Veris Residential (VRE) Risk Factors

Financially distressed commercial office tenants may be unable to pay rent: If a commercial office tenant defaults, we may experience delays and incur substantial costs in enforcing our rights as landlord and protecting our investments. If a tenant files for bankruptcy, we cannot evict the tenant solely because of the bankruptcy and a potential court judgment rejecting and terminating such tenant's lease (which would subject all future unpaid rent to a statutory cap) could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors as we may be unable to replace the defaulting tenant with a new tenant at a comparable rental rate without incurring significant expenses or a reduction in rental income. Renewing commercial office leases or re-letting commercial office space could be costly: If a commercial office tenant does not renew its lease upon expiration or terminates its lease early, we may not be able to re-lease the space on favorable terms or at all. If a tenant does renew its lease or we re-lease the space, the terms of the renewal or new lease, including the cost of required renovations or concessions to the tenant, may be less favorable than the current lease terms, which could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors. We may not be able to dispose of remaining non-core assets within our anticipated timeframe or at favorable prices: The Company has determined to sell over time properties deemed non-core assets. While we intend to dispose of these properties opportunistically over time, there can be no assurance that these dispositions will be completed during the period of our strategic initiative. In addition, market conditions will impact our ability to dispose of these properties, and there can be no assurance that we will be successful in disposing of these properties for their estimated sales prices. A failure to dispose of these properties for their estimated market values as planned, or unfavorable tax consequences of the disposition of these properties could have a material adverse effect on our ability to finance our acquisition and development plans and could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors.

Our business may be affected by volatility in the financial and credit markets, the general global economic conditions and other market or economic challenges experienced by the U.S. economy or the real estate industry as a whole or in the Northeast where our properties are located. Our results of operations, financial condition and ability to service current debt and to pay distributions to our shareholders may be adversely affected by the following, among other potential conditions: - our ability to borrow on terms and conditions that we find acceptable, or at all, may be limited, which could reduce our ability to pursue acquisition and development opportunities and refinance existing debt, reduce our returns from both our existing operations and our acquisition and development activities and increase our future interest expense;- reduced values of our properties may limit our ability to dispose of assets at attractive prices or to obtain debt financing secured by our properties and may reduce the availability of unsecured loans;- the value and liquidity of our short-term investments and cash deposits could be reduced as a result of a deterioration of the financial condition of the institutions that hold our cash deposits or the institutions or assets in which we have made short-term investments, the dislocation of the markets for our short-term investments, increased volatility in market rates for such investments or other factors;- reduced liquidity in debt markets and increased credit risk premiums for certain market participants may impair our ability to access capital; and - one or more lenders under our line of credit could refuse or be unable to fund their financing commitment to us and we may not be able to replace the financing commitment of any such lenders on favorable terms, or at all.

We cannot predict with certainty whether climate change is occurring and, if so, at what rate. However, the physical effects of climate change could have a material adverse effect on our properties, operations, and business. To the extent climate change causes changes in weather patterns or severity, our markets could experience increase in storm intensity (including floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, or snow and ice storms), rising sea-levels, and changes in precipitation, temperature, air quality, and quality and availability of water. Over time, these conditions could result in physical damage to, or declining demand for, our properties or our inability to operate the buildings efficiently or at all. Climate change may also indirectly affect our business by increasing the cost of (or making unavailable) property insurance on terms we find acceptable, increasing the cost of required resources, including energy, other fuel sources, water, and waste and snow removal services, and increasing the risk and severity of flood and earthquakes at our properties. Should the impact of climate change be severe or occur for lengthy periods of time, our financial condition or results of operations could be adversely impacted. In addition, compliance with new or more stringent laws or regulations or stricter interpretations of existing laws may require material expenditure by us. For example, various federal, state, and local laws and regulations have been implemented or are under consideration to mitigate the effects of climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Among other things, "green" building codes may seek to reduce emissions through the imposition of standards for design, construction materials, water and energy usage and efficiency, and waste management. Such codes could require us to make improvements to our existing properties, increase the costs of maintaining or improving our existing properties or developing new properties, or increase taxes and fees assessed on us or our properties. Expenditures required for compliance with such codes may affect our cash flow and results of operations.

As with other publicly traded equity securities, the value of the Company's common stock depends on various market conditions, which may change from time to time. The market price of the Company's common stock could change in ways that may or may not be related to our business, the Company's industry or our operating performance and financial condition. Among the market conditions that may affect the value of the Company's common stock are the following: - the general reputation of REITs and the attractiveness of the Company's equity securities in comparison to other equity securities, including securities issued by other real estate-based companies;- our financial performance; and - general stock and bond market conditions. The market value of the Company's common stock is based primarily upon the market's perception of our growth potential and our current and potential future earnings and cash dividends. Consequently, the Company's common stock may trade at prices that are higher or lower than its net asset value per share of common stock.

Our insurance coverage on our properties may be inadequate or our insurance providers may default on their obligations to pay claims: We currently carry comprehensive insurance on all of our properties, including insurance for liability, fire and flood. We cannot guarantee that the limits of our current policies will be sufficient in the event of a catastrophe to our properties. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to renew or duplicate our current insurance coverage in adequate amounts or at reasonable prices. In addition, while our current insurance policies insure us against loss from catastrophic loss, natural disasters, terrorist acts and toxic mold, in the future, insurance companies may no longer offer coverage against these types of losses, or, if offered, these types of insurance may be prohibitively expensive. If any or all of the foregoing should occur, we may not have insurance coverage against certain types of losses and/or there may be decreases in the limits of insurance available. Should an uninsured loss or a loss in excess of our insured limits occur, we could lose all or a portion of the capital we have invested in a property or properties, as well as the anticipated future revenue from the property or properties. Nevertheless, we might remain obligated for any mortgage debt or other financial obligations related to the property or properties. If any of our properties were to experience a catastrophic loss, it could seriously disrupt our operations, delay revenue and result in large expenses to repair or rebuild the property. Such events could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors. In addition, if one or more of our insurance providers were to become subject to insolvency, bankruptcy or other proceedings and our insurance policies with the provider were terminated or canceled as a result of those proceedings, we cannot guarantee that we would be able to find alternative coverage in adequate amounts or at reasonable prices. In such case, we could experience a lapse in any or adequate insurance coverage with respect to one or more properties and be exposed to potential losses relating to any claims that may arise during such period of lapsed or inadequate coverage. We cannot guarantee that material losses in excess of insurance proceeds will not occur in the future. Illiquidity of real estate limits our ability to act quickly: Real estate investments are relatively illiquid. Such illiquidity may limit our ability to react quickly in response to changes in economic and other conditions. If we want to sell an investment, we might not be able to dispose of that investment in the time period we desire, and the sales price of that investment may not be recouped or may exceed the amount of our investment. The prohibition in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "IRS Code"), and related regulations on a real estate investment trust holding property for sale also may restrict our ability to sell property. The above limitations on our ability to sell our investments could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors. Some of our costs, such as operating and general and administrative expenses, interest expense, and real estate acquisition and construction costs, are subject to inflation: A portion of our operating expenses is sensitive to inflation. These include expenses for property-related contracted services such as janitorial and engineering services, utilities, repairs and maintenance, and insurance. Property taxes are also impacted by inflationary changes as taxes are regularly reassessed based on changes in the fair value of our properties. We also have ground lease expenses in certain of our properties. Ground lease costs are contractual, but in some cases, lease payments reset every few years based on changes of consumer price indexes. Inflation and its related impacts, including increased prices for services and goods and higher interest rates and wages, and any policy interventions by the U.S. government, could negatively impact our resident's ability to pay rents or our results of operations. Our multifamily leases are for an average term of 13 months, which we believe mitigates our exposure to inflation, by permitting us to set rents commensurate with inflation (subject to rent regulations to the extent they apply and assuming our current or prospective residents will accept and can pay commensurate increased rents, of which there can be no assurance). Inflation could outpace any increases in rent and adversely affect us. We may not be able to mitigate the effects of inflation and related impacts, and the duration and extent of any prolonged periods of inflation, and any related adverse effects on our results of operations and financial condition, are unknown at this time. Inflation may also cause increased volatility in financial markets, which could affect our ability to access the capital markets or impact the cost or timing at which we are able to do so. Additionally, inflationary pricing may have a negative effect on the real estate acquisitions and construction costs necessary to complete our development and redevelopment projects, including, but not limited to, costs of construction materials, labor, and services from third-party contractors and suppliers. Higher acquisition and construction costs could adversely impact our net investments in real estate and expected yields on our development and redevelopment projects, which may make otherwise lucrative investment opportunities less profitable to us. Our commercial leases have fixed rent increases which may not increase in line with inflation, this causing our net operating income to decrease. As a result, our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows, as well as our ability to pay dividends, could be adversely affected over time. We face risks associated with property acquisitions: We intend to and may acquire new properties, primarily in the multifamily rental sector, assuming that we are able to obtain capital on favorable terms. Such newly acquired properties may not perform as expected and may subject us to unknown liability with respect to liabilities relating to such properties for clean-up of undisclosed environmental contamination or claims by tenants, residents, vendors or other persons against the former owners of the properties. Inaccurate assumptions regarding future rental or occupancy rates could result in overly optimistic estimates of future revenues. In addition, future operating expenses or the costs necessary to bring an acquired property up to standards established for its intended market position may be underestimated. The search for and process of acquiring such properties will also require a substantial amount of management's time and attention. In addition, developers and other real estate companies may compete with us in seeking properties for acquisition, land for development and prospective tenants. Such competition may adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors by: - reducing the number of suitable investment opportunities offered to us;- increasing the bargaining power of property owners;- interfering with our ability to attract and retain tenants; and - adversely affecting our ability to minimize expenses of operation. Our acquisition activities and their success are subject to the following risks: - adequate financing to complete acquisitions may not be available on favorable terms or at all as a result of the continuing volatility in the financial and credit markets;- even if we enter into an acquisition agreement for a property, we may be unable to complete that acquisition and risk the loss of certain non-refundable deposits and incurring certain other acquisition-related costs; and - any acquisition agreement will likely contain conditions to closing, including completion of due diligence investigations to our satisfaction or other conditions that are not within our control, which may not be satisfied. Americans with Disabilities Act compliance could be costly: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA"), all public accommodations and commercial facilities must meet certain federal requirements related to access and use by disabled persons. Compliance with the ADA requirements could involve removal of structural barriers from certain disabled persons' entrances. Other federal, state and local laws may require modifications to or restrict further renovations of our properties with respect to such accesses. Although we believe that our properties are substantially in compliance with present requirements, noncompliance with the ADA or related laws or regulations could result in the United States government imposing fines or private litigants being awarded damages against us. Such costs may adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors. Environmental problems are possible and may be costly: Various federal, state and local laws and regulations subject property owners or operators to liability for the costs of removal or remediation of certain hazardous or toxic substances located on or in the property. These laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner or operator was responsible for or even knew of the presence of such substances. The presence of or failure to properly remediate hazardous or toxic substances (such as toxic mold, lead paint and asbestos) may adversely affect our ability to rent, sell or borrow against contaminated property and may impose liability upon us for personal injury to persons exposed to such substances. Various laws and regulations also impose liability on persons who arrange for the disposal or treatment of hazardous or toxic substances at another location for the costs of removal or remediation of such substances at the disposal or treatment facility. These laws often impose liability whether or not the person arranging for such disposal ever owned or operated the disposal facility. Certain other environmental laws and regulations impose liability on owners or operators of property for injuries relating to the release of asbestos-containing or other materials into the air, water or otherwise into the environment. As owners and operators of property and as potential arrangers for hazardous substance disposal, we may be liable under such laws and regulations for removal or remediation costs, governmental penalties, property damage, personal injuries and related expenses. Payment of such costs and expenses could adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors. Environmental, Social and Governance factors may impose additional costs and/or expose us to new risks: Certain investors, customers, regulators and other stakeholders have focused more on corporate responsibility, specifically related to environmental, social and governance ("ESG") factors. Additionally, there is increased attention on these matters by various regulatory authorities, including the SEC, and the expense and activities necessary to comply with new regulations or standards may be significant. Third-party providers of corporate responsibility ratings and reports on companies have also increased in number, resulting in varied, and in some cases, inconsistent standards. Some investors use these factors to guide their investment strategies and, in some cases, may choose not to invest in us if they believe our policies relating to ESG are inadequate or objectionable. The regulations and criteria for assessing corporate responsibility practices are evolving, which could result in our undertaking costly initiatives and activities to meet any new regulations or criteria. Additionally, if we are unable to or elect not to satisfy any new regulation or criteria, or do not meet the criteria of a specific third-party provider, some investors may conclude our policies with respect to ESG are inadequate, and we may face reputational damage. We have communicated certain initiatives and goals regarding ESG matters in our 2022 ESG Report on our website, and we may communicate revised or additional initiatives or goals in the future. We could be unsuccessful or perceived to be unsuccessful in the achievement of our ESG initiatives or goals, or we could be criticized for the scope of our initiatives or goals. If we fail to meet the expectations of investors, customers, regulators, and other stakeholders; our initiatives are not executed as planned; or we do not achieve our goals, our reputation and financial results could be adversely impacted. Development of real estate, including the development of multifamily rental real estate could be costly: As part of our operating strategy, we may acquire land for development or construct on owned land, under certain conditions. Included among the risks of the real estate development business are the following, which may adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors: - financing for development projects may not be available on favorable terms;- long-term financing may not be available upon completion of construction;- failure to complete construction and lease-up on schedule or within budget may increase debt service expense and construction and other costs; and - failure to rent the development at all or at rent levels originally contemplated. Property ownership through joint ventures could subject us to the contrary business objectives of our co-venturers: We invest in joint ventures or partnerships in which we do not hold a controlling interest in the assets underlying the entities in which we invest, including joint ventures in which (i) we own a direct interest in an entity which controls such assets, or (ii) we own a direct interest in an entity which owns indirect interests, through one or more intermediaries, of such assets. These investments involve risks that do not exist with properties in which we own a controlling interest with respect to the underlying assets, including the possibility that (i)our co-venturers or partners may control the joint venture and we may not be able to prevent them from taking certain actions; (ii) we may have limited rights to terminate or liquidate our investment; (iii) the distribution preferences of our co-venturers or partners may limit operating, liquidating and disposition distributions to us; (iv) our co-venturers or partners may, at any time, become insolvent or otherwise refuse to make capital contributions when due, (v) we may be responsible to our co-venturers or partners for indemnifiable losses, (vi) we may become liable with respect to guarantees of payment or performance by the joint ventures, (vii) we may become subject to buy-sell arrangements which could cause us to sell our interests or acquire our co-venturer's or partner's interests in a joint venture, or (viii) our co-venturers or partners may, at any time, have business, economic or other objectives that are inconsistent with our objectives. Because we lack a controlling interest, our co-venturers or partners may be in a position to take action contrary to our instructions or requests or contrary to our policies or objectives. While we seek protective rights against such contrary actions, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in procuring any such protective rights, or if procured, that the rights will be sufficient to fully protect us against contrary actions. Our organizational documents do not limit the amount of available funds that we may invest in joint ventures or partnerships. If the objectives of our co-venturers or partners are inconsistent with ours, it may adversely affect our ability to make distributions or payments to our investors. We may face increased risks and costs associated with volatility in commodity and labor prices or as a result of supply chain or procurement disruptions, which may adversely affect the status of our construction projects: The price of commodities and skilled labor for our construction projects may increase unpredictably due to external factors, including, but not limited to, performance of third-party suppliers and contractors; overall market supply and demand; government regulation; international trade; and changes in general business, economic, or political conditions. As a result, the costs of raw construction materials and skilled labor required for the completion of our development and redevelopment projects may fluctuate significantly from time to time. We rely on a number of third-party suppliers and contractors to supply raw materials and skilled labor for our construction projects. While we do not rely on any single supplier or vendor for the majority of our materials and skilled labor, we may experience difficulties obtaining necessary materials from suppliers or vendors whose supply chains might become impacted by economic or political changes, or difficulties obtaining adequate skilled labor from third-party contractors in a tightening labor market. It is uncertain whether we would be able to source the essential commodities, supplies, materials, and skilled labor timely or at all without incurring significant costs or delays, particularly during times of economic uncertainty resulting from events outside of our control. We may be forced to purchase supplies and materials in larger quantities or in advance of when we would typically purchase them. This may cause us to require use of capital sooner than anticipated. Alternatively, we may also be forced to seek new third-party suppliers or contractors, whom we have not worked with in the past, and it is uncertain whether these new suppliers will be able to adequately meet our materials or labor needs. Our dependence on unfamiliar supply chains or relatively small supply partners may adversely affect the cost and timely completion of our construction projects. In addition, we may be unable to compete with entities that may have more favorable relationships with their suppliers and contractors or greater access to the required construction materials and skilled labor.

The use of social media could cause us to suffer brand damage or unintended information disclosure. Negative posts or communications about us or one of our properties on a social networking website could damage our reputation. Further, employees or others may disclose non-public information regarding us or our business or otherwise make negative comments regarding us on social networking or other websites, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations. As social media evolves, we will be presented with new risks and challenges.

In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store sensitive data, including intellectual property, our proprietary business information and that of our tenants and business partners, including personally identifiable information of our tenants and employees, in our data centers and on our networks and our business is at risk from and may be impacted by cybersecurity attacks. These attacks could include attempts to gain unauthorized access to our data and computer systems. Attacks can be both individual and/or highly organized attempts organized by very sophisticated hacking organizations. We employ a number of measures to prevent, detect and mitigate these threats, which include data encryption, frequent password change events, firewall detection systems, anti-virus software and frequent backups; however, there is no guarantee such efforts will be successful in preventing a cyber-attack, and we consult with outside cybersecurity firms to advise on our cybersecurity measures. We also have implemented internal controls around our treasury function, including enhanced payment authorization procedures, verification requirements for new vendor setup and vendor information changes, and bolstered outgoing payment notification process and account reconciliation procedures. We have policies and procedures in place in order to identify cybersecurity incidents and elevate such incidents to senior management in order to appropriately address and remediate any cyber-attack. Despite our security measures, our information technology and infrastructure may be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or breached due to employee error, malfeasance or other disruptions,and there can be no assurance that our actions, security measures, and controls designed to prevent, detect, or respond to intrusion; to limit access to data; to prevent loss, destruction, alteration, or exfiltration of business information; or to limit the negative impact from such attacks can provide absolute security against a cybersecurity incident. Any such breach could compromise our networks and the information stored there could be accessed, publicly disclosed, lost or stolen. Any such access, disclosure or other loss of information could result in legal claims or proceedings, liability under laws that protect the privacy of personal information, disrupt our operations, increased cybersecurity insurance premiums and damage our reputation, which could adversely affect our business.