation, and development of real estate assets, or our role as a lender for loans secured directly or indirectly by real estate properties, we may be potentially liable for investigation and cleanup costs, penalties and damages under environmental laws.

Although many of our properties have been subjected to preliminary environmental assessments, known as Phase I assessments, by independent environmental consultants that identify certain liabilities, Phase I assessments are limited in scope, and may not include or identify all potential environmental liabilities or risks associated with a property. Unless required by applicable law, we may decide not to further investigate, remedy or ameliorate the liabilities disclosed in the Phase I assessments.

Further, these or other environmental studies may not identify all potential environmental liabilities or accurately assess whether we will incur material environmental liabilities in the future. If we do incur material environmental liabilities in the future, our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flow or our ability to satisfy our debt service obligations or to maintain our level of distributions on our Common Stock or Preferred Stock could be materially adversely affected.

Our real estate business is subject to risks from climate change.

Our real estate business is subject to risks associated with climate change. Climate change could trigger extreme weather and changes in precipitation, temperature, and air quality, all of which may result in physical damage to, or a decrease in demand for, our properties located in the areas affected by these conditions. Further, the assessment of the potential impact of climate change has impacted the activities of government authorities, the pattern of consumer behavior, and other areas that impact the business environment in the United States, including, but not limited to, energy-efficiency measures, water-use measures, and land-use practices. The promulgation of policies, laws or regulations relating to climate change by governmental