UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  November 3, 2003

 

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

Delaware

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

 

1-8551

(Commission File Number)

 

22-1851059

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

 

10 Highway 35, P.O. Box 500, Red Bank, New Jersey 07701

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

 

(732) 747-7800

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 



 

Item 5.  Other Events.

 

On November 3, 2003, K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., issued $215,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6½% Senior Notes due 2014 (the “Notes”), unconditionally guaranteed by Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. (“Hovnanian”) and certain of Hovnanian’s subsidiaries.  In connection with the issuance of the Notes, Hovnanian is filing certain exhibits as part of this Form 8-K.  See “Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.”

 

Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

 

(c)

 

Exhibits.

 

 

 

The following exhibits are filed with this report on Form 8-K.

 

Exhibit
Number

 

Exhibit

4.1

 

Indenture dated as of November 3, 2003 among K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as Trustee.

4.2

 

First Supplemental Indenture dated as of November 3, 2003 among K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., the other Guarantors named therein and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as Trustee.

5.1

 

Opinion of Peter S. Reinhart, Senior Vice-President and General Counsel of K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. and Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc.

5.2

 

Opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

23.1

 

Consent of Peter S. Reinhart, Senior Vice-President and General Counsel of K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. and Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. (included in Exhibit 5.1)

23.2

 

Consent of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2)

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Peter S. Reinhart

 

 

 

Name:Peter S. Reinhart

 

 

 

Title:Senior Vice President

 

 

 

Date:  November 7, 2003

 

 

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INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit
Number

 

Exhibit

4.1

 

Indenture dated as of November 3, 2003 among K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as Trustee.

4.2

 

First Supplemental Indenture dated as of November 3, 2003 among K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., the other Guarantors named therein and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as Trustee.

5.1

 

Opinion of Peter S. Reinhart, Senior Vice-President and General Counsel of K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. and Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc.

5.2

 

Opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

23.1

 

Consent of Peter S. Reinhart, Senior Vice-President and General Counsel of K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. and Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. (included in Exhibit 5.1)

23.2

 

Consent of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2)

 

4


Exhibit 4.1

 

 

 

K. HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.

 

Issuer

 

and

 

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.

 

Guarantor

 

and

 

SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS OF HOVNANIAN THAT BECOME PARTIES HERETO
FROM TIME TO TIME

 

Guarantors

 

and

 

 

WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Trustee

 


 

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of November 3, 2003

 

SENIOR INDENTURE

 

 

 



 

CROSS REFERENCE SHEET*

 

Provisions of Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Indenture to be dated as of November 3, 2003 among K. HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC., HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC., SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS OF HOVNANIAN that become parties hereto from time to time and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as Trustee:

 

Section of the Act

 

Section of Indenture

 

 

 

310(a)(1), (2) and (5)

 

6.9

310(a)(3) and (4)

 

Inapplicable

310(b)

 

6.8 and 6.10(a), (b) and (d)

310(c)

 

Inapplicable

311(a)

 

6.13

311(b)

 

6.13

311(c)

 

Inapplicable

312(a)

 

4.1 and 4.2(a)

312(b)

 

4.2(a) and (b)(i) and (ii)

312(c)

 

4.2(c)

313(a)

 

4.4(a)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii)

313(b)(1)

 

Inapplicable

313(b)(2)

 

4.4(a) and (b)

313(c)

 

4.4(b)

313(d)

 

4.4(b)

314(a)

 

4.3

314(b)

 

Inapplicable

314(c)(1) and (2)

 

11.5

314(c)(3)

 

Inapplicable

314(d)

 

Inapplicable

314(e)

 

11.5

314(f)

 

Inapplicable

315(a), (c) and (d)

 

6.1

315(b)

 

5.8

315(e)

 

5.9

316(a)(1)

 

5.7

316(a)(2)

 

Not required

316(a) (last sentence)

 

7.4

316(b)

 

5.4

317(a)

 

5.2

317(b)

 

3.5(a)

318(a)

 

11.7

 


*This Cross Reference Sheet is not part of the Indenture.

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE One DEFINITIONS

 

SECTION 1.1.   Definitions

 

ARTICLE Two SECURITIES

 

SECTION 2.1.   Forms Generally

SECTION 2.2.   Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

SECTION 2.3.   Amount Unlimited, Issuable in Series

SECTION 2.4.   Authentication and Delivery of Securities

SECTION 2.5.   Execution of Securities

SECTION 2.6.   Certificate of Authentication

SECTION 2.7.   Denomination and Date of Securities; Payments of Interest

SECTION 2.8.   Registration, Transfer and Exchange

SECTION 2.9.   Mutilated, Defaced, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

SECTION 2.10.   Cancellation of Securities; Disposition Thereof

SECTION 2.11.   Temporary Securities

SECTION 2.12.   CUSIP Numbers

 

ARTICLE Three COVENANTS

 

SECTION 3.1.   Payment of Principal and Interest

SECTION 3.2.   Offices for Notices and Payments, etc.

SECTION 3.3.   No Interest Extension

SECTION 3.4.   Appointments to Fill Vacancies in Trustee’s Office

SECTION 3.5.   Provision as to Paying Agent

SECTION 3.6.   Limitation on Liens

 

ARTICLE Four SECURITYHOLDERS LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE ISSUER, Hovnanian AND THE TRUSTEE

 

SECTION 4.1.   Issuer and Hovnanian to Furnish Trustee Information as to Names and Addresses of Securityholders

SECTION 4.2.   Preservation and Disclosure of Securityholders Lists

SECTION 4.3.   Reports by the Issuer and Hovnanian

SECTION 4.4.   Reports by the Trustee

 

ARTICLE Five REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITY HOLDERS ON EVENT OF DEFAULT

 

SECTION 5.1.   Events of Default

SECTION 5.2.   Payment of Securities on Default; Suit Therefor

SECTION 5.3.   Application of Moneys Collected by Trustee

SECTION 5.4.   Proceedings by Securityholders

SECTION 5.5.   Proceedings by Trustee

SECTION 5.6.   Remedies Cumulative and Continuing

 



 

SECTION 5.7.   Direction of Proceedings; Waiver of Defaults by Majority of Securityholders

SECTION 5.8.   Notice of Defaults

SECTION 5.9.   Undertaking to Pay Costs

 

ARTICLE Six CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE

 

SECTION 6.1.   Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee; During Default; Prior to Default

SECTION 6.2.   Certain Rights of the Trustee.

SECTION 6.3.   Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals, Disposition of Securities or Application of Proceeds Thereof

SECTION 6.4.   Trustee and Agents May Hold Securities; Collections, etc.

SECTION 6.5.   Moneys Held by Trustee

SECTION 6.6.   Compensation and Indemnification of Trustee and Its Prior Claim

SECTION 6.7.   Right of Trustee to Rely on Officers’ Certificate, etc.

SECTION 6.8.   Qualification of Trustee; Conflicting Interests

SECTION 6.9.   Persons Eligible for Appointment as Trustee; Different Trustees for Different Series

SECTION 6.10.   Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor Trustee

SECTION 6.11.   Acceptance of Appointment by Successor Trustee

SECTION 6.12.   Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business of Trustee

SECTION 6.13.   Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuer

SECTION 6.14.   Appointment of Authenticating Agent

 

ARTICLE Seven CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS

 

SECTION 7.1.   Evidence of Action Taken by Securityholders

SECTION 7.2.   Proof of Execution of Instruments and of Holding of Securities

SECTION 7.3.   Holders to be Treated as Owners

SECTION 7.4.   Securities Owned by Issuer Deemed Not Outstanding

SECTION 7.5.   Right of Revocation of Action Taken

SECTION 7.6.   Record Date for Consents and Waivers

 

ARTICLE Eight SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

 

SECTION 8.1.   Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders

SECTION 8.2.   Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Securityholders

SECTION 8.3.   Effect of Supplemental Indenture

SECTION 8.4.   Documents to Be Given to Trustee

SECTION 8.5.   Notation on Securities in Respect of Supplemental Indentures

 

ARTICLE Nine CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, LEASE, EXCHANGE OR OTHER DISPOSITION

 

SECTION 9.1.   Consolidate Permitted, etc., on Certain Terms

 

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SECTION 9.2.   Successor Corporation to be Substituted

SECTION 9.3.   Opinion of Counsel to be Given Trustee

 

ARTICLE Ten LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

 

SECTION 10.1.   Applicability of Article

SECTION 10.2.   Legal Defeasance And Discharge

SECTION 10.3.   Covenant Defeasance

SECTION 10.4.   Conditions To Legal Or Covenant Defeasance

SECTION 10.5.   Deposited Money And Government Securities To Be Held In Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions

SECTION 10.6.   Repayment To Issuer

SECTION 10.7.   Reinstatement

SECTION 10.8.   Survival

SECTION 10.9.   Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

 

ARTICLE Eleven MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

SECTION 11.1.   Partners, Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors of Issuer Exempt from Individual Liability

SECTION 11.2.   Provisions of Indenture for the Sole Benefit of Parties and Holders of Securities

SECTION 11.3.   Successors and Assigns of Issuer Bound by Indenture

SECTION 11.4.   Notices and Demands on Issuer, Trustee and Holders of Securities

SECTION 11.5.   Officers’ Certificates and Opinions of Counsel; Statements to Be Contained Therein

SECTION 11.6.   Payments Due on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays

SECTION 11.7.   Conflict of Any Provision of Indenture with Trust Indenture Act of 1939

SECTION 11.8.   GOVERNING LAW

SECTION 11.9.   Counterparts

SECTION 11.10.   Effect of Headings

SECTION 11.11.   No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.

 

ARTICLE Twelve REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES AND SINKING FUNDS

 

SECTION 12.1.   Applicability of Article

SECTION 12.2.   Notice of Redemption; Partial Redemptions

SECTION 12.3.   Payment of Securities Called for Redemption

SECTION 12.4.   Exclusion of Certain Securities from Eligibility for Selection for Redemption

SECTION 12.5.   Mandatory and Optional Sinking Funds

 

ARTICLE Thirteen GUARANTEES

 

SECTION 13.1.   Applicability of Article

SECTION 13.2.   Guarantee

 

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SECTION 13.3.   Obligations of the Guarantor Unconditional

SECTION 13.4.   Article 13 Not To Prevent Events of Default

SECTION 13.5.   Execution and Delivery of Guarantee

SECTION 13.6.   Limitation on Guarantor Liability.

 

ARTICLE Fourteen

 

SECTION 14.1.   Release of the Issuer.

 

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SENIOR INDENTURE

 

SENIOR INDENTURE, dated as of November 3, 2003 among K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., a California corporation (the “Issuer”), Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., a Delaware Corporation (“Hovnanian”), Subsidiary Guarantors of Hovnanian that become parties hereto from time to time and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

 

RECITALS OF THE ISSUER:

 

WHEREAS, the Issuer has duly authorized the issuance from time to time of its unsecured and unsubordinated debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness to be issued in one or more series (the “Securities”) up to such principal amount or amounts as may from time to time be authorized in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; and

 

WHEREAS, the Issuer has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide, among other things, for the authentication, delivery and administration of the Securities; and

 

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid indenture and agreement according to its terms have been undertaken and completed.

 

RECITALS OF GUARANTORS:

 

WHEREAS, each Guarantor desires to make the Guarantees provided for herein; and

 

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of each of the Guarantors, in accordance with its terms, have been done and the Guarantor will do all things necessary to make the Guarantees, when executed by each of the Guarantors and endorsed on the Securities authenticated and delivered hereunder, the valid obligations of each Guarantor as hereinafter provided.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

 

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of series thereof, as follows:

 

ARTICLE ONE
DEFINITIONS

 

SECTION 1.1Definitions.  For all purposes of this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto the following terms shall have the respective meanings specified in this Section 1.1 (except as otherwise expressly provided herein or in any indenture supplemental hereto or unless the context otherwise clearly requires).  All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined in the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, including terms defined therein by reference to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in said Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and in the Securities Act as in force at the date of this Indenture (except as herein otherwise expressly provided herein or in any indenture supplemental hereto or unless the context otherwise clearly requires).

 



 

All accounting terms used herein and not expressly defined shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the term “generally accepted accounting principles” means such accounting principles as are generally accepted on the date of this Indenture.

 

The words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision.  The expressions “date of this Indenture”, “date hereof”, “date as of which this Indenture is dated” and “date of execution and delivery of this Indenture” and other expressions of similar import refer to the effective date of the original execution and delivery of this Indenture, viz. as of November 3, 2003.

 

The terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular.

 

Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person.  For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

Authenticating Agent” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.14.

 

Bankruptcy Code” means the United States Bankruptcy Code, 11 United States Code §§ 101 et seq., or any successor statute thereto.

 

Board of Directors” means when used with reference to the Issuer or Hovnanian, as the case may be, the board of directors or any duly authorized committee of that board or any director or directors and/or officer or officers to whom that board or committee shall have duly delegated its authority.

 

Board Resolution” means (1) one or more resolutions, certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Issuer or Hovnanian, as applicable, to have been duly adopted or consented to by the Board of Directors of the Issuer or Hovnanian, as applicable, and to be in full force and effect, or (2) a certificate signed by the director or directors and/or officer or officers to whom the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of that Board shall have duly delegated its authority, in each case delivered to the Trustee for the Securities of any series.

 

Business Day” means, with respect to any Security, unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution and an Officers’ Certificate with respect to a particular series of Securities, a day that (a) in the Place of Payment (or in any of the Places of Payment, if more than one) in which amounts are payable, as specified in the form of such Security, and (b) in the city in which the Corporate Trust Office is located, is not a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law or regulation to close.

 

Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time

 

2



 

after the execution and delivery of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, then the body performing such duties on such date.

 

Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means the aggregate amount of assets included on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, less applicable reserves and other properly deductible items and after deducting therefrom (a) all current liabilities and (b) all goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discount and expense and other like intangibles, all in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied.

 

Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee of a series of Securities at which the trust created by this Indenture shall, at any particular time, be principally administered, which office is, at the date as of which this Indenture is dated, located at 21 South Street, Morristown, New Jersey 07960.

 

Covenant Defeasance” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.3.

 

Depositary” means, with respect to the Securities of any series issuable or issued in the form of one or more Global Securities, the Person designated as Depositary by the Issuer pursuant to Section 2.3 until a successor Depositary shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Depositary” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Depositary hereunder, and, if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any such series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Global Securities of such series.

 

Dollars” and the sign “$” means the coin and currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

 

Eligible Guarantors” means Hovnanian, each of Hovnanian’s subsidiaries listed on Exhibit B hereto and each other subsidiary of Hovnanian that Guarantees a series of Securities established under this Indenture.

 

Event of Default” means any event or condition specified as such in Section 5.1.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Global Security” means a Security evidencing all or a part of a series of Securities issued to the Depositary for such series in accordance with Section 2.3 and bearing the legend prescribed in Section 2.4.

 

Guarantee” has the meaning specified in Section 13.2.

 

Guarantor” has the meaning specified in Section 2.3.

 

Holder”, “Holder of Securities”, “Securityholder” or other similar terms mean, in the case of any Security, the Person in whose name such Security is registered in the security register kept by the Issuer for that purpose in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

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Hovnanian” means Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

Indebtedness” with respect to any Person means, without duplication:

 

(a)   (i)  the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on indebtedness for money borrowed of such Person, indebtedness of such Person evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar obligations, and any guaranty by such Person of any indebtedness for money borrowed or indebtedness evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar obligations of any other Person, whether any such indebtedness or guaranty is outstanding on the date of this Indenture or is thereafter created, assumed or incurred, (ii) obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction; (iii) the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on indebtedness incurred, assumed or guaranteed by such Person in connection with the acquisition by it or any of its subsidiaries of any other businesses, properties or other assets; (iv) lease obligations which such Person capitalizes in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 13 promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other generally accepted accounting principles as may be from time to time in effect; (v) any indebtedness of such Person representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or interest therein (except any such balance that constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable) and any guaranty, endorsement or other contingent obligation of such Person in respect of any indebtedness of another that is outstanding on the date of this Indenture or is thereafter created, assumed or incurred by such Person; and (vi) obligations of such Person under interest rate, commodity or currency swaps, caps, collars, options and similar arrangements; and

 

(b)   any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clause (a) above.

 

Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed and delivered or, if amended or supplemented as herein provided, as so amended or supplemented or both, including, for all purposes of this instrument and any such supplement, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 that are deemed to be a part of and govern this instrument and any such supplement, respectively, and shall include the forms and terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.

 

interest” means, when used with respect to non-interest bearing Securities (including, without limitation, any Original Issue Discount Security that by its terms bears interest only after maturity or upon default in any other payment due on such Security), interest payable after maturity (whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or redemption or otherwise) or after the date, if any, on which the Issuer becomes obligated to acquire a Security, whether upon conversion, by purchase or otherwise.

 

Issuer” means K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., a California corporation, and, subject to Article Nine, its successors and assigns.

 

4



 

Issuer Order” means a written statement, request or order of the Issuer, which is signed in its name by the chairman of the Board of Directors, the chief financial officer, the president or chief executive officer, any vice president or the treasurer of the Issuer, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

Legal Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 10.2.

 

Officers’ Certificate”, when used with respect to the Issuer or Hovnanian, means a certificate signed by the chairman of the Board of Directors, the president or chief executive officer, or any vice president and by the chief financial officer, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, the controller, any assistant controller, the secretary or any assistant secretary of the Issuer or Hovnanian, as the case may be.  Each such certificate shall include the statements provided for in Section 11.5 if and to the extent required by the provisions of such Section 11.5. One of the officers signing an Officers’ Certificate given pursuant to Section 4.3 shall be the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of the Issuer or Hovnanian, as the case may be.

 

Opinion of Counsel” means an opinion in writing signed by the chief counsel of the Issuer or Hovnanian or by such other legal counsel who may be an employee of or counsel to the Issuer or Hovnanian and who shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee.  Each such opinion shall include the statements provided for in Section 11.5, if and to the extent required by the provisions of such Section 11.5.

 

original issue date” of any Security (or portion thereof) means the earlier of (a) the date of such Security or (b) the date of any Security (or portion thereof) for which such Security was issued (directly or indirectly) on registration of transfer, exchange or substitution.

 

original issue discount” of any debt security, including any Original Issue Discount Security, means the difference between the principal amount of such debt security and the initial issue price of such debt security (as set forth in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security on the face of such Security).

 

Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Article Five.

 

Outstanding” when used with reference to Securities, shall, subject to the provisions of Section 7.4, mean, as of any particular time, all Securities authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under this Indenture, except:

 

(a)   Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;

 

(b)   Securities (other than Securities of any series as to which the provisions of Article Ten hereof shall not be applicable), or portions thereof, for the payment or redemption of which moneys or U.S. Government Obligations (as provided for in Section 10.1) in the necessary amount shall have been deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any paying agent (other than the Issuer) or shall have been set aside, segregated and held

 

5



 

in trust by the Issuer for the Holders of such Securities (if the Issuer shall act as its own paying agent), provided that, if such Securities, or portions thereof, are to be redeemed prior to the maturity thereof, notice of such redemption shall have been given as herein provided, or provision satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made for giving such notice; and

 

(c)   Securities which shall have been paid or in substitution for which other Securities shall have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.9 (except with respect to any such Security as to which proof satisfactory to the Trustee is presented that such Security is held by a Person in whose hands such Security is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Issuer).

 

In determining whether the Holders of the requisite aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any or all series have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purposes shall be the portion of the principal amount thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination (as certified by the Issuer to the Trustee) upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Article Five.

 

paying agent” refers to a Person engaged to perform the obligations of the Trustee in respect of payments made or funds held hereunder in respect of the Securities.

 

Periodic Offering” means an offering of Securities of a series from time to time, the specific terms of which Securities, including, without limitation, the rate or rates of interest, if any, thereon, the stated maturity or maturities thereof and the redemption provisions, if any, with respect thereto, are to be determined by the Issuer or its agents upon the issuance of such Securities.

 

Person” means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust, estate, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

Place of Payment”, when used with respect to the Securities of any series, means the place or places where the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of such series are payable as determined in accordance with Section 2.3.

 

principal” of a debt security, including any Security, means the amount (including, without limitation, if and to the extent applicable, any premium and, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, any accrued original issue discount, but excluding interest) that is payable with respect to such debt security as of any date and for any purpose (including, without limitation, in connection with any sinking fund, if any, upon any redemption at the option of the Issuer, upon any purchase or exchange at the option of the Issuer or the holder of such debt security and upon any acceleration of the maturity of such debt security).

 

principal amount” of a debt security, including any Security, means the principal amount as set forth on the face of such debt security.

 

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record date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.7.

 

Responsible Officer”, when used with respect to the Trustee of a series of Securities, means any officer of the Trustee with direct responsibility for the administration of the trust created by this Indenture.

 

Restricted Subsidiary” means (a) any Subsidiary of the Issuer other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary, and (b) any Subsidiary of the Issuer which was an Unrestricted Subsidiary but which, subsequent to the date hereof, is designated by the Issuer (by Board Resolution) to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that the Issuer may not designate any such Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary if the Issuer would thereby breach any covenant or agreement herein contained (on the assumptions that any outstanding Indebtedness of such Subsidiary was incurred at the time of such designation).

 

Securities Act” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.1.

 

Security” or “Securities” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and more particularly means any Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided, however that if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Instrument, “Securities” with respect to the Indenture as to which such Person is Trustee shall have the meaning stated in the first recital of this instrument and shall more particularly mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this instrument, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.

 

Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary which is a “significant subsidiary” of the Issuer within the meaning of Rule 1.02(w) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the Commission as in effect on the date of this Indenture.

 

Subsidiary” of any specified Person means any corporation of which such Person, or such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or any one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, directly or indirectly own voting securities entitling any one or more of such Persons and its Subsidiaries to elect a majority of the directors, either at all times or, so long as there is no default or contingency which permits the holders of any other class or classes of securities to vote for the election of one or more directors.

 

Trust Indenture Act of 1939” (except as otherwise provided in Sections 8.1 and 8.2) means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended by the Trust Indenture Reform Act of 1990, as in force at the date as of which this Indenture is originally executed.

 

Trustee” means the Person identified as “Trustee” in the first paragraph hereof and, subject to the provisions of Article Six, shall also include any successor trustee.  “Trustee” shall also mean or include each Person who is then a trustee hereunder and, if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means (a) any Subsidiary of the Issuer acquired or organized after the date hereof, provided, however, that such Subsidiary shall not be a successor, directly or indirectly, to any Restricted Subsidiary, and (b) any Subsidiary of the Issuer substantially all the

 

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assets of which consist of stock or other securities of a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the character described in clause (a) of this paragraph, unless and until such Subsidiary shall have been designated to be a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of “Restricted Subsidiary”.

 

U.S. Government Obligations” means non-callable, non-payable bonds, notes, bills or other similar obligations issued or guaranteed by the United States government or any agency thereof the full and timely payment of which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.

 

vice president,” when used with respect to the Issuer or the Trustee, means any vice president, regardless of whether designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “vice president.”

 

Yield to Maturity” means the yield to maturity on a series of Securities, calculated at the time of issuance of such series, or, if applicable, at the most recent redetermination of interest on such series, and calculated in accordance with generally accepted financial practice or as otherwise provided in the terms of such series of Securities.

 

ARTICLE TWO
SECURITIES

 

SECTION 2.1  Forms Generally.  The Securities of each series shall be substantially in such form (not inconsistent with this Indenture) as shall be established by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions (as set forth in a Board Resolution or, to the extent established pursuant to rather than set forth in a Board Resolution, an Officers’ Certificate detailing such establishment) or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may have imprinted or otherwise reproduced thereon such legend or legends or endorsements, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, as may be required to comply with any law or with any rules or regulations pursuant thereto, or with any rules of any securities exchange or to conform to general usage, all as may be determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.

 

The definitive Securities shall be printed, lithographed or engraved on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.

 

SECTION 2.2  Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication.  The Trustee’s certificate of authentication on all Securities shall be substantially as follows:

 

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within mentioned Indenture.

 

                                 , as Trustee

 

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By

 

 

 

 

  Authorized Signatory

 

If at any time there shall be an Authenticating Agent appointed with respect to any series of Securities, then the Securities of such series shall bear, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate Certificate of Authentication which shall be substantially as follows:

 

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within mentioned Indenture.

 

                                 , as Trustee

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

 

  as Authenticating Agent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

 

  Authorized Signatory

 

SECTION 2.3Amount Unlimited, Issuable in Series.  The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

 

The Securities may be issued in one or more series and the Securities of each such series shall rank equally and pari passu with the Securities of each other series and with all other unsecured and unsubordinated debt of the Issuer.  There shall be established in or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions (and, to the extent established pursuant to rather than set forth in a Board Resolution, in an Officers’ Certificate detailing such establishment) or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the initial issuance of Securities of any series:

 

(1)   the designation of the Securities of the series, which shall distinguish the Securities of such series from the Securities of all other series;
 
(2)   any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Section 2.8, 2.9, 2.11, 8.5 or 12.3);
 
(3)   the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the series is payable;
 
(4)   the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which any such interest shall accrue, on which any such interest
 
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shall be payable and on which a record shall be taken for the determination of Holders to whom any such interest is payable or the method by which such rate or rates or date or dates shall be determined or both;
 
(5)   the place or places where and the manner in which the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on Securities of the series shall be payable (if other than as provided in Section 3.2) and the office or agency for the Securities of the series maintained by the Issuer pursuant to Section 3.2;

 

(6)   the right, if any, of the Issuer to redeem, purchase or repay Securities of the series, in whole or in part, at its option and the period or periods within which, the price or prices (or the method by which such price or prices shall be determined or both) at which, the form or method of payment therefor if other than in cash and any terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which (if different from the provisions of Article Twelve) Securities of the series may be so redeemed, purchased or repaid, in whole or in part, pursuant to any sinking fund or otherwise;
 
(7)   the obligation, if any, of the Issuer to redeem, purchase or repay Securities of the series in whole or in part pursuant to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which the price or prices (or the method by which such price or prices shall be determined or both) at which, the form or method of payment therefor if other than in cash and any terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which (if different from the provisions of Article Twelve) Securities of the series shall be redeemed, purchased or repaid, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
 
(8)   if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the denominations in which Securities of the series shall be issuable;
 
(9)   if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Securities of the series which shall be payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof;
 
(10)         whether Securities of the series will be issuable as Global Securities;
 
(11)         if the Securities of such series are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security of such series) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;
 
(12)         any trustees, depositaries, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents or registrars or any other agents with respect to the Securities of such series;
 
(13)         any deleted, modified or additional events of default or remedies or any deleted, modified or additional covenants with respect to the Securities of such series;
 
(14)         whether the provisions of Article Ten will not be applicable to Securities of such series;
 

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(15)         any provision relating to the issuance of Securities of such series at an original issue discount (including, without limitation, the issue price thereof, the rate or rates at which such original issue discount shall accrete, if any, and the date or dates from or to which or period or periods during which such original issue discount shall accrete at such rate or rates);
 
(16)         if other than Dollars, the foreign currency in which payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of such series shall be payable;
 
(17)         if other than Wachovia Bank, National Association is to act as Trustee for the Securities of such series, the name and Corporate Trust Office of such Trustee;
 
(18)         if the amounts of payments of principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of such series are to be determined with reference to an index, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;
 
(19)         the terms for conversion or exchange, if any, with respect to the Securities of such series;
 
(20)         which, if any, of the Eligible Guarantors, in addition to Hovnanian, shall guarantee the Securities on the terms set forth in Article Thirteen (Hovnanian, together with each of the other Eligible Guarantors that guarantee the Securities on the terms set forth in Article Thirteen, if any, a “Guarantor”); and
 
(21)         any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture).
 

All Securities of any one series shall be substantially identical, except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution or Officers’ Certificate referred to above or as set forth in any such indenture supplemental hereto.  All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to such Board Resolution, such Officers’ Certificate or in any such indenture supplemental hereto.

 

Any such Board Resolution or Officers’ Certificate referred to above with respect to Securities of any series filed with the Trustee on or before the initial issuance of the Securities of such series shall be incorporated herein by reference with respect to Securities of such series and shall thereafter be deemed to be a part of the Indenture for all purposes relating to Securities of such series as fully as if such Board Resolution or Officers’ Certificate were set forth herein in full.

 

SECTION 2.4Authentication and Delivery of Securities.  The Issuer may deliver Securities of any series executed by the Issuer to the Trustee for authentication together with the applicable documents referred to below in this Section 2.4, and the Trustee shall thereupon authenticate and deliver such Securities to, or upon the order of, the Issuer (contained in the Issuer Order referred to below in this Section 2.4) or pursuant to such procedures acceptable to the Trustee and to such recipients as may be specified from time to time by an Issuer Order.  If

 

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provided for in such procedures and agreed to by the Trustee, such Issuer Order may authorize authentication and delivery pursuant to oral instructions from the Issuer or its duly authorized agent, which instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing.  In authenticating the Securities of such series and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive (in the case of subparagraphs (2), (3) and (4) below only at or before the time of the first request of the Issuer to the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series) and (subject to Section 6.1) shall be fully protected in relying upon, unless and until such documents have been superseded or revoked:

 

(1)   an Issuer Order requesting such authentication and setting forth delivery instructions provided that, with respect to Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, (a) such Issuer Order may be delivered by the Issuer to the Trustee prior to the delivery to the Trustee of such Securities for authentication and delivery, (b) the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver Securities of such series for original issue from time to time, in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding the aggregate principal amount established for such series, pursuant to an Issuer Order or pursuant to procedures acceptable to the Trustee as may be specified from time to time by an Issuer Order, (c) the maturity date or dates, original issue date or dates, interest rate or rates, if any, and any other terms of Securities of such series shall be determined by an Issuer Order or pursuant to such procedures, (d) if provided for in such procedures, such Issuer Order may authorize authentication and delivery pursuant to oral or electronic instructions from the Issuer or its duly authorized agent or agents, which oral instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing and (e) after the original issuance of the first Security of such series to be issued, any separate request by the Issuer that the Trustee authenticate Securities of such series for original issuance will be deemed to be a certification by the Issuer that it is in compliance with all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the authentication and delivery of such Securities;
 
(2)   the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or executed supplemental indenture referred to in Sections 2.1 and 2.3 by or pursuant to which the forms and terms of the Securities of such series were established;
 
(3)   an Officers’ Certificate stating that the form or forms and terms of the Securities have been established pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.3 and comply with this Indenture and covering such other matters as the Trustee may reasonably request; and
 
(4)   at the option of the Issuer, either an Opinion of Counsel, or a letter from legal counsel addressed to the Trustee permitting it to rely on an Opinion of Counsel, substantially to the effect that:
 

(a)   in the case of an underwritten offering, the Securities of such series have been duly authorized, executed and delivered and, in the case of an offering that is not underwritten, certain terms of the Securities of such series have been established pursuant to a Board Resolution, an Officers’ Certificate or a supplemental indenture in accordance with this Indenture, and when such other terms as are to be established pursuant to procedures set forth in an Issuer Order shall have been established, all such terms will have been duly authorized by the

 

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Issuer and will have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

 

(b)   when the Securities of such series have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Issuer and authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and delivered to and duly paid for by the purchasers thereof, they will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Issuer, enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, and will be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture; and

 

(c)   the execution and delivery by the Issuer of, and the performance by the Issuer of its obligations under, the Securities of such series will not conflict with any provision of applicable law or the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the Issuer or any agreement or other instrument to which the Issuer or any of the Guarantors is a party and that is material to the Issuer, Hovnanian and its Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, or, to such counsel’s knowledge after the inquiry indicated therein, any judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or any court having jurisdiction over the Issuer, Hovnanian and any of its Subsidiaries, and no consent, approval or authorization of any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Issuer of its obligations under the Securities, except such as are specified and have been obtained and such as may be required by the securities or blue sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities.

 

In rendering such opinions, such counsel may qualify any opinions as to enforceability by stating that such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, liquidation, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.  Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, such counsel has relied, to the extent such counsel deems proper, upon certificates of officers of the Issuer, Hovnanian and its subsidiaries, as applicable, and certificates of public officials.

 

The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities of any series under this Section 2.4 if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken by the Issuer or if the Trustee in good faith by its board of directors or board of trustees, executive committee or a trust committee of directors or trustees or Responsible Officers shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or would adversely affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities, this Indenture or otherwise.

 

If the Issuer shall establish pursuant to Section 2.3 that the Securities of a series are to be issued in the form of one or more Global Securities, then the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with this Section 2.4 and the Issuer Order with respect to such series, authenticate and deliver one or more Global Securities that (i) shall represent and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of all of the Securities of such

 

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series to be issued in the form of Global Securities and not yet cancelled, (ii) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Global Security or Securities or the nominee of such Depositary, (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or pursuant to such Depositary’s instructions, and (iv) shall bear a legend substantially to the following effect:

 

“THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL NOTE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF A DEPOSITARY OR A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.  UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR SECURITIES IN CERTIFICATED FORM, THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (THE “DEPOSITARY”) TO THE NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.

 

UNLESS THIS SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE, OR PAYMENT, AND ANY SECURITY ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO.  OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO.  OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN”.

 

Each Depositary designated pursuant to Section 2.3 must, at the time of its designation and at all times while it serves as Depositary, be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any other applicable statute or regulation.

 

Reference is made to Section 13.5 concerning execution and delivery of the Guarantees.

 

SECTION 2.5Execution of Securities.  The Securities shall be signed on behalf of the Issuer by the chairman of the Board of Directors, the president or chief executive officer, any vice president, the chief financial officer or the treasurer of the Issuer.  Such signatures may be the manual or facsimile signatures of the present or any future such officers.  Typographical and other minor errors or defects in any such reproduction of such signature shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any Security that has been duly authenticated and delivered by the Trustee.

 

In case any officer of the Issuer who shall have signed any of the Securities shall cease to be such officer before the Security so signed shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or disposed of by the Issuer, such Security nevertheless may be authenticated and delivered or disposed of as though the person who signed such Security had not ceased to be such officer of the Issuer; and any Security may be signed on behalf of the Issuer by such persons as, at the

 

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actual date of the execution of such Security, shall be the proper officers of the Issuer, although at the date of the execution and delivery of this Indenture any such person was not such an officer.

 

Reference is made to Section 13.5 concerning execution and delivery of the Guarantees.

 

SECTION 2.6Certificate of Authentication.  Only such Securities as shall bear thereon a certificate of authentication substantially in the form hereinbefore recited, executed by the Trustee by the manual signature of one of its authorized signatories, or its Authenticating Agent, shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.  The execution of such certificate by the Trustee or its Authenticating Agent upon any Security executed by the Issuer shall be conclusive evidence that the Security so authenticated has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and that the Holder is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.  Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by an agent appointed pursuant to Section 6.14.

 

SECTION 2.7Denomination and Date of Securities; Payments of Interest.  The Securities of each series shall be issuable in registered form in denominations established as contemplated by Section 2.3 or, with respect to the Securities of any series, if not so established, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.  The Securities of each series shall be numbered, lettered or otherwise distinguished in such manner or in accordance with such plan as the officers of the Issuer executing the same may determine with the approval of the Trustee, as evidenced by the execution and authentication thereof.

 

Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.  The Securities of each series shall bear interest, if any, from the date, and such interest, if any, shall be payable on the dates, established as contemplated by Section 2.3.

 

The Person in whose name any Security of any series is registered at the close of business on any record date applicable to a particular series with respect to any interest payment date for such series shall be entitled to receive the interest, if any, payable on such interest payment date notwithstanding any transfer or exchange of such Security subsequent to the record date and prior to such interest payment date, except if and to the extent the Issuer shall default in the payment of the interest due on such interest payment date for such series, in which case such defaulted interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names Outstanding Securities for such series are registered (a) at the close of business on a subsequent record date (which shall be not less than five Business Days prior to the date of payment of such defaulted interest) established by notice given by mail by or on behalf of the Issuer to the Holders of Securities not less than 15 days preceding such subsequent record date or (b) as determined by such other procedure as is mutually acceptable to the Issuer and the Trustee.  The term “record date” as used with respect to any interest payment date (except a date for payment of defaulted interest) for the Securities of any series shall mean the date specified as such in the terms of the Securities of such series established as contemplated by Section 2.3, or, if no such date is so established, if such interest payment date is the first day of a calendar month, the fifteenth day of the next preceding calendar month or, if such interest payment date is the fifteenth day of a calendar month, the first day of such calendar month, whether or not such record date is a Business Day.

 

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SECTION 2.8Registration, Transfer and Exchange.  The Issuer will keep at each office or agency to be maintained for the purpose as provided in Section 3.2 for each series of Securities a register or registers in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, it will provide for the registration of Securities of each series and the registration of transfer of Securities of such series.  Each such register shall be in written form in the English language or in any other form capable of being converted into such form within a reasonable time.  At all reasonable times such register or registers shall be open for inspection and available for copying by the Trustee.

 

Upon due presentation for registration of transfer of any Security of any series at any such office or agency to be maintained for the purpose as provided in Section 3.2, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in the name of the transferee or transferees a new Security or Securities of the same series, maturity date, interest rate, if any, and original issue date in authorized denominations for a like aggregate principal amount.

 

All Securities presented for registration of transfer shall (if so required by the Issuer or the Trustee) be duly endorsed by, or be accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

 

At the option of the Holder thereof, Securities of any series (other than a Global Security, except as set forth below) may be exchanged for a Security or Securities of such series having authorized denominations and an equal aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of such Securities to be exchanged at the agency of the Issuer that shall be maintained for such purpose in accordance with Section 3.2.

 

The Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer of Securities.  No service charge shall be made for any such transaction or for any exchange of Securities of any series as contemplated by the immediately preceding paragraph.

 

The Issuer shall not be required to exchange or register a transfer of (a) any Securities of any series for a period of 15 days next preceding the first mailing or publication of notice of redemption of Securities of such series to be redeemed, (b) any Securities selected, called or being called for redemption, in whole or in part, except, in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not so to be redeemed or (c) any Security if the Holder thereof has exercised his right, if any, to require the Issuer to repurchase such Security in whole or in part, except the portion of such Security not required to be repurchased.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 2.8, unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in definitive registered form, a Global Security representing all or a part of the Securities of a series may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such series to a nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by such Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary for such series or a nominee of such successor Depositary.

 

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If at any time the Depositary for any Securities of a series represented by one or more Global Securities notifies the Issuer that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Securities or if at any time the Depositary for such Securities shall no longer be eligible under Section 2.4, the Issuer shall appoint a successor Depositary with respect to such Securities.  If a successor Depositary for such Securities is not appointed by the Issuer within 90 days after the Issuer receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Issuer’s election pursuant to Section 2.3 that such Securities be represented by one or more Global Securities shall no longer be effective and the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Issuer Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, will authenticate and deliver Securities of such series in definitive registered form, in any authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security or Securities representing such Securities in exchange for such Global Security or Securities.

 

The Issuer may at any time and in its sole discretion determine that the Securities of any series issued in the form of one or more Global Securities shall no longer be represented by a Global Security or Securities.  In such event, the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Issuer Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, shall authenticate and deliver, Securities of such series in definitive registered form, in any authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security or Securities representing such Securities, in exchange for such Global Security or Securities.

 

If specified by the Issuer pursuant to Section 2.3 with respect to Securities represented by a Global Security, the Depositary for such Global Security may surrender such Global Security in exchange in whole or in part for Securities of the same series in definitive registered form on such terms as are acceptable to the Issuer and such Depositary.  Thereupon, the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge,

 

(i)            to the Person specified by such Depositary, a new Security or Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations as requested by such Person, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person’s beneficial interest in the Global Security; and
 
(ii)           to such Depositary a new Global Security in a denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Global Security and the aggregate principal amount of Securities authenticated and delivered pursuant to clause (i) above.
 

Upon the exchange of a Global Security for Securities in definitive registered form in authorized denominations, such Global Security shall be cancelled by the Trustee or an agent of the Trustee.  Securities in definitive registered form issued in exchange for a Global Security pursuant to this Section 2.8 shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Global Security, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee or an agent of the Trustee or the Issuer or an agent of the Issuer.  The Trustee or such agent shall deliver at its office such Securities to or as directed by the Persons in whose names such Securities are so registered.

 

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All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be valid and legally binding obligations of the Issuer, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

 

SECTION 2.9Mutilated, Defaced, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.  In case any temporary or definitive Security shall become mutilated or defaced or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Issuer in its discretion may execute, and upon the written request of the Issuer, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver a new Security of the same series, maturity date, interest rate, if any, and original issue date, bearing a number or other distinguishing symbol not contemporaneously outstanding, in exchange and substitution for the mutilated or defaced Security, or in lieu of and in substitution for the Security so destroyed, lost or stolen.  In every case the applicant for a substitute Security shall furnish to the Issuer and to the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by the Trustee or the Issuer or any such agent to indemnify and defend and to save each of the Trustee and the Issuer and any such agent harmless and, in every case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of such Security and of the ownership thereof and in the case of mutilation or defacement, shall surrender the Security to the Trustee or such agent.

 

Upon the issuance of any substitute Security, the Issuer may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee or its agent) connected therewith.  In case any Security which has matured or is about to mature or has been called for redemption in full shall become mutilated or defaced or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Issuer may instead of issuing a substitute Security, pay or authorize the payment of the same (without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated or defaced Security), if the applicant for such payment shall furnish to the Issuer and to the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee such security or indemnity as any of them may require to hold each of them harmless, and, in every case of destruction, loss or theft, the applicant shall also furnish to the Issuer and the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee evidence to the Trustee’s satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of such Security and of the ownership thereof.

 

Every substitute Security of any series issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section by virtue of the fact that any such Security is destroyed, lost or stolen shall constitute an additional contractual obligation of the Issuer, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone and shall be entitled to all the benefits of (but shall be subject to all the limitations of rights set forth in) this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series duly authenticated and delivered hereunder.  All Securities shall be held and owned upon the express condition that, to the extent permitted by law, the foregoing provisions are exclusive with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities and shall preclude any and all other rights or remedies notwithstanding any law or statute existing or hereafter enacted to the contrary with respect to the replacement or payment of negotiable instruments or other securities without their surrender.

 

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SECTION 2.10Cancellation of Securities; Disposition Thereof.  All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange, or for credit against any payment in respect of a sinking or analogous fund, if surrendered to the Issuer or any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee or any agent of the Trustee, shall be delivered to the Trustee or its agent for cancellation or, if surrendered to the Trustee, shall be cancelled by it; and no Securities shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Indenture.  The Trustee shall dispose of all cancelled Securities in accordance with its standard procedures and shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Issuer.  If the Issuer or its agent shall acquire any of the Securities, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are delivered to the Trustee or its agent for cancellation.

 

SECTION 2.11Temporary Securities.  Pending the preparation of definitive Securities for any series, the Issuer may execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver temporary Securities for such series (printed, lithographed, typewritten or otherwise reproduced, in each case in form satisfactory to the Trustee).  Temporary Securities of any series shall be issuable in any authorized denomination, and substantially in the form of the definitive Securities of such series but with such omissions, insertions and variations as may be appropriate for temporary Securities, all as may be determined by the Issuer with the concurrence of the Trustee as evidenced by the execution and authentication thereof.  Temporary Securities may contain such references to any provisions of this Indenture as may be appropriate.  Every temporary Security shall be executed by the Issuer and be authenticated by the Trustee upon the same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with like effect, as the definitive Securities.  Without unreasonable delay the Issuer shall execute and shall furnish definitive Securities of such series and thereupon temporary Securities of such series may be surrendered in exchange therefor without charge at each office or agency to be maintained by the Issuer for that purpose pursuant to Section 3.2 and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange for such temporary Securities of such series an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series having authorized denominations.  Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of any series shall be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series, unless otherwise established pursuant to Section 2.3.

 

SECTION 2.12CUSIP Numbers.  The Issuer in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers.

 

 

ARTICLE THREE
COVENANTS

 

SECTION 3.1Payment of Principal and Interest.  The Issuer covenants and agrees that it will duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid the principal of, premium, if any, and interest,

 

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if any, on each of the Securities at the place, at the respective times and in the manner provided in the Securities.

 

SECTION 3.2Offices for Notices and Payments, etc.  So long as any of the Securities are Outstanding, the Issuer and Hovnanian will maintain in each Place of Payment, an office or agency where the Securities may be presented for payment, an office or agency where the Securities may be presented for registration of transfer and for exchange as provided in this Indenture, and an office or agency where notices and demands to or upon the Issuer and Hovnanian in respect of the Securities or of this Indenture may be served.  In case the Issuer shall at any time fail to maintain any such office or agency, or shall fail to give notice to the Trustee of any change in the location thereof, presentation may be made and notice and demand may be served in respect of the Securities or of this Indenture to the Trustee.  The Issuer hereby initially designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee for each such purpose and appoints the Trustee as registrar and paying agent and as the agent upon whom notices and demands may be served with respect to the Securities.

 

SECTION 3.3No Interest Extension.  In order to prevent any accumulation of claims for interest after maturity thereof, the Issuer will not directly or indirectly extend or consent to the extension of the time for the payment of any claim for interest on any of the Securities and will not directly or indirectly be a party to or approve any such arrangement by the purchase or funding of said claims or in any other manner; provided, however, that this Section 3.3 shall not apply in any case where an extension shall be made pursuant to a plan proposed by the Issuer to the Holders of all Securities of any series then Outstanding.

 

SECTION 3.4Appointments to Fill Vacancies in Trustee’s Office.  The Issuer, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in the office of the Trustee, will appoint, in the manner provided in Section 6.10, a Trustee, so that there shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder.

 

SECTION 3.5Provision as to Paying Agent.  (a)  If the Issuer shall appoint a paying agent other than the Trustee, it will cause such paying agent to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such paying agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.5,

 

(1)   that it will hold all sums held by it as such paying agent for the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities (whether such sums have been paid to it by the Issuer or by any other obligor on the Securities) in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities and the Trustee; and
 
(2)   that it will give the Trustee notice of any failure by the Issuer (or by any other obligor on the Securities) to make any payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities when the same shall be due and payable; and
 
(3)   that it will, at any time during the continuance of any such failure, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such paying agent.
 
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(b)   If the Issuer shall act as its own paying agent, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities, set aside, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities a sum sufficient to pay such principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, so becoming due and will notify the Trustee of any failure to take such action and of any failure by the Issuer (or by any other obligor under the Securities) to make any payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities when the same shall become due and payable.

 

(c)   Anything in this Section 3.5 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Issuer may, at any time, for the purpose of obtaining a satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, or for any other reason, pay or cause to be paid to the Trustee all sums held in trust by it, or any paying agent hereunder, as required by this Section 3.5, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the trusts herein contained.

 

(d)   Anything in this Section 3.5 to the contrary notwithstanding, any agreement of the Trustee or any paying agent to hold sums in trust as provided in this Section 3.5 is subject to Sections 10.3 and 10.4.

 

(e)   Whenever the Issuer shall have one or more paying agents, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of or interest, if any, on any Securities, deposit with a paying agent a sum sufficient to pay the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, and (unless such paying agent is the Trustee) the Issuer will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

 

SECTION 3.6Limitation on Liens.  So long as any of the Securities are Outstanding, the Issuer will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate or grant a security interest in, or permit any mortgage, pledge, security interest or other lien upon, any property or assets owned by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to secure any Indebtedness, without making effective provision whereby the Securities then Outstanding shall (so long as such other Indebtedness shall be so secured) be equally and ratably secured with any and all such other Indebtedness and any other indebtedness similarly entitled to be equally and ratably secured; provided, however, that this restriction shall not apply to nor prevent the creation or existence of:

 

(a)   any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance upon any property or assets created at the time of the acquisition of such property or assets by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or within one year after such time to secure all or a portion of the purchase price for such property or assets;

 

(b)   any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance upon any property or assets existing thereon at the time of the acquisition thereof by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (whether or not the obligations secured thereby are assumed by the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer);

 

(c)   any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance upon any property or assets, whenever acquired, of any corporation or other entity that becomes a

 

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Restricted Subsidiary after the date hereof, provided that (i) the instrument creating such mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance shall be in effect prior to the time such corporation or other entity becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) such mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance shall only apply to properties or assets owned by such corporation or other entity at the time it becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or thereafter acquired by it from sources other than the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(d)   any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance in favor of the Issuer or any wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Issuer;

 

(e)   any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance created or assumed by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with the issuance of debt securities to interest on which is excludable from gross income of the holder of such security pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, for the purpose of financing, in whole or in part, the acquisition or construction of property or assets to be used by the Issuer or a Subsidiary;

 

(f)    any extension, renewal or refunding of any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance permitted by the foregoing subparagraphs (a) through (e) above on substantially the same property or assets theretofore subject thereto;

 

(g)   any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance securing any Indebtedness in an amount which, together with all other Indebtedness secured by a mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance that is not otherwise permitted by the provisions of this Section 3.6, does not at the time of the incurrence of the Indebtedness so secured exceed 20% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets;

 

(h)   deposits or pledges to secure the payment of workmen’s compensation, unemployment insurance or other social security benefits or obligations, or to secure the performance of trade contracts, leases, public or statutory obligations, surety or appeal bonds or other obligations of a like general nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(i)    mechanics’, materialmen’s, warehousemen’s, carriers’ or other like liens arising in the ordinary course of business securing obligations which are not overdue for a period longer than 30 days or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings;

 

(j)    liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges not yet payable or being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves shall have been established in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

(k)   non-recourse mortgages on Income Producing Properties securing Indebtedness;

 

(l)    liens on assets of a Mortgage Subsidiary to secure only a Warehouse Line of Credit provided to such Subsidiary;

 

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(m)  easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances incurred in the ordinary course of business; or

 

(n)   liens in connection with capital leases or sale leaseback transactions not securing any other indebtedness.

 

In case the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary shall propose to pledge, mortgage, hypothecate or grant a security interest in any property or assets owned by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to secure any Indebtedness, other than as permitted by subdivisions (a) to (n), inclusive, of this Section 3.6, the Issuer will prior thereto give written notice thereof to the Trustee, and the Issuer will, or will cause such Restricted Subsidiary to, prior to or simultaneously with such pledge, mortgage, hypothecation or grant of security interest, by supplemental indenture executed to the Trustee (or to the extent legally necessary to another trustee or additional or separate trustee), in form satisfactory to the Trustee, effectively secure (for so long as such other Indebtedness shall be so secured) all the Securities equally and ratably with such Indebtedness and with any other indebtedness similarly entitled to be equally and ratably secured. Such supplemental indenture shall contain the provisions concerning the possession, control, release and substitution of mortgaged and pledged property and securities and other appropriate matters which are required by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (as in effect at the date of execution of such supplemental indenture) to be included in a secured indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, and may also contain such additional and amendatory provisions permitted by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as the Issuer and the Trustee shall deem advisable or appropriate or as the Trustee shall deem necessary in connection with such pledge, mortgage, hypothecation or grant of security interest.

 

For purpose of this Section 3.6, “security interest” shall include the interest of the lessor under a lease with a term of three years or more that should be, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, recorded as a capital lease, and any such lease of property or assets not acquired from the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in contemplation of such lease shall be treated as though the lessee had purchased such property or assets from the lessor.

 

ARTICLE FOUR
SECURITYHOLDERS LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE
ISSUER, HOVNANIAN AND THE TRUSTEE

 

SECTION 4.1Issuer and Hovnanian to Furnish Trustee Information as to Names and Addresses of Securityholders.  The Issuer and Hovnanian and any other obligor on the Securities covenant and agree that they will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee a list in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the Holders of the Securities of each series:

 

(a)   semiannually and not more than 15 days after each January 1 and July 1, and

 

(b)   at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 15 days after receipt by the Issuer of any such request,

 

provided that if and so long as the Trustee shall be the registrar for such series, such list shall not be required to be furnished.

 

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SECTION 4.2Preservation and Disclosure of Securityholders Lists.  (a)  The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, all information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of each series of Securities (i) contained in the most recent list furnished to it as provided in Section 4.1, and (ii) received by it in the capacity of registrar or paying agent for such series, if so acting.  The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 4.1 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

 

(b)   In case three or more Holders of Securities (hereinafter referred to as “applicants”) apply in writing to the Trustee and furnish to the Trustee reasonable proof that each such applicant has owned a Security for a period of at least six months preceding the date of such application, and such application states that the applicants desire to communicate with other Holders of Securities of a particular series (in which case the applicants must all hold Securities of such series) or with Holders of all Securities with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under such Securities and such application is accompanied by a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which such applicants propose to transmit, then the Trustee shall, within five Business Days after the receipt of such application, at its election, either

 

(i)            afford to such applicants access to the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section 4.2, or
 
(ii)           inform such applicants as to the approximate number of Holders of Securities of such series or of all Securities, as the case may be, whose names and addresses appear in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section 4.2, and as to the approximate cost of mailing to such Securityholders the form of proxy or other communication, if any, specified in such application.
 

If the Trustee shall elect not to afford to such applicants access to such information, the Trustee shall, upon the written request of such applicants, mail to each Securityholder of such series or all Holders of Securities, as the case may be, whose name and address appears in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section 4.2 a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which is specified in such request, with reasonable promptness after a tender to the Trustee of the material to be mailed and of payment, or provision for the payment, of the reasonable expenses of mailing, unless within five days after such tender, the Trustee shall mail to such applicants and file with the Commission, together with a copy of the material to be mailed, a written statement to the effect that, in the opinion of the Trustee, such mailing would be contrary to the best interests of the Holders of Securities of such series or of all Securities, as the case may be, or would be in violation of applicable law.  Such written statement shall specify the basis of such opinion.  If the Commission, after opportunity for a hearing upon the objections specified in the written statement so filed, shall enter an order refusing to sustain any of such objections or if, after the entry of an order sustaining one or more of such objections, the Commission shall find, after notice and opportunity for hearing, that all the objections so sustained have been met, and shall enter an order so declaring, the Trustee shall mail copies of such material to all such Securityholders with reasonable promptness after the entry of such order and the renewal of such tender; otherwise the Trustee shall be relieved of any obligation or duty to such applicants respecting their application.

 

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(c)   Each and every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Issuer, Hovnanian and the Trustee that neither the Issuer nor Hovnanian nor the Trustee nor any agent of the Issuer or Hovnanian or the Trustee shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section 4.2, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under such subsection (b).

 

SECTION 4.3Reports by the Issuer and Hovnanian.  The Issuer and Hovnanian covenant:

 

(a)   to file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Issuer or Hovnanian is required, as the case may be, to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Issuer or Hovnanian, as the case may be, may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; or, if the Issuer or Hovnanian, as the case may be, is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of such Exchange Act Sections, then to file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act, in respect of a debt security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

 

(b)   to file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Issuer or Hovnanian, as the case may be, with the conditions and covenants provided for in this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations;

 

(c)   to transmit by mail to the Holders of Securities within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 4.4(a), such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Issuer or Hovnanian, as the case may be, pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 4.3 as may be required to be transmitted to such Holders by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission; and

 

(d)   to furnish to the Trustee, not less than annually, a brief certificate from the principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer as to his knowledge of the Issuer’s or Hovnanian’s, as the case may be, compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture.  For purposes of this subsection (d), such compliance shall be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided under this Indenture.

 

SECTION 4.4Reports by the Trustee.  (a)  The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto.  To the extent that any such report is required by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 with respect to any

 

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12 month period, such report shall cover the 12 month period ending May 15 and shall be transmitted by the next succeeding July 15.

 

(b)   A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Securityholders, be furnished to the Issuer and Hovnanian and be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon which the Securities of any applicable series are listed and also with the Commission.  The Issuer and Hovnanian agree to promptly notify the Trustee with respect to any series when and as the Securities of such series become admitted to trading on any national securities exchange.

 

ARTICLE FIVE
REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITY HOLDERS
ON EVENT OF DEFAULT

 

SECTION 5.1Events of Default.  “Event of Default”, wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one or more of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default), unless it is either inapplicable to a particular series or it is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture establishing such series of Securities or in the form of Security, for such series:

 

(a)   default in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, of the Securities of such series as and when the same shall become due and payable either at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration or otherwise; or

 

(b)   default in the payment of any installment of interest on any of the Securities of such series as and when the same shall become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

 

(c)   default in the payment or satisfaction of any sinking fund or other purchase obligation with respect to Securities of such series, as and when such obligation shall become due and payable; or

 

(d)   failure on the part of the Issuer or a Guarantor duly to observe or perform any other of the covenants or agreements on the part of the Issuer in, or a Guarantor of, the Securities of such series or in this Indenture continued for a period of 90 days after the date on which written notice of such failure, requiring the Issuer or a Guarantor to remedy the same, shall have been given by certified or registered mail to the Issuer or a Guarantor by the Trustee, or to the Issuer or a Guarantor and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding; or

 

(e)   without the consent of the Issuer or Hovnanian, a court having jurisdiction shall enter an order for relief with respect to the Issuer or Hovnanian or any of its Significant Subsidiaries under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, or without the consent of the Issuer or Hovnanian, a court having jurisdiction shall enter a judgment, order or decree adjudging the Issuer or Hovnanian or any of its Significant Subsidiaries bankrupt or insolvent, or enter an order for relief for reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Issuer or Hovnanian or any of its

 

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Significant Subsidiaries under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, and the continuance of any such judgment, order or decree is unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

 

(f)    the Issuer or Hovnanian or any of its Significant Subsidiaries shall institute proceedings for entry of an order for relief with respect to the Issuer or Hovnanian or any of its Significant Subsidiaries under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, or for an adjudication of insolvency, or shall consent to the institution of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings against it, or shall file a petition seeking, or seek or consent to reorganization, arrangement, composition or relief under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, or shall consent to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of a receiver, custodian, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Issuer or Hovnanian or of substantially all of its property, or the Issuer or Hovnanian or any of its Significant Subsidiaries shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors as recognized under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; or

 

(g)   a Guarantee ceases to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with the terms of any Guarantee) or a Guarantor denies or disaffirms its obligations under the Guarantee; or

 

(h)   any other Event of Default provided with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series then Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then and in each and every such case, unless the principal of all of the Securities of such series shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding, by notice in writing to the Issuer (and to the Trustee if given by Securityholders), may declare the principal (or, if the Securities of such series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) of all the Securities of such series and the interest, if any, accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and shall be immediately due and payable, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Indenture or in the Securities of such series.  This provision, however, is subject to the condition that, if at any time after the unpaid principal amount (or such specified amount) of the Securities of such series shall have been so declared due and payable and before any judgment or decree for the payment of the moneys due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, the Issuer shall pay or shall deposit with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest, if any, upon all of the Securities of such series and the principal of any and all Securities of such series which shall have become due otherwise than by acceleration (with interest on overdue installments of interest, if any, to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law and on such principal at the rate borne by the Securities of such series to the date of such payment or deposit) and the reasonable compensation, disbursements, expenses and

 

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advances of the Trustee and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.6, and any and all defaults under this Indenture, other than the nonpayment of such portion of the principal amount of and accrued interest, if any, on Securities of such series which shall have become due by acceleration, shall have been cured or shall have been waived in accordance with Section 5.7 or provision deemed by the Trustee to be adequate shall have been made therefor, then and in every such case the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding, by written notice to the Issuer and to the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences; but no such rescission and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any subsequent default, or shall impair any right consequent thereon.  Notwithstanding the previous sentence, no waiver shall be effective against any Holder for any Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would be an Event of Default with respect to any covenant or provision which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each outstanding Security affected thereby, unless all such affected Holders agree, in writing, to waive such Event of Default or other event.

 

If any Event of Default specified in Section 5.1(e) or 5.1(f) occurs with respect to the Issuer, all unpaid principal amount (or, if the Securities of any series then Outstanding are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of each such series) and accrued interest on all Securities of each series then Outstanding shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act by the Trustee or any Securityholder.

 

If the Trustee shall have proceeded to enforce any right under this Indenture and such proceedings shall have been discontinued or abandoned because of such rescission or annulment or for any other reason or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee, then and in every such case the Issuer, the Trustee and the Securityholders shall be restored respectively to their several positions and rights hereunder, and all rights, remedies and powers of the Issuer, the Trustee and the Securityholders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been taken.

 

Except with respect to an Event of Default pursuant to Section 5.1 (a), (b) or (c), the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any Event of Default unless written notice thereof shall have been given to a Responsible Officer by the Issuer, a paying agent or any Securityholder.

 

SECTION 5.2Payment of Securities on Default; Suit Therefor.  The Issuer covenants that (a) if default shall be made in the payment of any installment of interest upon any of the Securities of any series then Outstanding as and when the same shall become due and payable, and such default shall have continued for a period of 30 days, or (b) if default shall be made in the payment of the principal of any of the Securities of such series as and when the same shall have become due and payable, whether at maturity of the Securities of such series or upon redemption or by declaration or otherwise, then, upon demand of the Trustee, the Issuer will pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities, the whole amount that then shall have become due and payable on all such Securities of such series for principal or interest, if any, or both, as the case may be, with interest upon the overdue principal and (to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) upon the overdue installments of interest, if any, at the rate borne by the Securities of such series; and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including a

 

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reasonable compensation to the Trustee, its agents, attorneys and counsel, and any expenses or liabilities incurred by the Trustee hereunder other than through its negligence or bad faith.

 

If the Issuer shall fail forthwith to pay such amounts upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, shall be entitled and empowered to institute any actions or proceedings at law or in equity for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute any such action or proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce any such judgment or final decree against the Issuer or any other obligor on the Securities of such series and collect in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Issuer or any other obligor on the Securities of such series, wherever situated, the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable.

 

If there shall be pending proceedings for the bankruptcy or for the reorganization of the Issuer or any other obligor on the Securities of any series then Outstanding under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or if a receiver or trustee or similar official shall have been appointed for the property of the Issuer or such other obligor, or in the case of any other similar judicial proceedings relative to the Issuer or other obligor upon the Securities of such series, or to the creditors or property of the Issuer or such other obligor, the Trustee, irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities of such series shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5.2, shall be entitled and empowered by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise to file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount of principal and interest, if any, owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities of such series, and, in case of any judicial proceedings, to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee and of the Securityholders allowed in such judicial proceedings relative to the Issuer or any other obligor on the Securities of such series, its or their creditors, or its or their property, and to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims, and to distribute the same after the deduction of its charges and expenses, and any receiver, assignee or trustee or similar official in bankruptcy or reorganization is hereby authorized by each of the Securityholders to make such payments to the Trustee, and, if the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Securityholders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for compensation and expenses or otherwise pursuant to Section 6.6, including counsel fees and expenses incurred by it up to the date of such distribution.  To the extent that such payment of reasonable compensation, expenses and counsel fees and expenses out of the estate in any such proceedings shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, moneys, securities and other property which the Holders of the Securities of such series may be entitled to receive in such proceedings, whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise.

 

All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture, or under any of the Securities, may be enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities, or the production thereof at any trial or other proceeding relative thereto, and any such suit or proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities of the series in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

 

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SECTION 5.3Application of Moneys Collected by Trustee.  Any moneys collected by the Trustee pursuant to Section 5.2 with respect to Securities of any series then Outstanding shall be applied in the order following, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee for the distribution of such moneys, upon presentation of the several Securities of such series, and stamping thereon the payment, if only partially paid, and upon surrender thereof, if fully paid:

 

FIRST:  To the payment of costs and expenses of collection and reasonable compensation to the Trustee, its agents, attorneys and counsel, and of all other expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.6 except as a result of its negligence or bad faith;

 

SECOND:  If the principal of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall not have become due and be unpaid, to the payment of interest, if any, on the Securities of such series, in the order of the maturity of the installments of such interest, if any, with interest (to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee) upon the overdue installments of interest, if any, at the rate borne by the Securities of such series, such payment to be made ratably to the Persons entitled thereto;

 

THIRD:  If the principal of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have become due, by declaration or otherwise, to the payment of the whole amount then owing and unpaid upon the Securities of such series for principal and interest, if any, with interest on the overdue principal and (to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee) upon overdue installments of interest, if any, at the rate borne by the Securities of such series; and in case such moneys shall be insufficient to pay in full the whole amounts so due and unpaid upon the Securities of such series, then to the payment of such principal and interest, if any, without preference or priority of principal over interest or of interest over principal, or of any installment of interest over any other installment of interest, or of any Security over any other Security, ratably to the aggregate of such principal and accrued and unpaid interest; and

 

FOURTH:  To the payment of any surplus then remaining to the Issuer, its successors or assigns, or to whomsoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same.

 

No claim for interest which in any manner at or after maturity shall have been transferred or pledged separate or apart from the Securities to which it relates, or which in any manner shall have been kept alive after maturity by an extension (otherwise than pursuant to an extension made pursuant to a plan proposed by the Issuer to the Holders of all Securities of any series then Outstanding), purchase, funding or otherwise by or on behalf or with the consent or approval of the Issuer shall be entitled, in case of a default hereunder, to any benefit of this Indenture, except after prior payment in full of the principal of all Securities of any series then Outstanding and of all claims for interest not so transferred, pledged, kept alive, extended, purchased or funded.

 

SECTION 5.4Proceedings by Securityholders.  No Holder of any Securities of any series then Outstanding shall have any right by virtue of or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or with respect to this Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or similar official, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless such Holder previously shall have given to the Trustee

 

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written notice of default and of the continuance thereof, as hereinbefore provided, and unless the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute such action, suit or proceeding in its own name as Trustee hereunder and shall have offered to the Trustee such reasonable indemnity as it may require against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred therein or thereby, and the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity, shall have neglected or refused to institute any such action, suit or proceeding, it being understood and intended, and being expressly covenanted by the Holder of every Security of such series with every other Holder and the Trustee, that no one or more Holders of Securities of such series shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of or by availing of any provision of this Indenture or of the Securities to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other Holder of such Securities of such series, or to obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference as to any other such Holder, or to enforce any right under this Indenture or the Securities, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all Holders of Securities of such series.

 

Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Indenture, however, the right of any Holder of any Security to receive payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Security, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Security, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

 

SECTION 5.5Proceedings by Trustee.  In case of an Event of Default hereunder, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce the rights vested in it by this Indenture by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any of such rights, either by suit in equity or by action at law or by proceedings in bankruptcy or otherwise, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Indenture, or to enforce any other legal or equitable right vested in the Trustee by this Indenture or by law.

 

SECTION 5.6Remedies Cumulative and Continuing.  All powers and remedies given by this Article Five to the Trustee or to the Securityholders shall, to the extent permitted by law, be deemed cumulative and not exclusive of any thereof or of any other powers and remedies available to the Trustee or the Securityholders, by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to enforce the performance or observance of the covenants and agreements contained in this Indenture, and no delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Securityholder to exercise any right or power accruing upon any default occurring and continuing as aforesaid shall impair any such right or power, or shall be construed to be a waiver of any such default or an acquiescence therein; and, subject to the provisions of Section 5.4, every power and remedy given by this Article Five or by law to the Trustee or to the Securityholders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as shall be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Securityholders.

 

SECTION 5.7Direction of Proceedings; Waiver of Defaults by Majority of Securityholders.  The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any series then Outstanding shall have the right to direct the time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or

 

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power conferred on the Trustee with respect to Securities of such series; provided, however, that (subject to the provisions of Section 6.1) the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee shall determine upon advice of counsel that the action or proceeding so directed may not lawfully be taken or if the Trustee in good faith by its board of directors, its executive committee, or a trust committee of directors or Responsible Officers or both shall determine that the action or proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability.  The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any series then Outstanding may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Securities of such series waive any past default or Event of Default hereunder and its consequences except a default in the payment of interest, if any, on, or the principal of, the Securities of such series.  Upon any such waiver the Issuer, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities of such series shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.  Whenever any default or Event of Default hereunder shall have been waived as permitted by this Section 5.7, said default or Event of Default shall for all purposes of the Securities and this Indenture be deemed to have been cured and to be not continuing.

 

SECTION 5.8Notice of Defaults.  The Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of a default, with respect to Securities of any series then Outstanding, mail to all Holders of Securities of such series, as the names and the addresses of such Holders appear upon the Securities register, notice of all defaults known to the Trustee with respect to such series, unless such defaults shall have been cured before the giving of such notice (the term “defaults” for the purpose of this Section 5.8 being hereby defined to be the events specified in clauses (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h) of Section 5.1, not including periods of grace, if any, provided for therein and irrespective of the giving of the written notice specified in said clause (d) but in the case of any default of the character specified in said clause (d) no such notice to Securityholders shall be given until at least 60 days after the giving of written notice thereof to the Issuer pursuant to said clause (d)); provided, however, that, except in the case of default in the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on any of the Securities, or in the payment or satisfaction of any sinking fund or other purchase obligation, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee, or a trust committee of directors or Responsible Officers or both of the Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the best interests of the Securityholders.

 

SECTION 5.9Undertaking to Pay Costs.  All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the cost of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.9 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Securityholder, or group of Securityholders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the Securities of any series then Outstanding, or to any suit instituted by any Securityholders for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security against the Issuer on or after the due date expressed in such Security.

 

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ARTICLE SIX
CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE

 

SECTION 6.1Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee; During Default; Prior to Default.  In case an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of a series has occurred (which has not been cured or waived) the Trustee shall exercise with respect to such series of Securities such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.

 

No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:

 

(a)   prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series and after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default with respect to such series which may have occurred:

 

(i)            the duties and obligations of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture, and the Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and
 
(ii)           in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Trustee, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any statements, certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such statements, certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture;
 

(b)   the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and

 

(c)   the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders pursuant to Section 5.7 relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture.

 

None of the provisions contained in this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if there shall be reasonable ground for

 

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believing that the repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such liability is not reasonably assured to it.

 

SECTION 6.2.   Certain Rights of the Trustee.

 

Subject to Section 6.1:

 

(a)   the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, Officers’ Certificate or any other certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon, security or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

 

(b)   any request, direction, order or demand of the Issuer mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or Issuer Order (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed); and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be evidenced to the Trustee by a Board Resolution;

 

(c)   the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and any advice of such counsel promptly confirmed in writing shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon in accordance with such advice or Opinion of Counsel;

 

(d)   the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the trusts or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request, order or direction of any of the Securityholders pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture (including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 5.7), unless such Securityholders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred therein or thereby;

 

(e)   the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion, rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture;

 

(f)    prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default, the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, approval, appraisal, bond, debenture, note, coupon, security, or other paper or document unless requested in writing so to do by the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of all series affected then Outstanding; provided that, if the payment within a reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses or liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of such investigation is, in the opinion of the Trustee, not reasonably assured to the Trustee by the security afforded to it by the terms of this Indenture, the Trustee may require reasonable indemnity against such expenses or liabilities as a condition to proceeding; the reasonable expenses of every such investigation shall be paid by the Issuer or, if paid by the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee, shall be repaid by the Issuer upon demand;

 

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(g)   the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys not regularly in its employ and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;

 

(h)   the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default with respect to a series of Securities unless either (i) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee assigned to the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee (or any successor division or department of the Trustee) shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (ii) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Issuer or any other obligor on such series of Securities or by any Holder of Securities of such series; and

 

(i)    the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture.

 

SECTION 6.3Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals, Disposition of Securities or Application of Proceeds Thereof.  The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Issuer, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the same.  The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture, of the Securities or of any prospectus used to sell the Securities.  The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Issuer of any of the Securities or of the proceeds thereof.

 

SECTION 6.4Trustee and Agents May Hold Securities; Collections, etc.  The Trustee or any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee or such agent and, subject to Sections 6.8 and 6.13, may otherwise deal with the Issuer and receive, collect, hold and retain collections from the Issuer with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee or such agent.

 

SECTION 6.5Moneys Held by Trustee.  Subject to the provisions of Section 10.4 hereof, all moneys received by the Trustee shall, until used or applied as herein provided, be held in trust for the purposes for which they were received, but need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of law.  Neither the Trustee nor any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee shall be under any liability for interest on any moneys received by it hereunder.

 

SECTION 6.6Compensation and Indemnification of Trustee and Its Prior Claim.  The Issuer covenants and agrees to pay to the Trustee from time to time, and the Trustee shall be entitled to, such compensation as shall be agreed to in writing between the Issuer and the Trustee (which shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust) and the Issuer covenants and agrees to pay or reimburse the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by or on behalf of it in accordance with any of the provisions of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its counsel and of all agents and other persons not regularly in its employ) except any such expense, disbursement

 

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or advance as may arise from its negligence or bad faith.  The Issuer also covenants to indemnify the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any and all loss, liability, damage, claim or expense, including taxes (other than taxes based on the income of the Trustee), incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Indenture or the trusts hereunder and its duties hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against or investigating any claim or liability in the premises.  The obligations of the Issuer under this Section 6.6 to compensate and indemnify the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee for expenses, disbursements and advances shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder and shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the resignation or removal of the Trustee.  Such additional indebtedness shall be a senior claim to that of the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of particular Securities.  When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 5.1 or in connection with Article Five hereof, the expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for the service in connection therewith are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any bankruptcy law.  The provisions of this Section 6.6 shall survive the resignation or removal of the Trustee and the termination of this Indenture.

 

SECTION 6.7Right of Trustee to Rely on Officers’ Certificate, etc.  Subject to Sections 6.1 and 6.2, whenever in the administration of the trusts of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking or suffering or omitting any action hereunder, such matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by an Officers’ Certificate delivered to the Trustee, and such certificate, in the absence of negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, shall be full warrant to the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it under the provisions of this Indenture upon the faith thereof.

 

SECTION 6.8Qualification of Trustee; Conflicting Interests.  This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.  The Trustee shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.  The Trustee shall comply with Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 regarding disqualification of a trustee upon acquiring a conflicting interest.

 

SECTION 6.9Persons Eligible for Appointment as Trustee; Different Trustees for Different Series.  The Trustee for each series of Securities hereunder shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any state or the District of Columbia having a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000, and which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal, state or District of Columbia authority, or a corporation or other Person permitted to act as trustee by the Commission.  If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as

 

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set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.  No obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of such obligor shall serve as trustee upon the Securities.  In case at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.9, the Trustee shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in Section 6.10.

 

A different Trustee may be appointed by the Issuer for each series of Securities prior to the issuance of such Securities.  If the initial Trustee for any series of Securities is to be a trustee other than Wachovia Bank, National Association, the Issuer and such Trustee shall, prior to the issuance of such Securities, execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto, which shall provide for the appointment of such Trustee as Trustee for the Securities of such series and shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee.

 

SECTION 6.10Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor Trustee.  (a)  The Trustee, or any trustee or trustees hereafter appointed, may at any time resign with respect to one or more or all series of Securities by giving written notice of resignation to the Issuer.  Upon receiving such notice of resignation, the Issuer shall promptly appoint a successor trustee or trustees with respect to the applicable series by written instrument in duplicate, executed by authority of the Board of Directors, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the resigning trustee and one copy to the successor trustee or trustees.  If no successor trustee shall have been so appointed with respect to any series and have accepted appointment within 30 days after the mailing of such notice of resignation, the resigning trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor trustee, or any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security or Securities of the applicable series for at least six months may, subject to the provisions of Section 5.9, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any such court for the appointment of a successor trustee.  Such court may thereupon, after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, appoint a successor trustee.

 

(b)   In case at any time any of the following shall occur:

 

(i)            the Trustee shall fail to comply with the provisions of Section 6.8 with respect to any series of Securities after written request therefor by the Issuer or by any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security or Securities of such series for at least six months; or
 
(ii)           the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.9 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Issuer or by any such Securityholder; or
 
(iii)          the Trustee shall become incapable of acting with respect to any series of Securities, or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or a receiver or liquidator of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed, or any public officer shall take charge or
 
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control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation;
 

then, in any such case, the Issuer may remove the Trustee with respect to the applicable series of Securities and appoint a successor trustee for such series by written instrument, in duplicate, executed by order of the Board of Directors one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the Trustee so removed and one copy to the successor trustee, or, subject to the provisions of Article Five, any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security or Securities of such series for at least six months may on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor trustee with respect to such series.  Such court may thereupon, after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, remove the Trustee and appoint a successor trustee.

 

(c)   The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of each series then Outstanding may at any time remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of such series and appoint a successor trustee with respect to the Securities of such series by delivering to the Trustee so removed, to the successor trustee so appointed and to the Issuer the evidence provided for in Section 7.1 of the action in that regard taken by the Securityholders.  If no successor trustee shall have been so appointed with respect to any series and have accepted appointment within 30 days after the delivery of such evidence of removal, the Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor trustee, or any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security or Securities of the applicable series for at least six months may, subject to the provisions of Section 5.9, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any such court for the appointment of a successor trustee.  Such court may thereupon, after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, appoint a successor trustee.

 

(d)   Any resignation or removal of the Trustee with respect to any series and any appointment of a successor trustee with respect to such series pursuant to any of the provisions of this Section 6.10 shall become effective upon acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee as provided in Section 6.11.

 

SECTION 6.11Acceptance of Appointment by Successor Trustee.  Any successor trustee appointed as provided in Section 6.10 shall execute and deliver to the Issuer and to its predecessor trustee an instrument accepting such appointment hereunder, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the predecessor trustee with respect to all or any applicable series shall become effective and such successor trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all rights, powers, duties and obligations with respect to such series of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as trustee for such series hereunder; but, nevertheless, on the written request of the Issuer or of the successor trustee, upon payment of its charges then unpaid, the trustee ceasing to act shall, subject to Section 10.4, pay over to the successor trustee all moneys at the time held by it hereunder and shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor trustee all such rights, powers, duties and obligations.  Upon request of any such successor trustee, the Issuer shall execute any and all instruments in writing for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor trustee all such rights and powers.  Any trustee ceasing to act shall, nevertheless, retain a prior

 

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claim upon all property or funds held or collected by such trustee to secure any amounts then due it pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.6.

 

If a successor trustee is appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Issuer, the predecessor Trustee and each successor trustee with respect to the Securities of any applicable series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto which shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series as to which the predecessor Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the predecessor Trustee, and shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts under separate indentures.

 

No successor trustee with respect to any series of Securities shall accept appointment as provided in this Section 6.11 unless at the time of such acceptance such successor trustee shall be qualified under the provisions of Section 6.8 and eligible under the provisions of Section 6.9.

 

Upon acceptance of appointment by any successor trustee as provided in this Section 6.11, the Issuer shall give notice thereof to the Holders of Securities of each series affected, by mailing such notice to such Holders at their addresses as they shall appear on the registry books.  If the Issuer fails to give such notice within ten days after acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee, the successor trustee shall cause such notice to be given at the expense of the Issuer.

 

SECTION 6.12Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business of Trustee.  Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee (including the trust created by this Indenture), shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided that such corporation shall be qualified under the provisions of Section 6.8 and eligible under the provisions of Section 6.9, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding.

 

In case at the time such successor to the Trustee shall succeed to the trusts created by this Indenture and any of the Securities of any series shall have been authenticated but not delivered, any such successor to the Trustee may adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor Trustee and deliver such Securities so authenticated; and, in case at that time any of the Securities of any series shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee may authenticate such Securities either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name of the successor Trustee; and in all such cases such certificate of authentication shall have the full force as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities; provided, that the right to adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor Trustee or to authenticate Securities of any series in the name of any predecessor Trustee shall apply only to its successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation.

 

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SECTION 6.13Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuer.  The Trustee shall comply with Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, excluding any creditor relationship listed in Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.  A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 to the extent indicated therein.

 

SECTION 6.14Appointment of Authenticating Agent.  As long as any Securities of a series remain Outstanding, the Trustee may, by an instrument in writing, appoint with the approval of the Issuer an authenticating agent (the “Authenticating Agent”) which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities, including Securities issued upon exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or pursuant to Section 2.9. Securities of each such series authenticated by such Authenticating Agent shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee.  Whenever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities of any series by the Trustee or to the Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent for such series and a Certificate of Authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by such Authenticating Agent.  Such Authenticating Agent shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any state or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000 (determined as provided in Section 6.9 with respect to the Trustee) and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority.

 

Any corporation into which any Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted, or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which any Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency business (including the authenticating agency contemplated by this Indenture) of any Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be the Authenticating Agent with respect to all series of Securities for which it served as Authenticating Agent without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or such Authenticating Agent.  Any Authenticating Agent may at any time, and if it shall cease to be eligible shall, resign by giving written notice of resignation to the Trustee and to the Issuer.  The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and to the Issuer.

 

Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time any Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.14 with respect to one or more series of Securities, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Issuer and the Issuer shall provide notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities of such series in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 11.4.  Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all rights, powers, duties and responsibilities of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as Authenticating Agent.  The Issuer agrees to pay to the Authenticating Agent for such series from time to time reasonable compensation.  The Authenticating Agent for the Securities of any series shall have no responsibility or liability for any action taken by it as such at the direction of the Trustee.

 

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Sections 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 and 7.3 shall be applicable to any Authenticating Agent.

 

ARTICLE SEVEN
CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS

 

SECTION 7.1Evidence of Action Taken by Securityholders.  Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by a specified percentage in principal amount of the Securityholders of any or all series may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such specified percentage of Securityholders in person or by agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee.  Proof of execution of any instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Sections 6.1 and 6.2) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Issuer, if made in the manner provided in this Article Seven.

 

SECTION 7.2Proof of Execution of Instruments and of Holding of Securities.  Subject to Sections 6.1 and 6.2, the execution of any instrument by a Securityholder or his agent or proxy may be proved in the following manner:

 

(a)   The fact and date of the execution by any Holder of any instrument may be proved by the certificate of any notary public or other officer of any jurisdiction authorized to take acknowledgments of deeds or administer oaths that the person executing such instruments acknowledged to him the execution thereof, or by an affidavit of a witness to such execution sworn to before any such notary or other such officer.  Where such execution is by or on behalf of any legal entity other than an individual, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of the authority of the person executing the same.

 

(b)   The ownership of Securities shall be proved by the Security register or by a certificate of the Security registrar.

 

SECTION 7.3Holders to be Treated as Owners.  The Issuer, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee may deem and treat the Person in whose name any Security shall be registered upon the Security register for such series as the absolute owner of such Security (whether or not such Security shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing thereon) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the principal of and, subject to the provisions of this Indenture, interest, if any, on such Security and for all other purposes; and neither the Issuer nor the Trustee nor any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

 

SECTION 7.4Securities Owned by Issuer Deemed Not Outstanding.  In determining whether the Holders of the requisite aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any or all series have concurred in any direction, consent or waiver under this Indenture, Securities which are owned by the Issuer or any other obligor on the Securities with respect to which such determination is being made or by any Affiliate of the Issuer or any other obligor on the Securities with respect to which such determination is being made shall be disregarded and

 

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deemed not to be Outstanding for the purpose of any such determination, except that for the purpose of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, consent or waiver only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.  Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Issuer or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Issuer or any other obligor on the Securities.  In case of a dispute as to such right, the advice of counsel shall be full protection in respect of any decision made by the Trustee in accordance with such advice.  Upon request of the Trustee, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee promptly an Officers’ Certificate listing and identifying all Securities, if any, known by the Issuer to be owned or held by or for the account of any of the above-described Persons; and, subject to Sections 6.1 and 6.2, the Trustee shall be entitled to accept such Officers’ Certificate as conclusive evidence of the facts therein set forth and of the fact that all Securities not listed therein are Outstanding for the purpose of any such determination.

 

SECTION 7.5Right of Revocation of Action Taken.  At any time prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the Trustee, as provided in Section 7.1, of the taking of any action by the Holders of the percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any or all series, as the case may be, specified in this Indenture in connection with such action, any Holder of a Security the serial number of which is shown by the evidence to be included among the serial numbers of the Securities the Holders of which have consented to such action may, by filing written notice at the Corporate Trust Office and upon proof of holding as provided in this Article Seven, revoke such action so far as concerns such Security provided that such revocation shall not become effective until three Business Days after such filing.  Except as aforesaid, any such action taken by the Holder of any Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders and owners of such Security and of any Securities issued in exchange or substitution therefor or on registration of transfer thereof, irrespective of whether or not any notation in regard thereto is made upon any such Security.  Any action taken by the Holders of the percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any or all series, as the case may be, specified in this Indenture in connection with such action shall be conclusively binding upon the Issuer, the Trustee and the Holders of all the Securities affected by such action.

 

SECTION 7.6Record Date for Consents and Waivers.  The Issuer may, but shall not be obligated to, establish a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons entitled to (i) waive any past default with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with Section 5.7 of the Indenture, (ii) consent to any supplemental indenture in accordance with Section 8.2 of the Indenture or (iii) waive compliance with any term, condition or provision of any covenant hereunder.  If a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date, or their duly designated proxies, and any such Persons, shall be entitled to waive any such past default, consent to any such supplemental indenture or waive compliance with any such term, condition or provision, whether or not such Holder remains a Holder after such record date; provided, however, that unless such waiver or consent is obtained from the Holders, or duly designated proxies, of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of such series prior to the date which is the 120th day after such record date, any such waiver or consent previously given shall automatically and, without further action by any Holder be cancelled and of no further effect.

 

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ARTICLE EIGHT
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

 

SECTION 8.1Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders.  The Issuer, when authorized by a Board Resolution (which resolution may provide general terms or parameters for such action and may provide that the specific terms of such action may be determined in accordance with or pursuant to an Issuer Order), and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date of the execution thereof) for one or more of the following purposes:

 

(a)   to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge to the Trustee as security for the Securities of one or more series any property or assets;

 

(b)   to evidence the succession of another Person to the Issuer or Hovnanian or successive successions, and the assumption by the successor Person of the covenants, agreements and obligations of the Issuer or Hovnanian herein and in the Securities or the Guarantees or to otherwise evidence compliance with Article Nine hereof;

 

(c)   to add to the covenants of the Issuer or Hovnanian such further covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions for the protection of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions are to be for the protection of less than all series of Securities, stating that the same are expressly being included solely for the protection of such series), or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Issuer or Hovnanian, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an Event of Default permitting the enforcement of all or any of the several remedies provided in this Indenture as herein set forth; provided, however, that in respect of any such additional covenant, restriction, condition or provision such supplemental indenture may provide for a particular period of grace after default (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in the case of other defaults) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon such an Event of Default or may limit the remedies available to the Trustee upon such an Event of Default or may limit the right of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series to waive such an Event of Default;

 

(d)   to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture;

 

(e)   to establish the form or terms of Securities or the Guarantees to be endorsed thereon of any series as permitted by Sections 2.1 and 2.3, to provide for any Guarantees of the Securities of any series and to confirm and evidence the termination or discharge of any Guarantee of or Lien securing the Securities of a series when such release, termination or discharge is permitted by the Indenture;

 

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(f)    to provide for the issuance of uncertificated Securities of any series (including Securities registrable as to principal only) in addition to or in place of certificated Securities and to provide for exchangeability of such Securities for the Securities issued hereunder in fully registered form and to make all appropriate changes for such purpose;

 

(g)   to modify, eliminate or add to the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to effect the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, or under any similar federal statute hereafter enacted, and to add to this Indenture such other provisions as may be expressly permitted by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, excluding, however, the provisions referred to in Section 316(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in effect at the date as of which this instrument was executed or any corresponding provision provided for in any similar federal statute hereafter enacted;

 

(h)   to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder of a Trustee other than Wachovia Bank, National Association as Trustee for a series of Securities and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.9 hereof;

 

(i)    subject to Section 8.2 hereof, to add to or modify the provisions hereof as may be necessary or desirable to provide for the denomination of Securities in foreign currencies which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of the Securities in any material respect;

 

(j)    to modify the covenants or Events of Default of the Issuer solely in respect of, or add new covenants or Events of Default of the Issuer that apply solely to, Securities not Outstanding on the date of such supplemental indenture;

 

(k)   to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.11; and

 

(l)    to make any other change that does not adversely affect the legal rights of any Holder of Securities of the series affected by such change.

 

The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Issuer in the execution of any such supplemental indenture, to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations which may be therein contained and to accept the conveyance, transfer, assignment, mortgage or pledge of any property thereunder, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section may be executed without the consent of the Holders of any of the Securities then Outstanding, notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 8.2.

 

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SECTION 8.2Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Securityholders.  With the consent (evidenced as provided in Article Seven and including written consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer) of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities then Outstanding of any series affected thereby, the Issuer, when authorized by a Board Resolution (which resolution may provide general terms or parameters for such action and may provide that the specific terms of such action may be determined in accordance with or pursuant to an Issuer Order), and the Trustee may, from time to time and at any time, enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date of execution thereof) for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series or waiving future compliance with any provision of the Indenture or the Securities (other than a continuing default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of or interest on Securities, which shall require the consent of the Holders of each Security so affected); provided, that no such supplemental indenture or waiver shall (a) change the stated final maturity of the principal of any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest (including default interest), if any, thereon (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, reduce the rate of accretion of original issue discount thereon), or reduce or alter the method of computation of any amount payable on redemption, repayment or purchase by the Issuer thereof (or the time at which any such redemption, repayment or purchase may be made), or make the principal thereof (including any amount in respect of original issue discount), or interest, if any, thereon payable in any coin or currency other than that provided in the Securities or in accordance with the terms of the Securities, or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon an acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.1 or the amount thereof provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 5.2, make any change to Sections 5.4 or 5.7, or impair or affect the right of any Securityholder to institute suit for the payment thereof or, if the Securities provide therefor, any right of repayment or purchase at the option of the Securityholder, in each case without the consent of the Holder of each Security so affected or modify the ranking or priority of the Securities or the Guarantees issued hereunder, or (b) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Securities of any series, the consent of the Holders of which is required for any such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holders of each Security so affected.  No consent of any Holder of any Security shall be necessary under this Section 8.2 to permit the Trustee and the Issuer to execute supplemental indentures pursuant to Sections 8.1 and 9.2.

 

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant, Event of Default or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of Holders of Securities of such series, with respect to such covenant or provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

 

Upon the request of the Issuer, accompanied by a copy of a resolution of the Board of Directors (which resolution may provide general terms or parameters for such action and may provide that the specific terms of such action may be determined in accordance with or pursuant to an Issuer Order) certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Issuer authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence

 

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of the consent of the Holders of the Securities as aforesaid and other documents, if any, required by Section 7.1, the Trustee shall join with the Issuer in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may at its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such supplemental indenture.

 

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Securityholders under this Section 8.2 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such consent shall approve the substance thereof.

 

Promptly after the execution by the Issuer and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Section 8.2, the Issuer (or the Trustee at the request and expense of the Issuer) shall give notice thereof to the Holders of then Outstanding Securities of each series affected thereby, as provided in Section 11.4. Any failure of the Issuer to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture.

 

SECTION 8.3Effect of Supplemental Indenture.  Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions hereof, this Indenture shall be and shall be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance therewith and the respective rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities under this Indenture of the Trustee, the Issuer, Hovnanian, the Guarantors and the Holders of Securities of each series affected thereby shall thereafter be determined, exercised and enforced hereunder subject in all respects to such modifications and amendments, and all the terms and conditions of any such supplemental indenture shall be and shall be deemed to be part of the terms and conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.

 

SECTION 8.4Documents to Be Given to Trustee.  The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 6.1 and 6.2, shall be entitled to receive an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel as provided in Section 11.5 as conclusive evidence that any supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article Eight complies with the applicable provisions of this Indenture and that all conditions precedent to the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture have been satisfied.  An Opinion of Counsel pursuant to this Section 8.4 shall also include (a) an opinion that any such supplemental indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and constitutes the valid and legally binding obligation of the Issuer and the Guarantors party thereto, if any, enforceable in accordance with its terms and (b) in the case of 8.1(l) an opinion that such supplemental indenture does not adversely affect the legal rights of any Holder of Securities of the series affected by such change.  In rendering such opinion, such counsel may qualify any opinions as to enforceability by stating that such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, liquidation, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

 

SECTION 8.5Notation on Securities in Respect of Supplemental Indentures.  Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture

 

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pursuant to the provisions of this Article Eight may bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee for such series as to any matter provided for by such supplemental indenture or as to any action taken by Securityholders.  If the Issuer or the Trustee shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Issuer, to any modification of this Indenture contained in any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Issuer, and such Securities may be authenticated by the Trustee and delivered in exchange for the Securities of such series then Outstanding.

 

ARTICLE NINE
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, LEASE, EXCHANGE OR OTHER
DISPOSITION

 

SECTION 9.1Consolidate Permitted, etc., on Certain Terms.  Subject to the provisions of Section 9.2, nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the Securities shall prevent any consolidation or merger of the Issuer or Hovnanian with or into any other Person or Persons (whether or not affiliated with the Issuer), or successive consolidations or mergers in which the Issuer or Hovnanian or their successor or successors shall be a party or parties, or shall prevent any sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all the property and assets of the Issuer or Hovnanian to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Issuer or Hovnanian) authorized to acquire and operate the same; provided, however, and the Issuer and Hovnanian hereby covenant and agree, that any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease, exchange or other disposition shall be upon the conditions that (a) immediately after giving effect to such consolidation, merger, sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of the Person (whether the Issuer or Hovnanian or such other Person) formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger, or to which such sale, lease, exchange or other disposition shall have been made, no Event of Default, and no event which after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing; (b) the Person (if other than the Issuer or Hovnanian) formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger, or to which such sale, lease, exchange or other disposition shall have been made, shall be a corporation or partnership organized under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; and (c) the due and punctual payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on all the Securities, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed by the Issuer or Hovnanian, shall be expressly assumed, by supplemental indenture satisfactory in form to the Trustee executed and delivered to the Trustee, by the Person (if other than the Issuer or Hovnanian) formed by such consolidation, or into which the Issuer or Hovnanian shall have been merged, or by the Person which shall have acquired or leased such property.

 

SECTION 9.2Successor Corporation to be Substituted.  In case of any such consolidation or merger or any sale, conveyance or lease of all or substantially all of the property of the Issuer or Hovnanian and upon the assumption by the successor Person, by supplemental indenture executed and delivered to the Trustee and satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of the due and punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all of the Securities and the due and punctual performance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed by the Issuer or Hovnanian, such successor Person shall succeed to and be substituted for the Issuer or Hovnanian, with the same effect as if it had been named herein as the party of the first part, and the Issuer or Hovnanian (including any intervening

 

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successor to the Issuer or Hovnanian which shall have become the obligor hereunder) shall be relieved of any further obligation under this Indenture and the Securities; provided, however, that in the case of a sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of the property and assets of the Issuer or Hovnanian (including any such intervening successor), the Issuer or Hovnanian (including any such intervening successor) shall continue to be liable on its obligations under this Indenture and the Securities to the extent, but only to the extent, of liability to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities at the time, places and rate prescribed in this Indenture and the Securities.  Such successor Person thereupon may cause to be signed, and may issue either in its own name or in the name of the Issuer or Hovnanian, any or all of the Securities issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Issuer or Hovnanian and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such successor Person instead of the Issuer or Hovnanian and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver any Securities which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Issuer or Hovnanian to the Trustee for authentication, and any Securities which such successor Person thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that purpose.  All the Securities so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Securities theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Securities had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.

 

In case of any such consolidation or merger or any sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Issuer or Hovnanian, such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Securities, thereafter to be issued, as may be appropriate.

 

SECTION 9.3Opinion of Counsel to be Given Trustee.  The Trustee, subject to Sections 6.1 and 6.2, shall receive an Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease, exchange or other disposition and any such assumption complies with the provisions of this Article Nine.

 

ARTICLE TEN
LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

 

SECTION 10.1Applicability of Article.  Unless specified otherwise pursuant to Section 2.3 for Securities of a series, this Article shall apply to each series of Securities issued under this Indenture.

 

SECTION 10.2.  Legal Defeasance And Discharge.  The Issuer shall, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 10.4 hereof, be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to all Outstanding Securities on the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “Legal Defeasance”).  For this purpose, Legal Defeasance means that the Issuer shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the Outstanding Securities, which shall thereafter be deemed to be Outstanding only for the purposes of Section 10.5 hereof and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (a) and (b) below, and to have satisfied all of its obligations under such Securities and this Indenture (and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Issuer, shall execute proper instruments

 

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delivered to it by the Issuer acknowledging the same), except of the following provisions which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder; (a) the rights of Holder of Outstanding Securities to receive payments in respect of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Securities when such payments are due from the trust referred to below; (b) the Issuer’s obligations with respect to the Securities concerning mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money for security payments held in trust; (c) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee, and the Issuer’s obligations in connection therewith; and (d) the Legal Defeasance provisions of this Indenture.

 

SECTION 10.3Covenant Defeasance.  The Issuer shall, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 10.4 hereof, be released from its obligations under the covenants contained in Section 3.6 and Article Nine and to the extent described in the applicable supplemental indenture, with respect to any series of Securities, with respect to the Outstanding Securities on and after the date of the conditions set forth in Section 10.4 are satisfied (hereinafter, “Covenant Defeasance”), and the Securities shall thereafter be deemed not Outstanding for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such covenants, but shall continue to be deemed Outstanding for all other purposes hereunder (it being understood that such Securities shall not be deemed outstanding for accounting purposes).  For this purpose, Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to the Outstanding Securities, the Issuer may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.1 hereof, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities shall be unaffected thereby.  Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 10.4 hereof, Sections 5.1(d), 5.1(e), 5.1(f) and 5.1(g) hereof shall not constitute Events of Default or defaults hereunder.

 

SECTION 10.4Conditions To Legal Or Covenant Defeasance.  The following shall be the conditions to the application of either Section 10.2 or 10.3 hereof to the Outstanding Securities:

 

In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance:

 

(a)   the Issuer must irrevocably deposit, or cause to be deposited, with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities, cash in U.S. dollars, U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, to pay, without reinvestment, the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Outstanding Securities on the stated maturity thereof or on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be, and the Issuer must specify whether the Securities are being defeased to maturity or to a particular redemption date;

 

(b)   in the case of Legal Defeasance, the Issuer must deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that the Issuer has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or there has been a change in

 

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the applicable United States federal income tax law after the date of this Indenture, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the Outstanding Securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance, and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;

 

(c)   in the case of Covenant Defeasance, the Issuer must deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that the Holders of the Outstanding Securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance, and such Holders will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

 

(d)   no default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit) or insofar as Events of Default from bankruptcy or insolvency events are concerned, at any time in the period ending on the 91st day after the date of deposit;

 

(e)   such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than the Indenture) to which the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is a party or by which the issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is bound;

 

(f)    the Issuer must deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Issuer with the intent of preferring the Holders of the Securities over other creditors of the Issuer, or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors of the Issuer or others;

 

(g)   the Issuer must deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an opinion of Counsel in the United States reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, each stating that the conditions precedent provided for or relating to Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, as applicable, in the case of the Officer’s Certificate, in clauses (a) through (f) and, in the case of the opinion of Counsel, in clauses (b) and (c) of this paragraph, have been complied with.

 

SECTION 10.5Deposited Money And Government Securities To Be Held In Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions.  Subject to Section 10.6 hereof, all money and U.S. Government Obligations (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively, and solely for purposes of this Section 10.5, the “Trustee”) pursuant to Section 10.4 hereof in respect of the Outstanding Securities shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any paying agent (including the Issuer acting as paying agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal, premium, if any, and interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

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The Issuer shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or non-callable U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 10.4 hereof or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the Outstanding Securities.

 

Anything in this Article Ten to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Issuer from time to time upon the request of the Issuer any money or non-callable U.S. Government Obligations held by it as provided in Section 10.4 hereof which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee (which may be the opinion delivered under Section 10.4(a) hereof), are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

 

SECTION 10.6Repayment To Issuer.  Any money deposited with the Trustee or any paying agent, or then held by the Issuer, in trust for the payment of the principal of, premium or interest on any Security and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, and premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Issuer on its request or (if then held by the Issuer) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured creditor, look only to the Issuer for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such paying agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Issuer as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such paying agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Issuer cause to be published once, in the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal (national edition), notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such notification or publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Issuer.

 

SECTION 10.7Reinstatement.  If the Trustee or paying agent is unable to apply any money or non-callable U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Section 10.2 or 10.3 hereof, as the case may be, by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Issuer’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 10.2 or 10.3 hereof until such time as the Trustee or paying agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 10.2 or 10.3 hereof, as the case may be; provided, however, that, if the Issuer makes any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Security following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Issuer shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money held by the Trustee or paying agent.

 

SECTION 10.8Survival.  The Trustee’s rights under this Article Ten shall survive termination of this Indenture.

 

SECTION 10.9Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.  If at any time (a) the Issuer shall have paid or caused to be paid the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all the Securities Outstanding (other than Securities which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.9) as and when the same shall have

 

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become due and payable, or (b) the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee for cancellation all Securities theretofore authenticated (other than Securities which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.9); and if, in any such case, the Issuer shall also pay or cause to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Issuer (including all amounts, payable to the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.6), then this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect, and the Trustee, on demand of the Issuer accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent relating to the satisfaction and discharge contemplated by this provision have been complied with, and at the cost and expense of the Issuer, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging such satisfaction and discharging this Indenture.  The Issuer agrees to reimburse the Trustee for any costs or expenses thereafter reasonably and properly incurred, and to compensate the Trustee for any services thereafter reasonably and properly rendered, by the Trustee in connection with this Indenture or the Securities.

 

ARTICLE ELEVEN
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

SECTION 11.1Partners, Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors of Issuer Exempt from Individual Liability.  No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture, or in any Security, or because of any indebtedness evidenced thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, as such or against any past, present or future stockholder, officer, director or employee, as such, of the Issuer, Hovnanian or the Guarantors or any partner of the Issuer, Hovnanian or the Guarantors or of any successor, either directly or through the Issuer, Hovnanian or the Guarantors or any successor, under any rule of law, statute or constitutional provision or by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise, all such liability being expressly waived and released by the acceptance of the Securities by the Holders thereof and as part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.

 

SECTION 11.2Provisions of Indenture for the Sole Benefit of Parties and Holders of Securities.  Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities, expressed or implied, shall give or be construed to give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and their successors and the Holders of the Securities, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture or under any covenant or provision herein contained, all such covenants and provisions being for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and their successors and of the Holders of the Securities.

 

SECTION 11.3Successors and Assigns of Issuer Bound by Indenture.  All the covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements in this Indenture contained by or on behalf of the Issuer shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

 

SECTION 11.4Notices and Demands on Issuer, Trustee and Holders of Securities.  Any notice or demand which by any provision of this Indenture is required or permitted to be given or served by the Trustee or by the Holders of Securities to or on the Issuer, or as required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, may be given or served by being deposited postage prepaid, first-class mail (except as otherwise specifically provided herein) addressed (until another address of the Issuer is filed by the Issuer with the Trustee) to K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., 10 Highway 35, P.O. Box 500, Red Bank, New Jersey 07701.  Any notice, direction,

 

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request or demand by the Issuer or any Holder of Securities to or upon the Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or served by being deposited postage prepaid, first-class mail (except as otherwise specifically provided herein) addressed (until another address of the Trustee is filed by the Trustee with the Issuer) to Wachovia Bank, National Association 21 South Street, Morristown, New Jersey 07960, attention:  Corporate Trust Administration (K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. [specify series of Securities]).

 

Where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder entitled thereto, at his last address as it appears in the Security register.  Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice.  Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

 

In case, by reason of the suspension of or irregularities in regular mail service, it shall be impracticable to mail notice to the Issuer when such notice is required to be given pursuant to any provision of this Indenture, then any manner of giving such notice as shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee shall be deemed to be sufficient notice.

 

SECTION 11.5Officers’ Certificates and Opinions of Counsel; Statements to Be Contained Therein.  Upon any application or demand by the Issuer to the Trustee to take any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture, or as required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the Issuer or Hovnanian, as applicable, shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or demand as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or demand, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

 

Each certificate or opinion provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to Section 4.3(d)) and delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include (a) a statement that the person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition, (b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based, (c) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with, and (d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

 

Any certificate, statement or opinion of an officer of the Issuer or Hovnanian, as applicable, may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of or representations by counsel, unless such officer knows that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate, statement or opinion may

 

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be based as aforesaid are erroneous, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know that the same are erroneous.  Any certificate, statement or opinion of counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, information with respect to which is in the possession of the Issuer, or Hovnanian, as applicable, upon the certificate, statement or opinion of or representations by an officer or officers of the Issuer, or Hovnanian, as applicable, unless such counsel knows that the certificate, statement or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate, statement or opinion may be based as aforesaid are erroneous, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know that the same are erroneous.

 

Any certificate, statement or opinion of an officer of the Issuer or Hovnanian, as applicable, or of counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to accounting matters, upon a certificate or opinion of or representations by an accountant or firm of accountants in the employ of the Issuer or Hovnanian, as applicable, unless such officer or counsel, as the case may be, knows that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the accounting matters upon which his certificate, statement or opinion may be based as aforesaid are erroneous, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know that the same are erroneous.

 

Any certificate or opinion of any independent firm of public accountants filed with and directed to the Trustee shall contain a statement that such firm is independent.

 

SECTION 11.6Payments Due on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays.  If the date of maturity of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of any series or the date fixed for redemption, purchase or repayment of any such Security shall not be a Business Day, then payment of interest, if any, premium, if any, or principal need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on the date of maturity or the date fixed for redemption, purchase or repayment, and, in the case of payment, no interest shall accrue for the period after such date.

 

SECTION 11.7Conflict of Any Provision of Indenture with Trust Indenture Act of 1939.  If and to the extent that any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision included in this Indenture which is required to be included herein by any of Sections 310 to 317 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, inclusive, or is deemed applicable to this Indenture by virtue of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, such required provision shall control.

 

SECTION 11.8GOVERNING LAW.  THIS INDENTURE, EACH SECURITY AND EACH GUARANTEE SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF SUCH STATE.

 

SECTION 11.9Counterparts.  This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original; but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

SECTION 11.10Effect of Headings.  The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

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SECTION 11.11No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements. The Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture or loan or debt agreement of the Issuer, Hovnanian or any subsidiary of Hovnanian, and no such indenture or loan or debt agreement may be used to interpret the Indenture.

 

ARTICLE TWELVE
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES AND SINKING FUNDS

 

SECTION 12.1Applicability of Article.  The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to the Securities of any series which are redeemable before their maturity or to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series except as otherwise specified, as contemplated by Section 2.3 for Securities of such series.

 

SECTION 12.2Notice of Redemption; Partial Redemptions.  Notice of redemption to the Holders of Securities of any series to be redeemed as a whole or in part at the option of the Issuer shall be given by mailing notice of such redemption by first class mail, postage prepaid, at least 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption to such Holders of Securities of such series at their last addresses as they shall appear in the Security register.  Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives the notice.  Failure to give notice by mail, or any defect in the notice to the Holder of any Security of a series designated for redemption as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Security of such series.

 

The notice of redemption to each such Holder shall specify (i) the principal amount of each Security of such series held by such Holder to be redeemed, (ii) the date fixed for redemption, (iii) the redemption price, (iv) the place or places of payment, (v) the CUSIP number relating to such Securities, (vi) that payment will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Securities, (vii) whether such redemption is pursuant to the mandatory or optional sinking fund, or both, if such be the case, (viii) whether interest, if any, (or, in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities, original issue discount) accrued to the date fixed for redemption will be paid as specified in such notice and (ix) whether on and after said date interest, if any, (or, in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities, original issue discount) thereon or on the portions thereof to be redeemed will cease to accrue.  In case any Security of a series is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed and shall state that on and after the date fixed for redemption, upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities of such series in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued.

 

The notice of redemption of Securities of any series to be redeemed at the option of the Issuer shall be given by the Issuer or, at the Issuer’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Issuer.  Notices of redemption may not be conditional.

 

On or before the redemption date specified in the notice of redemption given as provided in this Section 12.2, the Issuer will deposit with the Trustee or with one or more paying agents (or, if the Issuer is acting as its own paying agent, set aside, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 3.5) an amount of money sufficient to redeem on the redemption date all the

 

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Securities of such series so called for redemption at the appropriate redemption price, together with accrued interest, if any, to the date fixed for redemption.  The Issuer will deliver to the Trustee at least 45 days prior to the date fixed for redemption (unless a shorter notice period shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be redeemed.  In case of a redemption at the election of the Issuer prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption, the Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee, prior to the giving of any notice of redemption to Holders pursuant to this Section, an Officers’ Certificate stating that such restriction has been complied with.

 

If less than all the Securities of a series are to be redeemed, the Trustee, within 10 Business Days after the Issuer gives written notice to the Trustee that such redemption is to occur, shall select on a pro rata basis, by lot or in such manner as it shall deem, in its sole discretion, appropriate and fair, Securities of such series to be redeemed.  Notice of the redemption shall be given only after such selection has been made.  Securities may be redeemed in part in multiples of $1,000 in original principal amount of Securities, unless another minimum authorized denomination is specified for Securities of such series, or any multiple thereof.  The Trustee shall promptly notify the Issuer in writing of the Securities of such series selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities of such series selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.  For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities of any series shall relate, in the case of any Security redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Security which has been or is to be redeemed.

 

SECTION 12.3Payment of Securities Called for Redemption.  If notice of redemption has been given as provided by this Article Twelve, the Securities or portions of Securities specified in such notice shall become due and payable on the date and at the place or places stated in such notice at the applicable redemption price, together with interest, if any accrued to the date fixed for redemption, and on and after said date (unless the Issuer shall default in the payment of such Securities at the redemption price, together with interest, if any, accrued to said date) interest, if any (or, in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities, original issue discount), on the Securities or portions of Securities so called for redemption shall cease to accrue, and such Securities shall cease from and after the date fixed for redemption (unless an earlier date shall be specified in a Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or executed supplemental indenture referred to in Sections 2.1 and 2.3 by or pursuant to which the form and terms of the Securities of such series were established) except as provided in Sections 6.5 and 10.4, to be entitled to any benefit or security under this Indenture, and the Holders thereof shall have no right in respect of such Securities except the right to receive the redemption price thereof and unpaid interest, if any, to the date fixed for redemption.  On presentation and surrender of such Securities at a place of payment specified in said notice, said Securities or the specified portions thereof shall be paid and redeemed by the Issuer at the applicable redemption price, together with interest, if any, accrued thereon to the date fixed for redemption; provided that payment of interest, if any, becoming due on or prior to the date fixed for redemption shall be payable to the Holders of Securities registered as such on the relevant record date subject to the terms and provisions of Sections 2.3 and 2.7 hereof.

 

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the redemption price shall, until paid or duly provided for, bear interest from the

 

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date fixed for redemption at the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security) borne by such Security.

 

Upon presentation of any Security redeemed in part only, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to or on the order of the Holder thereof, at the expense of the Issuer, a new Security or Securities of such series, and of like tenor, of authorized denominations, in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Security so presented.

 

SECTION 12.4Exclusion of Certain Securities from Eligibility for Selection for Redemption.  Securities shall be excluded from eligibility for selection for redemption if they are identified by registration and certificate number in an Officers’ Certificate delivered to the Trustee at least 45 days prior to the last date on which notice of redemption may be given as being owned of record and beneficially by, and not pledged or hypothecated by either (a) the Issuer, or (b) a Person specifically identified in such written statement as an Affiliate of the Issuer.

 

SECTION 12.5Mandatory and Optional Sinking Funds.  The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of the Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of the Securities of any series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.”  The date on which a sinking fund payment is to be made is herein referred to as the “sinking fund payment date.”

 

In lieu of making all or any part of any mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to any series of Securities in cash, the Issuer may at its option (a) deliver to the Trustee Securities of such series theretofore purchased or otherwise acquired (except upon redemption pursuant to the mandatory sinking fund) by the Issuer or receive credit for Securities of such series (not previously so credited) theretofore purchased or otherwise acquired (except as aforesaid) by the Issuer and delivered to the Trustee for cancellation pursuant to Section 2.10, (b) receive credit for optional sinking fund payments (not previously so credited) made pursuant to this Section 12.5, or (c) receive credit for Securities of such series (not previously so credited) redeemed by the Issuer through any optional redemption provision contained in the terms of such series.  Securities so delivered or credited shall be received or credited by the Trustee at the sinking fund redemption price specified in such Securities.

 

On or before the 60th day next preceding each sinking fund payment date for any series, the Issuer will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate (a) specifying the portion of the mandatory sinking fund payment to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion to be satisfied by credit of Securities of such series and the basis for such credit, (b) stating that none of the Securities of such series to be so credited has theretofore been so credited, (c) stating that no defaults in the payment of interest or Events of Default with respect to such series have occurred (which have not been waived or cured or otherwise ceased to exist) and are continuing, and (d) stating whether or not the Issuer intends to exercise its right to make an optional sinking fund payment with respect to such series and, if so, specifying the amount of such optional sinking fund payment which the Issuer intends to pay on or before the next succeeding sinking fund payment date.  Any Securities of such series to be credited and required to be delivered to

 

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the Trustee in order for the Issuer to be entitled to credit therefor as aforesaid which have not theretofore been delivered to the Trustee shall be delivered for cancellation pursuant to Section 2.10 to the Trustee with such Officers’ Certificate (or reasonably promptly thereafter if acceptable to the Trustee).  Such Officers’ Certificate shall be irrevocable and upon its receipt by the Trustee the Issuer shall become unconditionally obligated to make all the cash payments or payments therein referred to, if any, on or before the next succeeding sinking fund payment date.  Failure of the Issuer, on or before any such 60th day, to deliver such Officers’ Certificate and Securities (subject to the parenthetical clause in the second preceding sentence) specified in this paragraph, if any, shall not constitute a default but shall constitute, on and as of such date, the irrevocable election of the Issuer (i) that the mandatory sinking fund payment for such series due on the next succeeding sinking fund payment date shall be paid entirely in cash without the option to deliver or credit Securities of such series in respect thereof, and (ii) that the Issuer will make no optional sinking fund payment with respect to such series as provided in this Section 12.5.

 

If the sinking fund payment or payments (mandatory or optional or both) to be made in cash on the next succeeding sinking fund payment date plus any unused balance of any preceding sinking fund payments made in cash shall exceed $50,000, or a lesser sum if the Issuer shall so request with respect to the Securities of any particular series, such cash shall be applied on the next succeeding sinking fund payment date to the redemption of Securities of such series at the sinking fund redemption price together with accrued interest, if any, to the date fixed for redemption.  If such amount shall be $50,000 or less and the Issuer makes no such request, then it shall be carried over until a sum in excess of $50,000 is available.  The Trustee shall select, in the manner provided in Section 12.2, for redemption on such sinking fund payment date a sufficient principal amount of Securities of such series to absorb said cash, as nearly as may be, and shall (if requested in writing by the Issuer) inform the Issuer of the serial numbers of the Securities of such series (or portions thereof) so selected.  The Issuer, or the Trustee, in the name and at the expense of the Issuer (if the Issuer shall so request the Trustee in writing) shall cause notice of redemption of the Securities of such series to be given in substantially the manner provided in Section 12.2 (and with the effect provided in Section 12.3) for the redemption of Securities of such series in part at the option of the Issuer.  The amount of any sinking fund payments not so applied or allocated to the redemption of Securities of such series shall be added to the next cash sinking fund payment for such series and, together with such payment, shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of this Section 12.5. Any and all sinking fund moneys held on the stated maturity date of the Securities of any particular series (or earlier, if such maturity is accelerated), which are not held for the payment or redemption of particular Securities of such series shall be applied, together with other moneys, if necessary, sufficient for the purpose, to the payment of the principal of, and interest, if any, on, the Securities of such series at maturity.

 

On or before each sinking fund payment date, the Issuer shall pay to the Trustee in cash or shall otherwise provide for the payment of all interest, if any, accrued to the date fixed for redemption on Securities to be redeemed on such sinking fund payment date.

 

The Trustee shall not redeem or cause to be redeemed any Securities of a series with sinking fund moneys or give any notice of redemption of Securities for such series by operation of the sinking fund during the continuance of a default in payment of interest on such Securities

 

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or of any Event of Default with respect to such series except that, where the giving of notice of redemption of any Securities shall theretofore have been made, the Trustee shall redeem or cause to be redeemed such Securities, provided that it shall have received from the Issuer a sum sufficient for such redemption.  Except as aforesaid, any moneys in the sinking fund for such series at the time when any such default or Event of Default known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall occur, and any moneys thereafter paid into the sinking fund, shall, during the continuance of such default or Event of Default, be deemed to have been collected under Article Five and held for the payment of all such Securities.  In case such Event of Default shall have been waived as provided in Section 5.7 or the default cured on or before the 60th day preceding the sinking fund payment date in any year, such moneys shall thereafter be applied on the next succeeding sinking fund payment date in accordance with this Section to the redemption of such Securities.

 

ARTICLE THIRTEEN
GUARANTEES

 

SECTION 13.1Applicability of Article.  The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to Hovnanian and to each of the Guarantors specified pursuant to Section 2.3 for the Guarantee of Securities of a series.

 

 

SECTION 13.2Guarantee.  Each Guarantor of a particular series of Securities hereby unconditionally guarantees (each such guarantee to be referred to herein as a “Guarantee”), jointly and severally with each other Guarantor of the Securities of that series, if any, to each Holder of such Securities authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns, irrespective of the validity and enforceability of this Indenture, such Securities or the obligations of the Issuer hereunder or thereunder, (i) the due and punctual payment of the principal of and any premium or interest on such Securities, whether at maturity or on an interest payment date, by acceleration, pursuant to an offer to purchase such Securities or otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal of and interest, if any, on such Securities, if lawful, and all other obligations of the Issuer to the Holders of such Securities or the Trustee hereunder or thereunder shall be promptly paid in full, all in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof including all amounts payable to the Trustee under Section 6.6 hereof, and (ii) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any such Securities or any of such other obligations, the same shall be promptly paid in full when due or to be performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise.

 

If the Issuer fails to make any payment when due of any amount so guaranteed for whatever reason, the Guarantor of the Securities of that series shall be obligated, jointly and severally with each other Guarantor, if any, to pay the same immediately.  Each Guarantor hereby agrees that its obligations hereunder shall be continuing, absolute and unconditional, irrespective of, and shall be unaffected by, the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Securities, this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder of the Securities or the Trustee with respect to any provisions hereof or thereof, the recovery of any judgment against the Issuer, any action to enforce the same or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of such

 

59



 

Guarantor.  Each Guarantor hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, demand of performance, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Issuer, any right to require a proceeding first against the Issuer, the benefit of discussion, protest, notice and all demand whatsoever and covenants that its Guarantee shall not be discharged except by complete performance of the obligations contained in the Securities guaranteed by such Guarantee, in this Indenture and in this Article 13. If any Holder of Securities of a series guaranteed hereby or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to the Issuer or any Guarantor of such Securities, or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to the Issuer or any Guarantor, any amount paid by the Issuer or any Guarantor of such Securities to the Trustee or such Holder, this Article 13, to the extent theretofore discharged with respect to any Guarantee of such Securities, shall be reinstated in full force and effect.  Each Guarantor agrees that it shall not be entitled to any right of subrogation in relation to the Holders of Securities of a series guaranteed hereby by such Guarantor in respect of any obligations guaranteed hereby by such Guarantee until payment in full of all such obligations.  Each Guarantor further agrees that, as between such Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders of Securities of a series guaranteed hereby by such Guarantor and the Trustee on the other hand, (i) the maturity of the obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 hereof for the purposes of such Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the obligations guaranteed hereby and (ii) in the event of any acceleration of such obligations as provided in Article 5 hereof such obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by such Guarantor, jointly and severally with any other Guarantor of such Securities, for the purpose of this Article 13.  In addition, without limiting the foregoing, upon the effectiveness of an acceleration under Article 5, the Trustee may make a demand for payment on the Securities under any Guarantee provided hereunder and not discharged.

 

With respect to each Guarantee by a Guarantor, such Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights of the Holder of any Securities guaranteed hereby by such Guarantee against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holder by such Guarantor pursuant to the provisions of such Guarantee; provided that the Guarantor shall not be entitled to enforce, or to receive any payments arising out of or based upon, such right of subrogation until the principal of and interest on all such Securities shall have been paid in full.

 

The Guarantee set forth in this Section 13.2 shall not be valid or become obligatory for any purpose with respect to a Security until the certificate of authentication on such Security shall have been signed by the Trustee or any duly appointed agent.

 

SECTION 13.3Obligations of the Guarantor Unconditional.  Nothing contained in this Article 13 or elsewhere in this Indenture or in any Security is intended to or shall impair, as between a Guarantor and the Holders of the Securities guaranteed by such Guarantor’s Guarantee, the obligations of such Guarantor, which are absolute and unconditional, to pay to such Holders the principal of and interest on the Securities as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with the provisions of this Guarantee or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of such Holders and creditors of such Guarantor, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or such Holder from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon Default under this Indenture in respect of cash, property or securities of such Guarantor received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

 

60



 

Upon any distribution of assets of a Guarantor referred to in this Article 13, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 6.1 and 6.2, and the Holders of the Securities guaranteed hereby by such Guarantor shall be entitled to rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending, or a certificate of the liquidating trustee or agent or other person making any distribution to the Trustee or to such Holders, for the purpose of ascertaining the persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of other indebtedness of such Guarantor, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 13.

 

SECTION 13.4Article 13 Not To Prevent Events of Default.  The failure to make a payment on account of principal or interest on the Securities of any series by reason of any provision in this Article 13 shall not be construed as preventing the occurrence of an Event of Default under Section 5.1.

 

SECTION 13.5Execution and Delivery of Guarantee.  To evidence a Guarantee set forth in this Article 13, the Guarantor hereby agrees that the Guarantee Notation, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, shall be endorsed on each Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee that is guaranteed by such Guarantee and that this Indenture or indenture supplemental hereto shall be executed on behalf of such Guarantor by its Chairman of the Board, its president or chief executive officer, any vice president, the chief financial officer or the treasurer.  Such signatures may be the manual or facsimile signatures of the present or any future such officers.

 

Each Guarantor hereby agrees that its Guarantee shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any failure to endorse the Guarantee Notation on each such Security.

 

If an officer whose signature is on this Indenture or indenture supplemental hereto or on the Securities guaranteed hereby no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Security on which a notation of the Guarantee is endorsed, such Guarantee shall be valid nevertheless.

 

The delivery of any Security by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, shall constitute due delivery of each Guarantee thereof.

 

SECTION 13.6Limitation on Guarantor Liability.Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article, each Guarantor, and by its acceptance of a Security, each Holder, hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Guarantee of such Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent conveyance under applicable fraudulent conveyance provisions of the United States Bankruptcy Code or any comparable provision of state law.  To effectuate that intention, the Trustee, the Holders and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of each Guarantor under its Guarantee are limited to the maximum amount that would not render the Guarantor’s obligations subject to avoidance under applicable fraudulent conveyance provisions of the United States Bankruptcy Code or any comparable provision of state law.

 

61



 

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

 

SECTION 14.1Release of the Issuer.  The Issuer shall be released from its obligations under this Indenture and the Securities, without the consent of the Holders, if: (1) Hovnanian or any successor to Hovnanian has assumed the obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Securities, by supplemental indenture executed and delivered to the Trustee and satisfactory in form to the Trustee, (2) Hovnanian delivers an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee to the effect that Holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of such release, and such Holders will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such release had not occurred and (3) the Issuer shall (w) become a Guarantor subject to the provisions of Article Thirteen hereof, (x) execute a Guarantee Notation, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, (y) execute a supplemental indenture evidencing its Guarantee and (z) deliver an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee to the effect that the supplemental indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Issuer and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Issuer, enforceable against the Issuer in accordance with its terms (subject to customary exceptions).

 

62



 

SIGNATURES

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, all as of the date first above written.

 

 

K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc.,
As Issuer
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

      /s/ Peter S. Reinhart

 

 

 

 Name:

Peter S. Reinhart

 

 

 Title:

Senior Vice-President and
General Counsel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc.,
As Guarantor
 

 

 

 

 

By:

      /s/ Peter S. Reinhart

 

 

 

 Name:

Peter S. Reinhart

 

 

 Title:

Senior Vice-President and
General Counsel

 

 

 

 

Wachovia Bank, National
Association, As Trustee

 

 

 

By:

      /s/ Stephanie Roche

 

 

 

 Name:

Stephanie Roche

 

 

 Title:

Vice President

 

 

63



 

EXHIBIT A

 

 

[FORM OF NOTATION OF SECURITY

 

RELATING TO GUARANTEE]

 

GUARANTEE

 

[Name of Guarantor] (hereinafter referred to as the “Guarantor”, which term includes any successor person under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) referred to in the Security upon which this notation is endorsed) (the “Endorsed Security”), has unconditionally guaranteed, jointly and severally with each other Guarantor (i) the due and punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Endorsed Security and all other Securities of the same series as the Endorsed Security (the “Guaranteed Securities”), whether at maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, the due and punctual payment of interest on the overdue principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Guaranteed Securities, to the extent lawful, and the due and punctual performance of all other obligations of the Issuer to the Holders of Guaranteed Securities or the Trustee all in accordance with the terms set forth in Article 13 of the Indenture and (ii) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Guaranteed Securities or any of such other obligations, that the same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise.  Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Indenture.

 

The obligations of the Guarantor to the Holders of Guaranteed Securities and to the Trustee pursuant to the Guarantee evidenced hereby and the Indenture are expressly set forth in Article 13 of the Indenture and reference is hereby made to such Indenture for the terms of such Guarantee.

 

No stockholder, officer, director, employee or incorporator, as such, past, present or future, of the Guarantor shall have any personal liability under the Guarantee evidenced hereby by reason of his or its status as such stockholder, officer, director, employee or incorporator.  Each Holder of a Guaranteed Security by accepting a Guaranteed Security waives and releases all such liability.  This waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the Guarantee.

 

Each Holder of a Guaranteed Security by accepting a Guaranteed Security agrees that any Guarantor named below shall have no further liability with respect to its Guarantee if such Guarantor otherwise ceases to be liable in respect of its Guarantee in accordance with the terms of the Indenture.

 

The Guarantee evidenced hereby shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until the certificate of authentication of the Guaranteed Securities shall have been executed by the Trustee under the Indenture by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers.

 

Guarantor

 

64



 

 

[NAME OF GUARANTOR]

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

Title:

 

65



 

EXHIBIT B

 

SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE GUARANTORS

 

ALL SEASONS, INC.

ARROW PROPERTIES, INC.

CONDOMINIUM COMMUNITY (BOWIE NEW TOWN), INC.

CONDOMINIUM COMMUNITY (LARGO TOWN), INC.

CONDOMINIUM COMMUNITY (PARK PLACE), INC.

CONDOMINIUM COMMUNITY (QUAIL RUN), INC.

CONDOMINIUM COMMUNITY (TRUMAN DRIVE), INC.

CONSULTANTS CORPORATION

DESIGNED CONTRACTS, INC.

EXC, INC.

FORTIS HOMES, INC.

HOUSING-HOME SALES, INC.

HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF FLORIDA, INC.

K. HOV INTERNATIONAL, INC.

K. HOV IP, II, INC.

K. HOV IP, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN ACQUISITIONS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT ASHBURN VILLAGE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BALLANTRAE ESTATES, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BARRINGTON, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BELMONT, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BERNARDS IV, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BRANCHBURG III, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BRIDGEPORT, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BRIDGEWATER VI, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BULL RUN, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BURLINGTON III, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BURLINGTON, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CALABRIA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CAMERON CHASE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CARMEL DEL MAR, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CASTILE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CEDAR GROVE I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CEDAR GROVE II, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CHAPARRAL, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CLARKSTOWN, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CRESTLINE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT DOMINGUEZ HILLS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT DOMINION RIDGE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT EAST BRUNSWICK VI, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT EAST WHITELAND I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT EXETER HILLS, INC.

 

66



 

K. HOVNANIAN AT FAIR LAKES GLEN, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT FAIR LAKES, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HACKETTSTOWN, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HAMPTON OAKS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HERSHEY’S MILL, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HIGHLAND VINEYARDS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HOLLY CREST, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HOPEWELL IV, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HOPEWELL VI, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HOWELL TOWNSHIP, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HUNTER ESTATES, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT KINGS GRANT I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT KLOCKNER FARMS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LA TERRAZA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LA TROVATA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LAKEWOOD, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LOWER SAUCON II, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LOWER SAUCON, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MAHWAH II, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MAHWAH IV, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MAHWAH V, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MAHWAH VI, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MAHWAH VII, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MAHWAH VIII, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MANALAPAN, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MARLBORO II, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MARLBORO TOWNSHIP IV, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MARLBORO TOWNSHIP III, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN OF METRO DC SOUTH, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MONTCLAIR NJ, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MONTCLAIR, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MONTGOMERY I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTHERN WESTCHESTER, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTHLAKE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT OCEAN WALK, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT P.C. PROPERTIES, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PARK RIDGE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PEEKSKILL, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PERKIOMEN I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PERKIOMEN II, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PLAINSBORO III, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PRINCETON, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT RANCHO CHRISTIANITOS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT RESERVOIR RIDGE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT RIVER OAKS, INC.

 

67



 

K. HOVNANIAN AT SAN SEVAINE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SARATOGA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SCOTCH PLAINS II, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SCOTCH PLAINS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SMITHVILLE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SOUTH BRUNSWICK III, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SOUTH BRUNSWICK V, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT STONE CANYON, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT STONEGATE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT STONY POINT, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT STUART ROAD, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SULLY STATION, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SUMMERWOOD, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SYCAMORE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT TANNERY HILL, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT THE BLUFF, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT THE CEDARS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT THE GLEN, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT THORNBURY, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT TIERRASANTA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT TUXEDO, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT UNION TOWNSHIP I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT UPPER MAKEFIELD I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT UPPER MERION, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT VAIL RANCH, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WALL TOWNSHIP VI, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WALL TOWNSHIP VIII, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WASHINGTONVILLE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WAYNE III, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WAYNE V, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WILDROSE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WOODMONT, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES NORTHEAST, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF CALIFORNIA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF MARYLAND, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF METRO WASHINGTON, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF NEW YORK, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF PENNSYLVANIA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF ARIZONA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF CALIFORNIA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF MARYLAND, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF METRO WASHINGTON, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF MICHIGAN, INC.

 

68



 

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF NEW JERSEY II, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF NEW JERSEY, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF NEW YORK, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF OHIO, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF PENNSYLVANIA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF TEXAS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF WEST VIRGINIA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN EQUITIES, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN FORECAST HOMES, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN INVESTMENT PROPERTIES OF NEW JERSEY, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN MARINE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PA REAL ESTATE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PORT IMPERIAL URBAN RENEWAL, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PROPERTIES OF NB THEATRE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PROPERTIES OF NEWARK URBAN RENEWAL CORPORATION, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PROPERTIES OF NORTH BRUNSWICK V, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PROPERTIES OF PISCATAWAY, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PROPERTIES OF RED BANK, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PROPERTIES OF WALL, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT, INC.

KHC ACQUISITION, INC.

KHIP III, INC.

 LANDARAMA, INC.

M&M AT LONG BRANCH, INC.

MATZEL & MUMFORD OF DELAWARE, INC.

MCNJ, INC.

MMIP III, INC.

PARTHENON GROUP, INC.

PINE BROOK COMPANY, INC.

QUE CORPORATION

REFLECTIONS OF YOU INTERIORS, INC.

SEABROOK ACCUMULATION CORPORATION

STONEBROOK HOMES, INC.

THE MATZEL & MUMFORD ORGANIZATION, INC.

THE NEW FORTIS CORPORATION

THE SOUTHAMPTON CORPORATION

WASHINGTON HOMES OF WEST VIRGINIA, INC.

WASHINGTON HOMES, INC.

WASHINGTON HOMES, INC. OF VIRGINIA

WESTMINSTER HOMES (CHARLOTTE), INC.

WESTMINSTER HOMES OF TENNESSEE, INC.

WESTMINSTER HOMES, INC.

WH LAND I, INC

WH LAND II, INC.

WH PROPERTIES, INC.

 

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ARBOR WEST, L.L.C.

DULLES COPPERMINE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT 4S RANCH, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT ARBOR HEIGHTS, LLC

K. HOVNANIAN AT ASHBURN VILLAGE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BARNEGAT I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BERKELEY, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BERNARDS V, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BLOOMS CROSSING, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BLUE HERON PINES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BRENBROOKE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BRIDGEWATER I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CAMDEN I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CARMEL VILLAGE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CEDAR GROVE III, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CHESTER I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CLIFTON, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CLIFTON II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CORTEZ HILL, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CRANBURY, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CURRIES WOODS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT DENVILLE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT EASTLAKE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT EDGEWATER, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT ENCINITAS RANCH, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT FOREST MEADOWS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT GREAT NOTCH, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT GUTTENBERG, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HAMBURG, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HAMBURG CONTRACTORS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT JACKSON I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT JACKSON, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT JERSEY CITY IV, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT JERSEY CITY V URBAN RENEWAL CO., L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT KENT ISLAND, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT KINCAID, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT KING FARM, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LA COSTA, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LA HABRA KNOLLS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LAFAYETTE ESTATES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LAKE RIDGE CROSSING, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LAKE TERRAPIN, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LAWRENCE V, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LINWOOD, L.L.C.

 

70



 

K. HOVNANIAN AT LITTLE EGG HARBOR, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LITTLE EGG HARBOR CONTRACTORS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LONG BRANCH I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LOWER MACUNGIE TOWNSHIP I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LOWER MACUNGIE TOWNSHIP II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LOWER MAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LOWER MORELAND I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LOWER MORELAND II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MANALAPAN II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MANALAPAN III, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MANSFIELD I, LLC

K. HOVNANIAN AT MANSFIELD II, LLC

K. HOVNANIAN AT MANSFIELD III, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MARLBORO TOWNSHIP V, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MARLBORO TOWNSHIP VIII, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MARLBORO VI, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MARLBORO VII, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MENIFEE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MIDDLE TOWNSHIP, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MIDDLETOWN II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MIDDLETOWN, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MONROE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MOSAIC, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MT. OLIVE TOWNSHIP, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTH BERGEN, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTH BRUNSWICK VI, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTH HALEDON, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTH WILDWOOD, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTHAMPTON, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTHFIELD, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT OLD BRIDGE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT OLDE ORCHARD, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PACIFIC BLUFFS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PARAMUS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PARK LANE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT RANDOLPH I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT READINGTON II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT RIVERBEND II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT RIVERBEND, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT RODERUCK. L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT ROWLAND HEIGHTS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SAYREVILLE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SKYE ISLE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SMITHVILLE III, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SOMERS POINT, L.L.C.

 

71



 

K. HOVNANIAN AT SOUTH AMBOY, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SOUTH BANK, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SOUTH BRUNSWICK, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SPRING HILL ROAD, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT ST. MARGARETS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SUNSETS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT THE GABLES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT TRAIL RIDGE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT UPPER FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT UPPER FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP III, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT UPPER UWCHLAN, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT UPPER UWCHLAN II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WANAQUE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WASHINGTON, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WAYNE VIII, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WAYNE IX, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WEST MILFORD, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WEST WINDSOR, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WILLOW BROOK, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WINCHESTER, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WOODHILL ESTATES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WOOLWICH, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN CENTRAL ACQUISITIONS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF METRO D.C. NORTH, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN FOUR SEASONS AT GOLD HILL, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN FOUR SEASONS AT HISTORIC VIRGINIA, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN GREAT WESTERN BUILDING COMPANY, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN GREAT WESTERN HOMES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN HOLDINGS NJ, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN NORTH CENTRAL ACQUISITIONS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN NORTH JERSEY ACQUISITIONS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN NORTHEAST SERVICES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN OHIO REALTY, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN PENNSYLVANIA ACQUISITIONS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN SHORE ACQUISITIONS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN SOUTH JERSEY ACQUISITION, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN SUMMIT HOLDINGS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN SUMMIT HOMES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN SUMMIT HOMES OF MICHIGAN, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN SUMMIT HOMES OF WEST VIRGINIA, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN’S FOUR SEASONS AT BEAUMONT, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN’S FOUR SEASONS AT HEMET, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN’S FOUR SEASONS AT PALM SPRINGS, L.L.C.

 

72



 

K. HOVNANIAN’S FOUR SEASONS AT VINT HILL, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN’S FOUR SEASONS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN’S PRIVATE HOME PORTFOLIO, L.L.C.

KHIP, LLC

KINGS COURT AT MONTGOMERY, L.L.C.

M&M AT APPLE RIDGE, L.L.C.

M&M AT BROOKHILL, L.L.C.

M&M AT CHESTERFIELD, L.L.C.

M&M AT EAST MILL, L.L.C.

M&M AT HERITAGE WOODS, L.L.C.

M&M AT KENSINGTON WOODS, L.L.C.

M&M AT MORRISTOWN, L.L.C.

M&M AT SHERIDAN, L.L.C.

M&M AT SPARTA, L.L.C.

M&M AT SPINNAKER POINTE, L.L.C.

M&M AT SPRUCE HOLLOW, L.L.C.

M&M AT SPRUCE MEADOWS, L.L.C.

M&M AT SPRUCE RUN, L.L.C.

M&M AT THE HIGHLANDS, L.L.C.

M&M AT WEST ORANGE, L.L.C.

MATZEL & MUMFORD AT CRANBURY KNOLL, L.L.C.

MATZEL & MUMFORD AT FREEHOLD, L.L.C.

MATZEL & MUMFORD AT HERITAGE LANDING, L.L.C.

MATZEL & MUMFORD AT MONTGOMERY, L.L.C.

MATZEL & MUMFORD AT PHILLIPSBURG, L.L.C.

MATZEL & MUMFORD AT SOUTH BRUNSWICK, L.L.C.

MATZEL & MUMFORD AT WOODLAND CREST, L.L.C.

MMIP, L.L.C.

RIDGEMORE UTILITY, L.L.C.

THE LANDINGS AT SPINNAKER POINTE, L.L.C.

WASHINGTON HOMES AT COLUMBIA TOWN CENTER, L.L.C.

WASHINGTON HOMES OF MARYLAND I, L.L.C.

WESTMINSTER HOMES OF ALABAMA, L.L.C.

WESTMINSTER HOMES OF MISSISSIPPI, L.L.C.

WESTMINSTER HOMES OF SOUTH CAROLINA, L.L.C.

WOODLAND LAKES CONDOS AT BOWIE NEWTOWN, LLC

GOODMAN FAMILY OF BUILDERS, L.P.

K. HOVNANIAN OF HOUSTON II, L.P.

K. HOVNANIAN OF HOUSTON, L.P.

M & M INVESTMENTS, L.P.

WASHABAMA, L.P.

 

73


Exhibit 4.2

 

 

K. HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.
HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.
AND THE OTHER GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO

 

6½% Senior Notes due 2014

 

First Supplemental Indenture

 

Dated as of November 3, 2003

 

WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

 

as Trustee

 

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

ARTICLE 1

SCOPE OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE; GENERAL

 

Section 1.01.  Scope of Supplemental Indenture; General

 

ARTICLE 2

CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

 

Section 2.01.  Certain Definitions

Section 2.02.  Rules of Construction

 

ARTICLE 3

COVENANTS

 

Section 3.01.  Existence

Section 3.02.  Payment of Taxes and Other Claims

Section 3.03.  Maintenance of Properties and Insurance

Section 3.04.  Repurchase of Notes Upon Change of Control.

Section 3.05.  Limitations on Indebtedness.

Section 3.06.  Limitations on Restricted Payments.

Section 3.07.  Limitations on Transactions with Affiliates.

Section 3.08.  Limitations on Dispositions of Assets

Section 3.09.  Offer to Purchase

Section 3.10.  Limitations on Liens

Section 3.11.  Limitations on Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries

Section 3.12.  Limitations on Mergers, Consolidations and Sales of Assets

Section 3.13.  Reports to Holders of Notes

Section 3.14.  Limitation of Applicability of Certain Covenants if Notes Rated Investment Grade.

Section 3.15.  Applicability of Covenants Contained in the Base Indenture

 

ARTICLE 4

REMEDIES

 

Section 4.01.  Events of Default.

Section 4.02.  Additional Provisions Related to Events of Default

 

i



 

ARTICLE 5

GUARANTEES; RELEASE OF GUARANTOR

 

Section 5.01.  Unconditional Guarantees

Section 5.02.  Release of a Guarantor

Section 5.03.  Guarantors as “Obligors” for Provisions Included in the Indenture Pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939

 

ARTICLE 6

DEFEASANCE

 

Section 6.01.  Defeasance

Section 6.02.  Additional Provisions to Survive Legal Defeasance and Discharge

Section 6.03.  Additional Covenant Defeasance

 

ARTICLE 7

THE NOTES

 

Section 7.01.  Form of Notes

Section 7.02.  Depositary

Section 7.03.  Certificated Notes

 

ARTICLE 8

REDEMPTION

 

Section 8.01.  Optional Redemption

Section 8.02.  Sinking Fund; Mandatory Redemption

Section 8.03.  Applicability of Sections of the Base Indenture

 

ARTICLE 9

AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS

 

Section 9.01.  Amendments, Supplements and Waivers

Section 9.02.  Payments for Consents

 

ARTICLE 10

RELEASE OF ISSUER

 

Section 10.01.  Release of Issuer

 

ARTICLE 11

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 11.01.  GOVERNING LAW

 

ii



 

Section 11.02.  No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements

Section 11.03.  Successors and Assigns

Section 11.04.  Counterparts

Section 11.05.  Severability

Section 11.06.  Effect of Headings

Section 11.07.  Conflict of Any Provision of Indenture with Trust Indenture Act of 1939

 

SCHEDULE:

1.

Guarantors

 

 

EXHIBIT:

A.

Form of Note

B.

Form of Supplemental Indenture

 

iii



 

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE dated as of November 3, 2003 (“Supplemental Indenture”) to the Indenture dated as of November 3, 2003 (the “Base Indenture” and as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”), by and among K. HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC., a California corporation (the “Issuer”), HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC., a Delaware Corporation (“Hovnanian”), each of the Guarantors (as defined herein) and WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

 

Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the holders of Notes (as defined herein):

 

WHEREAS, Hovnanian and the Issuer have duly authorized the execution and delivery of the Base Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of the Issuer’s unsecured senior debt securities (the “Securities”) and the Guarantees thereof to be issued in one or more series as in the Indenture provided;

 

WHEREAS, Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Guarantors desire and have requested the Trustee to join them in the execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture in order to establish and provide for the issuance by the Issuer of a series of Securities designated as its 6½% Senior Notes due 2014 (the “Notes”), substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A and guaranteed by Hovnanian and the Guarantors (as defined herein), on the terms set forth herein;

 

WHEREAS, the Issuer now wishes to issue Notes in an aggregate principal amount of $215,000,000;

 

WHEREAS, Section 8.1 of the Base Indenture provides that a supplemental indenture may be entered into without the consent of the holders of any Securities by Hovnanian, the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee for such purpose provided certain conditions are met;

 

WHEREAS, the conditions set forth in the Indenture for the execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture have been complied with; and

 

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Supplemental Indenture a valid agreement of Hovnanian, the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee, in accordance with its terms, and a valid amendment of, and supplement to, the Base Indenture have been done;

 

NOW, THEREFORE:

 



 

In consideration of the premises and the purchase and acceptance of the Notes by the holders thereof Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Guarantors mutually covenant and agree with the Trustee, for the equal and ratable benefit of the holders of the Notes, that the Base Indenture is supplemented and amended, to the extent expressed herein, as follows:

 

 

ARTICLE 1
SCOPE OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE; GENERAL

 

Section 1.01.  Scope of Supplemental Indenture; General.  This Supplemental Indenture supplements, and to the extent inconsistent therewith, replaces the provisions of the Indenture, to which provisions reference is hereby made.

 

The changes, modifications and supplements to the Indenture effected by this Supplemental Indenture shall be applicable only with respect to, and govern the terms of, the Notes (which shall be initially in the aggregate principal amount of $215,000,000) and shall not apply to any other Securities that may be issued under the Indenture unless a supplemental indenture with respect to such other Securities specifically incorporates such changes, modifications and supplements.  Pursuant to this Supplemental Indenture, there is hereby created and designated a series of Securities under the Indenture entitled “6½% Senior Notes due 2014.”  The Notes shall be in the form of Exhibit A hereto, the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference.  The Notes shall be guaranteed by Hovnanian and the Guarantors as provided in such form and the Indenture.

 

Subject to Section 3.05 hereof, the Issuer may issue additional notes subsequent to the Issue Date (such notes, the “Additional Notes”) of the same series as the Notes.  In the event that the Issuer shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate any Additional Notes issued under this Supplemental Indenture subsequent to the Issue Date, the Issuer shall use its best efforts to obtain the same “CUSIP” number for such Notes as is printed on the Notes outstanding at such time; provided, however, that if any series of Notes issued under this Supplemental Indenture subsequent to the Issue Date is determined, pursuant to an Opinion of Counsel in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, to be a different class of security than the Notes outstanding at such time for federal income tax purposes, the Issuer may obtain a “CUSIP” number for such Notes that is different than the “CUSIP” number printed on the Notes then outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all Notes issued under this Supplemental Indenture shall vote and consent together on all matters as one class, including without limitation, waivers, amendments, redemption and Offers to Purchase, and no Notes will have the right to vote or consent as a separate class from other Notes on any matter.

 

2



 

ARTICLE 2
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

 

Section 2.01.  Certain DefinitionsSection 1.1 of the Base Indenture is hereby amended by adding the following definitions in their proper alphabetical order which, in the event of a conflict with the definition of terms in the Indenture, shall govern.  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Base Indenture.

 

Acquired Indebtedness” means (a) with respect to any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (or is merged into Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary) after the Issue Date, Indebtedness of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (or is merged into Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary) that was not incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary (or being merged into Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary) and (b) with respect to Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, any Indebtedness expressly assumed by Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with the acquisition of any assets from another Person (other than Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary), which Indebtedness was not incurred by such other Person in connection with or in contemplation of such acquisition.  Indebtedness incurred in connection with or in contemplation of any transaction described in clause (a) or (b) of the preceding sentence shall be deemed to have been incurred by Hovnanian or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (or is merged into Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary) in the case of clause (a) or at the time of the acquisition of such assets in the case of clause (b), but shall not be deemed Acquired Indebtedness.

 

Additional Notes” has the meaning ascribed to it in Article 1 hereof.

 

Affiliate” means, when used with reference to a specified Person any Person directly or indirectly controlling, or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Person specified.

 

Affiliate Transaction” has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3.07(a) hereof.

 

Applicable Debt” means all Indebtedness of Hovnanian or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) under Credit Facilities or (b) that is publicly traded (including in the Rule 144A market), including without limitation the Issuer’s senior notes and senior subordinated notes outstanding on the Issue Date.

 

3



 

Asset Acquisition” means (a) an Investment by Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in any other Person if, as a result of such Investment, such Person shall become a Restricted Subsidiary or shall be consolidated or merged with or into Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or (b) the acquisition by Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the assets of any Person, which constitute all or substantially all of the assets or of an operating unit or line of business of such Person or which is otherwise outside the ordinary course of business.

 

Asset Disposition” means any sale, transfer, conveyance, lease or other disposition (including, without limitation, by way of merger, consolidation or sale and leaseback or sale of shares of Capital Stock in any Subsidiary) (each, a “transaction”) by Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Person of any Property having a Fair Market Value in any transaction or series of related transactions of at least $5 million. The term “Asset Disposition” shall not include:

 

(a)           a transaction between Hovnanian, the Issuer and any Restricted Subsidiary or a transaction between Restricted Subsidiaries,

 

(b)           a transaction in the ordinary course of business, including, without limitation, sales (directly or indirectly), dedications and other donations to governmental authorities, leases and sales and leasebacks of (i) homes, improved land and unimproved land and (ii) real estate (including related amenities and improvements),

 

(c)           a transaction involving the sale of Capital Stock of, or the disposition of assets in, an Unrestricted Subsidiary,

 

(d)           any exchange or swap of assets of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary for assets that (x) are to be used by Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of its Real Estate Business and (y) have a Fair Market Value not less than the Fair Market Value of the assets exchanged or swapped,

 

(e)           any sale, transfer, conveyance, lease or other disposition of assets and properties that is governed by Section 3.12 hereof, or

 

(f)            dispositions of mortgage loans and related assets and mortgage-backed securities in the ordinary course of a mortgage lending business.

 

Attributable Debt” means, with respect to any Capitalized Lease Obligations, the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

4



 

Bankruptcy Law” means title 11 of the United States Code, as amended, or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.

 

Capital Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of or in such Person’s capital stock or other equity interests, and options, rights or warrants to purchase such capital stock or other equity interests, whether now outstanding or issued after the Issue Date, including, without limitation, all Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock.

 

Capitalized Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP, and the amount of such obligations will be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Cash Equivalents” means

 

(a)           U.S. dollars;

 

(b)           securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the U.S. government or any agency or instrumentality thereof having maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition;

 

(c)           certificates of deposit and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition, bankers’ acceptances with maturities not exceeding six months and overnight bank deposits, in each case with any domestic commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of $500 million;

 

(d)           repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (b) and (c) above entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (c) above;

 

(e)           commercial paper rated P-1, A-1 or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s or S&P, respectively, and in each case maturing within six months after the date of acquisition; and

 

(f)            investments in money market funds substantially all of the assets of which consist of securities described in the foregoing clauses (a) through (e).

 

Certificated Note” means a Note registered in individual form without interest coupons.

 

5



 

Change of Control” means

 

(a)           any sale, lease, or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of Hovnanian and its Restricted Subsidiaries to any Person (other than a Restricted Subsidiary); provided, however, that a transaction where the holders of all classes of Common Equity of Hovnanian immediately prior to such transaction own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of all classes of Common Equity of such Person immediately after such transaction shall not be a Change of Control;

 

(b)           a “person” or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act (other than (x) Hovnanian or (y) the Permitted Hovnanian Holders) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of Common Equity of Hovnanian representing more than 50% of the voting power of the Common Equity of Hovnanian;

 

(c)           Continuing Directors cease to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors of Hovnanian;

 

(d)           the stockholders of Hovnanian approve any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of Hovnanian; provided, however, that a liquidation or dissolution of Hovnanian which is part of a transaction that does not constitute a Change of Control under the proviso contained in clause (a) above shall not constitute a Change of Control; or

 

(e)           a change of control shall occur as defined in the instrument governing any publicly traded debt securities of Hovnanian or the Issuer which requires Hovnanian or the Issuer to repay or repurchase such debt securities.

 

Common Equity” of any Person means Capital Stock of such Person that is generally entitled to (a) vote in the election of directors of such Person or (b) if such Person is not a corporation, vote or otherwise participate in the selection of the governing body, partners, managers or others that will control the management or policies of such Person.

 

Consolidated Adjusted Tangible Assets” of Hovnanian as of any date means the Consolidated Tangible Assets of Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries at the end of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding the date less any assets securing any Non-Recourse Indebtedness, as determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (each to the extent deducted

 

6



 

in calculating such Consolidated Net Income and determined in accordance with GAAP) the sum for such period, without duplication, of:

 

(a)           income taxes,

 

(b)           Consolidated Interest Expense,

 

(c)           depreciation and amortization expenses and other non-cash charges to earnings, and

 

(d)           interest and financing fees and expenses which were previously capitalized and which are amortized to cost of sales, minus

 

all other non-cash items (other than the receipt of notes receivable) increasing such Consolidated Net Income.

 

Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, with respect to any determination date, the ratio of (x) Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges for the prior four full fiscal quarters (the “Four Quarter Period”) for which financial results have been reported immediately preceding the determination date (the “Transaction Date”), to (y) the aggregate Consolidated Interest Incurred for the Four Quarter Period. For purposes of this definition, “Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges” and “Consolidated Interest Incurred” shall be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis for the period of such calculation to:

 

(a)           the incurrence or the repayment, repurchase, defeasance or other discharge or the assumption by another Person that is not an Affiliate (collectively, “repayment”) of any Indebtedness of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (and the application of the proceeds thereof) giving rise to the need to make such calculation, and any incurrence or repayment of other Indebtedness (and the application of the proceeds thereof), at any time on or after the first day of the Four Quarter Period and on or prior to the Transaction Date, as if such incurrence or repayment, as the case may be (and the application of the proceeds thereof), occurred on the first day of the Four Quarter Period, except that Indebtedness under revolving credit facilities shall be deemed to be the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the Four Quarter Period (as reduced on such pro forma basis by the application of any proceeds of the incurrence of Indebtedness giving rise to the need to make such calculation);

 

(b)           any Asset Disposition or Asset Acquisition (including, without limitation, any Asset Acquisition giving rise to the need to make such calculation as a result of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (including any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of any such Asset

 

7



 

Acquisition) incurring Acquired Indebtedness at any time on or after the first day of the Four Quarter Period and on or prior to the Transaction Date), as if such Asset Disposition or Asset Acquisition (including the incurrence or repayment of any such Indebtedness) and the inclusion, notwithstanding clause (b) of the definition of “Consolidated Net Income,” of any Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges associated with such Asset Acquisition as if it occurred on the first day of the Four Quarter Period; provided, however, that the Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges associated with any Asset Acquisition shall not be included to the extent the net income so associated would be excluded pursuant to the definition of “Consolidated Net Income,” other than clause (b) thereof, as if it applied to the Person or assets involved before they were acquired; and

 

(c)           the Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges and the Consolidated Interest Incurred attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, shall be excluded.

 

Furthermore, in calculating “Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges” for purposes of determining the denominator (but not the numerator) of this “Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio,”

 

(a)           interest on Indebtedness in respect of which a pro forma calculation is required that is determined on a fluctuating basis as of the Transaction Date (including Indebtedness actually incurred on the Transaction Date) and which will continue to be so determined thereafter shall be deemed to have accrued at a fixed rate per annum equal to the rate of interest on such Indebtedness in effect on the Transaction Date, and

 

(b)           notwithstanding clause (a) above, interest on such Indebtedness determined on a fluctuating basis, to the extent such interest is covered by agreements relating to Interest Protection Agreements, shall be deemed to accrue at the rate per annum resulting after giving effect to the operation of such agreements.

 

Consolidated Interest Expense” of Hovnanian for any period means the Interest Expense of Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

Consolidated Interest Incurred” for any period means the Interest Incurred of Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

Consolidated Net Income” for any period means the aggregate net income (or loss) of Hovnanian and its Subsidiaries for such period, determined on

 

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a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there will be excluded from such net income (loss) (to the extent otherwise included therein), without duplication:

 

(a)           the net income (or loss) of (x) any Unrestricted Subsidiary (other than a Mortgage Subsidiary) or (y) any Person (other than a Restricted Subsidiary or a Mortgage Subsidiary) in which any Person other than Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary has an ownership interest, except, in each case, to the extent that any such income has actually been received by Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in the form of cash dividends or similar cash distributions during such period, which dividends or distributions are not in excess of Hovnanian’s, the Issuer’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s (as applicable) pro rata share of such Unrestricted Subsidiary’s or such other Person’s net income earned during such period,

 

(b)           except to the extent includable in Consolidated Net Income pursuant to the foregoing clause (a), the net income (or loss) of any Person that accrued prior to the date that (i) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged with or into or consolidated with Hovnanian, the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (except, in the case of an Unrestricted Subsidiary that is redesignated a Restricted Subsidiary during such period, to the extent of its retained earnings from the beginning of such period to the date of such redesignation) or (ii) the assets of such Person are acquired by Hovnanian or any Restricted Subsidiary,

 

(c)           the net income of any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that (but only so long as) the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary of that income is not permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary during such period,

 

(d)           the gains or losses, together with any related provision for taxes, realized during such period by Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary resulting from (i) the acquisition of securities, or extinguishment of Indebtedness, of Hovnanian or any Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) any Asset Disposition by Hovnanian or any Restricted Subsidiary,

 

(e)           any extraordinary gain or loss together with any related provision for taxes, realized by Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, and

 

(f)            any non-recurring expense recorded by Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with a merger accounted for as a “pooling-of-interests” transaction;

 

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provided, further, that for purposes of calculating Consolidated Net Income solely as it relates to clause (iii) of Section 3.06(a) hereof, clause (d)(ii) above shall not be applicable.

 

Consolidated Net Worth” of any Person as of any date means the stockholders’ equity (including any Preferred Stock that is classified as equity under GAAP, other than Disqualified Stock) of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis at the end of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such date, as determined in accordance with GAAP, less any amount attributable to Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

 

Consolidated Tangible Assets” of Hovnanian as of any date means the total amount of assets of Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries (less applicable reserves) on a consolidated basis at the end of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such date, as determined in accordance with GAAP, less (a) Intangible Assets and (b) appropriate adjustments on account of minority interests of other Persons holding equity investments in Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

Continuing Director” means a director who either was a member of the Board of Directors of Hovnanian on the date of the Indenture or who became a director of Hovnanian subsequent to such date and whose election or nomination for election by Hovnanian’s stockholders, was duly approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors on the Board of Directors of Hovnanian at the time of such approval, either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement issued by Hovnanian on behalf of the entire Board of Directors of Hovnanian in which such individual is named as nominee for director.

 

control” when used with respect to any Person, means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

Credit Facilities” means, collectively, each of the credit facilities and lines of credit of Hovnanian or one or more Restricted Subsidiaries in existence on the Issue Date and one or more other facilities and lines of credit among or between Hovnanian or one or more Restricted Subsidiaries and one or more lenders pursuant to which Hovnanian or one or more Restricted Subsidiaries may incur indebtedness for working capital and general corporate purposes (including acquisitions), as any such facility or line of credit may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, and includes any agreement extending the maturity of, increasing the amount of, or restructuring, all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such facility or line of credit or any successor facilities or lines of credit and includes any facility or line of credit with one or more lenders refinancing or replacing all or any portion of the

 

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Indebtedness under such facility or line of credit or any successor facility or line of credit.

 

Currency Agreement” of any Person means any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement designed to protect such Person or any of its Subsidiaries against fluctuations in currency values.

 

Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

Default” means any event, act or condition that is, or after notice or the passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.

 

Designation Amount” has the meaning provided in the definition of Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

Disqualified Stock” means any Capital Stock that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event, (a) matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the final maturity date of the Notes or (b) is convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for (whether at the option of the issuer or the holder thereof) (i) debt securities or (ii) any Capital Stock referred to in (a) above, in each case, at any time prior to the final maturity date of the Notes; provided, however, that any Capital Stock that would not constitute Disqualified Stock but for provisions thereof giving holders thereof (or the holders of any security into or for which such Capital Stock is convertible, exchangeable or exercisable) the right to require Hovnanian to repurchase or redeem such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a change in control occurring prior to the final maturity date of the Notes shall not constitute Disqualified Stock if the change in control provision applicable to such Capital Stock are no more favorable to such holders than the provisions of Section 3.04 hereof and such Capital Stock specifically provides that Hovnanian will not repurchase or redeem any such Capital Stock pursuant to such provisions prior to Hovnanian’s repurchase of the Notes as are required pursuant to Section 3.04 hereof.

 

DTC” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 7.02 hereof.

 

Event of Default” means any event specified as such in Section 4.01 hereof.

 

expiration date” has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3.09(b) hereof.

 

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Extinguished Covenants” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.14 hereof.

 

Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any asset, the price (after taking into account any liabilities relating to such assets) that would be negotiated in an arm’s-length transaction for cash between a willing seller and a willing and able buyer, neither of which is under any compulsion to complete the transaction, as such price is determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of Hovnanian or a duly authorized committee thereof, as evidenced by a resolution of such Board or committee.

 

GAAP” or “generally accepted accounting principles” means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession of the United States, as in effect on May 4, 1999.

 

Global Note” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 7.01 hereof.

 

Global Note Holder” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 7.02 hereof.

 

guarantee” means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person: (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness of such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreement to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise) or (ii) entered into for purposes of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof, in whole or in part; provided that the term “guarantee” does not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.  The term “guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

 

Guarantors” means (i) initially, Hovnanian and each of the other Guarantors signatory hereto as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto, which includes each of Hovnanian’s Restricted Subsidiaries in existence on the Issue Date, other than the Issuer, KHL, Inc. and K. Hovnanian Poland, sp.z.o.o. and (ii) each of Hovnanian’s Subsidiaries which becomes a Guarantor of the Notes pursuant to

 

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the provisions of this Indenture, and their successors, in each case until released from its Guarantee pursuant to this Indenture.

 

Holder”, “Holder of Securities”, “securityholder” and similar terms mean in the case of a Note, the Person in whose name such Note is registered in the books of the security register for the Notes.

 

Hovnanian” has the meaning ascribed to it in the preamble hereof and shall also refer to any successor under the Indenture.

 

incurrence” has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3.05(a) hereof.

 

Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication,

 

(a)           any liability of such Person (i) for borrowed money or under any reimbursement obligation relating to a letter of credit or other similar instruments (other than standby letters of credit or similar instrument issued for the benefit of or surety, performance, completion or payment bonds, earnest money notes or similar purpose undertakings or indemnifications issued by, such Person in the ordinary course of business), (ii) evidenced by a bond, note, debenture or similar instrument (including a purchase money obligation) given in connection with the acquisition of any businesses, properties or assets of any kind or with services incurred in connection with capital expenditures (other than any obligation to pay a contingent purchase price which, as of the date of incurrence thereof is not required to be recorded as a liability in accordance with GAAP), or (iii) in respect of Capitalized Lease Obligations (to the extent of the Attributable Debt in respect thereof),

 

(b)           any Indebtedness of others that such Person has guaranteed to the extent of the guarantee, provided, however, that Indebtedness of Hovnanian and its Restricted Subsidiaries will not include the obligations of Hovnanian or a Restricted Subsidiary under warehouse lines of credit of Mortgage Subsidiaries to repurchase mortgages at prices no greater than 98% of the principal amount thereof, and upon any such purchase the excess, if any, of the purchase price thereof over the Fair Market Value of the mortgages acquired, will constitute Restricted Payments subject to Section 3.06 hereof,

 

(c)           to the extent not otherwise included, the obligations of such Person under Currency Agreements or Interest Protection Agreements to the extent recorded as liabilities not constituting Interest Incurred, net of amounts recorded as assets in respect of such agreements, in accordance with GAAP, and

 

(d)           all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person;

 

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provided, that Indebtedness shall not include accounts payable, liabilities to trade creditors of such Person or other accrued expenses arising in the ordinary course of business. The amount of Indebtedness of any Person at any date shall be (i) the outstanding balance at such date of all unconditional obligations as described above, net of any unamortized discount to be accounted for as Interest Expense, in accordance with GAAP, (ii) the maximum liability of such Person for any contingent obligations under clause (a) above at such date, net of an unamortized discount to be accounted for as Interest Expense in accordance with GAAP, and (iii) in the case of clause (d) above, the lesser of (x) the fair market value of any asset subject to a Lien securing the Indebtedness of others on the date that the Lien attaches and (y) the amount of the Indebtedness secured.

 

Indenture” has the meaning ascribed to it in the preamble hereof.

 

Intangible Assets” of Hovnanian means all unamortized debt discount and expense, unamortized deferred charges, goodwill, patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, write-ups of assets over their prior carrying value (other than write-ups which occurred prior to the Issue Date and other than, in connection with the acquisition of an asset, the write-up of the value of such asset (within one year of its acquisition) to its fair market value in accordance with GAAP) and all other items which would be treated as intangible on the consolidated balance sheet of Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

Interest Expense” of any Person for any period means, without duplication, the aggregate amount of (a) interest which, in conformity with GAAP, would be set opposite the caption “interest expense” or any like caption on an income statement for such Person (including, without limitation, imputed interest included in Capitalized Lease Obligations, all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing, the net costs (but reduced by net gains) associated with Currency Agreements and Interest Protection Agreements, amortization of other financing fees and expenses, the interest portion of any deferred payment obligation, amortization of discount or premium, if any, and all other non-cash interest expense (other than interest and other charges amortized to cost of sales), and (b) all interest actually paid by Hovnanian or a Restricted Subsidiary under any guarantee of Indebtedness (including, without limitation, a guarantee of principal, interest or any combination thereof) of any Person other than Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period; provided, that Interest Expense shall exclude any expense associated with the complete write-off of financing fees and expenses in connection with the repayment of any Indebtedness.

 

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Interest Incurred” of any Person for any period means, without duplication, the aggregate amount of (a) Interest Expense and (b) all capitalized interest and amortized debt issuance costs.

 

Interest Protection Agreement” of any Person means any interest rate swap agreement, interest rate collar agreement, option or futures contract or other similar agreement or arrangement designed to protect such Person or any of its Subsidiaries against fluctuations in interest rates with respect to Debt permitted to be incurred under the Indenture.

 

Investment Grade means, with respect to a debt rating of the Notes, a rating of Baa3 or higher by Moody’s together with a rating of BBB- or higher by S&P or, in the event S&P or Moody’s or both shall cease rating the Notes (for reasons outside the control of Hovnanian or the Issuer) and Hovnanian shall select any other Rating Agency, the equivalent of such ratings by such other Rating Agency.

 

Investments” of any Person means (a) all investments by such Person in any other Person in the form of loans, advances or capital contributions, (b) all guarantees of Indebtedness or other obligations of any other Person by such Person, (c) all purchases (or other acquisitions for consideration) by such Person of Indebtedness, Capital Stock or other securities of any other Person and (d) all other items that would be classified as investments in any other Person (including, without limitation, purchases of assets outside the ordinary course of business) on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

Issue Date” means November 3, 2003.

 

Issuer” has the meaning ascribed to it in the preamble hereof and shall also refer to any successor obligor under the Indenture.

 

Lien” means, with respect to any Property, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such Property. For purposes of this definition, a Person shall be deemed to own, subject to a Lien, any Property which it has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or other title retention agreement relating to such Property.

 

Make-Whole Amount” means, in connection with any optional redemption of any Note pursuant to Section 8.01 hereof, the excess, if any, of: (a) the aggregate present value as of the date of such redemption of each dollar of principal being redeemed and the amount of interest (exclusive of interest accrued to the redemption date) that would have been payable in respect of such dollar if such prepayment had not been made, determined by discounting, on a semiannual

 

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basis, such principal and interest at the Treasury Rate (determined on the business day preceding the date of such redemption) plus 0.5%, from the respective dates on which such principal and interest would have been payable if such payment had not been made; over (b) the principal amount of the Note being redeemed.

 

Marketable Securities” means (a) equity securities that are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or The Nasdaq National Market and (b) debt securities that are rated by a nationally recognized rating agency, listed on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or covered by at least two reputable market makers.

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or any successor to its debt rating business.

 

Mortgage Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of Hovnanian substantially all of whose operations consist of the mortgage lending business.

 

Net Cash Proceeds” means with respect to an Asset Disposition, cash payments received (including any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or otherwise (including any cash received upon sale or disposition of such note or receivable), but only as and when received), excluding any other consideration received in the form of assumption by the acquiring Person of Indebtedness or other obligations relating to the Property disposed of in such Asset Disposition or received in any other non-cash form unless and until such non-cash consideration is converted into cash therefrom, in each case, net of all legal, title and recording tax expenses, commissions and other fees and expenses incurred, and all federal, state and local taxes required to be accrued as a liability under GAAP as a consequence of such Asset Disposition, and in each case net of a reasonable reserve for the after-tax cost of any indemnification or other payments (fixed and contingent) attributable to the seller’s indemnities or other obligations to the purchaser undertaken by Hovnanian, the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with such Asset Disposition, and net of all payments made on any Indebtedness which is secured by or relates to such Property, in accordance with the terms of any Lien or agreement upon or with respect to such Property or which must by its terms or by applicable law be repaid out of the proceeds from such Asset Disposition, and net of all contractually required distributions and payments made to minority interest holders in Restricted Subsidiaries or joint ventures as a result of such Asset Disposition.

 

Non-Recourse Indebtedness” with respect to any Person means Indebtedness of such Person for which (a) the sole legal recourse for collection of principal and interest on such Indebtedness is against the specific property identified in the instruments evidencing or securing such Indebtedness and such

 

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property was acquired with the proceeds of such Indebtedness or such Indebtedness was incurred within 90 days after the acquisition of such property and (b) no other assets of such Person may be realized upon in collection of principal or interest on such Indebtedness. Indebtedness which is otherwise Non-Recourse Indebtedness will not lose its character as Non-Recourse Indebtedness because there is recourse to the borrower, any guarantor or any other Person for (i) environmental warranties and indemnities, or (ii) indemnities for and liabilities arising from fraud, misrepresentation, misapplication or non-payment of rents, profits, insurance and condemnation proceeds and other sums actually received by the borrower from secured assets to be paid to the lender, waste and mechanics’ liens.

 

Notes” has the meaning ascribed to it in the preamble hereof.

 

Offer” has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3.09(a) hereof.

 

Offer to Purchase” has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3.09(a) hereof.

 

Paying Agent” refers to a Person engaged to perform the obligations of the Trustee in respect of payments made or funds held hereunder in respect of the Notes.

 

Permitted Hovnanian Holders” means, collectively, Kevork S. Hovnanian, Ara K. Hovnanian, the members of their immediate families, the respective estates, spouses, heirs, ancestors, lineal descendants, legatees and legal representatives of any of the foregoing and the trustee of any bona fide trust of which one or more of the foregoing are the sole beneficiaries or the grantors thereof, or any entity of which any of the foregoing, individually or collectively, beneficially own more than 50% of the Common Equity.

 

Permitted Indebtedness” means

 

(a)           Indebtedness under Credit Facilities which does not exceed $590 million principal amount outstanding at any one time;

 

(b)           Indebtedness in respect of obligations of Hovnanian and its Subsidiaries to the trustees under indentures for debt securities;

 

(c)           intercompany debt obligations of (i) Hovnanian to the Issuer, (ii) the Issuer to Hovnanian, (iii) Hovnanian or the Issuer to any Restricted Subsidiary and (iv) any Restricted Subsidiary to Hovnanian or the Issuer or any other Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that any Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary or the Issuer or Hovnanian owed to any Restricted

 

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Subsidiary or the Issuer that ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to be incurred and shall be treated as an incurrence for purposes of Section 3.05(a) hereof at the time the Restricted Subsidiary in question ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(d)           Indebtedness of Hovnanian or the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary under any Currency Agreements or Interest Protection Agreements in a notional amount no greater than the payments due (at the time the related Currency Agreement or Interest Protection Agreement is entered into) with respect to the Indebtedness or currency being hedged;

 

(e)           Purchase Money Indebtedness;

 

(f)            Capitalized Lease Obligations;

 

(g)           obligations for, pledge of assets in respect of, and guaranties of, bond financings of political subdivisions or enterprises thereof in the ordinary course of business;

 

(h)           Indebtedness secured only by office buildings owned or occupied by Hovnanian or any Restricted Subsidiary, which Indebtedness does not exceed $10 million aggregate principal amount outstanding at any one time;

 

(i)            Indebtedness under warehouse lines of credit, repurchase agreements and Indebtedness secured by mortgage loans and related assets of mortgage lending Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of a mortgage lending business; and

 

(j)            Indebtedness of Hovnanian or any Restricted Subsidiary which, together with all other Indebtedness under this clause (j), does not exceed $50 million aggregate principal amount outstanding at any one time.

 

Permitted Investment” means

 

(a)           Cash Equivalents;

 

(b)           any Investment in Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such Investment or that is consolidated or merged with or into, or transfers all or substantially all of the assets of it or an operating unit or line of business to, Hovnanian or a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(c)           any receivables, loans or other consideration taken by Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with any asset sale otherwise permitted by the Indenture;

 

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(d)           Investments received in connection with any bankruptcy or reorganization proceeding, or as a result of foreclosure, perfection or enforcement of any Lien or any judgment or settlement of any Person in exchange for or satisfaction of Indebtedness or other obligations or other property received from such Person, or for other liabilities or obligations of such Person created, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture;

 

(e)           Investments in Currency Agreements or Interest Protection Agreements described in the definition of Permitted Indebtedness;

 

(f)            any loan or advance to an executive officer, director or employee of Hovnanian or any Restricted Subsidiary made in the ordinary course of business or in accordance with past practice; provided, however, that any such loan or advance exceeding $1 million shall have been approved by the Board of Directors of Hovnanian or a committee thereof consisting of disinterested members;

 

(g)           Investments in joint ventures in a Real Estate Business with unaffiliated third parties in an aggregate amount at any time outstanding not to exceed 10% of Consolidated Tangible Assets at such time;

 

(h)           Investments in interests in issuances of collateralized mortgage obligations, mortgages, mortgage loan servicing, or other mortgage related assets;

 

(i)            obligations of Hovnanian or a Restricted Subsidiary under warehouse lines of credit of Mortgage Subsidiaries to repurchase mortgages; and

 

(j)            Investments in an aggregate amount outstanding not to exceed $10 million.

 

Permitted Liens” means

 

(a)           Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental or quasi-government charges or claims that (i) are not yet delinquent, (ii) are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves have been established or other provisions have been made in accordance with GAAP, if required, or (iii) encumber solely property abandoned or in the process of being abandoned,

 

(b)           statutory Liens of landlords and carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, suppliers’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other Liens imposed by law and arising in the ordinary course of business and with respect to amounts that, to the extent applicable, either (i) are not yet delinquent or (ii) are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves have

 

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been established or other provisions have been made in accordance with GAAP, if required,

 

(c)           Liens (other than any Lien imposed by the Employer Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended) incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security,

 

(d)           Liens incurred or deposits made to secure the performance of tenders, bids, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, development obligations, progress payments, government contacts, utility services, developer’s or other obligations to make on-site or off-site improvements and other obligations of like nature (exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money but including the items referred to in the parenthetical in clause (a)(i) of the definition of “Indebtedness”), in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business of Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries,

 

(e)           attachment or judgment Liens not giving rise to a Default or an Event of Default,

 

(f)            easements, dedications, assessment district or similar Liens in connection with municipal or special district financing, rights-of-way, restrictions, reservations and other similar charges, burdens, and other similar charges or encumbrances not materially interfering with the ordinary course of business of Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries,

 

(g)           zoning restrictions, licenses, restrictions on the use of real property or minor irregularities in title thereto, which do not materially impair the use of such real property in the ordinary course of business of Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries,

 

(h)           Liens securing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clause (h) or (i) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness,

 

(i)            Liens securing Indebtedness of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary permitted to be incurred under the Indenture; provided, that the aggregate amount of all consolidated Indebtedness of Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries (including, with respect to Capitalized Lease Obligations, the Attributable Debt in respect thereof) secured by Liens (other than Non-Recourse Indebtedness and Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clause (i) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness) shall not exceed 40% of Consolidated Adjusted Tangible Assets at any one time outstanding (after giving effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness and the use of the proceeds thereof),

 

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(j)            Liens securing Non-Recourse Indebtedness of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided, that such Liens apply only to the property financed out of the net proceeds of such Non-Recourse Indebtedness within 90 days after the incurrence of such Non-Recourse Indebtedness,

 

(k)           Liens securing Purchase Money Indebtedness; provided that such Liens apply only to the property acquired, constructed or improved with the proceeds of such Purchase Money Indebtedness within 90 days after the incurrence of such Purchase Money Indebtedness,

 

(l)            Liens on property or assets of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary securing Indebtedness of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary owing to Hovnanian, the Issuer or one or more Restricted Subsidiaries,

 

(m)          leases or subleases granted to others not materially interfering with the ordinary course of business of Hovnanian and the Restricted Subsidiaries,

 

(n)           purchase money security interests (including, without limitation, Capitalized Lease Obligations); provided that such Liens apply only to the Property acquired and the related Indebtedness is incurred within 90 days after the acquisition of such Property,

 

(o)           any right of first refusal, right of first offer, option, contract or other agreement to sell an asset; provided that such sale is not otherwise prohibited under the Indenture,

 

(p)           any right of a lender or lenders to which Hovnanian, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary may be indebted to offset against, or appropriate and apply to the payment of such, Indebtedness any and all balances, credits, deposits, accounts or money of Hovnanian, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary with or held by such lender or lenders or its Affiliates,

 

(q)           any pledge or deposit of cash or property in conjunction with obtaining surety, performance, completion or payment bonds and letters of credit or other similar instruments or providing earnest money obligations, escrows or similar purpose undertakings or indemnifications in the ordinary course of business of Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries,

 

(r)            Liens for homeowner and property owner association developments and assessments,

 

(s)           Liens securing Refinancing Indebtedness; provided, that such Liens extend only to the assets securing the Indebtedness being refinanced,

 

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(t)            Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business as security for the obligations of Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to indemnification in respect of title insurance providers,

 

(u)           Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged with or into or consolidated with Hovnanian or any Subsidiary of Hovnanian or becomes a Subsidiary of Hovnanian; provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such merger or consolidation or acquisition and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person merged into or consolidated with Hovnanian or the Subsidiary or acquired by Hovnanian or its Subsidiaries,

 

(v)           Liens on property existing at the time of acquisition thereof by Hovnanian or any Subsidiary of Hovnanian, provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such acquisition,

 

(w)          Liens existing on the Issue Date and any extensions, renewals or replacements thereof, and

 

(x)            Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods.

 

Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

Preferred Stock” of any Person means all Capital Stock of such Person which has a preference in liquidation or with respect to the payment of dividends.

 

Property” of any Person means all types of real, personal, tangible, intangible or mixed property owned by such Person, whether or not included in the most recent consolidated balance sheet of such Person and its Subsidiaries under GAAP.

 

purchase amount” has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3.09(b) hereof.

 

purchase date” has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3.09(b) hereof.

 

Purchase Money Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price, or the cost of construction or improvement, of any

 

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property to be used in the ordinary course of business by Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, however, that (a) the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness shall not exceed such purchase price or cost and (b) such Indebtedness shall be incurred no later than 90 days after the acquisition of such property or completion of such construction or improvement.

 

Qualified Stock” means Capital Stock of Hovnanian other than Disqualified Stock.

 

Rating Agencymeans a statistical rating agency or agencies, as the case may be, nationally recognized in the United States and selected by Hovnanian (as certified by a resolution of the Board of Directors of Hovnanian) which shall be substituted for S&P or Moody’s, or both, as the case may be.

 

Real Estate Business” means homebuilding, housing construction, real estate development or construction and related real estate activities, including the provision of mortgage financing or title insurance.

 

Refinancing Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (to the extent not Permitted Indebtedness) that refunds, refinances or extends any Indebtedness of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (to the extent not Permitted Indebtedness) outstanding on the Issue Date or other Indebtedness (to the extent not Permitted Indebtedness) permitted to be incurred by Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to the terms of the Indenture, but only to the extent that:

 

(a)           the Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated, if at all, to the Notes or the Guarantees, as the case may be, to the same extent as the Indebtedness being refunded, refinanced or extended,

 

(b)           the Refinancing Indebtedness is scheduled to mature either (i) no earlier than the Indebtedness being refunded, refinanced or extended or (ii) after the maturity date of the Notes,

 

(c)           the portion, if any, of the Refinancing Indebtedness that is scheduled to mature on or prior to the maturity date of the Notes has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is incurred that is equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the portion of the Indebtedness being refunded, refinanced or extended that is scheduled to mature on or prior to the maturity date of the Notes, and

 

(d)           such Refinancing Indebtedness is in an aggregate principal amount that is equal to or less than the aggregate principal amount then outstanding under the Indebtedness being refunded, refinanced or extended.

 

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Registrar” means a Person engaged to maintain the security register for the Notes.

 

Repurchase Date” has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3.04(a) hereof.

 

Restricted Payment” means any of the following:

 

(a)           the declaration or payment of any dividend or any other distribution on Capital Stock of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or any payment made to the direct or indirect holders (in their capacities as such) of Capital Stock of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than (i) dividends or distributions payable solely in Qualified Stock and (ii) in the case of the Issuer or Restricted Subsidiaries, dividends or distributions payable to Hovnanian, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary);

 

(b)           the purchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Capital Stock of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than a payment made to Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary); and

 

(c)           any Investment (other than any Permitted Investment), including any Investment in an Unrestricted Subsidiary (including by the designation of a Subsidiary of Hovnanian as an Unrestricted Subsidiary) and any amounts paid in accordance with clause (b) of the definition of Indebtedness.

 

Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of Hovnanian which is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

S&P” means Standard and Poor’s Ratings Service, a division of McGraw Hill, Inc., a New York corporation or any successor to its debt rating business.

 

Securities” has the meaning ascribed to it in the preamble hereof.

 

Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of Hovnanian which would constitute a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02(w)(1) or (2) of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act as in effect on the Issue Date.

 

Subsidiary” of any Person means any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the Capital Stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the Board of Directors or other persons performing similar functions is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such Person.

 

Successor” has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3.12(a) hereof.

 

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Supplemental Indenture” has the meaning ascribed to it in the preamble hereof.

 

Treasury Rate” means, in connection with the calculation of any Make-Whole Amount with respect to any Note, the yield to maturity at the time of computation of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity, as compiled by and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) that has become publicly available at least two business days prior to the redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source or similar market data), equal to the then remaining maturity of the Note being prepaid.  If no maturity exactly corresponds to such maturity, yields for the published maturities occurring prior to and after such maturity most closely corresponding to such maturity shall be calculated pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence and the Treasury Rate shall be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight-line basis, rounding in each of such relevant periods to the nearest month.

 

Trustee” means the party named in the preamble hereof until a successor replaces such party in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Indenture and thereafter means the successor serving hereunder.

 

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of Hovnanian so designated by a resolution adopted by the Board of Directors of Hovnanian or a duly authorized committee thereof as provided below; provided that (a) the holders of Indebtedness thereof do not have direct or indirect recourse against Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, and neither Hovnanian, the Issuer nor any Restricted Subsidiary otherwise has liability for, any payment obligations in respect of such Indebtedness (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument evidencing such Indebtedness), except, in each case, to the extent that the amount thereof constitutes a Restricted Payment permitted by the Indenture, in the case of Non-Recourse Indebtedness, to the extent such recourse or liability is for the matters discussed in the last sentence of the definition of “Non-Recourse Indebtedness,” or to the extent such Indebtedness is a guarantee by such Subsidiary of Indebtedness of Hovnanian, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary and (b) no holder of any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary shall have a right to declare a default on such Indebtedness or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its stated maturity as a result of a default on any Indebtedness of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary.  As of the Issue Date, the Unrestricted Subsidiaries will be the following:

 

Athena Portfolio Investors, L.P., Brightbeach Development, Ltd., Brighton Homes At Walden, Ltd., Brighton Homes At Walden Management, L.L.C., Corner Of The Zone, L.L.C., Eastern Title Agency, Inc., Founders Title Agency, Inc., Gosling Road Development Co., Inc., Governor’s Abstract Co., Inc.,

 

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Heritage Pines, L.L.C., Hexter Fair Land Title Company I, Inc., Homebuyer’s Mortgage, Inc., Hovnanian Financial Services I, Inc., Hovnanian Financial Services II, Inc., Hovnanian Financial Services IV, Inc., K. Hovnanian At Port Imperial Urban Renewal II, L.L.C., K. Hovnanian At Port Imperial Urban Renewal III, L.L.C., K. Hovnanian Investment Properties, Inc., K. Hovnanian Mortgage, Inc., K. Hovnanian Summit Homes of Pennsylvania, L.L.C., K. Hovnanian Venture I, L.L.C., K. Hovnanian Winward Homes, L.L.C., Kings Crossing at Montgomery, L.L.C., Laurel Highlands, L.L.C., McKinley Court, L.L.C., M&M At Monroe Woods, L.L.C., MM-Beachfront North I, L.L.C., New Homebuyers Title Company, L.L.C., New Homebuyers Title Co. (Virginia) L.L.C., New Homebuyer’s Title, L.L.C., Paddocks, L.L.C., Parkway Development, Sovereign Group, L.P., Pinnacle Mortgage Group, Inc., Preston Grande Homes, Inc., RR Houston Developers, L.L.C., RR Houston Development, L.P., RR Houston Investment, L.P., RR Houston Investors, L.L.C., Section 13 of the Hills, L.L.C., Title Group II, L.L.C., Town Homes at Montgomery, L.L.C., 12th Street Residential, Ltd., Washington Homes at Renaissance Plaza, L.L.C., WHI-Republic, L.L.C., and Wright Farm, L.L.C.

 

Subject to the foregoing, the Board of Directors of Hovnanian or a duly authorized committee thereof may designate any Subsidiary in addition to those named above to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that (a) the net amount (the “Designation Amount”) then outstanding of all previous Investments by Hovnanian and the Restricted Subsidiaries in such Subsidiary will be deemed to be a Restricted Payment at the time of such designation and will reduce the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 3.06 hereof to the extent provided therein, (b) Hovnanian must be permitted under Section 3.06 hereof to make the Restricted Payment deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (a), and (c) after giving effect to such designation, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred or be continuing. In accordance with the foregoing, and not in limitation thereof, Investments made by any Person in any Subsidiary of such Person prior to such Person’s merger with Hovnanian or any Restricted Subsidiary (but not in contemplation or anticipation of such merger) shall not be counted as an Investment by Hovnanian or such Restricted Subsidiary if such Subsidiary of such Person is designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

The Board of Directors of Hovnanian or a duly authorized committee thereof may also redesignate an Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary provided, however, that (a) the Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary as of the date of such redesignation could then be incurred under Section 3.05 hereof and (b) immediately after giving effect to such redesignation and the incurrence of any such additional Indebtedness, Hovnanian and the Restricted Subsidiaries could incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under Section 3.05(a) hereof.  Any such designation or redesignation by the Board of Directors of Hovnanian or a committee thereof will be evidenced to the Trustee

 

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by the filing with the Trustee of a certified copy of the resolution of the Board of Directors of Hovnanian or a committee thereof giving effect to such designation or redesignation and an Officers’ Certificate certifying that such designation or redesignation complied with the foregoing conditions and setting forth the underlying calculations of such Officers’ Certificate.  The designation of any Person as an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to include a designation of all Subsidiaries of such Person as Unrestricted Subsidiaries; provided, however, that the ownership of the general partnership interest (or a similar member’s interest in a limited liability company) by an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall not cause a Subsidiary of Hovnanian of which more than 95% of the equity interest is held by Hovnanian or one or more Restricted Subsidiaries to be deemed an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness or portion thereof at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing (a) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payment of principal, including, without limitation, payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (ii) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment by (b) the sum of all such payments described in clause (a)(i) above.

 

Section 2.02.  Rules of ConstructionUnless the context otherwise requires or except as otherwise expressly provided, an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP.

 

 

ARTICLE 3
COVENANTS

 

Section 3.01.  ExistenceHovnanian and the Issuer will each do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence and the existence of each of its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with their respective organizational documents, and the material rights, licenses and franchises of Hovnanian, the Issuer and each Restricted Subsidiary, provided that Hovnanian and the Issuer are not required to preserve any such right, license or franchise, or the existence of any Restricted Subsidiary, if the maintenance or preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of Hovnanian and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and provided further that this Section does not prohibit any transaction otherwise permitted by Sections 3.08 and 3.12 hereof.

 

Section 3.02.  Payment of Taxes and Other Claims.  Hovnanian will pay or discharge, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay or discharge before the same

 

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become delinquent (a) all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon Hovnanian or any Subsidiary or its income or profits or property, and (b) all material lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies that, if unpaid, might by law become a Lien upon the property of Hovnanian or any Subsidiary, other than any such tax, assessment, charge or claim the amount, applicability or validity of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been established.

 

Section 3.03.  Maintenance of Properties and Insurance.  (a) Hovnanian will cause all properties used or useful in the conduct of its business or the business of any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order as in the judgment of Hovnanian may be necessary so that the business of Hovnanian and its Restricted Subsidiaries may be properly and advantageously conducted at all times; provided that nothing in this Section prevents Hovnanian or any Restricted Subsidiary from discontinuing the use, operation or maintenance of any of such properties or disposing of any of them, if such discontinuance or disposal is, in the judgment of Hovnanian, desirable in the conduct of the business of Hovnanian and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

 

(b)           Hovnanian will provide or cause to be provided, for itself and its Restricted Subsidiaries, insurance (including appropriate self-insurance) against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by corporations similarly situated and owning like properties, including, but not limited to, products liability insurance and public liability insurance, with reputable insurers, in such amounts, with such deductibles and by such methods as are customary for corporations similarly situated in the industry in which Hovnanian and its Restricted Subsidiaries are then conducting business.

 

Section 3.04.  Repurchase of Notes Upon Change of Control.

 

(a)           In the event that there shall occur a Change of Control, each Holder of Notes shall have the right, at such Holder’s option, to require the Issuer to purchase all or any part of such Holder’s Notes on a date (the “Repurchase Date”) that is no later than 90 days after notice of the Change of Control, at 101% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the Repurchase Date.

 

(b)           On or before the thirtieth day after any Change of Control, the Issuer is obligated to mail or cause to be mailed, to all Holders of record of Notes and to the Trustee a notice regarding the Change of Control and the repurchase right.  The notice shall state the Repurchase Date, the date by which the repurchase right must be exercised, the price for the Notes and the procedure which the Holder must follow to exercise such right. Substantially simultaneously with mailing of

 

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the notice, the Issuer shall cause a copy of such notice to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York. To exercise such right, the Holder of such Note must deliver, at least ten days prior to the Repurchase Date, written notice to the Issuer (or an agent designated by the Issuer for such purpose) of the Holder’s exercise of such right, together with the Note with respect to which the right is being exercised, duly endorsed for transfer; provided, however, that if mandated by applicable law, a Holder may be permitted to deliver such written notice nearer to the Repurchase Date than may be specified by the Issuer.

 

(c)           The Issuer will comply with applicable law, including Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act and Rule l4e-1 thereunder, if applicable, if the Issuer is required to give a notice of a right of repurchase as a result of a Change of Control.

 

Section 3.05.  Limitations on Indebtedness.

 

(a)           Hovnanian and the Issuer will not, and will not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, to create, incur, assume, become liable for or guarantee the payment of (collectively, an “incurrence”) any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) unless, after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds therefrom, the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio on the date thereof would be at least 2.0 to 1.0.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of the Indenture will not prevent the incurrence of:

 

(i)           Permitted Indebtedness,

 

(ii)          Refinancing Indebtedness,

 

(iii)         Non-Recourse Indebtedness,

 

(iv)         any Guarantee of Indebtedness represented by the Notes, and

 

(v)          any guarantee of Indebtedness incurred under Credit Facilities in compliance with the Indenture.

 

(c)           For purposes of determining compliance with this covenant, in the event that an item of Indebtedness may be incurred through the first paragraph of this covenant or by meeting the criteria of one or more of the types of Indebtedness described in the second paragraph of this covenant (or the definitions of the terms used therein), Hovnanian, in its sole discretion,

 

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(i)           may classify such item of Indebtedness under and comply with either of such paragraphs (or any of such definitions), as applicable,

 

(ii)          may classify and divide such item of Indebtedness into more than one of such paragraphs (or definitions), as applicable, and

 

(iii)         may elect to comply with such paragraphs (or definitions), as applicable, in any order.

 

(d)      Hovnanian and the Issuer will not, and will not cause or permit any Guarantor to, directly or indirectly, in any event incur any Indebtedness that purports to be by its terms (or by the terms of any agreement governing such Indebtedness) subordinated to any other Indebtedness of Hovnanian or of such Guarantor, as the case may be, unless such Indebtedness is also by its terms (or by the terms of any agreement governing such Indebtedness) made expressly subordinated to the Notes or the Guarantee of such Guarantor, as the case may be, to the same extent and in the same manner as such Indebtedness is subordinated to such other Indebtedness of Hovnanian or such Guarantor, as the case may be.

 

Section 3.06.  Limitations on Restricted Payments.

 

(a)           Hovnanian and the Issuer will not, and will not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, make any Restricted Payment unless:

 

(i)           no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of or immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment;

 

(ii)          immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, Hovnanian could incur at least $1.00 of Indebtedness pursuant to Section 3.05(a) hereof; and

 

(iii)         immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, the aggregate amount of all Restricted Payments (including the Fair Market Value of any non-cash Restricted Payment) declared or made after May 4, 1999 does not exceed the sum of:

 

(A)         50% of the Consolidated Net Income of Hovnanian on a cumulative basis during the period (taken as one accounting period) from and including February 1, 1999 and ending on the last day of Hovnanian’s fiscal quarter immediately preceding the date of such Restricted Payment (or in the event

 

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such Consolidated Net Income shall be a deficit, minus 100% of such deficit), plus

 

(B)          100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds of and the Fair Market Value of Property received by Hovnanian from (1) any capital contribution to Hovnanian after February 1, 1999 or any issue or sale after February 1, 1999 of Qualified Stock (other than to any Subsidiary of Hovnanian) and (2) the issue or sale after February 1, 1999 of any Indebtedness or other securities of Hovnanian convertible into or exercisable for Qualified Stock of Hovnanian that have been so converted or exercised, as the case may be, plus

 

(C)          in the case of the disposition or repayment of any Investment constituting a Restricted Payment made after May 4, 1999, an amount (to the extent not included in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income referred to in (A)) equal to the lesser of (x) the return of capital with respect to such Investment (including by dividend, distribution or sale of Capital Stock) and (y) the amount of such Investment that was treated as a Restricted Payment, in either case, less the cost of the disposition or repayment of such Investment (to the extent not included in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income referred to in (A)), plus

 

(D)         with respect to any Unrestricted Subsidiary that is redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary after May 4, 1999, in accordance with the definition of Unrestricted Subsidiary (so long as the designation of such Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary was treated as a Restricted Payment made after the Issue Date, and only to the extent not included in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income referred to in (A)), an amount equal to the lesser of (x) the proportionate interest of Hovnanian or a Restricted Subsidiary in an amount equal to the excess of (I) the total assets of such Subsidiary, valued on an aggregate basis at the lesser of book value and Fair Market Value thereof, over (II) the total liabilities of such Subsidiary, determined in accordance with GAAP, and (y) the Designation Amount at the time of such Subsidiary’s designation as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, plus

 

(E)          $17 million, minus

 

(F)          the aggregate amount of all Restricted Payments (other than Restricted Payments referred to in clause (iii) of

 

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paragraph (b) below) made after February 1, 1999 through May 4, 1999.

 

(b)           Clauses (ii) and (iii) of paragraph (a) will not prohibit:

 

(i)           the payment of any dividend within 60 days of its declaration if such dividend could have been made on the date of its declaration without violation of the provisions of the Indenture;

 

(ii)          the repurchase, redemption or retirement of any shares of Capital Stock of Hovnanian in exchange for, or out of the net proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a Subsidiary of Hovnanian) of, other shares of Qualified Stock; and

 

(iii)         the purchase, redemption or other acquisition, cancellation or retirement for value of Capital Stock, or options, warrants, equity appreciation rights or other rights to purchase or acquire Capital Stock, of Hovnanian or any Subsidiary held by officers or employees or former officers or employees of Hovnanian or any Subsidiary (or their estates or beneficiaries under their estates) not to exceed $10 million in the aggregate since May 4, 1999;

 

provided, however that each Restricted Payment described in clauses (i) and (ii) of this sentence shall be taken into account for purposes of computing the aggregate amount of all Restricted Payments pursuant to clause (iii) of the immediately preceding paragraph.

 

(c)       For purposes of determining the aggregate and permitted amounts of  Restricted Payments made, the amount of any guarantee of any Investment in any Person that was initially treated as a Restricted Payment and which was subsequently terminated or expired, net of any amounts paid by Hovnanian or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of such guarantee, shall be deducted.

 

(d)      In determining the “Fair Market Value of Property” for purposes of clause (iii) of paragraph (a), Property other than cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities shall be deemed to be equal in value to the “equity value” of the Capital Stock or other securities issued in exchange therefor.  The equity value of such Capital Stock or other securities shall be equal to (i) the number of shares of Common Equity issued in the transaction (or issuable upon conversion or exercise of the Capital Stock or other securities issued in the transaction) multiplied by the closing sale price of the Common Equity on its principal market on the date of the transaction (less, in the case of Capital Stock or other securities which require the payment of consideration at the time of conversion or exercise, the aggregate consideration payable thereupon) or (ii) if the Common Equity is

 

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not then traded on the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange or The Nasdaq National Market, or if the Capital Stock or other securities issued in the transaction do not consist of Common Equity (or Capital Stock or other securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Equity), the value (if more than $10 million) of such Capital Stock or other securities as determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm retained by the Board of Directors of Hovnanian.

 

Section 3.07.  Limitations on Transactions with Affiliates.

 

(a)       Hovnanian and the Issuer will not, and will not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, make any loan, advance, guarantee or capital contribution to, or for the benefit of, or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any property or assets to or for the benefit of, or purchase or lease any property or assets from, or enter into or amend any contract, agreement or understanding with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate of Hovnanian or any Affiliate of any of Hovnanian’s Subsidiaries or any holder of 10% or more of the Common Equity of Hovnanian (including any Affiliates of such holders), in a single transaction or series of related transactions (each, an “Affiliate Transaction”), except for any Affiliate Transaction the terms of which are at least as favorable as the terms which could be obtained by Hovnanian, the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, in a comparable transaction made on an arm’s length basis with Persons who are not such a holder, an Affiliate of such a holder or an Affiliate of Hovnanian or any of Hovnanian’s Subsidiaries.

 

(b)      In addition, Hovnanian and the Issuer will not, and will not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into an Affiliate Transaction unless:

 

(i)           with respect to any such Affiliate Transaction involving or having a value of more than $1 million, Hovnanian shall have (x) obtained the approval of a majority of the Board of Directors of Hovnanian and (y) either obtained the approval of a majority of Hovnanian’s disinterested directors or obtained an opinion of a qualified independent financial advisor to the effect that such Affiliate Transaction is fair to Hovnanian, the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, from a financial point of view, and

 

(ii)          with respect to any such Affiliate Transaction involving or having a value of more than $10 million, Hovnanian shall have (x) obtained the approval of a majority of the Board of Directors of Hovnanian and (y) delivered to the Trustee an opinion of a qualified independent financial advisor to the effect that such Affiliate Transaction is fair to Hovnanian, the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, from a financial point of view.

 

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(c)       Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Affiliate Transaction will not include:

 

(i)           any contract, agreement or understanding with, or for the benefit of, or plan for the benefit of, employees of Hovnanian or its Subsidiaries generally (in their capacities as such) that has been approved by the Board of Directors of Hovnanian,

 

(ii)          Capital Stock issuances to directors, officers and employees of Hovnanian or its Subsidiaries pursuant to plans approved by the stockholders of Hovnanian,

 

(iii)         any Restricted Payment otherwise permitted under Section 3.06 hereof,

 

(iv)        any transaction between or among Hovnanian and one or more Restricted Subsidiaries or between or among Restricted Subsidiaries (provided, however, no such transaction shall involve any other Affiliate of Hovnanian (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary to the extent the applicable amount constitutes a Restricted Payment permitted by the Indenture)),

 

(v)         any transaction between one or more Restricted Subsidiaries and one or more Unrestricted Subsidiaries where all of the payments to, or other benefits conferred upon, such Unrestricted Subsidiaries are substantially contemporaneously dividended, or otherwise distributed or transferred without charge, to Hovnanian or a Restricted Subsidiary,

 

(vi)        issuances, sales or other transfers or dispositions of mortgages and collateralized mortgage obligations in the ordinary course of business between Restricted Subsidiaries and Unrestricted Subsidiaries of Hovnanian, and

 

(vii)       the payment of reasonable and customary fees to, and indemnity provided on behalf of, officers, directors, employees or consultants of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Section 3.08.  Limitations on Dispositions of Assets.  (a) Hovnanian and the Issuer will not, and will not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, make any Asset Disposition unless (x) Hovnanian (or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be) receives consideration at the time of such Asset Disposition at least equal to the Fair Market Value thereof, and (y) not less than 70% of the

 

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consideration received by Hovnanian (or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be) is in the form of cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities.

 

The amount of (i) any Indebtedness (other than any Indebtedness subordinated to the Notes) of Hovnanian or any Restricted Subsidiary that is actually assumed by the transferee in such Asset Disposition and (ii) the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of Hovnanian) of any property or assets received that are used or useful in a Real Estate Business, shall be deemed to be consideration required by clause (y) above for purposes of determining the percentage of such consideration received by Hovnanian or the Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

(b)           The Net Cash Proceeds of an Asset Disposition shall, within one year, at Hovnanian’s election, (1) be used by Hovnanian or a Restricted Subsidiary in the business of the construction and sale of homes conducted by Hovnanian and the Restricted Subsidiaries or any other business of Hovnanian or a Restricted Subsidiary existing at the time of such Asset Disposition or (2) to the extent not so used, be applied to make an Offer to Purchase Notes and, if Hovnanian or a Restricted Subsidiary elects or is required to do so repay, purchase or redeem any other unsubordinated Indebtedness (on a pro rata basis if the amount available for such repayment, purchase or redemption is less than the aggregate amount of (i) the principal amount of the Notes tendered in such offer to purchase and (ii) the lesser of the principal amount, or accreted value, of such other unsubordinated Indebtedness, plus, in each case accrued interest to the date of repayment, purchase or redemption) at 100% of the principal amount or accreted value thereof, as the case may be, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of repurchase or repayment.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) Hovnanian will not be required to apply such Net Cash Proceeds to the repurchase of Notes in accordance with clause (2) of the preceding sentence except to the extent that such Net Cash Proceeds, together with the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds of prior Asset Dispositions (other than those so used) which have not been applied in accordance with this provision and as to which no prior Offer to Purchase shall have been made, exceed 5% of Consolidated Tangible Assets and (B) in connection with an Asset Disposition, Hovnanian and the Restricted Subsidiaries will not be required to comply with the requirements of clause (y) of the first sentence of the first paragraph of this covenant to the extent that the non-cash consideration received in connection with such Asset Disposition, together with the sum of all non-cash consideration received in connection with all prior Asset Dispositions that has not yet been converted into cash, does not exceed 5% of Consolidated Tangible Assets; provided, however, that when any non-cash consideration is converted into cash, such cash shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds and be subject to the preceding sentence.

 

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Section 3.09.  Offer to Purchase(a) An “Offer to Purchase” means an offer by the Issuer to purchase Notes as required by the Indenture.  An Offer to Purchase must be made by written offer (the “offer”) sent to the Holders.  The Issuer will notify the Trustee at least 15 days (or such shorter period as is acceptable to the Trustee) prior to sending the offer to Holders of its obligation to make an Offer to Purchase, and the offer will be sent by the Issuer or, at the Issuer’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Issuer.

 

(b)           The offer must include or state the following as to the terms of the Offer to Purchase:

 

(i)           the provision of the Indenture pursuant to which the Offer to Purchase is being made;

 

(ii)          the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes offered to be purchased by the Issuer pursuant to the Offer to Purchase (including, if less than 100%, the manner by which such amount has been determined pursuant to the Indenture) (the “purchase amount”);

 

(iii)         the purchase price, including the portion thereof representing accrued interest;

 

(iv)        an expiration date (the “expiration date”) not less than 30 days or more than 60 days after the date of the offer, and a settlement date for purchase (the “purchase date”) not more than five Business Days after the expiration date;

 

(v)         information concerning the business of Hovnanian and its Subsidiaries which the Issuer in good faith believes will enable the Holders to make an informed decision with respect to the Offer to Purchase, at a minimum to include

 

(A)       the most recent annual and quarterly financial statements and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for Hovnanian,

 

(B)        a description of material developments in Hovnanian’s business subsequent to the date of the latest of the financial statements (including a description of the events requiring the Issuer to make the Offer to Purchase), and

 

(C)        if applicable, appropriate pro forma financial information concerning the Offer to Purchase and the events requiring the Issuer to make the Offer to Purchase;

 

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(vi)        a Holder may tender all or any portion of its Notes, subject to the requirement that any portion of a Note tendered must be in a multiple of $1,000 principal amount;

 

(vii)       the place or places where Notes are to be surrendered for tender pursuant to the Offer to Purchase;

 

(viii)      each Holder electing to tender a Note pursuant to the offer will be required to surrender such Note at the place or places specified in the offer prior to the close of business on the expiration date (such Note being, if the Issuer or the Trustee so requires, duly endorsed or accompanied by a duly executed written instrument of transfer);

 

(ix)         interest on any Note not tendered, or tendered but not purchased by the Issuer pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, will continue to accrue;

 

(x)          on the purchase date the purchase price will become due and payable on each Note accepted for purchase, and interest on Notes purchased will cease to accrue on and after the purchase date;

 

(xi)         Holders are entitled to withdraw Notes tendered by giving notice, which must be received by the Issuer or the Trustee not later than the close of business on the expiration date, setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the tendered Notes, the certificate number of the tendered Notes and a statement that the Holder is withdrawing all or a portion of the tender;

 

(xii)        (A) if Notes in an aggregate principal amount less than or equal to the purchase amount are duly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, the Issuer will purchase all such Notes, and (B) if the Offer to Purchase is for less than all of the outstanding Notes and Notes in an aggregate principal amount in excess of the purchase amount are tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the offer, the Issuer will purchase Notes having an aggregate principal amount equal to the purchase amount on a pro rata basis, with adjustments so that only Notes in multiples of $1,000 principal amount will be purchased;

 

(xiii)       if any Note is purchased in part, new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Note will be issued; and

 

(xiv)       if any Note contains a CUSIP or ISIN number, no representation is being made as to the correctness of the CUSIP or ISIN

 

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number either as printed on the Notes or as contained in the offer and that the Holder should rely only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes.

 

(c)           Prior to the purchase date, the Issuer will accept tendered Notes for purchase as required by the Offer to Purchase and deliver to the Trustee all Notes so accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate specifying which Notes have been accepted for purchase.  On the purchase date, the purchase price will become due and payable on each Note accepted for purchase, and interest on Notes purchased will cease to accrue on and after the purchase date.  The Trustee will promptly return to Holders any Notes not accepted for purchase and send to Holders new Notes equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of any Notes accepted for purchase in part.

 

(d)           The Issuer will comply with Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws in making any Offer to Purchase, and the above procedures will be deemed modified as necessary to permit such compliance.

 

Section 3.10.  Limitations on LiensHovnanian and the Issuer will not, and will not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Liens, other than Permitted Liens, on any of its Property, or on any shares of Capital Stock or Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary, unless contemporaneously therewith or prior thereto all payments due under the Indenture and the Notes are secured on an equal and ratable basis with the obligation or liability so secured until such time as such indebtedness is no longer secured by a Lien.

 

Section 3.11.  Limitations on Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries.  Hovnanian and the Issuer will not, and will not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, assume or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction (other than encumbrances or restrictions imposed by law or by judicial or regulatory action or by provisions of agreements that restrict the assignability thereof) on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:

 

(a)           pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock or any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits, owned by Hovnanian or any other Restricted Subsidiary, or pay interest on or principal of any Indebtedness owed to Hovnanian or any other Restricted Subsidiary,

 

(b)           make loans or advances to Hovnanian or any other Restricted Subsidiary, or

 

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(c)           transfer any of its property or assets to Hovnanian or any other Restricted Subsidiary,

 

except for:

 

(i)           encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of applicable law,

 

(ii)          contractual encumbrances or restrictions in effect on the Issue Date and any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings thereof, provided that such amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings are no more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to such dividend and other payment restrictions than those contained in such contractual encumbrances or restrictions, as in effect on the Issue Date,

 

(iii)         any restrictions or encumbrances arising under Acquired Indebtedness; provided that such encumbrance or restriction applies only to either the assets that were subject to the restriction or encumbrance at the time of the acquisition or the obligor on such Indebtedness and its Subsidiaries prior to such acquisition,

 

(iv)        any restrictions or encumbrances arising in connection with Refinancing Indebtedness; provided, however, that any restrictions and encumbrances of the type described in this clause (iv) that arise under such Refinancing Indebtedness shall not be materially more restrictive or apply to additional assets than those under the agreement creating or evidencing the Indebtedness being refunded, refinanced, replaced or extended,

 

(v)         any Permitted Lien, or any other agreement restricting the sale or other disposition of property, securing Indebtedness permitted by the Indenture if such Permitted Lien or agreement does not expressly restrict the ability of a Subsidiary of Hovnanian to pay dividends or make or repay loans or advances prior to default thereunder,

 

(vi)        reasonable and customary borrowing base covenants set forth in agreements evidencing Indebtedness otherwise permitted by the Indenture,

 

(vii)       customary non-assignment provisions in leases, licenses, encumbrances, contracts or similar assets entered into or acquired in the ordinary course of business,

 

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(viii)      any restriction with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary imposed pursuant to an agreement entered into for the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock or assets of such Restricted Subsidiary pending the closing of such sale or disposition,

 

(ix)         encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of the Indenture or the Notes,

 

(x)          purchase money obligations that impose restrictions on the property so acquired of the nature described in clause (c) of the preceding paragraph,

 

(xi)         Liens permitted under the Indenture securing Indebtedness that limit the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets subject to such Lien,

 

(xii)        provisions with respect to the disposition or distribution of assets or property in joint venture agreements, assets sale agreements, stock sale agreements and other similar agreements,

 

(xiii)       customary provisions of any franchise, distribution or similar agreements,

 

(xiv)       restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, and

 

(xv)        any encumbrance or restrictions of the type referred to in clauses (a), (b) or (c) of the first paragraph of this section imposed by any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, supplements, refinancings, replacements or refinancings of the contracts, instruments or obligations referred to in clauses (i) through (xiv) of this paragraph, provided that such amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings are, in the good faith judgment of Hovnanian’s Board of Directors, no more restrictive with respect to such dividend and other payment restrictions than those contained in the dividend or other payment restrictions prior to such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing.

 

Section 3.12.  Limitations on Mergers, Consolidations and Sales of Assets.  This Section 3.12 shall replace the provisions contained in Sections 9.1 and 9.2 of the Base Indenture in its entirety and the references to Article Nine in Section 9.3 of the Base Indenture shall refer to this Section 3.12.  Neither the Issuer nor any Guarantor will consolidate or merge with or into, or sell, lease, convey or

 

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otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (including, without limitation, by way of liquidation or dissolution), or assign any of its obligations under the Notes, the Guarantees or the Indenture (as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in one transaction or in a series of related transactions), to any Person (in each case other than in a transaction in which Hovnanian, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary is the survivor of a consolidation or merger, or the transferee in a sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition) unless:

 

(a)           the Person formed by or surviving such consolidation or merger (if other than Hovnanian, the Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be), or to which such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition or assignment will be made (collectively, the “Successor”), is a corporation or other legal entity organized and existing under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, and the Successor assumes by supplemental indenture in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee all of the obligations of Hovnanian, the Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, under the Notes or a Guarantee, as the case may be, and the Indenture,

 

(b)           immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and

 

(c)           immediately after giving effect to such transaction, Hovnanian (or its Successor) could incur at least $1.00 of Indebtedness pursuant to Section 3.05(a) hereof.

 

The foregoing provisions shall not apply to (i) a transaction involving the sale or disposition of Capital Stock of a Guarantor, or the consolidation or merger of a Guarantor, or the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of a Guarantor, that in any such case results in such Guarantor being released from its Guarantee pursuant to Section 5.02 hereof, or (ii) a transaction the purpose of which is to change the state of incorporation of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Guarantor.

 

Section 3.13.  Reports to Holders of Notes.  In addition to the provisions set forth in Sections 4.3 and 4.4 of the Base Indenture, in the event that Hovnanian is no longer subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, it will nonetheless continue to file reports with the Commission and the Trustee and mail such reports to each Holder of Notes as if it were subject to such reporting requirements.  Regardless of whether Hovnanian is required to furnish such reports to its stockholders pursuant to the Exchange Act, Hovnanian will cause its consolidated financial statements and a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” written report, similar to those that would have been required to appear in annual or quarterly reports, to be delivered to Holders of Notes.

 

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Section 3.14.  Limitation of Applicability of Certain Covenants if Notes Rated Investment Grade.

 

(a)       The Issuer, Hovnanian and its Restricted Subsidiaries’ obligations to comply with the provisions of the Indenture under this Article 3 (except for Sections 3.01, 3.02, 3.03, 3.04, 3.10, 3.12 (other than clause (c) of the first paragraph thereof), 3.13 and 3.15 hereof) will terminate (such terminated covenants, the “Extinguished Covenants”) and cease to have any further effect from and after the first date when the Notes issued under the Indenture are rated Investment Grade; provided that if the Notes subsequently cease to be rated Investment Grade, then, from and after the time the Notes cease to be rated Investment Grade, the Issuer’s, Hovnanian’s and its Restricted Subsidiaries’ obligation to comply with the Extinguished Covenants shall be reinstated.

 

(b)      In the event of any such reinstatement of the obligation to comply with the Extinguished Covenants, no action taken or omitted to be taken by the Issuer, Hovnanian or any of its Subsidiaries prior to such reinstatement shall give rise to a Default or Event of Default under the Indenture upon reinstatement; provided that with respect to Restricted Payments made after any such reinstatement, the amount of Restricted Payments made after May 4, 1999 will be calculated as though Section 3.06 hereof had been in effect during the entire period after such date.

 

Section 3.15.  Applicability of Covenants Contained in the Base Indenture.  Except for Section 3.6 of the Base Indenture (which is deleted in its entirety and replaced with Section 3.10 hereof), each of the agreements and covenants of the Issuer and/or Hovnanian, as applicable, contained in Article Three of the Base Indenture shall apply to the Notes.

 

 

ARTICLE 4
REMEDIES

 

Section 4.01.  Events of Default.  (a) “Event of Default” means any one or more of the following events and this Section 4.01 (i) through (ix) replaces Sections 5.1 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h) of the Base Indenture in their entirety:

 

(i)           the failure by Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Guarantors to pay interest on any Note when the same becomes due and payable and the continuance of any such failure for a period of 30 days;

 

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(ii)          the failure by Hovnanian, the Issuer and the Guarantors to pay the principal or premium of any Note when the same becomes due and payable at maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise;

 

(iii)         the failure by Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to comply with any of its agreements or covenants in, or provisions of, the Notes, the Guarantee or the Indenture and such failure continues for the period and after the notice specified below (except in the case of a default under Sections 3.04 and 3.12 hereof, which will constitute Events of Default with notice but without passage of time);

 

(iv)        the acceleration of any Indebtedness (other than Non-Recourse Indebtedness) of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary that has an outstanding principal amount of $10 million or more, individually or in the aggregate, and such acceleration does not cease to exist, or such Indebtedness is not satisfied, in either case within 30 days after such acceleration;

 

(v)         the failure by Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to make any principal or interest payment in an amount of $10 million or more, individually or in the aggregate, in respect of Indebtedness (other than Non-Recourse Indebtedness) of Hovnanian or any Restricted Subsidiary within 30 days of such principal or interest becoming due and payable (after giving effect to any applicable grace period set forth in the documents governing such Indebtedness);

 

(vi)        a final judgment or judgments that exceed $10 million or more, individually or in the aggregate, for the payment of money having been entered by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction against Hovnanian, the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and such judgment or judgments is not satisfied, stayed, annulled or rescinded within 60 days of being entered;

 

(vii)       Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Significant Subsidiary pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

 

(A)       commences a voluntary case,

 

(B)        consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,

 

(C)        consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property, or

 

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(D)       makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors;

 

(viii)      a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

 

(A)       is for relief against Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Significant Subsidiary as debtor in an involuntary case,

 

(B)        appoints a Custodian of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Significant Subsidiary or a Custodian for all or substantially all of the property of Hovnanian or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Significant Subsidiary, or

 

(C)        orders the liquidation of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Significant Subsidiary,

 

and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or

 

(ix)         any Guarantee of a Guarantor which is a Significant Subsidiary ceases to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with the terms of such Guarantee and the Indenture) or is declared null and void and unenforceable or found to be invalid or any Guarantor denies its liability under its Guarantee (other than by reason of release of a Guarantor from its Guarantee in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Guarantee).

 

A Default as described in subclause (iii) above will not be deemed an Event of Default until the Trustee notifies Hovnanian, or the Holders of at least 25 percent in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes notify Hovnanian and the Trustee, of the Default and (except in the case of a default with respect to Sections 3.04 and 3.12 hereof) Hovnanian does not cure the Default within 60 days after receipt of the notice. The notice must specify the Default, demand that it be remedied and state that the notice is a “Notice of Default.” If such a Default is cured within such time period, it ceases.

 

(b)           The first sentence of the second paragraph in Section 5.1 of the Base Indenture is replaced, with respect to the Notes, in its entirety with the following and the third paragraph in Section 5.1 of the Base Indenture is deleted in its entirety:

 

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default with respect to Hovnanian or the Issuer resulting from subclauses (vii) or (viii) above),

 

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shall have occurred and be continuing under the Indenture, the Trustee by notice to Hovnanian, or the Holders of at least 25 percent in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding by notice to Hovnanian and the Trustee, may declare all Notes to be due and payable immediately. Upon such declaration of acceleration, the amounts due and payable on the Notes will be due and payable immediately. If an Event of Default with respect to Hovnanian or the Issuer specified in subclauses (vii) or (viii) above occurs, such an amount will ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration, notice or other act on the part of the Trustee and Hovnanian or any Holder.

 

Section 4.02.  Additional Provisions Related to Events of Default.  The provisions of Sections 5.1 (except as specified above), 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8 and 5.9 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the Notes; provided that (x) the reference in the last paragraph of Section 5.1 of the Base Indenture shall be to clauses (i) and (ii) of Section 4.01(a) hereof, (y) the first clause of the parenthetical contained in Section 5.8 of the Base Indenture shall be replaced with the following: “(the term ‘defaults’ for the purposes of this Section 5.8 being hereby defined to be any Event of Default as defined in the First Supplemental Indenture, not including periods of grace, if any, provided for therein” and (z) all references contained in Section 5.8 of the Base Indenture to clause (d) shall be replaced with the following: “clause (iii)”.  In addition, Hovnanian is required to deliver to the Trustee prompt written notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default.

 

 

ARTICLE 5
GUARANTEES; RELEASE OF GUARANTOR

 

Section 5.01.  Unconditional Guarantees(a) Hovnanian and each of the other Guarantors hereby (and will so long, in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary, as it remains a Restricted Subsidiary) Guarantee the Notes in accordance with the provisions of Article Thirteen of the Base Indenture.

 

(b)           Each Guarantor, by execution hereof, agrees to be bound by the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture, with respect to the Notes as if such Guarantor was a party to both the Base Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Each existing Restricted Subsidiary (other than KHL, Inc., the Issuer (for so long as it remains the Issuer) and K. Hovnanian Poland, sp.z.o.o.) will be a Guarantor.  Hovnanian is permitted to cause any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Guarantor.  If the Issuer, Hovnanian or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries acquires or creates a Restricted Subsidiary after the Issue Date, the new Restricted

 

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Subsidiary must (subject to Section 5.02(b) hereof) provide a Guarantee Notation, substantially in the form of Exhibit A to the Base Indenture and shall also execute a supplemental indenture in the form of Exhibit B hereto, and deliver an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee in accordance with Section 8.4 of the Base Indenture.

 

Section 5.02.  Release of a Guarantor(a) If all or substantially all of the assets of any Guarantor other than Hovnanian or all of the Capital Stock of any Guarantor other than Hovnanian is sold (including by consolidation, merger, issuance or otherwise) or disposed of (including by liquidation, dissolution or otherwise) by Hovnanian or any of its Subsidiaries, or, unless Hovnanian elects otherwise, if any Guarantor other than Hovnanian is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, then such Guarantor (in the event of a sale or other disposition of all of the Capital Stock of such Guarantor or a designation as an Unrestricted Subsidiary) or the Person acquiring such assets (in the event of a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of such Guarantor) shall be deemed automatically and unconditionally released and discharged from any of its obligations under the Indenture without any further action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of the Notes.

 

(b)           Upon the release of the guarantee by a Guarantor (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Issuer after it ceases to be the Issuer pursuant to Article Fourteen of the Base Indenture) other than Hovnanian under all then outstanding Applicable Debt, at any time after the suspension of the Extinguished Covenants pursuant to Section 3.14 hereof, the Guarantee of such Guarantor under the Indenture will be released and discharged in respect of the Notes at such time and no Restricted Subsidiary thereafter acquired or created will be required to be a Guarantor in respect of the Notes; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to any release of any Guarantor done in contemplation of, or in connection with, any cessation of the Notes being rated Investment Grade. In the event that (i) any such released Guarantor thereafter guarantees any Applicable Debt (or if any released guarantee under any Applicable Debt is reinstated or renewed) or (ii) the Extinguished Covenants cease to be suspended pursuant to Section 3.14 hereof then any such released Guarantor and any other Restricted Subsidiary of Hovnanian then existing (other than the Restricted Subsidiaries named in Section 5.01(b) hereof) will Guarantee the Notes on the terms and conditions set forth in the Indenture.  For purposes of this clause (b), Applicable Debt secured by a Lien on such Restricted Subsidiary’s Property or issued by such Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed guaranteed by such Restricted Subsidiary.

 

(c)           An Unrestricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor shall be deemed automatically and unconditionally released and discharged from all obligations under its Guarantee upon notice from Hovnanian to the Trustee to such effect, without any further action required on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.

 

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Section 5.03.  Guarantors as “obligors” for Provisions Included in the Indenture Pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.  Each provision included in the Indenture which is required to be included by any of Sections 310 to 317 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, inclusive, or is deemed applicable to the Indenture by virtue of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, and which applies to an “obligor,” as that term is defined under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, shall apply to each of the Guarantors.

 

 

ARTICLE 6
DEFEASANCE

 

Section 6.01.  DefeasanceThe provisions of Article Ten of the Base Indenture shall apply to the Notes in their entirety; provided, that the “obligations” referred to in each of Section 10.2 and Section 10.3 of the Base Indenture will also apply to the “obligations” of Hovnanian and the Guarantors with respect to their Guarantees in the case of Section 10.2 of the Base Indenture and with respect to the covenants and events of default specified herein in the case of Section 10.3 of the Base Indenture.

 

Section 6.02.  Additional Provisions to Survive Legal Defeasance and Discharge.  Section 10.2 of the Base Indenture is hereby amended to (x) delete the “and” following clause (c) and before clause (d) of such section and to replace it with “;” and (y) add the following clauses (e) and (f) to the end of such section, “(e) the rights of registration of transfer and exchange of the Notes; and (f) the rights of Holders of Notes that are beneficiaries with respect to property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them”.

 

Section 6.03.  Additional Covenant Defeasance.  In addition to the “obligations” referred to in Section 10.3 of the Base Indenture, “Covenant Defeasance”, as defined in such Section, will also apply to the release of obligations of the Issuer, Hovnanian and the Guarantors set forth in Section 3.04 through 3.11 hereof, inclusive and clause (c) of Section 3.12 hereof, Section 5.01 hereof and each Guarantor’s obligations under its Guarantee Notation and clauses (iii) (with respect to the covenants so defeased), (iv), (v), (vi) and (ix) of Section 4.01 hereof will no longer constitute Events of Default.

 

 

ARTICLE 7
THE NOTES

 

Section 7.01.  Form of NotesThe Notes will be issued as Global Securities in the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “Global Note”).  The terms of such

 

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Notes are herein incorporated by reference and are part of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 7.02.  DepositaryThe Depositary for the Global Note will initially be The Depositary Trust Company (“DTC”) and the Global Note will be deposited on or about the Issue Date with, or on behalf of, DTC and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC (such nominee being referred to herein as the “Global Note Holder”).

 

Section 7.03.  Certificated NotesIn addition to the provisions set forth in Section 2.8 of the Base Indenture, any Person having a beneficial interest in the Global Note may, upon request to the Trustee, exchange such beneficial interest for Notes in the form of Certificated Notes.  Upon any such issuance, the Trustee is required to register such Certificated Notes in the name of, and cause the same to be delivered to, such Person or Persons (or the nominee of any thereof).

 

 

ARTICLE 8
REDEMPTION

 

Section 8.01.  Optional RedemptionThe Notes will be redeemable, in whole, at any time, or in part, from time to time, at the option of the Issuer upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice at a redemption price equal to the sum of:

 

(a)           100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the redemption date; plus

 

(b)           the Make-Whole Amount.

 

The Trustee shall have no responsibility in connection with the calculation of such redemption price.

 

Section 8.02.  Sinking Fund; Mandatory Redemption.  There is no sinking fund for, or mandatory redemption of, the Notes.

 

Section 8.03.  Applicability of Sections of the Base Indenture.  The provisions of Sections 12.2, 12.3 and 12.4 of the Base Indenture in respect of the Notes shall apply to any optional redemption of the Notes.  Section 12.5 of the Base Indenture shall not so apply.

 

48



 

ARTICLE 9
AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS

 

Section 9.01.  Amendments, Supplements and Waivers.  The Issuer, Hovnanian, the Guarantors and the Trustee may amend, supplement or waive the Indenture, the Guarantees or the Notes as provided in Article Eight of the Base Indenture; provided that, in addition to the provisions of Section 8.2 of the Base Indenture, no amendment, supplement or waiver shall, without the consent of each Holder affected: (i) alter the provisions (including related definitions) set forth in Article 8 hereof or Section 3.04 or 3.08 hereof; or (ii) release any Guarantor from any of its obligations under its Guarantee or the Indenture otherwise than in accordance with the Indenture.

 

Section 9.02.  Payments for ConsentsNeither the Issuer, Hovnanian nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates may, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration, whether by way of interest, fee or otherwise, to any Holder for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or amendment of any of the terms or provisions of the Indenture or the Notes unless such consideration is offered to be paid or agreed to be paid to all Holders of the Notes that consent, waive or agree to amend such term or provision within the time period set forth in the solicitation documents relating to the consent, waiver or amendment.

 

 

ARTICLE 10
RELEASE OF ISSUER

 

Section 10.01.  Release of IssuerThe Issuer may be released from its obligations under the Indenture and the Notes in accordance with the provisions of Article Fourteen of the Base Indenture and the following is added at the end of clause (3) of Article Fourteen thereof: “until such time, if any, as such Guarantee may be released pursuant to Section 5.02 hereof.”.

 

 

ARTICLE 11
MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 11.01.  GOVERNING LAWTHIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND EACH GUARANTEE SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF SUCH STATE.

 

Section 11.02.  No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.  This Supplemental Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture or loan or

 

49



 

debt agreement of Hovnanian, the Issuer or any subsidiary of Hovnanian.  Any such indenture or loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 11.03.  Successors and AssignsAll covenants and agreements of the Issuer, Hovnanian and the Guarantors in this Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall bind their respective successors and assigns and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.  All agreements of the Trustee in this Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors and assigns and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.

 

Section 11.04.  CounterpartsThe parties may sign any number of counterparts of this Supplemental Indenture.  Each signed counterpart shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement.

 

Section 11.05.  SeverabilityTo the extent permitted by applicable law, in case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes shall for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions of this Supplemental Indenture or of the Notes.

 

Section 11.06.  Effect of HeadingsThe Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

Section 11.07.  Conflict of Any Provision of Indenture with Trust Indenture Act of 1939.  If and to the extent that any provision of this Supplemental Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision included in this Supplemental Indenture or in the Indenture which is required to be included herein by any of Sections 310 to 317 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, inclusive, or is deemed applicable to this Indenture by virtue of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, such required provision shall control.

 

50



 

SIGNATURES

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed, all as of the date first above written.

 

 

K. HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC., as
the Issuer

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ 

PETER S. REINHART

 

 

Name:

 Peter S. Reinhart

 

 

Title:

 Senior Vice-President and
General Counsel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC., as
Guarantor

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ 

PETER S. REINHART

 

 

Name:

 Peter S. Reinhart

 

 

Title:

 Senior Vice-President and
General Counsel

 

 

 

 

On behalf of each entity named in Schedule 1
hereto, as Guarantors

 

 

 

By:

/s/ 

PETER S. REINHART

 

 

Name:

 Peter S. Reinhart

 

 

Title:

 Senior Vice-President and
General Counsel

 

WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee

 

 

By:

/s/ 

STEPHANIE ROCHE

 

 

Name:

 Stephanie Roche

 

Title:

 Vice President

 

51



 

SCHEDULE 1

 

Guarantors

 

ALL SEASONS, INC.

ARROW PROPERTIES, INC.

CONDOMINIUM COMMUNITY (BOWIE NEW TOWN), INC.

CONDOMINIUM COMMUNITY (LARGO TOWN), INC.

CONDOMINIUM COMMUNITY (PARK PLACE), INC.

CONDOMINIUM COMMUNITY (QUAIL RUN), INC.

CONDOMINIUM COMMUNITY (TRUMAN DRIVE), INC.

CONSULTANTS CORPORATION

DESIGNED CONTRACTS, INC.

EXC, INC.

FORTIS HOMES, INC.

GOODMAN FAMILY OF BUILDERS, L.P.

HOUSING-HOME SALES, INC.

HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF FLORIDA, INC.

K. HOV INTERNATIONAL, INC.

K. HOV IP, II, INC.

K. HOV IP, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN ACQUISITIONS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT ASHBURN VILLAGE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BALLANTRAE ESTATES, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BARRINGTON, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BELMONT, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BERNARDS IV, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BRANCHBURG III, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BRIDGEPORT, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BRIDGEWATER VI, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BULL RUN, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BURLINGTON III, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BURLINGTON, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CALABRIA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CAMERON CHASE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CARMEL DEL MAR, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CASTILE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CEDAR GROVE I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CEDAR GROVE II, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CHAPARRAL, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CLARKSTOWN, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CRESTLINE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT DOMINGUEZ HILLS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT DOMINION RIDGE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT EAST BRUNSWICK VI, INC.

 

1



 

K. HOVNANIAN AT EAST WHITELAND I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT EXETER HILLS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT FAIR LAKES GLEN, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT FAIR LAKES, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HACKETTSTOWN, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HAMPTON OAKS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HERSHEY’S MILL, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HIGHLAND VINEYARDS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HOLLY CREST, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HOPEWELL IV, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HOPEWELL VI, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HOWELL TOWNSHIP, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HUNTER ESTATES, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT KINGS GRANT I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT KLOCKNER FARMS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LA TERRAZA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LA TROVATA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LAKEWOOD, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LOWER SAUCON II, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LOWER SAUCON, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MAHWAH II, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MAHWAH IV, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MAHWAH V, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MAHWAH VI, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MAHWAH VII, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MAHWAH VIII, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MANALAPAN, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MARLBORO II, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MARLBORO TOWNSHIP IV, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MARLBORO TOWNSHIP III, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN OF METRO DC SOUTH, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MONTCLAIR NJ, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MONTCLAIR, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MONTGOMERY I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTHERN WESTCHESTER, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTHLAKE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT OCEAN WALK, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT P.C. PROPERTIES, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PARK RIDGE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PEEKSKILL, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PERKIOMEN I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PERKIOMEN II, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PLAINSBORO III, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PRINCETON, INC.

 

2



 

K. HOVNANIAN AT RANCHO CHRISTIANITOS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT RESERVOIR RIDGE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT RIVER OAKS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SAN SEVAINE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SARATOGA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SCOTCH PLAINS II, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SCOTCH PLAINS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SMITHVILLE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SOUTH BRUNSWICK III, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SOUTH BRUNSWICK V, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT STONE CANYON, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT STONEGATE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT STONY POINT, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT STUART ROAD, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SULLY STATION, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SUMMERWOOD, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SYCAMORE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT TANNERY HILL, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT THE BLUFF, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT THE CEDARS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT THE GLEN, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT THORNBURY, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT TIERRASANTA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT TUXEDO, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT UNION TOWNSHIP I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT UPPER MAKEFIELD I, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT UPPER MERION, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT VAIL RANCH, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WALL TOWNSHIP VI, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WALL TOWNSHIP VIII, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WASHINGTONVILLE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WAYNE III, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WAYNE V, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WILDROSE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WOODMONT, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES NORTHEAST, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF CALIFORNIA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF MARYLAND, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF METRO WASHINGTON, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF NEW YORK, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF PENNSYLVANIA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF ARIZONA, INC.

 

3



 

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF CALIFORNIA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF MARYLAND, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF METRO WASHINGTON, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF MICHIGAN, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF NEW JERSEY II, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF NEW JERSEY, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF NEW YORK, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF OHIO, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF PENNSYLVANIA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF TEXAS, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN DEVELOPMENTS OF WEST VIRGINIA, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN EQUITIES, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN FORECAST HOMES, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN INVESTMENT PROPERTIES OF NEW JERSEY, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN MARINE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PA REAL ESTATE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PORT IMPERIAL URBAN RENEWAL, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PROPERTIES OF NB THEATRE, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PROPERTIES OF NEWARK URBAN RENEWAL CORPORATION, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PROPERTIES OF NORTH BRUNSWICK V, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PROPERTIES OF PISCATAWAY, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PROPERTIES OF RED BANK, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN PROPERTIES OF WALL, INC.

K. HOVNANIAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT, INC.

KHC ACQUISITION, INC.

KHIP III, INC.

LANDARAMA, INC.

M&M AT LONG BRANCH, INC.

MATZEL & MUMFORD OF DELAWARE, INC.

MCNJ, INC.

MMIP III, INC.

PARTHENON GROUP, INC.

PINE BROOK COMPANY, INC.

QUE CORPORATION

REFLECTIONS OF YOU INTERIORS, INC.

SEABROOK ACCUMULATION CORPORATION

STONEBROOK HOMES, INC.

THE MATZEL & MUMFORD ORGANIZATION, INC.

THE NEW FORTIS CORPORATION

THE SOUTHAMPTON CORPORATION

WASHINGTON HOMES OF WEST VIRGINIA, INC.

WASHINGTON HOMES, INC.

WASHINGTON HOMES, INC. OF VIRGINIA

 

4



 

WESTMINSTER HOMES (CHARLOTTE), INC.

WESTMINSTER HOMES OF TENNESSEE, INC.

WESTMINSTER HOMES, INC.

WH LAND I, INC

WH LAND II, INC.

WH PROPERTIES, INC.

ARBOR WEST, L.L.C.

DULLES COPPERMINE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT 4S RANCH, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT ARBOR HEIGHTS, LLC

K. HOVNANIAN AT ASHBURN VILLAGE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BARNEGAT I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BERKELEY, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BERNARDS V, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BLOOMS CROSSING, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BLUE HERON PINES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BRENBROOKE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT BRIDGEWATER I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CAMDEN I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CARMEL VILLAGE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CEDAR GROVE III, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CHESTER I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CLIFTON, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CLIFTON II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CORTEZ HILL, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CRANBURY, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT CURRIES WOODS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT DENVILLE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT EASTLAKE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT EDGEWATER, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT ENCINITAS RANCH, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT FOREST MEADOWS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT GREAT NOTCH, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT GUTTENBERG, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HAMBURG, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT HAMBURG CONTRACTORS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT JACKSON I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT JACKSON, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT JERSEY CITY IV, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT JERSEY CITY V URBAN RENEWAL CO., L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT KENT ISLAND, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT KINCAID, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT KING FARM, L.L.C.

 

5



 

K. HOVNANIAN AT LA COSTA, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LA HABRA KNOLLS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LAFAYETTE ESTATES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LAKE RIDGE CROSSING, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LAKE TERRAPIN, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LAWRENCE V, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LINWOOD, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LITTLE EGG HARBOR, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LITTLE EGG HARBOR CONTRACTORS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LONG BRANCH I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LOWER MACUNGIE TOWNSHIP I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LOWER MACUNGIE TOWNSHIP II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LOWER MAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LOWER MORELAND I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT LOWER MORELAND II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MANALAPAN II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MANALAPAN III, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MANSFIELD I, LLC

K. HOVNANIAN AT MANSFIELD II, LLC

K. HOVNANIAN AT MANSFIELD III, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MARLBORO TOWNSHIP V, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MARLBORO TOWNSHIP VIII, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MARLBORO VI, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MARLBORO VII, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MENIFEE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MIDDLE TOWNSHIP, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MIDDLETOWN II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MIDDLETOWN, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MONROE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MOSAIC, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT MT. OLIVE TOWNSHIP, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTH BERGEN, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTH BRUNSWICK VI, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTH HALEDON, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTH WILDWOOD, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTHAMPTON, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT NORTHFIELD, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT OLD BRIDGE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT OLDE ORCHARD, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PACIFIC BLUFFS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PARAMUS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT PARK LANE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT RANDOLPH I, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT READINGTON II, L.L.C.

 

6



 

K. HOVNANIAN AT RIVERBEND II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT RIVERBEND, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT RODERUCK. L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT ROWLAND HEIGHTS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SAYREVILLE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SKYE ISLE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SMITHVILLE III, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SOMERS POINT, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SOUTH AMBOY, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SOUTH BANK, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SOUTH BRUNSWICK, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SPRING HILL ROAD, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT ST. MARGARETS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT SUNSETS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT THE GABLES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT TRAIL RIDGE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT UPPER FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT UPPER FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP III, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT UPPER UWCHLAN, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT UPPER UWCHLAN II, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WANAQUE, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WASHINGTON, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WAYNE VIII, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WAYNE IX, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WEST MILFORD, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WEST WINDSOR, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WILLOW BROOK, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WINCHESTER, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WOODHILL ESTATES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN AT WOOLWICH, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN CENTRAL ACQUISITIONS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES OF METRO D.C. NORTH, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN COMPANIES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN FOUR SEASONS AT GOLD HILL, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN FOUR SEASONS AT HISTORIC VIRGINIA, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN GREAT WESTERN BUILDING COMPANY, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN GREAT WESTERN HOMES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN HOLDINGS NJ, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN NORTH CENTRAL ACQUISITIONS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN NORTH JERSEY ACQUISITIONS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN NORTHEAST SERVICES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN OF HOUSTON II, L.P.

K. HOVNANIAN OF HOUSTON, L.P.

K. HOVNANIAN OHIO REALTY, L.L.C.

 

7



 

K. HOVNANIAN PENNSYLVANIA ACQUISITIONS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN SHORE ACQUISITIONS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN SOUTH JERSEY ACQUISITION, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN SUMMIT HOLDINGS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN SUMMIT HOMES, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN SUMMIT HOMES OF MICHIGAN, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN SUMMIT HOMES OF WEST VIRGINIA, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN’S FOUR SEASONS AT BEAUMONT, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN’S FOUR SEASONS AT HEMET, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN’S FOUR SEASONS AT PALM SPRINGS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN’S FOUR SEASONS AT VINT HILL, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN’S FOUR SEASONS, L.L.C.

K. HOVNANIAN’S PRIVATE HOME PORTFOLIO, L.L.C.

KHIP, LLC

KINGS COURT AT MONTGOMERY, L.L.C.

M&M AT APPLE RIDGE, L.L.C.

M&M AT BROOKHILL, L.L.C.

M&M AT CHESTERFIELD, L.L.C.

M&M AT EAST MILL, L.L.C.

M&M AT HERITAGE WOODS, L.L.C.

M&M AT KENSINGTON WOODS, L.L.C.

M&M AT MORRISTOWN, L.L.C.

M&M AT SHERIDAN, L.L.C.

M&M AT SPARTA, L.L.C.

M&M AT SPINNAKER POINTE, L.L.C.

M&M AT SPRUCE HOLLOW, L.L.C.

M&M AT SPRUCE MEADOWS, L.L.C.

M&M AT SPRUCE RUN, L.L.C.

M&M AT THE HIGHLANDS, L.L.C.

M&M AT WEST ORANGE, L.L.C.

MATZEL & MUMFORD AT CRANBURY KNOLL, L.L.C.

MATZEL & MUMFORD AT FREEHOLD, L.L.C.

MATZEL & MUMFORD AT HERITAGE LANDING, L.L.C.

MATZEL & MUMFORD AT MONTGOMERY, L.L.C.

MATZEL & MUMFORD AT PHILLIPSBURG, L.L.C.

MATZEL & MUMFORD AT SOUTH BRUNSWICK, L.L.C.

MATZEL & MUMFORD AT WOODLAND CREST, L.L.C.

M & M INVESTMENTS, L.P.

MMIP, L.L.C.

RIDGEMORE UTILITY, L.L.C.

THE LANDINGS AT SPINNAKER POINTE, L.L.C.

WASHABAMA, L.P.

WASHINGTON HOMES AT COLUMBIA TOWN CENTER, L.L.C.

WASHINGTON HOMES OF MARYLAND I, L.L.C.

 

8



 

WESTMINSTER HOMES OF ALABAMA, L.L.C.

WESTMINSTER HOMES OF MISSISSIPPI, L.L.C.

WESTMINSTER HOMES OF SOUTH CAROLINA, L.L.C.

WOODLAND LAKES CONDOS AT BOWIE NEWTOWN, LLC

 

9



 

Exhibit A

 

[THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL NOTE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF A DEPOSITARY OR A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.  UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN CERTIFICATED FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (THE “DEPOSITARY”), TO THE NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.

 

UNLESS THIS NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE, OR PAYMENT, AND ANY NOTE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO.  OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO.  OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.](1)

 


(1)  This should be included only if the Note is issued in global form.

 

A-1



 

[FACE OF NOTE]

 

K. HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.

 

REGISTERED – No.

CUSIP No.:

 

 

 

  $

 

6½% Senior Notes due 2014

 

K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., a California corporation (the “Issuer”, which term includes any successor under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received hereby promises to pay to                         , or registered assigns, the principal sum of                                   ($                    ) Dollars on January 15, 2014.

 

Interest Payment Dates:  January 15 and July 15, commencing January 15, 2004

 

Interest Record Dates:  January 1 and July 1

 

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on the reverse hereof, which will for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

 

 

K. HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

Dated:

 

 

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

 

Wachovia Bank, National Association, as
Trustee, certifies that this is one of the
Securities of the series designated herein
referred to in the within mentioned
Indenture.

 

 

 

Dated:

 

 

 

WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

A-2



 

[REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]

 

K. HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.

 

6½% Senior Notes due 2014

 

1.             Interest and Principal.

 

K. HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC. (the “Issuer”, which term includes any successor under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), a California corporation, promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at the rate per annum shown above.  The Issuer will pay interest semiannually on January 15 and July 15 of each year, commencing January 15, 2004, until the principal is paid or made available for payment.  Interest on the Notes will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for or, if no interest has been paid, from November 3, 2003, provided that, if there is no existing default in the payment of interest, and if this Note is authenticated between a record date referred to on the face hereof and the next succeeding interest payment date, interest shall accrue from such succeeding interest payment date.  Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

 

The Issuer promises to pay the principal of this Note on January 15, 2014.

 

2.             Method of Payment.

 

The Issuer will pay interest on the Notes (except defaulted interest, if any, which will be paid on such special payment date to Holders of record on such special record date as may be fixed by the Issuer) to the persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on the January 1 and July 1 immediately preceding the interest payment date. Holders must surrender Notes to a Paying Agent to collect principal payments. The Issuer will pay principal and interest in money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.  Payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Global Notes registered in the name of, or held by the Depositary or its nominee will be made in immediately available funds to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered Holder of such Global Notes.  If any of the Notes are no longer represented by Global Notes, payment of interest on the definitive Notes may, at the Issuer’s option, be made by check mailed directly to Holders at their registered address.

 

3.             Paying Agent and Registrar.

 

Initially, Wachovia Bank, National Association (the “Trustee”) will act as Paying Agent and Registrar.  The Issuer may change or appoint any Paying Agent,

 

A-3



 

Registrar or co-Registrar without notice to any Holder.  The Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent, Registrar or co-Registrar.

 

4.             Indenture.

 

The Issuer issued the Notes under an Indenture (the “Base Indenture”) dated November 3, 2003, among the Issuer, Hovnanian and the Trustee, the terms of which have been established in the First Supplemental Indenture (the “First Supplemental Indenture”) dated as of November 3, 2003, among the Issuer, Hovnanian, the Guarantors and the Trustee (the Base Indenture, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”), pursuant to Section 2.3 of the Base Indenture.  This Note is one of the Securities of the series designated as the “6½% Senior Notes due 2014” of the Issuer.  The Issuer may issue additional Notes of this series after this Note has been issued.  This Note and any additional notes of this series subsequently issued under the Indenture shall be treated as a single series for all purposes under the Indenture and shall vote and consent together on all matters as one class, including, without limitation, waivers, amendments, redemption and offers to purchase.  The terms of the Notes and the Guarantees include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (“TIA”) as in effect on the date of the Indenture.  The Notes and the Guarantees are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and the TIA for a statement of them.  To the extent permitted by applicable law, in the event of any inconsistency between the terms of this Note and the terms of the Indenture, the terms of the Indenture will control.

 

Capitalized terms not defined herein have the meanings given to those terms in the Indenture.

 

The Issuer will furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge a copy of the Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture.  Requests may be made to: K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., 10 Highway 35, P.O. Box 500, Red Bank, New Jersey 07701, Attention: Chief Financial Officer.

 

5.             Optional Redemption.

 

The Notes will be redeemable, in whole, at any time, or in part, from time to time, at the option of the Issuer upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice at a redemption price equal to the sum of:

 

(a)       100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the redemption date; plus

 

(b)      the Make-Whole Amount.

 

A-4



 

The Trustee shall have no responsibility in connection with the calculation of such redemption price.

 

Make-Whole Amount” means, in connection with any optional redemption of any Note, the excess, if any, of: (a) the aggregate present value as of the date of such redemption of each dollar of principal being redeemed and the amount of interest (exclusive of interest accrued to the redemption date) that would have been payable in respect of such dollar if such prepayment had not been made, determined by discounting, on a semiannual basis, such principal and interest at the Treasury Rate (determined on the business day preceding the date of such redemption) plus 0.5%, from the respective dates on which such principal and interest would have been payable if such payment had not been made; over (b) the principal amount of the Note being redeemed.

 

Treasury Rate” means, in connection with the calculation of any Make-Whole Amount with respect to any Note, the yield to maturity at the time of computation of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity, as compiled by and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) that has become publicly available at least two business days prior to the redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source or similar market data), equal to the then remaining maturity of the Note being prepaid.  If no maturity exactly corresponds to such maturity, yields for the published maturities occurring prior to and after such maturity most closely corresponding to such maturity shall be calculated pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence and the Treasury Rate shall be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight-line basis, rounding in each of such relevant periods to the nearest month.

 

If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed at any time, the Trustee will select Notes for redemption on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such other method as the Trustee in its sole discretion shall deem appropriate and fair.

 

No Notes of $1,000 in original principal amount or less shall be redeemed in part. Notices of redemption may not be conditional.

 

If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to that Note shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. A new Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the original Note will be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Note. Notes called for redemption become due on the date fixed for redemption. On and after the redemption date, interest ceases to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

 

6.             Mandatory Redemption.

 

There is no sinking fund for, or mandatory redemption of, the Notes.

 

A-5



 

7.             Denominations, Transfer, Exchange.

 

The Notes are in registered form only without coupons in denominations of $1,000 of principal amount and integral multiples of $1,000.  A Holder may transfer or exchange Notes in accordance with the Indenture.  The Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture.  Pursuant to the Indenture, there are certain periods during which the Registrar is not required to transfer or exchange any Note or certain portions of a Note.

 

8.             Persons Deemed Owners.

 

The registered Holder of this Note shall be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.

 

9.             Unclaimed Money.

 

Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Issuer, in trust for the payment of the principal of, premium or interest on any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, and premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Issuer on its request or (if then held by the Issuer) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Note shall thereafter, as an unsecured creditor, look only to the Issuer for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Issuer as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Issuer cause to be published once, in the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal (national edition), notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such notification or publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Issuer.

 

10.           Discharge and Defeasance.

 

Subject to certain conditions set forth in the Indenture, the Issuer, Hovnanian and the Guarantors at any time may terminate some or all of their obligations under the Notes and the Indenture if the Issuer deposits with the Trustee money and/or U.S. Government Obligations for the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes to maturity or redemption, as the case may be.

 

A-6



 

11.           Defaults and Remedies.

 

If an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes may declare all the Notes to be due and payable.  If a bankruptcy or insolvency default with respect to the Issuer or Hovnanian occurs and is continuing, the Notes automatically become due and payable.  Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture.  The Trustee may require an indemnity satisfactory to it before it enforces the Indenture or the Notes.  Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may direct the Trustee in its exercise of remedies.

 

12.           Amendment, Supplement, Waiver.

 

Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees may be amended or supplemented, or default may be waived, with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes.  Without notice to or the consent of any Holder, the Issuer, Hovnanian, the Guarantors and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees to, among other things set forth in the Indenture, cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency if such amendment or supplement does not adversely affect the interests of the Holders in any material respect.

 

13.           Trustee Dealings With Issuer.

 

The Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Issuer or its affiliates, with the same rights as if it were not Trustee; however, if it acquires any conflicting interest (as defined in the TIA), it must eliminate such conflict, apply to the Commission for permission to continue or resign.

 

14.           No Recourse Against Others.

 

An incorporator, and any past, present or future director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of the Issuer, Hovnanian or the Guarantors shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer, Hovnanian or the Guarantors under the Notes, the Indenture or the Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability.  The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.

 

15.           Guarantees.

 

The Notes will be entitled to the benefits of certain Guarantees made for the benefit of the Holders.  Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitation of rights, duties and obligations thereunder of the Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders.

 

A-7



 

16.           Governing Law.

 

THIS NOTE SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF SUCH STATE.

 

17.           CUSIP NUMBERS.

 

Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Note Identification Procedures, the Issuer has caused CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Notes, and the Trustee may use CUSIP numbers in notices as a convenience to Holders.  No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.

 

18.           Authentication.

 

This Note shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the Trustee (or an authenticating agent) manually signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note.

 

19.           Abbreviations.

 

Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder or an assignee, such as: TEN COM (= tenants in common), TEN ENT (= tenants by the entireties), JT TEN (= joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (= custodian), and U/G/M/A (= Uniform Gifts to Minors Act).

 

A-8



 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

If you the Holder want to assign this Note, fill in the form below:

 

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

 

 

(Insert assignee’s social security or tax ID number)

 

 

(Print or type assignee’s name, address, and zip code)

 

and irrevocably appoint                                                              agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Issuer.  The agent may substitute another to act for him.

 

Date:

 

 

Your signature:

 

 

 

(Sign exactly as your name appears on the
other side of this Note)

 

 

 

Signature Guarantee:

 

 

 

Signature must be guaranteed by participant
in a recognized Signature Guarantee
Medallion Program (or other signature
guarantor program reasonably acceptable to
the Trustee)

 

A-9



 

OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE

 

If you wish to have all of this Note purchased by the Issuer pursuant to Section 3.04 or 3.08 of the First Supplemental Indenture, check the box: o

 

If you wish to have a portion of this Note purchased by the Issuer pursuant to Section 3.04 or 3.08 of the First Supplemental Indenture, state the amount (in original principal amount) below:

 

$                             .

 

Date:

 

 

Your signature:

 

 

 

(Sign exactly as your name appears on the
other side of this Note)

 

 

 

Signature Guarantee:

 

 

 

Signature must be guaranteed by participant
in a recognized Signature Guarantee
Medallion Program (or other signature
guarantor program reasonably acceptable to
the Trustee)

 

A-10



 

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES
IN THE GLOBAL NOTE*

 

The following increases or decreases in this Global Note have been made:

 

Date of Exchange

 

Amount of
decrease in
Principal Amount
of this Global
Note

 

Amount of
increase in
Principal Amount
of this Global
Note

 

Principal Amount
of this Global
Note following
such decrease (or
increase)

 

Signature of
authorized
signatory of
Trustee or
Custodian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


*      This should be included only if the Note is issued in global form.

 

A-11



 

EXHIBIT B

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

dated as of                  ,        

 

among

 

K. HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.

 

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.

 

The Other Guarantors Party Hereto

 

and

 

WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

 

as Trustee

 


 

6½% Senior Notes due 2014

 

 

B-1



 

THIS [             ] SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “[             ] Supplemental Indenture”), entered into as of               ,          , among K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., a California corporation (the “Issuer”), Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. (“Hovnanian”), [list each new guarantor and its jurisdiction of incorporation] (each an “Undersigned”) and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Issuer, Hovnanian, the other Guarantors party thereto and the Trustee entered into the Indenture dated as of November 3, 2003 (as supplemented, the “Indenture”) as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of November 3, 2003 (the “First Supplemental Indenture”), relating to the Issuer’s 6½% Senior Notes due 2014 (the “Notes”);

 

WHEREAS, as a condition to the purchase of the Notes by the Holders, Hovnanian agreed pursuant to the Indenture to cause any newly acquired or created Restricted Subsidiaries to provide Guarantees of the Notes, subject to certain limitations.

 

AGREEMENT

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein contained and intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

SECTION 1.  Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein are used as defined in the Indenture.

 

SECTION 2.  Each Undersigned, by its execution of this [             ] Supplemental Indenture, agrees to be a Guarantor under the Indenture and to be bound by the terms of the Indenture applicable to Guarantors, including, but not limited to Article Thirteen of the Base Indenture and Article 5 of the First Supplemental Indenture.  Each Undersigned will also execute a Guarantee Notation in respect of the Notes.

 

SECTION 3.  This [             ] Supplemental Indenture shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

SECTION 4.  This [             ] Supplemental Indenture may be signed in various counterparts which together will constitute one and the same instrument.

 

SECTION 5.  This [             ] Supplemental Indenture is an amendment supplemental to the Indenture and the Indenture and this [             ] Supplemental Indenture will henceforth be read together.

 

B-2



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this [             ] Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

 

K. HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.,
as Issuer

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.,

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

[GUARANTOR]

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

B-3


Exhibit 5.1

 

November 7, 2003

Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc.

10 Highway 35

P.O. Box 500

Red Bank, New Jersey  07701

 

K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc.
10 Highway 35
P.O. Box 500
Red Bank, New Jersey  07701

 

I am Senior Vice-President and General Counsel of K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., a California corporation (the “Company”), and of Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Hovnanian”), and of certain of its subsidiaries (the “Subsidiary Guarantors” and, together with Hovnanian, the “Guarantors”), and as such I am acting in connection with (1) the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-106761) (the “Registration Statement”) filed by the Company and the Guarantors with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the offering of up to an aggregate of $377,000,000 of securities of the Company and Hovnanian and (2) the issuance by the Company of $215,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6½% Senior Notes due 2014 (the “Securities”), unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantors and offered pursuant to the prospectus supplement dated October 20, 2003 to the prospectus dated October 17, 2003 forming part of the Registration Statement (as supplemented, the “Prospectus”) and filed by the Company and the Guarantors pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission.  The Securities and the Guarantees (as defined below) were issued under an Indenture dated as of November 3, 2003 among the Company, Hovnanian and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the First

 



 

Supplemental Indenture dated as of November 3, 2003 among the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee (as supplemented, the “Indenture”).

 

I have examined the Registration Statement; the Prospectus; the Indenture, which will be filed with the Commission as an exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K of Hovnanian on November 7, 2003 (the “Current Report”); a duplicate of the global note representing the Securities; and the guarantees of the Guarantors annexed to the Notes (the “Guarantees”).  I also have examined the originals, or duplicates or certified or conformed copies, of such corporate records, agreements, documents and other instruments and have made such other investigations as I have deemed relevant and necessary in connection with the opinions hereinafter set forth.  As to questions of fact material to this opinion, I have relied upon certificates or comparable documents of public officials and of other officers and representatives of the Company and the Guarantors.

 

In rendering the opinions set forth below, I have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to me as duplicates or certified or conformed copies and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents.

 

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations stated herein, I am of the opinion that:

 

1.                                       The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Guarantors.

 

2.                                       The Securities have been duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered by the Company.

 

2



 

3.                                       The Guarantees have been duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered by each of the Guarantors.

 

4.                                       The execution, delivery and performance of the Indenture and the Securities by the Company and the execution, delivery and performance of the Indenture and the Guarantees by the Guarantors that are parties thereto does not violate or conflict with the law of the State of California or any other applicable laws (excepting the law of the State of New York and the federal laws of the United States).

 

I am a member of the Bar of the State of New Jersey, and I do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the law of the State of New Jersey and the State of California.

 

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5 to the Current Report and to the use of my name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

  /s/ PETER S. REINHART

 

 

Peter S. Reinhart

 

Senior Vice-President and

 

General Counsel

 

3


Exhibit 5.2

 

November 7, 2003

 

Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc.
10 Highway 35
P.O. Box 500
Red Bank, New Jersey  07701

 

K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc.
10 Highway 35
P.O. Box 500
Red Bank, New Jersey  07701

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., a California corporation (the “Company”), Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Hovnanian”), and the subsidiary guarantors (together with Hovnanian, the “Guarantors”) in connection with (1) the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-106761) (the “Registration Statement”) filed by the Company and the Guarantors with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the offering of up to an aggregate of $377,000,000 of securities of the Company and Hovnanian and (2) the issuance by the Company of $215,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6½% Senior Notes due 2014 (the “Securities”), unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantors and offered pursuant to the prospectus supplement dated October 20, 2003 to the prospectus dated October 17, 2003  forming part of the Registration Statement (as supplemented, the “Prospectus”) and filed by the Company and the Guarantors pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission.  The Securities and the Guarantees (as defined below) were issued under an Indenture dated as of November 3, 2003 among the Company, Hovnanian and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the First

 



 

Supplemental Indenture dated as of November 3, 2003 among the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee (as supplemented, the “Indenture”).

 

We have examined the Registration Statement; the Prospectus; the Indenture, which will be filed with the Commission as an exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K of Hovnanian on November 7, 2003 (the “Current Report”); a duplicate of the global note representing the Securities; and the guarantees of the Guarantors annexed to the Notes (the “Guarantees”).  We also have examined the originals, or duplicates or certified or conformed copies, of such corporate records, agreements, documents and other instruments and have made such other investigations as we have deemed relevant and necessary in connection with the opinions hereinafter set forth.  As to questions of fact material to this opinion, we have relied upon certificates or comparable documents of public officials and of officers and representatives of the Company and the Guarantors.

 

In rendering the opinions set forth below, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as duplicates or certified or conformed copies and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents.  We also have assumed that the Indenture is the valid and legally binding obligation of the Trustee.

 

We have assumed further that (1) the Company and the Guarantors have duly authorized, executed and delivered the Indenture, (2) the Company has duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered the securities, (3) the Guarantors have duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered the Guarantees and (4) the execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Guarantors of the Indenture, the Securities and the Guarantees does not violate the law of the

 

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State of California or any other applicable laws (excepting the law of the State of New York and the federal laws of the United States).

 

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion that:

 

1.                                       The Securities constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

 

2.                                       The Guarantees constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Guarantors enforceable against the Guarantors in accordance with their terms.

 

Our opinions set forth above are subject to (i) the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and (iii) an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

 

We are members of the Bar of the State of New York, and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the law of the State of New York and the federal law of the United States.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5 to the Current Report and to the use of our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus.

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

/s/  SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT LLP

 

 

SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT LLP

 

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