In re RYYZ, LLC

490 B.R. 29, 2013 WL 1338178, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 1401, 57 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 213
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. New York
DecidedApril 4, 2013
DocketNos. 1-12-47383-JF, 1-12-47384-JF
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 490 B.R. 29 (In re RYYZ, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re RYYZ, LLC, 490 B.R. 29, 2013 WL 1338178, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 1401, 57 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 213 (N.Y. 2013).

Opinion

DECISION AND ORDER GRANTING FANNIE MAE’S MOTION FOR RELIEF FROM THE AUTOMATIC STAY PURSUANT TO 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)(3)

JEROME FELLER, Bankruptcy Judge.

Before the Court is Fannie Mae’s motion for relief from the automatic stay [32]*32pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)(3) in the jointly administered, single asset real estate cases of RYYZ, LLC (“LLC”) and RYYZ 2, Corp. (“Corp.”) (together, “Debtors”). Based on the entire record and applicable law, Fannie Mae’s motion is granted. The Debtors did not demonstrate that their plan has a reasonable prospect of being confirmed within a reasonable time as required by Section 362(d)(3)(A). This conclusion is premised on the Debtors’ inability to establish (i) they can obtain acceptance of their plan by at least one validly impaired class of claims (see 11 U.S.C. §§ 1111(b), 1122, 1129(a)(10), 1129(b)(1)) and/or (ii) their plan does not violate the absolute priority rule (see 11 U.S.C. § 1129(b)(2)(B)). As the Debtors also failed to make the payments required by Section 362(d)(3)(B), relief from the stay must be granted. This Memorandum Decision and Order constitutes the Court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law to the extent required by Fed.R.Civ.P. 52, made applicable here by Fed. R. Bankr.P. 7052.

I.

The Debtors each filed petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of title 11 of the United States Code on October 18, 2012, designating their business as “single asset real estate.” ECF No. I.1 The Debtors are New York-based entities with the same principals, Joseph Jusewitz and Ne-diva Schwartz. ECF No. 30. Each debt- or owns a portion of a 495-to 500-unit rental apartment complex situated on 43 acres of land in Lake County, Gary, Indiana (“Property”). ECF Nos. 86-2 ¶ 2; 92 at 10. LLC owns Westbrook Apartments Phase I, containing some 350 rental units, and Corp. owns Westbrook Apartments Phase II and its approximately 140 units. ECF Nos. 33-6; 33-12. The bulk of the units command monthly rent between $560 and $600, and the Debtors indicate that some 400 of them are rented. ECF Nos. 86-2 ¶ 5; 92 at 10.

Fannie Mae is a secured creditor by virtue of certain multifamily notes, securi-tization instruments, and assignments (“loan documents”). ECF No. 33 (Exhs. A-Q).2 The aggregate principal sum of the notes is slightly more than $13.5 million, consisting of a $10.5 million note dated March 19, 2007, signed by Schwartz on behalf of LLC in connection with Phase I (ECF No. 33-3), and a note of just over $3 million dated January 2, 2009, executed by Jusewitz on behalf of Corp. for Phase II (ECF No. 33-9). Both notes are secured by first-priority mortgages, assignments of rents and leases, and security agreements. ECF Nos. 33-4; 33-10. In addition, Ju-sewitz and LLC are guarantors of Corp.’s Phase II note. ECF Nos. 35-15; 33-16.

In July 2012, the Debtors defaulted under the loan documents by failing to pay the sums due. ECF No. 33 ¶ 24. Fannie Mae accelerated the debt and commenced a foreclosure proceeding in Lake County Superior Court. Id. ¶¶ 24-29. That action was stayed when the Debtors filed their bankruptcy petitions. Fannie Mae filed two proofs of claim, for an aggregate claim of over $12.3 million. Case No. 12-47383 (POC 12-1); Case No. 12-47384 (POC 3-1).

Fannie Mae’s security interest extends to the post-petition rents generated by the [33]*33Property pursuant to the assignments of rents and leases and by operation of 11 U.S.C. § 552(b). Four orders have been entered on consent of Fannie Mae authorizing the Debtors’ use of cash collateral on an interim basis pursuant to stipulated terms and in accordance with certain budgets. ECF Nos. 28; 52; 70; 87. The last order covered February 2013.

On November 19, 2012, just a month after the petition date, Fannie Mae filed a motion for relief from the stay for cause pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)(1). ECF Nos. 31; 32; 33. The motion was couched in terms of lack of adequate protection, but Fannie Mae also argued that reorganization was impossible based on the Debtors’ insufficient cash flow. ECF No. 47 at 3-4. On December 19, the day before the scheduled hearing on the motion, the Debtors filed a plan of reorganization and disclosure statement. ECF Nos. 54; 55. As Fannie Mae had not sustained its burden of demonstrating diminution of the value of its collateral, and in light of the early stage of the case, the Court denied the motion without prejudice. ECF Nos. 61; 62 at 16:2-22.

Fannie Mae filed the present motion on January 31, 2013 (ECF Nos. 76; 77; 78; 79), the Debtors filed an objection on February 28 (ECF No. 86), and Fannie Mae filed a reply on March 5 (ECF No. 89). On March 11, the Debtors filed an amended plan and disclosure statement. ECF Nos. 91; 92. The Court held a hearing on the motion on March 14, 2013, at which counsel for Fannie Mae and the Debtors appeared and were heard, and reserved decision.

II.

The filing of a bankruptcy petition begets a stay of foreclosure proceedings brought by secured lenders to recover their collateral. 11 U.S.C. § 362(a). Unlike injunctive relief in other courts, a debtor need not demonstrate likelihood of success, irreparable harm, or any other factors to obtain stay relief; the bankruptcy stay is by name, and by nature, automatic. “However, restraining creditors from enforcing their legitimate legal rights is strong medicine and our bankruptcy laws do not sanction the stay for stay’s sake.” In re 266 Washington Assocs., 141 B.R. 275, 281 (Bankr.E.D.N.Y.) (“266 Washington”), aff'd, 147 B.R. 827 (E.D.N.Y.1992).

Accordingly, “[o]n request of a party in interest and after notice and a hearing, the court shall grant relief from the stay ... such as by terminating, annulling, modifying, or conditioning such stay....” 11 U.S.C. § 362(d). Under paragraph (1) of subsection (d), relief may be granted “for cause, including the lack of adequate protection of an interest in property of such party in interest;” and under paragraph (2), relief “with respect to a stay of an act against property” is warranted if “(A) the debtor does not have an equity in such property; and (B) such property is not necessary to an effective reorganization....” 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)(1) and (2).

Congress enacted 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)(3) in 1994 to fast-track single asset real estate cases.3

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
490 B.R. 29, 2013 WL 1338178, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 1401, 57 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 213, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-ryyz-llc-nyeb-2013.