In Re Christian Faith Assembly

402 B.R. 794, 2009 Bankr. LEXIS 768, 2009 WL 689722
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedFebruary 20, 2009
Docket19-50251
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 402 B.R. 794 (In Re Christian Faith Assembly) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Christian Faith Assembly, 402 B.R. 794, 2009 Bankr. LEXIS 768, 2009 WL 689722 (Ohio 2009).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF OPINION AND ORDER

RANDOLPH BAXTER, Bankruptcy Judge.

The Christian Faith Assembly, Inc., (Debtor, Debtor-in-Possession) seeks approval of its Amended Plan of Reorganization. Buckeye Community Bank (Buckeye), a secured creditor, objects to plan confirmation. Jurisdiction is proper under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334 and 158 and General Order No. 84 of this District. Upon the conclusion of a duly noticed evidentiary hearing, an examination of the evidence admitted, and a review of the record, generally, the following findings of fact and conclusions of law are hereby rendered: *

The Debtor, The Christian Faith Assembly, Inc., is a church established in April of 1966 under the name All Nations Tabernacle Oneness Pentecostal Church. In 1986, the Debtor’s name was officially changed to Christian Faith Assembly. The Debt- or’s primary asset is the Church, which was purchased on June 16, 2000 for $245, 000. The purchase price was paid with proceeds from a loan from Buckeye in the original amount of $388,000. That amount was secured by a mortgage on two properties. Approximately one year later, in May of 2001, the Debtor borrowed an additional $212,000 from Buckeye, which was secured by a second mortgage on the same two parcels. The additional borrowed funds were used to construct a new building and to renovate the existing buildings. On May 16, 2003 Buckeye released the second parcel from the two mortgages and the remaining amounts due were consolidated into one promissory note in the amount of $599,856.37.

After a dispute concerning the application of payments due under the loan, Buckeye commenced a foreclosure action against the Debtor in Lorain County Common Pleas Court. 1 Subsequent to the filing of this foreclosure action, the Debtor borrowed funds from a third party and placed those funds into an account at Buckeye. Buckeye seized those funds and applied them to the outstanding balance owed. The Debtor hired an accountant who analyzed the payments tendered and discovered that Buckeye had overcharged the Debtor, resulting in overpayments by the Debtor. The Debtor was, in fact, current with its loan payments. Consequently, Buckeye voluntarily dismissed its first foreclosure action.

Relations between the two parties continued to deteriorate. Ultimately, the Debtor ceased making monthly payments and, on October 2, 2006, the Bank filed its second foreclosure action in Lorain County Common Pleas Court. 2 On July 7, 2007, a judgment for foreclosure was entered in favor of Buckeye and an Order of Sale was issued to the sheriff. Prior to the scheduling of the sale in foreclosure, the Debtor and Buckeye reached an accord, and the sale of the Church was rescinded. The Debtor defaulted on the terms of the agreement. Subsequently, a second Order of Sale was issued on November 29, 2007. Prior to the scheduling of a second Order of Sale, the Debtor filed its voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code on December 5, 2007.

On May 5, 2008, the Debtor filed its initial plan of reorganization. This Plan was duly considered and was denied confirmation. (See Order dated November 4, 2008). This Court allowed the Debtor a *797 second opportunity to achieve plan confirmation through the filing of an amended plan of reorganization. The latter plan is presently before the Court for approval consideration.

The dispositive issue is whether the Debtor’s plan, as amended, satisfies the feasibility requirements of § 1129(a) or (b) of the Bankruptcy Code [11 U.S.C. § 1129(a) or (b)].

Section 1129 provides the requirements needed to confirm a Chapter 11 plan. At issue in this case are subsections (a)(1), (a)(7), and (a)(ll), which provides in relevant part:

a) The court shall confirm a plan only if all of the following requirements are met:
I) the plan complies with the applicable provisions of this title ...
7)with respect to each impaired class of claims or interests — A) each holder of a claim or interest of such class — I) has accepted the plan; or ii) will receive or retain under the plan on account of such claim or interest property of a value, as of the effective date of the plan, that is not less than the amount of such holder would so receive or retain if the debtor were liquidated under Chapter 7 of this title on such date; or B) if Section 1111(b)(2)(b) of this title applies to the claims of such class, each holder of a claim of such class will receive or retain under the plan on account of such claim property of a value, as of the effective date of the plan, that is not less than the value of such holder’s interest in the estate’s interest in the property that secures such claims ...
II) Confirmation of the plan is not likely to be followed by the liquidation, or the need for further financial reorganization, of the debtor or any successor to the debtor under the plan, unless such liquidation or reorganization is proposed in the plan.

11 U.S.C.A. § 1129.

The Debtor contends that its amended Plan is confirmable under § 1129(b), and that the “best interests” test of § 1129(a)(7) is satisfied.

Buckeye Bank, holder of a first lien against the Debtor’s real property, contends that the Debtor’s Plan is infeasible. It further asserts that the Debtor owes an undisputed $551,463.73 on its secured debt, subject to certain setoffs. It further asserts that certain remediation costs are excluded from the Debtor’s financial projections. It further asserts, upon a liquidation analysis, that the current plan provides lesser payment on its allowed claim than would be realized under Chapter 7 liquidation of Debtor’s assets. Lastly, Buckeye contends that the Debtor’s projected income is insufficient to pay anticipated operating expenses and allowed claims as contemplated by the second Plan.

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The Plan

The Debtor’s second Amended Plan provides for five (5) creditor classes. Class One addresses secured claimants. Class Two addresses administrative claimants. Class Three is for priority tax claims, while the fourth class treats general unsecured claims. Class Five addresses equity. The plan sets forth in its definition section an effective date by which these claims will be paid. According to the plan, the effective date is defined as ten (10) days after the issuance of the Confirmation Order, so long as the Confirmation Order is a Final Order, or any other time thereafter as may be determined by the Reorganized Debtor. (See, Plan). The Debtor *798 proposes to fund this plan with the establishment of a Child Care Facility whose projected opening date was set for February 1, 2009. 3 The Debtor believes that it will take approximately twelve (12) months until the Child Care will operate at full capacity.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
402 B.R. 794, 2009 Bankr. LEXIS 768, 2009 WL 689722, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-christian-faith-assembly-ohnb-2009.