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                                                            Exhibit 4.2                                      

 DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES 
                                       REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE
                                               SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

The following is a description of BRT Apartments Corp.’s securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as of December 31, 2020, and certain provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”), our charter (the “Charter”) and our bylaws (the “Bylaws”). Copies of our Charter and Bylaws are filed as exhibits to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

As used herein, the terms “Company,” “we,” “our” and “us” refer to BRT Apartments Corp., a Maryland corporation.

Our Capital Stock

The Charter authorizes us to issue up to 302,000,000 shares of stock, consisting of 300,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 2,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share.

Our Common Stock

Subject to the provisions of the Charter regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, except as may be otherwise specified in the Charter, each outstanding share of our common stock entitles the holder to one vote, and, except as may be provided with respect to any other class or series of our stock, the holders of shares of our common stock possess the exclusive voting power.

Subject to the preferential rights, if any, of holders of any other class or series of our stock and to the provisions of our Charter relating to the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to receive distributions when authorized by our board of directors and declared by us out of assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders and will be entitled to share ratably in assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, after payment of or adequate provision for all of our known debts and liabilities.

Holders of shares of our common stock have no preference, conversion, exchange, sinking fund, redemption or appraisal rights (unless our board of directors determine that appraisal rights apply) and have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any of our securities.

Our Preferred Stock

The Charter authorizes our board of directors to authorize the issuance from time to time of shares of stock of any class or series, including preferred stock. The Charter also authorizes our board of directors to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of our common stock or preferred stock into other classes or series of stock, including one or more classes or series of preferred stock, and authorizes us to issue the newly classified shares.  Before authorizing the issuance of a new class or series of preferred stock, our board of directors must, subject to the provisions of the Charter regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, fix the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption for each class or series. Our board of directors also may increase or decrease the authorized number of shares of any class or series of our stock, including any class or series of our preferred stock, and may classify or reclassify any unissued shares of a class or series of our stock by fixing or altering from time to time the terms of such shares.

These actions may be taken without stockholder approval unless such approval is required by applicable law, the terms of any other class or series of our stock or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which any shares of our stock are listed or traded. Therefore, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock that have priority over our common stock with respect to dividends or other distributions or rights upon liquidation or the issuance of shares of common stock or preferred stock with terms and conditions that could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control or other transaction that might involve a premium price for our common stock or otherwise be in the best interest of our stockholders. 

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Power to Increase or Decrease Authorized Shares of Stock, Reclassify Unissued Shares of Stock and Issue Additional Shares of Common and Preferred Stock.

As permitted under the MGCL, the Charter authorizes our board of directors, with the approval of a majority of the entire board and without stockholder approval, to amend our Charter to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of stock that we are authorized to issue or the number of shares of any class or series stock that we are authorized to issue.  In addition, the Charter authorizes our board of directors to classify or reclassify unissued shares of common or preferred stock and to authorize us to issue such classified or reclassified shares.

Provisions of Maryland Law and of Our Charter and Bylaws

Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer 

In order for us to qualify as a REIT under the Code, our stock must be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year. In addition, not more than 50% of the value of the outstanding shares of our stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include certain entities) at any time during the last half of a taxable year.

The Charter includes restrictions concerning the ownership and transfer of shares of our stock. Our board of directors may, from time to time, grant waivers from these restrictions, in its sole discretion. The relevant sections of the Charter provide that, subject to the exceptions described below, no person or entity (including a “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Act) may own, or be deemed to own, beneficially or by virtue of the applicable constructive ownership provisions of the Code, more than 6.0%, in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of the outstanding shares of our common stock (the “common stock ownership limit”) or 6.0% in value of the outstanding shares of all classes or series of shares of our stock (the “aggregate stock ownership limit”). We refer to the common stock ownership limit and the aggregate stock ownership limit collectively as the “ownership limits.” We refer to the person or entity that, but for operation of the ownership limits or another restriction on ownership and transfer of our stock as described below, would beneficially own or constructively own shares of our stock in violation of such limits or restrictions and, if appropriate in the context, a person or entity that would have been the record owner of such shares of our stock as a “prohibited owner.”

The applicable constructive ownership rules under the Code are complex and may cause shares of our stock owned beneficially or constructively by a group of related individuals and/or entities to be treated as owned beneficially or constructively by one individual or entity. As a result, the acquisition of less than 6.0% in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of the outstanding shares of our common stock, or less than 6.0% in value of the outstanding shares of all classes and series of our stock (or the acquisition by an individual or entity of an interest in an entity that owns, beneficially or constructively, shares of our stock), could, nevertheless, cause that individual or entity, or another individual or entity, to own beneficially or constructively shares of our stock in excess of the ownership limits.

Our board of directors, in its sole discretion, may exempt, prospectively or retroactively, a person or entity from the ownership limits and may establish a different limit on ownership (the “excepted holder limit”) for any such person. As a condition of granting the waiver or establishing the excepted holder limit, our board of directors may require representations and undertakings from the person requesting the exception as our board of directors may determine, in its sole discretion, as well as an opinion of counsel or a ruling from the IRS in order to determine or ensure our status as a REIT under the Code, in form and substance satisfactory to our board of directors, in its sole discretion. Our board of directors may impose such conditions or restrictions as it deems appropriate in connection with granting such a waiver or establishing an excepted holder limit. Our board of directors granted an exception for Gould Investors, Fredric H. Gould, Matthew J. Gould and Jeffrey A. Gould and has granted an exception and created an excepted holder limit for certain holders of our common stock who owned shares of beneficial interest in our predecessor, BRT Realty Trust, a Massachusetts business trust (“Old BRT”), in excess of the ownership limits before the completion of the conversion of our company to a Maryland corporation. 

As discussed above, in order to qualify as a REIT, not more than 50% of the value of the outstanding shares of our stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include certain entities) at any time during the last half of a taxable year. As a result and as discussed below, in addition to the ownership limits, the Charter prohibits any person from beneficially or constructively owning shares of our stock that would result in more than 50% in value of the outstanding shares of our stock to be beneficially owned by five or fewer individuals (including Gould Investors, Fredric H. Gould, Matthew J. Gould and Jeffrey A. Gould), regardless of whether such ownership is during the last half of any taxable year, which we refer to as the “Five or Fewer Limit.” Thus, in order to determine how much stock a person may acquire without violating the Five or Fewer Limit, a stockholder must know how much stock is beneficially or constructively owned (within the meaning of the Charter) by the four other largest stockholders. 

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In connection with granting a waiver of the ownership limits or creating an excepted holder limit or at any other time, our board of directors may from time to time increase or decrease the common stock ownership limit, the aggregate stock ownership limit or both for one or more persons, unless, after giving effect to such increase (but without regard to any exemptions from the ownership limits granted by the board of directors as described above), five or fewer individuals could beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than 49.9% in value of the outstanding shares of our stock or we would otherwise fail to qualify as a REIT under the Code. A reduced ownership limit will not apply to any person or entity whose percentage ownership of our common stock or of our stock of all classes and series, as applicable, is, at the effective time of such reduction, in excess of such decreased ownership limit until such time as such person’s or entity’s percentage ownership of our common stock or our shares of our stock of all classes and series, as applicable, equals or falls below the decreased ownership limit, but any further acquisition of shares of our common stock or shares of our stock of all classes or series, as applicable, will violate the decreased ownership limit.

The Charter further prohibits:

•any person from beneficially or constructively owning, applying certain attribution rules of the Code, shares of our stock that would result in our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or otherwise cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT under the Code; and 

•any person from transferring shares of our stock if the transfer would result in shares of our stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code). 

Any person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire beneficial or constructive ownership of shares of our stock that will or may violate the ownership limits or any of the other restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock described above, or who would have owned shares of our stock transferred to the trust as described below, must immediately give written notice to us of such event or, in the case of an attempted or proposed transaction, give us at least 15 days’ prior written notice and provide us with such other information as we may request in order to determine the effect of such transfer on our status as a REIT under the Code.

If any transfer of shares of our stock would result in shares of our stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons, the transfer will be null and void and the intended transferee will acquire no rights in the shares. In addition, if any purported transfer of shares of our stock or any other event would otherwise result in any person violating the ownership limits or an excepted holder limit established by our board of directors, or in our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT under the Code, then that number of shares (rounded up to the nearest whole share) that would cause the violation will be automatically transferred to, and held by, a trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable organizations selected by us, and the intended transferee or other prohibited owner will acquire no rights in the shares. The automatic transfer will be effective as of the close of business on the business day before the date of the violative transfer or other event that results in a transfer to the trust. If the transfer to the trust as described above is not automatically effective, for any reason, to prevent a violation of the applicable ownership limits or our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year), or our otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT under the Code, then the Charter provides that the transfer of the number of shares that would cause the violation will be null and void and the intended transferee will acquire no rights in such shares.

Shares of our stock held in the trust will be issued and outstanding shares. The prohibited owner will not benefit economically from ownership of any shares of our stock held in the trust and will have no rights to distributions and no rights to vote or other rights attributable to the shares of our stock held in the trust. The trustee of the trust will exercise all voting rights and receive all distributions with respect to shares held in the trust for the exclusive benefit of the charitable beneficiary of the trust. Any distribution made before we discover that the shares have been transferred to a trust as described above must be repaid by the recipient to the trustee upon demand. Subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that the shares have been transferred to the trust, the trustee will have the authority to rescind as void any vote cast by a prohibited owner before our discovery that the shares have been transferred to the trust and to recast the vote in accordance with the desires of the trustee acting for the benefit of the charitable beneficiary of the trust. However, if we have already taken irreversible corporate action, then the trustee may not rescind and recast the vote.

Shares of our stock transferred to the trustee are deemed offered for sale to us, or our designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price paid by the prohibited owner for the shares (or, if the event causing the shares to be held in trust did not involve a purchase of such shares at market price, the market price of the shares on the date of such event) and (ii) the market price on the date we accept, or our designee accepts, such offer. We may reduce the amount so payable by the 
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amount of any distribution that we made to the prohibited owner before we discovered that the shares had been automatically transferred to the trust and that are then owed by the prohibited owner to the trustee as described above, and we may pay the amount of any such reduction to the trustee for distribution to the charitable beneficiary. We have the right to accept such offer until the trustee has sold the shares of our stock held in the trust as discussed below. Upon a sale to us, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares sold terminates, and the trustee must distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the prohibited owner and must distribute any dividends or other amounts held by the trustee with respect to such shares to the charitable beneficiary.

If we do not buy the shares, the trustee must, within 20 days of receiving notice from us of the transfer of shares to the trust, sell the shares to a person or entity designated by the trustee who could own the shares without violating the ownership limits or the other restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock. After the sale of the shares, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares transferred to the trust will terminate and the trustee must distribute to the prohibited owner an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the price paid by the prohibited owner for the shares (or, if the event causing the shares to be held in trust did not involve a purchase of such shares at market price, the market price of the shares on the date of such event) and (ii) the sales proceeds (net of any commissions and other expenses of sale) received by the trust for the shares. The trustee may reduce the amount payable to the prohibited owner by the amount of any distribution that we paid to the prohibited owner before we discovered that the shares had been automatically transferred to the trust and that are then owed by the prohibited owner to the trustee as described above. Any net sales proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the prohibited owner must be paid immediately to the charitable beneficiary, together with any dividends or other amounts held by the trustee with respect to such shares. In addition, if, before our discovery that shares of stock have been transferred to a trust, such shares of stock are sold by a prohibited owner, then such shares will be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the trust and, to the extent that the prohibited owner received an amount for or in respect of such shares that exceeds the amount that such prohibited owner was entitled to receive, such excess amount must be paid to the trustee upon demand. The prohibited owner has no rights in the shares held by the trustee.

In addition, if our board of directors determines that a transfer or other event has taken place that would violate the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock described above, our board of directors may take such action as it deems advisable to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such transfer, including causing us to redeem shares of our stock, refusing to give effect to the transfer on our books or instituting proceedings to enjoin the transfer.

Every owner of 5% or more (or such lower percentage as required by the Code or the regulations promulgated thereunder) of our stock, within 30 days after the end of each taxable year, must give us written notice stating the stockholder’s name and address, the number of shares of each class and series of our stock that the stockholder beneficially owns and a description of the manner in which the shares are held. Each such owner must provide to us in writing such additional information as we may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of the stockholder’s beneficial ownership on our status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the ownership limits. In addition, any person or entity that is a beneficial owner or constructive owner of shares of our stock and any person or entity (including the stockholder of record) who is holding shares of our stock for a beneficial owner or constructive owner must, on request, provide to us such information as we may request in order to determine our status as a REIT and to comply with the requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance and to ensure compliance with the ownership limits.

Any one or all of the foregoing restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock will not apply if our board of directors determines that it is no longer in our best interests to attempt to qualify, or to continue to qualify, as a REIT or that compliance with the applicable restriction(s) or limitation(s) is no longer required in order for us to continue to qualify as a REIT under the Code.

The restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock described above could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for our common stock or otherwise be in the best interest of our stockholders.

Our Board of Directors

The Charter provides that the number of our directors may only be increased or decreased pursuant to the Bylaws. The Bylaws provide that the number of our directors may be established, increased or decreased by our board of directors but, unless the Bylaws are amended, may not be fewer than the minimum number required by the MGCL, which is one, nor more than fifteen.

The Charter provides for a staggered board of directors consisting of three classes of directors. Directors of each class are elected for three-year terms and until their successors are duly elected and qualify. Each year one class of our directors will be elected by our stockholders. 
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Election of Directors; Removals; Vacancies

Holders of shares of common stock have no right to cumulative voting in the election of directors. Under the Charter and the Bylaws, each of our directors is elected by a majority of the votes cast by the holders of our common stock in the election of such director, except in a contested election. In a contested election, directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present. An election is considered contested if, as of the date of the proxy statement for the meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected, there are more nominees for election than the number of directors to be elected. Pursuant to our corporate governance guidelines, any nominee for election as a director who is an incumbent director but who is not elected by the vote required by the Bylaws, and with respect to whom no successor has been elected, must promptly tender his or her offer to resign to our board of directors for its consideration. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (the “Nominating Committee”) of our board of directors will consider such offer and recommend to our board of directors whether to accept the offer to resign. No later than the next regularly-scheduled board meeting to be held at least ten days after the date of the election, our board of directors will decide whether to accept the offer to resign. Our board of directors will promptly and publicly disclose its decision. The nominee may address the Nominating Committee and/or our board of directors, but may not be present during deliberations or voting on whether to accept the nominee’s offer to resign. If the offer to resign is not accepted, the director will continue to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until the director’s successor is duly elected and qualifies or until the director’s earlier resignation or removal. The Nominating Committee and our board of directors may consider any factors they deem relevant in deciding whether to accept a director’s resignation.

Pursuant to the Charter, we elected to be subject to a provision of Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the MGCL regarding the filling of vacancies on our board of directors. Accordingly, except as may be provided by our board of directors in setting the terms of any class or series of stock, any and all vacancies on our board of directors may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any director elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which such vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualifies.

The Charter provides that, subject to the rights of holders of one or more classes or series of preferred stock to elect or remove one or more directors, any director or the entire board of directors may be removed only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of directors. Cause means, with respect to any particular director, a conviction of a felony or a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction holding that such director caused demonstrable, material harm to us through bad faith or active and deliberate dishonesty. This provision, when coupled with the exclusive power of our board of directors to fill vacancies on its board of directors, precludes stockholders from (1) removing incumbent directors between annual meetings except upon a substantial affirmative vote and for cause and (2) filling the vacancies created by any such removal with their own nominees.

Maryland Business Combination Act

Under the MGCL, certain “business combinations” (including a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or, in certain circumstances, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities) between a Maryland corporation and any interested stockholder, or an affiliate of such an interested stockholder, are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Maryland law defines an interested stockholder as:

•any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock; or 

•an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period before the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the then-outstanding voting stock of the corporation. 

A person is not an interested stockholder if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which the person otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. In approving a transaction, however, the board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance, at or after the time of the approval, with any terms and conditions determined by it.

After such five-year period, any such business combination must be recommended by the board of directors of the corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:

•80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation; and 

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•two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested stockholder with whom (or with whose affiliate) the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder.

These super-majority approval requirements do not apply if, among other conditions, the corporation’s common stockholders receive a minimum price (as defined in the MGCL) for their shares and the consideration is received in cash or in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares.

These provisions of the MGCL do not apply, however, to business combinations that are approved or exempted by a Maryland corporation’s board of directors before the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. 

Pursuant to the statute, we elected to exempt from the Maryland Business Combination Act all business combinations between us and any other person, provided that such business combination is first approved by our board of directors (including a majority of directors who are not affiliates or associates of such person). As a result, any person described above may be able to enter into business combinations with us that may or may not be in the best interest of our stockholders, without compliance by us with the super-majority vote requirements and other provisions of the statute.

We cannot assure you that our board of directors will not opt to be subject to such business combination provisions in the future. However, an alteration or repeal of this resolution will not have any effect on any business combinations that have been consummated or upon any agreements existing at the time of such modification or repeal.

Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act

The MGCL provides that a holder of “control shares” of a Maryland corporation acquired in a “control share acquisition” has no voting rights with respect to such shares except to the extent approved by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding shares of stock of the corporation in respect of which any of the following persons is entitled to exercise or direct the exercise of the voting power of such shares in the election of directors: (i) a person who has made or proposes to make the control share acquisition; (ii) an officer of the corporation; or (iii) an employee of the corporation who is also a director of the corporation. “Control shares” are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other such shares of stock owned by the acquirer, or in respect of which the acquirer is entitled to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquirer to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power: (A) one-tenth or more but less than one-third; (B) one-third or more but less than a majority; or (C) a majority or more of all voting power. Control shares do not include shares that the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval or shares acquired directly from the corporation. A “control share acquisition” means the acquisition of issued and outstanding control shares, subject to certain exceptions.

A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition, upon satisfaction of certain conditions (including an undertaking to pay expenses and making an “acquiring person statement” as described in the MGCL), may compel the corporation’s board of directors to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares. If no request for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders meeting.

If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver an “acquiring person statement” as required by the statute, then, subject to certain conditions and limitations, the corporation may redeem for fair value any or all of the control shares (except those for which voting rights have previously been approved). Fair value is determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquirer or, if a meeting of stockholders is held at which the voting rights of such shares are considered and not approved, as of the date of the meeting. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders meeting and the acquirer becomes entitled to exercise or direct the exercise of a majority of all voting power, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes of such appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquirer in the control share acquisition.

The control share acquisition statute does not apply to (i) shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or statutory share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction or (ii) acquisitions of shares previously approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of the corporation.

As permitted by the MGCL, the Bylaws contain a provision opting out of the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act. This provision may be amended or eliminated at any time in the future by our board of directors.
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Subtitle 8

Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation with a class of equity securities registered under the Exchange Act and at least three independent directors to elect to be subject, by provision in its charter or bylaws or a resolution of its board of directors and notwithstanding any contrary provision in the charter or bylaws, to any or all of five provisions of the MGCL which provide, respectively, for:

•a classified board; 

•a two-thirds vote requirement for removing a director; 

•a requirement that the number of directors be fixed only by vote of the board of directors; 

•a requirement that a vacancy on the board be filled only by the remaining directors and for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred; or 

•a majority requirement for the calling of a special meeting of stockholders. 

The Charter provides that, except as may be provided by our board of directors in setting the terms of any class or series of stock, we are subject to the provisions of Subtitle 8 relating to the filling of vacancies on our board of directors. Through provisions in the Charter and the Bylaws unrelated to Subtitle 8, we already (1) have a classified board, (2) require a two-thirds vote for the removal of any director from the board, which removal must be for cause, (3) vest in our board of directors the exclusive power to fix the number of directorships, subject to limitations set forth in the Charter and the Bylaws, and (4) require the request of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all votes entitled to be cast in order to call a special meeting to act on any matter upon the request of stockholders. 

Approval of Extraordinary Actions; Amendments to the Charter and the Bylaws

Under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation generally may not dissolve, merge or consolidate with, or convert into, another entity, sell all or substantially all of its assets or engage in a statutory share exchange unless the action is declared advisable by the board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, unless a lesser percentage (but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter) is specified in the corporation’s charter. The Charter provides that these actions, other than certain amendments to the Charter as described below, must be approved by a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. 

The Charter generally may be amended only if such amendment is declared advisable by our board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, except with respect to the following matters, all of which require the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of all votes entitled to be cast on the matter: (i) the number and classification of directors; (ii) the indemnification and limitations on liability of directors, officers and certain other persons; (iii) the removal of directors; (iv) the vesting of exclusive power in the board of directors to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of the bylaws and to make new bylaws; (v) the restrictions on ownership and transfer of shares of our stock; and (vi) the vote required to amend any of the foregoing provisions. 

The Charter and the Bylaws provide that our board of directors has the exclusive power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision in the Bylaws and to make new bylaws.

Meetings of Stockholders

Under the Bylaws, annual meetings of stockholders will be held each year at a date and time determined by our board of directors. The Bylaws provide that (i) special meetings of stockholders may be called only by our chairman, chief executive officer, president or our board of directors; (ii) subject to the satisfaction of certain procedural and informational requirements by the stockholders requesting the meeting, a special meeting of stockholders to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders must also be called by our secretary upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at the meeting. Only matters set forth in the notice of the special meeting may be considered and acted upon at such a meeting.

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Advance Notice of Director Nominations and New Business

The Bylaws provide that nominations of individuals for election as directors and proposals of business to be considered by stockholders at any annual meeting may be made only (1) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (2) by or at the direction of our board of directors or (3) by any stockholder who was a stockholder of record at the record date set by our board of directors for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, at the time of giving the notice required by our Bylaws and at the time of the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each of the individuals so nominated or on such other proposed business and who has complied with the advance notice procedures of the Bylaws. Stockholders generally must provide notice to our secretary not earlier than the 150th day or later than the close of business on the 120th day before the first anniversary of the date that our proxy statement is released to the stockholders for the preceding year’s annual meeting of stockholders.

Only the business specified in the notice of the meeting may be brought before a special meeting of stockholders. Nominations of individuals for election as directors at a special meeting of stockholders may be made only (1) by or at the direction of our board of directors, or (2) if the special meeting has been called in accordance with the Bylaws for the purpose of electing directors, by any stockholder who was a stockholder of record at the record date set by our board of directors for purposes of determining stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, at the time of giving the notice required by the Bylaws and at the time of the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated and who has complied with the advance notice procedures of the Bylaws. Stockholders generally must provide notice to our secretary not earlier than the 120th day before such special meeting or later than the close of business on the 90th day before the special meeting or, if later, the tenth day after the first public announcement of the date of the special meeting and the nominees proposed by our board of directors to be elected at the meeting.

A stockholder’s notice must contain certain information specified by the Bylaws about the stockholder, its affiliates and any proposed business or nominee for election as a director, including information about the economic interest of the stockholder, its affiliates and any proposed nominee in BRT.

Exclusive Forum

The Bylaws provide that, unless our board of directors agrees otherwise, (a) any derivative action or proceeding, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of any duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or to our stockholders, (c) any action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors, officers or other employees pursuant to the MGCL, the Charter or the Bylaws and (d) claims governed by the internal affairs doctrine, must be brought in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland, or the Supreme Court of Nassau County, New York (or, if neither such court has jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division, or the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York). These choice of forum provisions will not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, or any other claim for which federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.

Qualification as a REIT 

The Charter provides that our board of directors may revoke or otherwise terminate our election as to be taxed a REIT under the Code, without approval of our stockholders, if it determines that it is no longer in our best interests to continue to be qualified, or attempt to qualify, as a REIT under the Code.

Limitation and Liability

The MGCL permits the charter of a Maryland corporation to include a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except to the extent that (1) it is proved that the person actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services, or (2) a judgment or other final adjudication is entered in a proceeding based on a finding that the person’s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. Our Charter provides for the elimination of the liability of our directors and officers to us or our stockholders for money damages to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law from time to time.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

The MGCL requires a Maryland corporation (unless the charter provides otherwise, which the Charter does not), to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which 
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he or she is made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The MGCL permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made or threatened to be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that:

•the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (a) was committed in bad faith or (b) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty; 

•the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or 

•in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. 

A corporation may not indemnify a director or officer in a suit by or on behalf of the corporation in which the director or officer was adjudged liable to the corporation or in a suit in which the director or officer was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. A court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, even though the director or officer did not meet the prescribed standard of conduct or was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. However, indemnification for an adverse judgment in a suit by or on behalf of the corporation, or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, is limited to expenses.

In addition, the MGCL permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon receipt of:

•a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation; and 

•a written undertaking by the director or officer or on the director’s or officer’s behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the director or officer did not meet the standard of conduct. 

The Charter obligates us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, to indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to:

•any present or former director or officer of ours or Old BRT who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in a proceeding by reason of his or her service in such capacity; and 

•any individual who, while a director or officer of ours or Old BRT and at our or Old BRT’s request, serves or has served as a director, officer, trustee, member, manager, or partner of another corporation, real estate investment trust, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in a proceeding by reason of his or her service in such capacity;  

•in either case, from and against any claim or liability to which such person may become subject or which such person may incur by reason of his or her service in such capacity.

The Charter also requires us to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of ours (including, without limitation, Old BRT and its direct and indirect subsidiaries) in any of the capacities described above and any employee or agent of ours or a predecessor of ours.

9Document

Exhibit 10.15

BRT APARTMENTS CORP. 2020 
INCENTIVE PLAN

SECTION 1 
EFFECTIVE DATE AND PURPOSE

1.1 Effective Date. This Plan (as defined) shall become effective upon approval by the stockholders of the Company (as defined), as and to the extent required by the listing requirements of the New York Stock Exchange.

1.2 Purpose of the Plan. The Plan is designed to motivate, retain and attract Participants (as defined) of experience and ability and to further the financial success of the Company by aligning the interests of Participants through the ownership of Shares (as defined) with the interests of the Company’s stockholders.

SECTION 2 
DEFINITIONS

The following terms shall have the following meanings (whether used in the singular or plural) unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context:

“1934 Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Reference to a specific section of the 1934 Act or a regulation thereunder shall include any regulation promulgated under such section, and any comparable provision of any future legislation or regulation amending, supplementing or superseding such section or regulation.

“Affiliate” or “Affiliates” has the meaning ascribed to such term by Rule 501 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. 

“Award” means, individually or collectively, a grant under the Plan of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Dividend Equivalent Rights and Performance Share Awards.

“Award Agreement” means either (1) the written agreement setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to each Award granted under the Plan or (2) a statement (including an electronic communication) issued by the Company to a Participant describing the terms and provisions of such Award.

“Board” or “Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Company, or any analogous governing body of any successor to the Company.

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the regulations thereunder.

“Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or the committee of the Board appointed to administer the Plan.

“Company” means BRT Apartments Corp., a Maryland corporation.

“Company Voting Stock” has the meaning ascribed to such terms by Section 12.1(a). 

“Dividend Equivalent Right” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 9, entitling the Participant to receive an amount of cash equal to the cash distributions that would have been paid on the Shares specified in the Award to which such Dividend Equivalent Right relates, as if such Shares had been issued to and held by the Participant holding such Dividend Equivalent Right during the period beginning with the grant date (or if otherwise determined by the Committee, the beginning of the Performance Cycle) of the Award to which the Dividend Equivalent Right relates through the vesting date of such award (or if otherwise determined by the Committee, the conclusion of such Performance Cycle).

“Disability” or “Disabled” means the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

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“Exercise Price” means the price at which a Share may be purchased by a Participant pursuant to the exercise of an Option.

“Fair Market Value” means, as of any given date: (i) the closing sales price of the Shares on any national securities exchange on which the Shares are listed; (ii) the closing sales price if the Shares are listed on the OTCBB or other over the counter market; or (iii) if there is no regular public trading market for such Shares, the fair market value of the Shares as determined by the Committee.

“Grant Date” means, with respect to an Award, the effective date that such Award is granted to a Participant.

“Incentive Stock Option” means an Option to purchase Shares which is designated as an Incentive Stock Option and is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code.

“Incumbent Board” has the meaning ascribed to such term by Section 12.1(b).

“Non-management director” means a director who, in the applicable calendar year, was not compensated, directly or indirectly, by the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their Affiliates, other than compensation for service as a director or as a member of any committee of the Board.

“Non-qualified Stock Option” means an Option to purchase Shares which is not an Incentive Stock Option.

“Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option.
“Participant” means an officer, employee, director or consultant of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

“Performance Criteria” shall mean any, a combination of, or all of the following: (i) pre-tax income, (ii) after-tax income, (iii) net income (meaning net income as reflected in the Company’s financial reports for the applicable period), (iv) operating income (including net operating income), (v) cash flow, cash flow from operations, free cash flow and any one or more of the foregoing, (vi) return on any one or more of equity, capital, invested capital and assets, (vii) funds available for distribution, (viii) occupancy rate at any one or more of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ properties, (ix) total stockholder return, (x) funds from operations (“FFO”), as computed in accordance with standards established by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, Inc. (“NAREIT”), (xi) adjusted FFO (i.e., adjusting FFO to give effect to any one or more of the following: straight-line rent, amortization of lease intangibles, lease termination fee income, amortization of restricted stock or other non-cash compensation expense, amortization and/or write-off of deferred financing costs, deferred mortgage costs and debt prepayment costs), (xii) stock appreciation (meaning an increase in the price or value of the Shares after the date of grant of an award and during the applicable period), (xiii) revenues, (xiv) assets, (xv) earnings before any one or more of the following items: interest, taxes, impairment charges, depreciation or amortization for the applicable period, as reflected in the Company’s financial reports for the applicable period, (xvi) reduction in expense levels, (xvii) operating cost management and employee productivity, (xviii) strategic business criteria consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified revenue, market share, market penetration, geographic business expansion goals, objectively identified project milestones, cost targets and goals relating to acquisition or divestitures; (xix) achievement of business or operational goals such as market share and/or business development, and (xx) such other metrics or criteria as the Committee may establish or select. Performance Criteria need not be the same with respect to all Participants and may be established on an aggregate or per share basis (diluted or undiluted), may be based on performance compared to performance by businesses or indices specified by the Committee, may be compared to any prior period, may be based on a company-wide basis or in respect of any one or more business units, may be measured on an absolute or relative basis, may be adjusted for non-controlling interests, and any one or more of the foregoing. All calculations and financial accounting matters relevant to this Plan shall be determined in accordance with GAAP, except as otherwise directed by the Committee.

“Performance-Based Award” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan.

“Performance Cycle” means one or more periods of time which may be of varying and overlapping durations, as the Committee may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participants right to and the payment of a Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit, Option or Performance Share Award. 

“Performance Goals” means for a Performance Cycle, the applicable Performance Criteria.

“Period of Restriction” means the period during which an Award granted hereunder is subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture. Such restrictions may be based on the passage of time, the achievement of Performance Goals or the occurrence of other events as determined by the Committee.

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“Plan” means the BRT Apartments Corp. 2020 Incentive Plan, as set forth in this instrument, and as hereafter amended from time to time.

“Restricted Stock” means an Award of Shares, the grant, issuance, retention and/or vesting of which is subject to such conditions as are expressed in the Award Agreement and as contemplated herein.

“Restricted Stock Unit” or “RSU” means an Award of a right to receive one Share, the grant, issuance, retention and/or vesting of which is subject to such conditions as are expressed in the Award Agreement and as contemplated herein.

“Retirement” means (i) a director who has attained the age of 65 years who resigns or retires from the Board or does not stand for re-election to the Board and has served continuously as a director of the Company for not less than six consecutive years, and (ii) an officer or employee of, or consultant to, the Company or one of its Subsidiaries who has attained the age of 65 years who resigns or retires from the Company or one of its Subsidiaries and has served in any such capacity with the Company or one of its Subsidiaries for not less than ten consecutive years at the time of retirement or resignation.

“Shares” means the shares of common stock, $0.01 par value, of the Company, or any other security of the Company determined by the Committee pursuant to Section 5.3.

“Subsidiary” means (i) a corporation, association or other business entity of which 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of capital stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or by one or more Subsidiaries of the Company or by the Company and one or more Subsidiaries of the Company, (ii) any partnership or limited liability company of which 50% or more of the capital and profit interests is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or by one or more Subsidiaries of the Company or by the Company and one or more Subsidiaries of the Company, or (iii) any other entity not described in clauses (i) or (ii) above of which 50% or more of the ownership and the power, pursuant to a written contract or agreement, to direct the policies and management or the financial and the other affairs thereof, are owned or controlled by the Company or by one or more Subsidiaries of the Company or by the Company and one or more Subsidiaries of the Company.

SECTION 3
ELIGIBILITY

3.1 Participants. Awards may be granted in the discretion of the Committee to officers, employees, directors of, or consultants to the Company or its Subsidiaries.

3.2 Non-Uniformity. Awards granted hereunder need not be uniform among eligible Participants and may reflect distinctions based on title, compensation, responsibility or any other factor the Committee deems appropriate.

SECTION 4
ADMINISTRATION

4.1 The Committee. The Plan will be administered by the Committee, which, to the extent deemed necessary by the Board, will consist of two or more persons who satisfy the requirements for a “non-employee director” under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the 1934 Act. The members of the Committee shall be appointed from time to time by, and shall serve at the pleasure of, the Board of Directors. In the absence of such appointment, the Board of Directors shall serve as the Committee and shall have all of the responsibilities, duties, and authority of the Committee set forth herein.

4.2 Authority of the Committee. Subject to applicable law, the Committee shall have the exclusive authority to administer and construe the Plan in accordance with its provisions. The Committee’s authority shall include, without limitation, the power to (a) determine persons eligible for Awards, (b) prescribe the terms and conditions of the Awards, (c) construe and interpret the Plan, the Awards and any Award Agreement, (d) adopt rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and (e) establish, interpret, amend or revoke any such rules. The Committee, in its sole discretion and on such terms and conditions as it may provide, may delegate all or any part of its authority and powers under the Plan to one or more officers of the Company to the extent permitted by law.

4.3 Decisions Binding. All determinations and decisions made by the Committee and any of its delegatees pursuant to Section 4.2 shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, and shall be given the maximum deference permitted by law.

4.4 Limitation on Awards Granted to Non-management directors. The maximum number of Shares issuable pursuant to Awards that may be granted to a Non-management director in any calendar year shall not exceed 10,000 Shares.

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SECTION 5 
SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

5.1 Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 5.3, the total number of Shares available for grant under the Plan shall not exceed 1,000,000 Shares. The Shares available for issuance under the Plan shall be authorized but unissued Shares of the Company.

5.2 Lapsed Awards. Unless determined otherwise by the Committee, Shares related to Awards that are forfeited, cancelled, terminated or expire unexercised, shall be available for grant under the Plan. Shares that are tendered by a Participant to the Company in connection with the exercise of an Award, withheld from issuance in connection with a Participant’s payment of tax withholding liability, or settled in such other manner so that a portion or all of the Shares included in an Award are not issued to a Participant shall not be available for grant under the Plan.

5.3 Adjustments in Awards and Authorized Shares. In the event of a stock dividend or stock split, the number of Shares subject to the Plan, outstanding Awards and the numerical amounts set forth in Sections 5, 6, 7 and 8 shall automatically be adjusted proportionally to prevent the dilution or diminution of such Awards, except to the extent directed otherwise by the Committee. In the event of a merger, reorganization, consolidation, recapitalization, separation, liquidation, combination or other similar change in the structure of the Company affecting the Shares, the Committee shall adjust the number and class of Shares which may be delivered under the Plan, the number, class and price of Shares subject to outstanding Awards, and the numerical limits of Sections 5, 6, 7 and 8 in such manner as the Committee shall determine to be advisable or appropriate to prevent the dilution or diminution of such Awards. Any such numerical limitations shall be subject to adjustment under this Section only to the extent such adjustment will not affect the ability to grant or the qualification of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan or subject the Participant to taxes, penalties and interest imposed under section 409A(a)(1) of the Code. 

5.4 Restrictions on Transferability. The Committee may impose such restrictions on any Award, Award of Shares or Shares acquired pursuant to an Award as it deems advisable or appropriate, including, but not limited to, restrictions related to applicable Federal securities laws, the requirements of any national securities exchange or system upon which Shares are then listed or traded, and any blue sky or state securities laws.

SECTION 6
STOCK OPTIONS

6.1 Grant of Options. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, Options may be granted to Participants at any time and from time to time as determined by the Committee. The Committee shall determine the number of Shares subject to each Option. The Committee may grant Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, or any combination thereof. The maximum aggregate number of Shares underlying Options granted in any one calendar year to an individual Participant is 50,000.

6.2 Award Agreement. Each Option shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Exercise Price, the expiration date of the Option, the number of Shares to which the Option pertains, whether the Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option, any conditions on exercise of the Option and such other terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine, including terms regarding forfeiture of Awards or continued exercisability of Awards in the event of termination of employment by the Participant.

6.3 Exercise Price. The Exercise Price for each Option shall be determined by the Committee and shall be provided in each Award Agreement; provided, however, the Exercise Price for each Option may not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the Exercise Price shall be not less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share if the Participant (together with persons whose stock ownership is attributed to the Participant pursuant to section 424(d) of the Code) owns on the Grant Date stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

6.4 Expiration of Options. Except as provided in Section 6.7(c) regarding Incentive Stock Options, each Option shall terminate upon the earliest to occur of (i) the date(s) for termination of the Option set forth in the Award Agreement or (ii) the expiration of ten (10) years from the Grant Date. Subject to such limits, the Committee shall provide in each Award Agreement when each Option expires and becomes un-exercisable. Except as set forth in an Award Agreement or as provided by the Committee, upon Retirement of a Participant, an Option may be exercised by such Participant to the extent it was exercisable on the effective date of the Retirement and shall be exercisable for a period of six months from the effective date of such Retirement, but not later than the expiration of the maximum term such Option. The Committee may not, after an Option is granted, extend the maximum term of the Option.

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6.5 Exercisability of Options. Options granted under the Plan shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, at such times and be subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee shall determine. After an Option is granted, the Committee may accelerate or waive any condition constituting a substantial risk of forfeiture applicable to the Option. 

6.6 Payment. Options shall be exercised by a Participant’s delivery of a written notice of exercise to the Secretary of the Company (or his or her designee), setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is to be exercised, accompanied by full payment for the Shares. Upon the exercise of an Option, the Exercise Price shall be payable to the Company in full in cash or its equivalent. The Committee may permit exercise (a) by the Participant tendering previously acquired Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the total Exercise Price, (b) the Participant tendering a combination of cash and previously acquired Shares equal to total Exercise Price (the Shares tendered being valued at Fair Market Value at the time of exercise), or (c) by any other means which the Committee determines to provide legal consideration for the Shares, and to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan. As soon as practicable after receipt of a written notification of exercise and full payment for the Shares purchased, the Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Participant, evidence of such Participant’s ownership of such Shares. No right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a shareholder shall exist with respect to the Shares as to which the Option has been exercised until the records of the Company or its transfer agent reflect the issuance of such Shares. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other rights for which a record date is established prior to the date the records of the Company or its transfer agent reflect the issuance of the Shares upon exercise of the Options. 

6.7 Certain Additional Provisions for Incentive Stock Options.

(a) Exercisability. The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined on the Grant Date(s)) of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company, any parent and its Subsidiaries) shall not exceed $100,000. The portion of the Option which is in excess of the $100,000 limitation shall be treated as a Non-Qualified Option pursuant to Section 422(d)(1) of the Code.

(b) Company and Subsidiaries Only. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Participants who are officers or employees of the Company or a Subsidiary on the Grant Date.

(c) Expiration. No Incentive Stock Option may be exercised after the expiration of ten (10) years from the Grant Date. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option that is granted to a Participant who (together with persons whose stock ownership is attributed to the Participant pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) owns on the Grant Date stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the term of such Incentive Stock Option shall be no more than five years from the Grant Date.

6.8 Restriction on Transfer. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee or as set forth in the Award Agreement, no Option may be transferred, gifted, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, voluntarily or involuntarily. Upon the death or Disability of a Participant, an Option may be exercised by the duly appointed personal representative of the deceased Participant or in the event of a Disability by the Participant or the duly appointed attorney-in-fact, guardian or custodian of the Disabled Participant to the extent the Option was exercisable on the date of death or the date of Disability and shall be exercisable for a period of six months from the date of death or the date of Disability. 

6.9 Repricing of Options. Without stockholder approval, (i) the Company will not reprice, replace or regrant an outstanding Option either in connection with the cancellation of such Option or by amending an Award Agreement to lower the exercise price of such Option, and (ii) the Company will not cancel outstanding Options in exchange for cash or other Awards.

6.10 Voting Rights. A Participant shall have no voting rights with respect to any Options granted hereunder.

SECTION 7 
RESTRICTED STOCK AND RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

7.1 Grant of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Shares of Restricted Stock and/or RSUs to Participants in such amounts as the Committee shall determine. The Committee shall determine the number of Shares of Restricted Stock and/or RSUs to be granted to each Participant and the time when each Award shall be granted. No more than 100,000 Shares of each of Restricted Stock and Shares underlying RSUs may be granted to any individual Participant in any one calendar year.

7.2 Restricted Stock and RSU Agreements. Each Award of Restricted Stock and RSUs shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Period of Restriction, the number of Shares of Restricted Stock granted, the number of Shares subject to an RSU, any applicable Performance Goals and Performance Cycle, and such other terms and conditions as the 
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Committee shall determine, including terms regarding forfeiture of Awards in the event of termination of employment by the Participant or termination of the Participant’s relationship with the Company as a director, officer or consultant.

7.3 Transferability. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee or as set forth in the Award Agreement, Shares of Restricted Stock and RSUs (including Shares underlying RSUs) may not be sold, transferred, gifted, bequeathed, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, voluntarily or involuntarily, until the end of the applicable Period of Restriction and the satisfaction, in whole or in part, of any applicable Performance Goals within the applicable Performance Cycle. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee or as set forth in the Award Agreement, in the event of the death, Disability or Retirement of a Participant, all unvested Restricted Stock and unvested RSUs will not vest on the date of death or Disability or the effective date of Retirement. Without stockholder approval, the Company will not, except as otherwise provided for in the Plan, repurchase outstanding unvested Restricted Stock or unvested RSUs in exchange for cash. 

7.4 Other Restrictions. The Committee may impose such other restrictions on Shares of Restricted Stock and RSUs (including Shares underlying RSUs) as it may deem advisable or appropriate in accordance with this Section 7.4.

(a) General Restrictions. The Committee may set one or more restrictions based upon (a) the achievement of specific Performance Goals, (b) applicable Federal or state securities laws, (c) time-based restrictions, or (d) any other restrictions determined by the Committee.

(b) Methods of Implementing Restrictions. The Committee may take such action as it, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate to give notice to the Participant of, and implement, the restrictions imposed pursuant to Section 7. 

7.5 Removal of Restrictions. After the end of the Period of Restriction, the Shares (including the Shares underlying the RSUs) shall be freely transferable by the Participant, subject to any other restrictions on transfer (including without limitation, limitations imposed pursuant to the Company’s organizational documents) which may apply to such Shares. 

7.6 Voting Rights. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement, Participants holding (a) Shares of Restricted Stock shall have voting rights during the Period of Restriction and (b) RSUs shall not have voting rights during the Period of Restriction.

7.7 Dividends and Other Distributions. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement, Participants holding (a) Shares of Restricted Stock shall be entitled to receive all dividends and other distributions paid with respect to the Shares during the Period of Restriction and (b) except to the extent a Dividend Equivalent Right is granted in tandem with an RSU, RSUs shall not be entitled to receive any dividends or other distributions paid with respect to the underlying Shares during the Period of Restriction.

SECTION 8
PERFORMANCE-BASED AWARDS

8.1 Performance-Based Awards. Participants selected by the Committee may be granted one or more Performance Awards in the form of Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Dividend Equivalent Rights or Performance Share Awards payable upon the attainment of Performance Goals that are established by the Committee and related to one or more of the Performance Criteria, in each case on a specified date or dates or over a Performance Cycle as determined by the Committee. The Committee shall define the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for any Performance Cycle. Depending on the Performance Criteria used to establish such Performance Goals, the Performance Goals may be expressed in terms of overall Company performance or the performance of an individual. The Committee, in its discretion, may adjust or modify the calculation of Performance Goals for such Performance Cycle in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the rights of an individual (i) in the event of, or in anticipation of, any unusual or extraordinary corporate item, transaction, event or development, (ii) in recognition of, or in anticipation of, any other unusual or nonrecurring events affecting the Company, or the financial statements of the Company, or (iii) in response to, or in anticipation of, changes in applicable laws, regulations, accounting principles, or business conditions; provided, however, that the Committee may not exercise such discretion in a manner that would increase the Performance-Based Award granted to a Participant. Performance Awards, other than Dividend Equivalent Rights, shall be paid in Shares.

8.2 Grant of Performance-Based Awards. With respect to each Performance-Based Award granted to a Participant, the Committee shall select, within the first 180 days of the beginning of a Performance Cycle, the Performance Criteria for such grant, and the Performance Goals with respect to each Performance Criterion (including, if applicable, a threshold level of performance below which no amount will become payable with respect to such Award). Each Performance-Based Award will specify the amount payable, or the formula for determining the amount payable, upon achievement of the various applicable performance targets. The Performance Criteria established by the Committee may be (but need not be) different for each Performance Cycle and different Performance Goals may be applicable to Performance-Based Awards to different Participants.

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8.3 Payment of Performance-Based Awards. Following the completion of a Performance Cycle, the Committee shall meet to review and certify in writing whether, and to what extent, the Performance Goals for the Performance Cycle have been achieved and, if so, to calculate and certify in writing the amount of the Performance-Based Awards earned for the Performance Cycle. 

8.4 Maximum Award Payable. The maximum Performance-Based Award payable to any one Participant under the Plan for a Performance Cycle is 100,000 Shares (subject to adjustment as provided in Section 5.3 hereof).

SECTION 9
DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT RIGHTS

9.1 Dividend Equivalent-Rights. A Dividend Equivalent Right may be granted hereunder to any Participant only in tandem with an Award of RSUs or a Performance Based Award (other than an Award of Restricted Stock or Options). The terms and conditions of Dividend Equivalent Rights shall be specified in the Award Agreement which shall provide that such Dividend Equivalent Right, except to the extent otherwise provided in the related Award Agreement, shall (i) not be sold, transferred, gifted, bequeathed, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, voluntarily or involuntarily, until the end of the applicable Period of Restriction and the satisfaction, in whole or in part, of any applicable Performance Goals within the applicable Performance Cycle, and (ii) be settled upon settlement or payment of, or lapse of restrictions on, the Award to which it relates, and such Dividend Equivalent Right shall expire or be forfeited or annulled under the same conditions as such Award.

SECTION 10
AMENDMENT, TERMINATION, AND DURATION

10.1 Amendment, Suspension, or Termination. The Board, in its sole discretion, may amend, suspend or terminate the Plan, or any part thereof, at any time and for any reason; provided, however, that if and to the extent required by law or to maintain the Plan’s compliance with the Code, the rules of any national securities exchange (if applicable), or any other applicable law, any such amendment shall be subject to stockholder approval. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan shall not, without the consent of the Participant, alter or impair any rights or obligations under any Award theretofore granted to such Participant. No Award may be granted during any period of suspension or after termination of the Plan.

10.2 Duration of the Plan. The Plan shall become effective in accordance with Section 1.1, and subject to Section 10.1, shall remain in effect until the tenth anniversary of the effective date of the Plan.

SECTION 11
TAX WITHHOLDING

11.1 Withholding Requirements. Prior to the delivery of any Shares pursuant to an Award (or the exercise thereof), the Company shall have the power and the right to deduct or withhold from any amounts due to the Participant from the Company, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy Federal, state and local taxes (including the Participant’s FICA obligation) required or appropriate to be withheld with respect to such Award (or the exercise or vesting thereof).

11.2 Withholding Arrangements. The Company, pursuant to such procedures as it may specify from time to time, may permit a Participant to satisfy such tax withholding obligation, in whole or in part, by (a) electing to have the Company withhold otherwise deliverable Shares, or (b) delivering to the Company, Shares then owned by the Participant. The amount of the withholding requirement shall be deemed to include any amount that the Company agrees may be withheld at the time any such election is made, not to exceed the amount determined by using the maximum federal, state and local marginal income tax rates applicable to the Participant with respect to the Award on the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined. The Fair Market Value of the Shares to be withheld or delivered shall be determined as of the date that the taxes are required to be withheld.

SECTION 12
CHANGE IN CONTROL

12.1 Change in Control. For purposes of the Plan, a Change in Control means any of the following:

(a) the acquisition (other than from the Company) in one or more transactions by any person (as such term is used in Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act) of the beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) of 25% or more of (i) the then outstanding Shares or (ii) the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company 
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entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Company Voting Stock”); provided, however, the provision of this Section 12.1(a) is not applicable to acquisitions made individually, or as a group, by Fredric H. Gould, Matthew J. Gould and Jeffrey A. Gould, and their respective spouses, lineal descendants and Affiliates;

(b) individuals who, as of the date of the Award, constitute the Board of Directors (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the date of such Award whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of either an actual or threatened election contest (as such terms are used in Regulation 14A promulgated under the 1934 Act) or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Incumbent Board;

(c) the closing of a sale or other conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; or

(d) the effective time of any merger, share exchange, consolidation, or other business combination involving the Company if immediately after such transaction persons who hold a majority of the outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the surviving entity (or the entity owning 100% of such surviving entity) are not persons who, immediately prior to such transaction, held the Company’s voting Shares.

12.2 Effect of Change of Control. On the effective date of any Change in Control, unless the applicable Award Agreement provides otherwise: (i) in the case of an Option, each such outstanding Option shall become exercisable in full in respect of the aggregate number of Shares covered thereby; and (ii) in the case of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Dividend Equivalent Rights and Performance Share Awards, the Period of Restriction applicable to each such Award shall be deemed to have expired. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, the Committee may, in its discretion, determine that any or all outstanding Awards of any or all types granted pursuant to the Plan will not become exercisable on an accelerated basis nor will the Restriction Period expire in connection with a Change of Control if effective provision has been made for the taking of such action which, in the opinion of the Committee, is equitable and appropriate to substitute a new Award for such Award or for the assumption of such Award and to make such new or assumed Award, as nearly as may be practicable, equivalent to the old Award (before giving effect to any acceleration of the exercisability or the expiration of the Restriction Period), taking into account, to the extent applicable, the kind and amount of securities, cash, or other assets into or for which the Shares may be changed, converted, or exchanged in connection with such Change of Control.

SECTION 13
MISCELLANEOUS

13.1 Deferrals. To the extent consistent with the requirements of section 409A of the Code, the Committee may provide in an Award Agreement or another document that a Participant is permitted or required to defer receipt of the delivery of Shares that would otherwise be due to such Participant under an Award, other than an Option, any such deferral shall be subject to such rules and procedures as shall be determined by the Committee.

13.2 Termination for Cause. If a Participant’s employment or relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary shall be terminated for cause by the Company or such Subsidiary during the Restriction Period or prior to the exercise of any Option (for these purposes, cause shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in any employment agreement or Award Agreement to which such Participant is a party or, in the absence thereof, shall include, but not be limited to, insubordination, dishonesty, incompetence, moral turpitude, the refusal to perform his duties and responsibilities for any reason (other than illness or incapacity) and other misconduct of any kind, as determined by the Committee), then, (i) all Options (whether or not then vested and exercisable) shall immediately terminate and (ii) such Participant’s rights to all Restricted Stock, RSUs, Dividend Equivalent Rights and Performance Share Awards shall be forfeited immediately. 

13.3 No Effect on Employment or Service. Nothing in the Plan, any Award or any Award Agreement, and no action of the Committee, shall confer or be construed to confer on any Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary or shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate any Participant’s employment or service at any time, with or without cause. Employment with the Company or any Subsidiary is on an at-will basis only, unless otherwise provided by an applicable employment or service agreement between the Participant and the Company or any Subsidiary, as the case may be.

13.4 Successors. All obligations of the Company under the Plan, with respect to Awards granted hereunder, shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect merger, consolidation or otherwise, or the purchase of all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company.

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13.5 No Rights as Stockholder. Except to the limited extent provided in Sections 7.6 and 7.7, no Participant (nor any beneficiary thereof) shall have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder of the Company with respect to any Shares issuable pursuant to an Award (or the exercise or vesting thereof), unless and until the issuance of such Shares shall have been recorded on the records of the Company or its transfer agents or registrars. 

13.6 Uncertificated Shares. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, the ownership of Shares issued under the Plan may be evidenced in such a manner as the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, including by book-entry or direct registration (including transaction advices) or the issuance of one or more share certificates, and to the extent that the Plan, applicable law or the Company’s organizational documents, require or contemplate the imposition of a legend or other notation on one or more certificates evidencing Shares or an Award, the Committee shall have the sole discretion to determine the manner in which such legend or notation is implemented.

13.7 Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, or Awards, or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.

13.8 Severability. In the event any provision of the Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.

13.9 Requirements of Law; Claw-Back Policies. The grant of Awards and the issuance of Shares under the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required from time to time, and shall be subject to the applicable provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by the Company, whether implemented prior to or after the grant of such Award, including without limitation, any claw-back policy adopted to comply with the requirements of applicable law (including the requirements of a national securities exchange).

13.10 Securities Law Compliance. To the extent any provision of the Plan, Award Agreement or action by the Committee fails to comply with any applicable federal or state securities law, it shall be deemed null and void, to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable or appropriate by the Committee.

13.11 Real Estate Investment Trust. No Award shall be granted or awarded and, with respect to any Award granted under the Plan, such Award shall not vest, be exercisable or be settled, to the extent that the grant, vesting, exercise or settlement of such Award could cause the Participant or any other person to be in violation of any restrictions on ownership and transfer of the Company’s securities set forth in its articles of incorporation or other governing instrument or organizational documents, as amended, and in effect from time to time, or if, in the discretion of the Committee, the grant, vesting, exercise or settlement of such award could otherwise impair the Company’s status as a real estate investment trust under the Code.

13.12 Governing Law. The Plan and all Award Agreements shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Maryland.

13.13 Captions. Captions are provided herein for convenience of reference only, and shall not serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of the Plan.

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