Alignvest Student Housing Update

by on November 21, 2024 with No Comments
ALIGNVEST STUDENT HOUSING REIT UNITHOLDERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVE COMBINATION WITH FORUM REAL ESTATE AND IMPACT FUND

Toronto, Ontario (November 21, 2024) – Alignvest Student Housing Inc. (“ASH”) is pleased to announce that the unitholders (“Unitholders”) of Alignvest Student Housing Real Estate Investment Trust (“ASH REIT”) overwhelmingly approved the proposed combination with Forum Real Estate Income and Impact Fund (“REIIF”), with over 99% of the votes cast on the Resolutions by all Unitholders (as described further below) voting in favour.

At the special meeting of Unitholders held yesterday (the “Meeting”), the resolutions (“Resolutions”) approving the previously announced combination transaction and other transactions (the “Transactions”) contemplated in the Combination Agreement between, among others, ASH REIT and REIIF dated October 11, 2024 (as amended, supplemented or modified from time to time, the “Combination Agreement”) and the related agreement for the acquisition of ASH by Forum Real Estate Income and Impact LP dated October 11, 2024 (as amended, supplemented or modified from time to time), as well as ancillary matters related thereto, were passed.

The Resolutions were approved by: (i) 99.03% of the votes cast on the Resolutions by all Unitholders present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Meeting; and (ii) 98.62% of the votes cast on the Resolutions by Unitholders present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote as part of the “majority of the minority” approval.

 

Closing Timeline and Next Steps

The Transactions are currently targeted to close before the end of 2024, subject to customary closing conditions. Competition Bureau clearance has been received for the Transactions.

In anticipation of and in order to facilitate the closing, ASH REIT intends to suspend ordinary course distributions for the months of November and December 2024, and accordingly, Unitholders’ participation in the distribution reinvestment plan will also be suspended for the months of November and December 2024. The value of distributions not paid out will be reflected in the amount of cash and number of units of REIIF received by Unitholders in exchange for their units of ASH REIT (“ASH REIT Units”), which will be higher than if distributions were not suspended, as determined in accordance with the Combination Agreement.

Based on preliminary results, it is estimated that Unitholders who have elected to redeem more than their pro rata entitlement for cash by submitting a duly completed Cash Redemption Offer Election Form will have 100% of the ASH REIT Units that they tendered for redemption redeemed. Such Unitholders may limit the number of their ASH REIT Units redeemed for cash by contacting ASH REIT prior to 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on November 27, 2024. Unitholders who reduce the number of ASH REIT Units redeemed for cash under the cash election will receive additional units of REIIF at closing.

Redemption and transfer requests received by ASH after yesterday are not expected to be processed before closing, and therefore are not expected to be fulfilled. Unitholders are reminded that if they requested a transfer or redemption of ASH REIT Units after October 1, 2024 or plan to request a transfer or redemption prior to the closing date it may result in the Unitholder’s cash election in respect of those ASH REIT Units being invalidated.

 

About Alignvest Student Housing Real Estate Investment Trust

ASH REIT was launched in 2018 to consolidate the fragmented, institutional grade, purpose-built student accommodation real estate sector across Canada. Over the past seven years, ASH REIT has built a high-quality portfolio of 17 properties with 7,159 beds across seven university-focused markets.

ASH REIT is an unincorporated open-ended real estate investment trust formed under the laws of Ontario pursuant to a Declaration of Trust to own income-producing purpose-built student accommodations located in Canada. ASH REIT offers trust units on a continuous basis pursuant to an offering memorandum on a private placement basis by qualified dealers to investors resident in any province or territory of Canada who qualify as “accredited investors”. ASH REIT has made arrangements to offer the units through the investment fund order system, Fundserv.

For more information about Alignvest Student Housing Real Estate Investment Trust, please visit: www.alignveststudenthousing.com.

 

About Forum Real Estate Income and Impact Fund

REIIF invests principally in institutional-quality, multi-family rental apartments, purpose-built student accommodations and furnished rentals located in supply constrained markets in Canada. REIIF also strives to deliver a sector-leading impact and ESG-driven portfolio designed to enhance yields and total returns, with a focus on maintaining diversity and resiliency of income.

For information about REIIF, please visit: www.forumreiif.ca.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Alignvest Student Housing Inc.
ashsubscriptions@alignvest.com

The information is based on the market analysis and expectations of ASH REIT and should not be relied upon by the reader as research or investment advice regarding ASH REIT. The information presented herein is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy in any jurisdiction where prohibited by law or where contrary to local law or regulation. Any such offer to invest, if made, will only be made by means of an offering memorandum on a private placement basis.

Alignvest – June 30, 2024 Management Report

by on August 13, 2024 with No Comments

We are pleased to send you Alignvest Student Housing Real Estate Investment Trust’s Q2 2024 Management Report.

The first half of 2024 has been exceptionally busy for us! After spending most of 2023 cultivating and developing our acquisition pipeline, we were able to move quickly to secure several opportunities with vendors when interest rates stabilized after peaking in Q4 2023.

We kicked off the year in February with the acquisition of 417Nelson in Ottawa. This was a transaction we worked to source for over five years before it finally became actionable. In Q2 2024, we acquired 308 King, Fergus House and Hespeler House, all assets located in Waterloo, through proprietary relationships with the respective vendors. These acquisitions give us further scale in the market and let us effectively leverage our operating platform. We then acquired The Link in Montreal, which is ideally located near Concordia University, and gives us an entry into another attractive market for student housing.

With these acquisitions completed, we have solidified our position as the leading off campus student housing provider in Canada. We now have a portfolio of 7,159 beds across 17 properties in seven university markets across the country.

We are now focused on integrating these acquisitions and optimizing our overall portfolio as we get ready for the start of the 2024/2025 academic year. Our current occupancy (including newly acquired assets) is strong at almost 97%. Our pre-leasing continues to be robust, and we are expecting another year of strong rent growth.

In 2024, we have continued to deliver strong results to our investors, including a 6.5% YTD return as of June 30, 2024, and a 12.5% annualized return since inception (both are to Class F unitholders participating in our DRIP).

Below is the link to our Management Report. We have also included a link to our Q2 2024 Financial Statements. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Management Report

Q2 Financial Statements

 

Acquisition of 1680 Lincoln Avenue in Montreal

by on June 27, 2024 with No Comments

We are pleased to announce that we have completed the acquisition of a purpose-built student accommodation property located at 1680 Lincoln Avenue, Montreal, Quebec (known as The Link).

The Link is a newly constructed, 18-storey building located steps away from Concordia University and within walking distance of McGill University. The property is equipped with 246 beds in 101 fully furnished units, including studios, two-, three-, and four-bedroom suites, which provides a wide variety of configurations for potential tenants. Additionally, The Link features several amenities, including a fitness room, social rooms, a rooftop terrace, smart package lockers, and an underground parking garage.

This strategic acquisition further diversifies our REIT’s portfolio and solidifies our position as the leading owner and operator of Canadian student housing. With this acquisition, we own in excess of 7,100 student housing beds across Canada. Further, this acquisition marks our entry into Montreal, which is home to several universities and colleges in need of housing for their students.

Below is the link to the full press release. We have also included a link to an overview presentation of The Link.

Press Release

 

Overview Presentation

 

Information Sheet

Alignvest Student Housing – Closing of Acquisitions

by on June 25, 2024 with No Comments

We are pleased to announce that we have completed the acquisition of two purpose-built student accommodation assets located at 252 and 254 Phillip Street, Waterloo, Ontario (known as Hespeler House and Fergus House, respectively).

Hespeler House and Fergus House are each 21-storey student housing buildings with 476 beds in fully furnished four-bedroom/four-bathroom suites. The properties are steps away from the University of Waterloo and within walking distance from Wilfrid Laurier University. The properties have amenities which include fitness rooms, study rooms, a fully enclosed theatre room, games rooms, a basketball court, underground parking, bicycle parking, and on-site laundry.

With the closing of these acquisitions, Alignvest Student Housing REIT has completed four transactions in the first half of 2024 totaling 1,705 beds and $384 million. We are excited to further solidify our position in Waterloo and believe these assets will benefit from the scale we have in the market. Hespeler House and Fergus House are strategically located near the University of Waterloo, whereas our other assets in Waterloo primarily serve students attending Wilfrid Laurier University. In total, we now provide housing for over 6,900 students in six major higher-education markets across Canada.

Below is the link to the full press release.

Press Release

 

Alignvest Student Housing

by on May 28, 2024 with No Comments

COMPLETION OF ACQUISITION OF 308 KING IN WATERLOO, ONTARIO

We are pleased to announce that we have completed the previously-announced transaction to acquire a residential property located at 308 King Street North, Waterloo, Ontario (“308 King”).

308 King is a newly constructed, 25-storey building with 340 furnished units, providing housing for 659 students. The property is located within walking distance of both Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo. The property offers on-site laundry, rooftop terraces with barbeques and lounge areas, an above-grade parking garage and bicycle parking. There is over 8,500 square feet of ground floor commercial space.

With the addition of 308 King, Alignvest Student Housing REIT will own a portfolio that provides housing for over 5,900 students across 14 properties in six university-focused Canadian markets. We are excited to have built a high-quality portfolio of student housing valued at over $1 billion in less than six years since our launch in June 2018, and we have several additional growth initiatives planned for 2024.

Below is the link to the full press release.

Press Release

May 2024 Information Sheet

ASH – Management Report

by on May 8, 2024 with No Comments

MARCH 31, 2024 – MANAGEMENT REPORT

 

We are pleased to send you Alignvest Student Housing Real Estate Investment Trust’s Q1 2024 Management Report.

We have had a very busy start to 2024 and are expecting a  successful year for our REIT. The macroeconomic environment has shown signs of stabilization and opportunity. Interest rates have come down from their peak in Q4 2023. Further, CMHC financing has become more accessible to developers and investors, which has materially impacted our ability to positively underwrite acquisitions.

We kicked off the year with the acquisition of 417Nelson in Ottawa in February. This site nicely complements our other Ottawa properties and is conveniently located only a few minutes walk from the University of Ottawa.  Continuing our growth trajectory, in April we announced the acquisition of 308 King in Waterloo, with an expected closing in late May. It’s important to note that we have spent several years working to secure both of these transactions. Our deep relationships and expertise provide us with a unique advantage compared to other investors in the sector. We have a robust pipeline of additional acquisition opportunities for continued growth.

Our 2024 pre-leasing season is off to a strong start. We are already almost 83% pre-leased for September 2024 at our privately-managed properties and are projecting a 21.8% gap-to-market on sitting rents when compared to current tenant lease rates. We are also pleased to confirm that the Canadian governments recent announcements to reduce the number of international student visas has not impacted the demand we continue to experience across our portfolio.

We are pleased with the results we have delivered to our investors, including a 3.2% return in Q1 2024 and 12.4% annualized since inception (both are to Class F unitholders participating in our DRIP). With a strong acquisition pipeline in front of us, we are actively raising capital to pursue multiple opportunities and continue our expansion across Canada. The future looks strong, and we are confident in our strategy and the corresponding returns for our investors.

 

Below is the link to our Management Report. We have also included links to our Q1 2024 Financial Statements and 2023 Audited Financial Statements. Please contact us if you have any questions.

 

Q1 2024 Management Report

Q1 2024 Financial Statements

2023 Audited Financial Statements

Alignvest Student Housing Acquisition

by on April 22, 2024 with No Comments
ACQUISITION OF HIGH-QUALITY ASSET IN WATERLOO, ONTARIO

We are pleased to announce that we have entered into a binding contract to purchase a residential property located at 308 King Street North, Waterloo, Ontario (“308 King”).

308 King is a newly constructed, 25-storey building with 340 furnished units, providing housing for 659 students. The property is located within walking distance of both Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo. The property offers on-site laundry, rooftop terraces with barbeques and lounge areas, an above-grade parking garage and bicycle parking. There is over 8,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space.

With the addition of 308 King, Alignvest Student Housing REIT will own a portfolio that provides housing for almost 6,000 students across 14 properties in six university-focused Canadian markets.

The acquisition is scheduled to close in May 2024. Below is the link to the full press release announcing the acquisition of 308 King.

 

Press Release - 308 King Acquisition

April 2024 Information Sheet

Student Housing Acquitistion

by on March 5, 2024 with No Comments

ACQUISITION OF HIGH-QUALITY STUDENT HOUSING ASSET IN OTTAWA, ONTARIO

We are pleased to announce the acquisition of a purpose-built student accommodation asset located at 417 Nelson Street, Ottawa, Ontario (“417Nelson”).

417Nelson is a modern 4-storey building with 94 beds in 53 fully furnished units. The property is in close proximity to our other Ottawa properties, which allows for operational efficiencies and enables us to continue to provide high-quality accommodation to students in the area. With this acquisition, we were able to assume attractive in-place CMHC financing which has a below-market interest rate of 2.32% and over six years of remaining term.

With the addition of 417Nelson, Alignvest Student Housing REIT now owns a portfolio of over 5,300 beds across 13 properties in six university-focused Canadian markets.

 

Below is the link to the full press release announcing the acquisition of 417Nelson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Press Release - 417Nelson Acquisition February 2024 Information Sheet

Change is Coming – Always Improving

by on February 7, 2024 with No Comments

At MFG, our Mission Statement is to be “Always improving”. Over the past 15 months, we have been refining the process of how we can better deliver our investment platform to our clients. Utilizing partnerships and data collected over the years, we’ve come up with a solution that we believe will improve our investment platform and improve our clients overall experience with MFG.

What is Changing?

We are transitioning to an investment model platform. Working with your Portfolio Manager, it will be determined which model is appropriate for you. Once this has been determined, you will own one or more of the new MFG Investment Models – Aggressive, Growth, and/or Balanced. These new Model Funds are built using the best investment managers and strategies that our team has researched. The platform utilizes the same investment philosophies of delivering an institutional quality portfolio to our clients.

The Benefits to our Clients

1. Increased Performance

    – Via enhanced portfolio construction and efficient management capabilities

2. Time spent with your Portfolio Manager

   – Spend more time focusing on other value add areas of your financial lives – IE: financial planning, insurance analysis, tax work, etc.

3. Communication will be improved through detailed Quarterly Reports

   – These reports will include facts about the Model Fund, general market commentary and additional information that our PM Division finds relevant to our clients

 

When to Expect the Change – April 1st, 2024

We are very excited to be able to deliver this new and improved platform to our clients. There has been a lot of work put in by our team to get us to this point. As we approach April 1st, you can expect to receive multiple communication pieces from our team diving into deeper details on the upcoming changes. If you have any questions on the upcoming change and what it might look like for you personally, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your MFG Portfolio Manager.

We want to thank you for your continued trust and support of MFG. Without you, none of this would be possible.

Stay tuned.

 

PDF Version

Alignvest – Management Report

by on February 7, 2024 with No Comments
Management Report – December 31, 2023

We are pleased to send you Alignvest Student Housing Real Estate Investment Trust’s Q4 2023 Management Report. 2023 was a successful year for the REIT. We started the year with a flagship property acquisition in Halifax, which expanded our presence into Eastern Canada. Our entire portfolio has delivered strong operating performance, resulting in a 21.4% return to Class F shareholders (with DRIP participation). With the growth in NOI, our portfolio is valued at $961.8 million, an increase of over 15% over the year.

The macroeconomic environment was more stable in the second half of 2023, with inflation decreasing to 4.0% or below since May and the 5-year GoC bond yield dropping over 25% since the end of Q3. We spent much of 2023 focused on building our acquisition and investment pipeline to be ready when deals became actionable. In Q4, with a robust pipeline, we were able to re-open the REIT for subscriptions. We appreciate everyone’s patience with us as we needed more visibility on our ability to put capital to work before taking in additional cash from subscriptions.

In Q4, we completed our equity investment in the partnership that acquired 149 College Street, a 43,118 square foot building in Toronto, steps away from the University of Toronto. We also entered into a contract to acquire a student housing property in a market where we already have operations, with an expected closing date in Q1 2024. In addition, we are in due diligence on multiple additional opportunities.

Our 2024 pre-leasing season is off to a strong start. We are already almost 60% pre-leased at our privately-managed properties for September 2024 and are projecting a 15.1% gap-to-market on sitting rents when compared to budgeted September 2024 lease rates.

Over the past several weeks, the Canadian government has issued new rules and caps applicable to international students. In particular, the focus seems to be targeted to colleges, where we have no exposure. As we stated in our response (link below), we do not believe these changes will have a material impact on our portfolio.

We are expecting to deliver strong performance in 2024 given our market leading position and our strong business fundamentals.  With a strong acquisition pipeline in front of us, we are actively raising capital to pursue these opportunities. The future looks strong, and we are confident in our strategy and the corresponding returns for our investors.

 

Below is the link to our Q4 2023 Management Report.

 

Q4 2023 Management Report Our Response to Canada's Cap on International Students
1 2 3 4 … 9