1 As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 13, 1996 Registration No. 333- ________________________________________________________________________________ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 ______________________ FORM S-8 (Including registration of shares for resale by means of a Form S-3 Prospectus) REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 ________________________ SUN COMMUNITIES, INC. (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS GOVERNING INSTRUMENT) MARYLAND 38-2730780 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or (I.R.S. Employer Organization) Identification No.) _______________________________________ 31700 MIDDLEBELT ROAD SUITE 145 FARMINGTON HILLS, MICHIGAN 48334 (Address of Principal Executive Offices) ________________________________________________________ AMENDED AND RESTATED 1993 STOCK OPTION PLAN AMENDED AND RESTATED 1993 NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION PLAN (Full title of the plan) ________________________________________________________ GARY A. SHIFFMAN PRESIDENT SUN COMMUNITIES, INC. 31700 MIDDLEBELT ROAD SUITE 145 FARMINGTON HILLS, MICHIGAN 48334 (810) 932-3100 (Name, Address, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service) Copies of all correspondence to: JEFFREY M. WEISS, ESQ. JAFFE, RAITT, HEUER & WEISS, P.C. ONE WOODWARD AVENUE SUITE 2400 DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48226 APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: As soon as possible after the effective date of this Registration Statement and from time to time thereafter as determined by market conditions. If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. __X__ 2 If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ______ If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ______ If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please check the following box. ______. _______________ CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE (1) Includes an indeterminate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued by reason of stock splits, stock dividends or other similar transactions. For the sole purpose of calculating the registration fee, the number of shares to be registered under this Registration Statement has been broken down into four sub-totals. (2) Computed in accordance with Rules 457(h) and 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933. Such computation is based on the weighted average exercise price of $20.65 per share covering 409,750 outstanding options and the estimated exercise price of $28.31 per share covering 596,016 authorized but unissued shares. The estimated exercise price of $28.31 per share was computed in accordance with Rule 457 by averaging the high and low prices of a share of Common Stock as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on September 6, 1996. (3) Computed in accordance with Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933. (4) Computed in accordance with Rules 457(h) and 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933. Such computation is based on the weighted average exercise price of $21.75 per share covering 9,834 outstanding options and the estimated exercise price of $28.31 per share covering 87,500 authorized but unissued shares. The estimated exercise price of $28.31 per share was computed in accordance with Rule 457 by averaging the high and low prices of a share of Common Stock as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on September 6, 1996. (5) Computed in accordance with Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933.
Proposed Title of Securities Amount to be Proposed Maximum Maximum Aggregate Amount of to be Registered Registered(1) Offering Price Per Share Offering Price Registration Fee ------------------- ------------- ------------------------ ----------------- ---------------- Common Stock, par value $.01 per share: To be issued under 1993 Stock Option Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,005,766 shares (2) $25.19 $25,335,245.54 $8,737 Issued under 1993 Stock Option Plan . . 355,747 shares (3) $28.31 $10,071,197.57 $3,473 To be issued under 1993 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan . . . . . 97,334 shares (4) $27.65 $2,691,285.10 $929 Issued under 1993 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan . . . . . 2,666 shares (5) $28.31 $75,474.46 $27 TOTAL 1,461,513 shares $38,173,202.67 $13,166 3 EXPLANATORY NOTE This Registration Statement contains two parts. The first part contains a Reoffer Prospectus ("Prospectus") prepared in accordance with the requirements of Part I of Form S-3 (in accordance with Section C of the General Instructions to Form S-8) which covers reoffers and resales by "affiliates" (as that term is defined in Rule 405 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act")), of shares of Common Stock, $.01 par value per share ("Common Stock"), of Sun Communities, Inc. (the "Company") which will be or have been issued to directors and key employees or consultants pursuant to the exercise of options granted to employees, consultants and/or directors pursuant to the Sun Communities, Inc. Amended and Restated 1993 Stock Option Plan (the "Employee Option Plan") and/or the Sun Communities, Inc. Amended and Restated 1993 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan (the "Director Option Plan" and together with the Employee Option Plan, the "Plans"). The Form S-3 Prospectus filed herewith may be utilized for reofferings and resales of registered shares of Common Stock which may be issued in the future upon the exercise of options granted under the Plans. The second part of this Registration Statement contains "Information Required in the Registration Statement" pursuant to Part II of Form S-8. Pursuant to the Note to Part I of Form S-8, the information with respect to the Plans specified by Part I is not filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), but a document containing such information has been sent or given to each person eligible to participate in each of the Plans as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. 4 Reoffer Prospectus dated September 13, 1996 PROSPECTUS SUN COMMUNITIES, INC. 620,747 SHARES COMMON STOCK This Reoffer Prospectus (this "Prospectus") is being used in connection with the offering from time to time by certain stockholders (the "Selling Stockholders") of Sun Communities, Inc. (the "Company"), of shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share ("Common Stock"), of the Company which have been or may be acquired upon the exercise of stock options granted pursuant to the Sun Communities, Inc. Amended and Restated 1993 Stock Option Plan (the "Employee Option Plan") and/or the Sun Communities, Inc. Amended and Restated 1993 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan (the "Director Option Plan" and together with the Employee Option Plan, the "Plans"). Options or shares of Common Stock may be issued under either of the Plans in amounts and to persons not presently known by the Company; when known, such persons, their holdings of Common Stock and certain other information may be included in a subsequent version of this Prospectus. The Company will receive no proceeds from the sale by the Selling Stockholders of the shares of Common Stock. The Common Stock issued or issuable upon exercise of the options covered by the Plans (collectively, the "Shares") may be sold from time to time by the Selling Stockholders or by pledgees, donees, transferees or other successors in interest. Such sales may be made on the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") at prices and at terms then prevailing or at prices related to the then current market price, or in negotiated transactions. All discounts, commissions or fees incurred in connection with the sale of the Shares offered hereby will be paid by the Selling Stockholders or by the purchasers of the Shares, except that the expenses of preparing and filing this Prospectus and the related Registration Statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), and of registering or qualifying the Shares, will be paid by the Company. The Selling Stockholders and any broker executing selling orders on behalf of the Selling Stockholders may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), in which event any commission received by such broker may be deemed to be underwriting commissions under the Securities Act. The Shares are listed on the NYSE under the symbol "SUI." The closing price of the Shares as reported on the NYSE on September 6, 1996 was $28.375. SEE "RISK FACTORS" ON PAGE 4 FOR CERTAIN FACTORS RELATING TO AN INVESTMENT IN THE SHARES ______________________________________ THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. ______________________________________ The date of this Prospectus is September 13, 1996. 5 No person is authorized to give any information or to make any representation, other than as contained herein, in connection with the offering described in this Prospectus, and any information or representation not contained herein must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Company or the Selling Stockholders. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered hereby in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful or to any person to whom it is not lawful to make any such offer or solicitation. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale made hereunder shall under any circumstances create any implication that information herein is correct as of any time subsequent to the date hereof. AVAILABLE INFORMATION The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and, in accordance therewith, files, reports and other information with the Commission. Such reports, proxy statements and other information can be inspected at the Public Reference Section maintained by the Commission at Room 1024, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 and the following regional offices of the Commission: 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2511 and Seven World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10048. Copies of such material can be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. In addition, the Company's Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and such reports, proxy statements and other information concerning the Company can be inspected at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005. The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement"), of which this Prospectus is a part, under the Securities Act with respect to the Common Stock offered hereby. This Prospectus does not contain portions of the information set forth in the Registration Statement, certain portions of which have been omitted as permitted by the rules and regulations of the Commission. Statements contained in this Prospectus as to the contents of any contract or other documents are not necessarily complete, and in each instance, reference is made to the copy of such contract or documents filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, each such statement being qualified in all respects by such reference and the exhibits and schedules thereto. For further information regarding the Company and the Securities, reference is hereby made to the Registration Statement and such exhibits and schedules which may be obtained from the Commission at its principal office in Washington, D.C. upon payment of the fees prescribed by the Commission. INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE The documents listed below have been filed by the Company under the Exchange Act with the Commission and are incorporated herein by reference. 1. The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995, filed with the Commission on March 18, 1996, as amended by Form 10-K/A, filed with the Commission on April 18, 1996, and as amended by Form 10-K/A, filed with the Commission on May 3, 1996. 2. The Company's current report on Form 8-K dated March 20, 1996 and filed with the Commission on March 26, 1996. 3. The Company's current report on Form 8-K dated April 2, 1996 and filed with the Commission on April 4, 1996. - 2 - 6 4. The Company's current report on Form 8-K dated April 24, 1996 and filed with the Commission on April 29, 1996. 5. The Company's current report on Form 8-K dated May 1, 1996 and filed with the Commission on May 3, 1996. 6. The Company's current report on Form 8-K dated August 20, 1996 and filed with the Commission on August 22, 1996. 7. The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 1996, filed with the Commission on May 3, 1996. 8. The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1996, filed with the Commission on August 14, 1996. 9. The description of the Common Stock contained in the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated November 23, 1993, No. 1-12616. All documents filed subsequent to the date of this Prospectus pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and prior to termination of the offering of all Securities to which this Prospectus relates shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and shall be part hereof from the date of filing of such document. Any statement contained herein or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this Prospectus (in the case of a statement in a previously filed document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein), in any accompanying Prospectus Supplement relating to a specific offering of Securities or in any other subsequently filed document that is also incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus or any accompanying Prospectus Supplement. Subject to the foregoing, all information appearing in this Prospectus and each accompanying Prospectus Supplement is qualified in its entirety by the information appearing in the documents incorporated by reference. The Company will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this Prospectus is delivered, upon their written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated herein by reference (other than exhibits to such documents, unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in such documents). Written requests for such copies should be addressed to Jeffrey P. Jorissen, the Company's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at 31700 Middlebelt Road, Suite 145, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334, telephone number (810) 932-3100. As used herein, the term "Company" includes Sun Communities, Inc., a Maryland corporation, and one or more of its subsidiaries (including Sun Communities Operating Partnership (the "Operating Partnership"), Sun Communities Finance Limited Partnership (the "Financing Partnership"), Sun Home Services, Inc., and Sun Management, Inc.). THE COMPANY The Company owns and operates manufactured housing communities concentrated in the midwestern and southeastern United States. The Company is a fully integrated real estate company which, together with its affiliates and predecessors, has been in the business of acquiring, operating, and expanding - 3 - 7 manufactured housing communities since 1975. As of August 1, 1996, the Company owned and managed a portfolio of 79 manufactured housing community properties (the "Properties") located in twelve states and Canada containing an aggregate of approximately 28,600 developed sites and approximately 2,900 potential expansion sites. Consistent with the Company's strategy of growth through acquisitions, the Company has acquired 48 of the Properties since its initial public offering in December 1993. The Company believes that it is the largest United States owner of manufactured housing communities in the United States (by number of communities). The Company is the sole general partner of, and, as of August 1, 1996, held approximately 89% of the interests in, the Operating Partnership. Substantially all of the Company's assets are held by or through the Operating Partnership. The ownership and management of the Properties is allocated among the Subsidiaries; however, subject to the tax and other risks discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors": (i) the Company controls the management of all the Properties either directly or through a management contract with Sun Management, Inc., a Michigan corporation ("Sun Management") cancelable upon 30 days written notice; and (ii) stockholders in the Company achieve substantially the same economic benefits as direct ownership, operation, and management of the Properties, except that 5% of the cash flow from operating activities of Sun Home Services, Inc., a Michigan corporation ("Home Services") and Sun Management (estimated to be an aggregate of no greater than approximately $2,000 in 1996) will be distributed to Gary A. Shiffman, Milton M. Shiffman (Gary A. Shiffman and Milton M. Shiffman are sometimes hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Principals"), and Jeffrey P. Jorissen, each an officer of the Company, as the holders of all the common stock of Home Services and Sun Management. There is no assurance that such distributions will not increase in the future. As sole general partner of the Operating Partnership, the Company has the exclusive power to manage and conduct the business of the Operating Partnership, subject to certain limited exceptions. The Company's executive and principal property management office is located at 31700 Middlebelt Road, Suite 145, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334, and its telephone number is (810) 932-3100. The Company has regional property management offices in Elkhart, Indiana and Tampa, Florida. RISK FACTORS Prospective investors should carefully consider, among other factors, the matters described below. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST Failure to Enforce Terms of Management Contract. Through their ownership of all of the common stock of Sun Management, the Principals and Jeffrey P. Jorissen, an officer of the Company (the Principals and Jeffrey P. Jorissen are sometimes hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Subsidiary Shareholders") have a 5% interest in Sun Management. Sun Management has entered into a management contract with the Financing Partnership with respect to each of the Properties subject to the Mortgage Debt (as defined below), which was not negotiated on an arm's length basis. The Subsidiary Shareholders will have a conflict of interest with respect to their obligations as officers and/or directors of the Company to enforce the terms of the management contract. The failure to enforce the material terms of this agreement could have an adverse effect on the Company. The Operating Partnership, on account of its ownership of the preferred stock of Sun Management, and the Subsidiary Shareholders, on account of their ownership of the common stock of Sun Management, are entitled to 95% and 5%, respectively, of cash flow from operating activities of Sun Management. Failure to Enforce Terms of Home Services Agreement. Through their ownership of all of the common stock of Home Services, the Subsidiary Shareholders have a 5% interest in Home Services. Home Services has entered into an agreement with the Operating Partnership for sales, brokerage, and leasing services, which was not negotiated on an arm's length basis. The Subsidiary Shareholders will have a conflict of interest with respect to their obligations as officers and/or directors of the Company to enforce - 4 - 8 the terms of the services agreement. The failure to enforce the material terms of this agreement could have an adverse effect on the Company. The Operating Partnership, on account of its ownership of the preferred stock of Home Services, and the Subsidiary Shareholders, on account of their ownership of the common stock of Home Services, are entitled to 95% and 5%, respectively, of the cash flow from operating activities of Home Services. Tax Consequences Upon Sale of Properties. Prior to the redemption of partnership interests in the Operating Partnership ("OP Units") for Common Stock, the Principals will have tax consequences different from those of the Company and its public stockholders upon the sale of any of the 24 Properties acquired from partnerships previously affiliated with the Principals (the "Sun Partnerships") and, therefore, the Principals and the Company, as partners in the Operating Partnership, may have different objectives regarding the appropriate pricing and timing of any sale of those Properties. Consequently, the Principals may influence the Company not to sell those Properties even though such sale might otherwise be financially advantageous to the Company. PRINCIPALS' ABILITY TO EXERCISE INFLUENCE As of August 1, 1996, the Principals owned, in the aggregate, approximately 5% of the Common Stock (assuming redemption of all outstanding OP Units) and are exempt from certain limitations on ownership. See "-- Ownership Limits and Limits on Changes in Control." Accordingly, the Principals will have substantial influence on the Company and on the outcome of any matters submitted to the Company's stockholders for approval, which influence might not be consistent with the interests of other stockholders. In addition, although there is no current agreement, understanding, or arrangement for the Principals, as stockholders, to act together on any matter, the Principals would be in a position to exercise significant influence over the affairs of the Company if they were to act together in the future. ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES OF DEBT FINANCING The Company is subject to the risks normally associated with debt financing, including the risk that the Company's cash flow will be insufficient to meet required payments of principal and interest, the risk that existing indebtedness will not be able to be refinanced, or that the terms of such refinancing will not be as favorable as the terms of such indebtedness and the risk that necessary capital expenditures for such purposes as renovations and other improvements will not be able to be financed on favorable terms or at all. If a property is mortgaged to secure payment of indebtedness and the Company is unable to meet mortgage payments, the property could be transferred to the mortgagee with a consequent loss of income and asset value to the Company. As of August 1, 1996, the Financing Partnership had outstanding $30.0 million of indebtedness that is collateralized by mortgage liens on five of the Properties (the "Mortgage Debt"). If the Company fails to meet its obligations under the Mortgage Debt, the lender would be entitled to foreclose on all or some of the Properties securing such debt, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company and its ability to make expected distributions and could threaten the continued viability of the Company. The Company has a one-time right to obtain the release of one Property from the lien of the Mortgage Debt. In the event the Company desires to obtain the release of a Property from the lien of such debt, such release may only be obtained by satisfaction of each of the following: (i) prepayment of such debt in an amount equal to 125% of the loan amount allocated to the Property being released; (ii) payment of certain prepayment expenses that may be incurred by the lender in connection with a partial prepayment of such debt; and (iii) satisfaction of a specified debt service coverage ratio with respect to the remaining four Properties not being released. In the event the Company is unable to obtain the release of a Property from any such lien, it would be unable to consummate a sale of such Property which might otherwise be in the best interest of the Company. - 5 - 9 CHANGES IN INVESTMENT AND FINANCING POLICIES WITHOUT STOCKHOLDER APPROVAL The investment and financing policies of the Company, and its policies with respect to certain other activities, including its growth, debt, capitalization, distributions, REIT status, and operating policies, are determined by the Board of Directors. Although the Board of Directors has no present intention to do so, these policies may be amended or revised from time to time at the discretion of the Board of Directors without notice to or a vote of the stockholders of the Company. Accordingly, stockholders may not have control over changes in policies of the Company and changes in the Company's policies may not fully serve the interests of all stockholders. DEPENDENCE ON KEY PERSONNEL The Company is dependent on the efforts of its executive officers, particularly the Principals. While the Company believes that it could find replacements for these key personnel, the loss of their services could have a temporary adverse effect on the operations of the Company. The Company does not currently maintain or contemplate obtaining any "key-man" life insurance on the Principals. OWNERSHIP LIMIT AND LIMITS ON CHANGES IN CONTROL 9.8% Ownership Limit; Inapplicability to Founders. In order to qualify and maintain its qualification as a REIT, not more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Company may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals. Thus, ownership of more than 9.8% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock by any single stockholder has been restricted, with certain exceptions, for the purpose of maintaining the Company's qualification as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). Such restrictions in the Company's charter do not apply to the Principals and Robert B. Bayer, a former director and officer of the Company (Robert B. Bayer and the Principals are sometimes hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Founders"), who may acquire additional shares of Common Stock through the redemption of OP Units, through the Stock Option Plan, from other stockholders or otherwise, but in no event will they be entitled to acquire additional shares such that the five largest beneficial owners of the Company's stock hold more than 50% of the total outstanding stock. Additionally, the Company's charter allows certain transfers of such shares without the transferees being subject to the 9.8% ownership limit, provided such transfers do not result in an increased concentration in the ownership of the Company. The Company's Board of Directors, upon receipt of a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "Service"), an opinion of counsel or other evidence satisfactory to the Board of Directors and upon such other conditions as the Board of Directors may direct, may also exempt a proposed transferee from this restriction. The 9.8% ownership limit, as well as the ability of the Company to issue additional shares of Common Stock or shares of other stock (which may have rights and preferences over the Common Stock), may discourage a change of control of the Company and may also: (i) deter tender offers for the Common Stock, which offers may be advantageous to stockholders; and (ii) limit the opportunity for stockholders to receive a premium for their Common Stock that might otherwise exist if an investor were attempting to assemble a block of Common Stock in excess of 9.8% of the outstanding shares of the Company or otherwise effect a change of control of the Company. Staggered Board. The Board of Directors of the Company has been divided into three classes of directors. The term of one class will expire each year. Directors for each class will be chosen for a three-year term upon the expiration of such class's term, and the directors in the other two classes will continue in office. The staggered terms for directors may affect the stockholders' ability to change control of the Company even if a change in control were in the stockholders' interest. Preferred Stock. The Company's charter authorizes the Board of Directors to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock and to establish the preferences and rights (including the right to vote - 6 - 10 and the right to convert into shares of Common Stock) of any shares issued. The power to issue preferred stock could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of the Company even if a change in control were in the stockholders' interest. REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT CONSIDERATIONS General. Income from real property investments, and the Company's resulting ability to make expected distributions to stockholders, may be adversely affected by the general economic climate, local conditions such as oversupply of manufactured housing sites or a reduction in demand for manufactured housing sites in an area, the attractiveness of the Properties to tenants, zoning or other regulatory restrictions, competition from other available manufactured housing sites and alternative forms of housing (such as apartment buildings and site-built single-family homes), the ability of the Company to provide adequate maintenance and insurance, and increased operating costs (including insurance premiums and real estate taxes). The Company's income would also be adversely affected if tenants were unable to pay rent or sites were unable to be rented on favorable terms. If the Company were unable to promptly relet or renew the leases for a significant number of the sites, or if the rental rates upon such renewal or reletting were significantly lower than expected rates, then the Company's funds from operations and ability to make expected distributions to stockholders could be adversely affected. In addition, certain expenditures associated with each equity investment (such as real estate taxes and maintenance costs) generally are not reduced when circumstances cause a reduction in income from the investment. Furthermore, real estate investments are relatively illiquid and, therefore, will tend to limit the ability of the Company to vary its portfolio promptly in response to changes in economic or other conditions. Competition. All of the Properties are located in developed areas that include other manufactured housing community properties. The number of competitive manufactured housing community properties in a particular area could have a material effect on the Company's ability to lease sites and on rents charged at the Properties or at any newly acquired properties. The Company may be competing with others that have greater resources than the Company and whose officers and directors have more experience than the Company's officers and directors. In addition, other forms of multi-family residential properties, such as private and federally funded or assisted multi-family housing projects and single-family housing, provide housing alternatives to potential tenants of manufactured housing communities. Changes in Laws. Costs resulting from changes in real estate tax laws generally may be passed through to tenants and will not affect the Company. Increases in income, service or other taxes, however, generally are not passed through to tenants under leases and may adversely affect the Company's funds from operations and its ability to make distributions to stockholders. Similarly, changes in laws increasing the potential liability for environmental conditions existing on properties or increasing the restrictions on discharges or other conditions may result in significant unanticipated expenditures, which would adversely affect the Company's funds from operations and its ability to make distributions to stockholders. Investments in Mortgages. Although the Company currently has no plans to invest in mortgages other than an approximately $4.0 million mortgage loan it has made to an entity that operates two manufactured housing communities in Alberta, Canada (the "Canadian Mortgage"), the Company may invest in additional mortgages in the future. By virtue of its investment in the Canadian Mortgage and if the Company were to invest in additional mortgages, it is and would be subject to the risks of such investment, which include the risk that borrowers may not be able to make debt service payments or pay principal when due, the risk that the value of mortgaged property may be less than the amounts owed, and the risk that interest rates payable on the mortgages may be lower than the Company's costs of funds. If any of the above occurred, funds from operations and the Company's ability to make expected distributions to stockholders could be adversely affected. Development of New Communities. The Company is not restricted from engaging in the development of new communities in the future. The manufactured housing community development - 7 - 11 business involves significant risks in addition to those involved in the ownership and operation of established manufactured housing communities, including the risks that financing may not be available on favorable terms for development projects, that construction and lease-up may not be completed on schedule resulting in increased debt service expense and construction costs, that long-term financing may not be available upon completion of construction, and that sites may not be leased on profitable terms. If the Company entered the manufactured housing community development business, and if any of the above occurred, the Company's ability to make expected distributions to stockholders could be adversely affected. Rent Control Legislation. State and local rent control laws in certain jurisdictions may limit the Company's ability to increase rents and to recover increases in operating expenses and the costs of capital improvements. Enactment of such laws has been considered from time to time in other jurisdictions. Certain of the Properties are located, and the Company may purchase additional properties, in markets that are either subject to rent control or in which rent-limiting legislation exists or may be enacted. Environmental Matters. Under various Federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations, an owner of real estate is liable for the costs of removal or remediation of certain hazardous or toxic substances on or in such property. Such laws often impose such liability without regard to whether the owner knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of such hazardous or toxic substances. The presence of such substances, or the failure to properly remediate such substances, may adversely affect the owner's ability to sell or rent such property or to borrow using such property as collateral. Persons who arrange for the disposal or treatment of hazardous or toxic substances may also be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of such substances at a disposal or treatment facility, whether or not such facility is owned or operated by such person. Certain environmental laws impose liability for release of asbestos-containing materials ("ACMs") into the air and third parties may seek recovery from owners or operators of real properties for personal injury associated with ACMs. In connection with the ownership (direct or indirect), operation, management, and development of real properties, the Company or the Operating Partnership, as the case may be, may be considered an owner or operator of such properties or as having arranged for the disposal or treatment of hazardous or toxic substances and, therefore, potentially liable for removal or remediation costs, as well as certain other related costs, including governmental fines and injuries to persons and property. All of the Properties have been subject to a Phase I or similar environmental audit (which involves general inspections without soil sampling or ground water analysis) completed by independent environmental consultants. These environmental audits have not revealed any significant environmental liability that would have a material adverse effect on the Company's business. No assurances can be given that existing environmental studies with respect to any of the Properties reveal all environmental liabilities, that any prior owner of a Property did not create any material environmental condition not known to the Company, or that a material environmental condition does not otherwise exist as to any one or more Properties. Uninsured Loss. The Company maintains comprehensive liability, fire, flood (where appropriate), extended coverage, and rental loss insurance with respect to the Properties with policy specifications, limits, and deductibles customarily carried for similar properties. Certain types of losses, however, may be either uninsurable or not economically insurable, such as losses due to earthquakes, riots, or acts of war. Should an uninsured loss occur, the Company could lose both its investment in and anticipated profits and cash flow from a property. ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE TO QUALIFY AS A REIT Taxation as a Corporation. The Company expects to qualify and has made an election to be taxed as a REIT under the Code, commencing with the calendar year beginning January 1, 1994. Although the Company believes that it is organized and will operate in such a manner, no assurance can be given that the Company is organized or will be able to operate in a manner so as to qualify or remain so qualified. Qualification as a REIT involves the satisfaction of numerous requirements (some on an annual and quarterly basis) established under highly technical and complex Code provisions for which there are only - 8 - 12 limited judicial or administrative interpretations, and involves the determination of various factual matters and circumstances not entirely within the Company's control. If the Company were to fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, the Company would be subject to Federal income tax (including any applicable alternative minimum tax) on its taxable income at corporate rates. Moreover, unless entitled to relief under certain statutory provisions, the Company also would be disqualified from treatment as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which qualification is lost. This treatment would reduce the net earnings of the Company available for investment or distribution to stockholders because of the additional tax liability to the Company for the years involved. In addition, distributions to stockholders would no longer be required to be made. Other Tax Liabilities. Even though the Company qualifies as a REIT, it is subject to certain Federal, state and local taxes on its income and property. In addition, the management operations relating to the Properties subject to the mortgages granted in connection with the Mortgage Debt and the Company's sales operations, which are conducted through Sun Management and Home Services, respectively, generally will be subject to Federal income tax at regular corporate rates. ADVERSE EFFECT OF DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS The Company may be required from time to time, under certain circumstances, to accrue as income for tax purposes interest and rent earned but not yet received. In such event, the Company could have taxable income without sufficient cash to enable the Company to meet the distribution requirements of a REIT. Accordingly, the Company could be required to borrow funds or liquidate investments on adverse terms in order to meet such distribution requirements. ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE TO QUALIFY AS A PARTNERSHIP The Company believes that the Operating Partnership and the Financing Partnership have each been organized as partnerships and will qualify for treatment as such under the Code. If the Operating Partnership and the Financing Partnership fail to qualify for such treatment under the Code, the Company would cease to qualify as a REIT, and the Operating Partnership and the Financing Partnership would be subject to Federal income tax (including any alternative minimum tax) on their income at corporate rates. ADVERSE EFFECT ON PRICE OF SHARES AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE SALE Sales of a substantial number of shares of Common Stock, or the perception that such sales could occur, could adversely affect prevailing market prices for shares. The Principals hold 943,456 shares of Common Stock. In addition, up to 3,208,519 shares of Common Stock may be issued in the future to the Principals, the general partners of the Sun Partnerships other than the Principals (the "Former General Partners"), and the sellers of certain properties as a result of the potential redemption of their outstanding OP Units (both Common and Preferred OP Units). Except in certain limited circumstances or with the prior written consent of Lehman Brothers Inc. and the Company, the Principals and the Former General Partners may not sell more than one-third of such holder's shares prior to December 15, 1995 or two-thirds of such holders' shares prior to December 15, 1996. After December 15, 1996, the Principals and the Former General Partners may sell remaining unsold shares pursuant to registration rights or an available exemption from registration. Also, the former owner of one of the Properties will be issued OP Units with an aggregate value of $10.85 million over the 11-year period beginning in January 1997 and continuing on an annual basis through 2007. In addition, 1,461,513 shares have been reserved for issuance pursuant to the Plans (of which 353,997 shares were issued to the Principals upon the exercise of options pursuant to the Employee Option Plan), and the Principals' employment agreements provide for incentive compensation payable in shares of Common Stock. These shares may be sold without the consent of Lehman Brothers Inc. and the Company. No prediction can be made regarding the effect that future sales of shares of Common Stock will have on the market price of shares. - 9 - 13 ADVERSE EFFECT OF MARKET INTEREST RATES ON PRICE OF COMMON STOCK One of the factors that may influence the price of the Company's shares in the public market will be the annual distributions to stockholders relative to the prevailing market price of the Common Stock. An increase in market interest rates may tend to make the Common Stock less attractive relative to other investments, which could adversely affect the market price of Common Stock. SELLING STOCKHOLDERS The following table sets forth: (i) the name of each Selling Stockholder, whose name is known as of the date of the filing of the registration statement of which this Prospectus forms a part, under the Plans who may sell Common Stock pursuant to this Prospectus; (ii) his position with the Company and its predecessors over the last three years; (iii) the number of shares of Common Stock owned (or subject to option) by each such Selling Stockholder as of the date of this Prospectus; (iv) the number of shares of Common Stock which may be offered and are being registered for the account of each Selling Stockholder by this Prospectus; and (v) the amount of the class to be owned by each such Selling Stockholder if such Selling Stockholder were to sell all of the shares of Common Stock covered by this Prospectus. There can be no assurance that any of the Selling Stockholders will offer for sale or sell any or all of the Shares offered by them pursuant to this Prospectus. Options or shares of Common Stock may be issued under either of the Plans in amounts and to persons not presently known by the Company; when known, such persons, their holdings of Common Stock and certain other information may be included in a subsequent version of this Prospectus. -10-
NUMBER OF NUMBER OF SHARES HELD NUMBER OF SHARES OWNED IF ALL PRIOR TO THIS SHARES REGISTERED POSITION WITH REGISTRATION/ TO BE HEREUNDER WERE NAME COMPANY PERCENTAGE(1) REGISTERED SOLD/PERCENTAGE ------------ ------------- -------------- -------------- ----------------- Milton M. Shiffman Chairman of the 379,216/2.5% 73,567 305,649/2% Board(2) Gary A. Shiffman Chief Executive 664,240/4.4% 380,430 283,810/1.9% Officer, President and Director(3) Jeffrey P. Jorissen Senior Vice 88,225/* 70,000 18,225/* President, Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary(4) Gilbert Opaleski None(5) 21,047/* 1,750 19,297/* Brian W. Fannon Senior Vice 62,100/* 55,000 7,100/* President and Chief Operating Officer(6) Jonathan M. Colman Senior Vice 32,500/* 27,500 5,000/* President- Acquisitions(7) Paul D. Lapides Director(8) 3,500/* 2,500 1,000/* Clunet R. Lewis Director(8) 4,500/* 2,500 2,000/* 14 - ---------------------------------- * Less than one percent. (1) For purposes of this table, the number of shares owned prior to this Registration Statement includes all shares which would be owned if all options granted under the Plans were exercised. (2) Mr. Shiffman has been the Chairman of the Board since the Company's inception. (3) Mr. Shiffman has been the President and a director of the Company since its inception. Mr. Shiffman became the Chief Executive Officer of the Company in October 1994. (4) Mr. Jorissen has been Chief Financial Officer and Secretary since August 1993 and Senior Vice President and Treasurer since December 1993. (5) From August 1993 until February 1996, Mr. Opaleski was a Vice President-Property Management of the Company. (6) Mr. Fannon joined the Company in May 1994 as Senior Vice President-Operations and became Chief Operating Officer in 1995. (7) Mr. Colman joined the Company in 1994 as Vice President-Acquisitions and became a Senior Vice President in 1995. (8) Messrs. Lapides, Lewis, Simon and Weinert have been directors of the Company since December 1993. (9) Mr. Piasecki joined the Company's Board of Directors in May 1996. PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION The Selling Stockholders have not advised the Company of any specific plans for distribution of the Shares offered hereby, but it is anticipated that the Selling Stockholders (or their pledgees, donees, transferees or other successors in interest) may sell all or a portion of the Shares from time to time to purchasers directly or through underwriters, dealers or agents, who may receive compensation in the form of underwriting discounts, concessions or commissions from the Selling Stockholders and/or purchasers of the Shares for whom they may act as agent. The Selling Stockholders will be responsible for payment of any and all commissions to brokers, which will be negotiated on an individual basis. The Selling Stockholders and any underwriters, dealers or agents that participate in the distribution of the Shares might
Ted J. Simon Director(8) 3,500/* 2,500 1,000/* Carl R. Weinert Director(8) 2,500/* 2,500 0/0 Ronald L. Piasecki Director(9) 2,500/* 2,500 0/0 15 be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any profit on the sale of such Shares by them and any discounts, commissions or concessions received by any such underwriters, dealers or agents might be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. At the time a particular offer of any of the Shares is made, to the extent required, a supplement to this Prospectus will be distributed which will set forth the aggregate principal amount of Shares being offered and the terms of the offering, including the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents, any discounts, commissions or other items constituting compensation from the Selling Stockholders and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers. The Shares may be sold on the NYSE at prices and at terms then prevailing or at prices related to the then current market price, or in negotiated transactions. The Shares may be sold by one or more of the following: (a) a block trade in which the broker or dealer so engaged will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; (b) purchases by a broker or dealer for its account pursuant to this Prospectus; or (c) ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker solicits purchases. Shares of Common Stock covered by this Prospectus also may qualify to be sold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, rather than pursuant tho this Prospectus. The Selling Stockholders will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act, including without limitation, Rules 10b-5, 10b-6 and 10b-7, which provisions may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the Shares by the Selling Stockholders. LEGAL MATTERS The legality of the Common Stock offered hereby will be passed upon for the Company by Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, Professional Corporation, Detroit, Michigan. EXPERTS The consolidated financial statements and consolidated financial statement schedules of the Company as of December 31, 1995 and 1994, and for the years ended December 31, 1995, 1994 and 1993 included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995 have been incorporated herein in reliance on the report of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., independent certified public accountants, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS The Company's charter authorizes the Company to obligate itself to indemnify its present and former directors and officers and to pay or reimburse expenses for such individuals in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding to the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Maryland law. The Company's bylaws obligate it to indemnify and advance expenses to present and former directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. The Maryland General Corporation Law (the "MGCL") permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements, and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made a party by reason of their service in those capacities unless it is established that: (i) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding; and (a) was committed in bad faith or, (b) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty; (ii) the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property, or services; or (iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. The MGCL permits the charter of a Maryland corporation to include a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except to the extent that: (i) it is proved that the person actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services; or (ii) a judgment or other final adjudication is entered in a proceeding based on a - 12 - 16 finding that the person's action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. The Company's charter contains a provision providing for elimination of the liability of its directors or officers to the Company or its stockholders for money damages to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law from time to time. - 13 - 17 PART II INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE The following documents filed with the Commission are incorporated herein by reference: (a) The Company's latest annual report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or the latest prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act that contains audited financial statements for the Company's latest fiscal year for which such statements have been filed. (b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the annual report or the prospectus referred to in (a) above. (c) The description of the Common Stock contained in the Company's registration statements filed under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description. In addition, all documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated herein by reference and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in this Registration Statement or in a document incorporated, or deemed to be incorporated, by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document which also is, or is deemed to be, incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Except as so modified or superseded, such statement shall not be deemed to constitute a part of this Registration Statement. ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES Not applicable. ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL Not applicable. ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS The Company's charter authorizes the Company to obligate itself to indemnify its present and former directors and officers and to pay or reimburse expenses for such individuals in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding to the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Maryland law. The Company's bylaws obligate it to indemnify and advance expenses to present and former directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. The Maryland General Corporation Law (the "MGCL") permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements, and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made a party by reason of their service in those capacities unless it is established that: (i) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding; and (a) was committed in bad faith or, (b) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty; (ii) the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, II-1 18 property, or services; or (iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. The MGCL permits the charter of a Maryland corporation to include a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except to the extent that: (i) it is proved that the person actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services; or (ii) a judgment or other final adjudication is entered in a proceeding based on a finding that the person's action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. The Company's charter contains a provision providing for elimination of the liability of its directors or officers to the Company or its stockholders for money damages to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law from time to time. ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED In June 1995, Dr. Milton Shiffman exercised options to purchase 48,567 shares of Common Stock, which were granted in connection with the Employee Option Plan. Upon the exercise of such options, the Company issued 48,567 shares of Common Stock to Dr. Shiffman in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(2) thereof. Dr. Shiffman represented that he was acquiring such shares for investment purposes and not with a view to distribution within the meaning of the Securities Act. The stock certificate evidencing such shares bears a restrictive legend. In July 1995, Mr. Gary Shiffman exercised options to purchase 305,430 shares of Common Stock, which were granted in connection with the Employee Option Plan. Upon the exercise of such options, the Company issued 305,430 shares of Common Stock to Mr. Shiffman in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(2) thereof. Mr. Shiffman represented that he was acquiring such shares for investment purposes and not with a view to distribution within the meaning of the Securities Act. The stock certificate evidencing such shares bears a restrictive legend. In June 1996, Mr. Gilbert Opaleski, a former employee of the Company, exercised options to purchase 500 shares of Common Stock and, in August 1996, Mr. Opaleski exercised options to purchase 1,250 shares of Common Stock. Both of these options were granted in connection with the Employee Option Plan. Upon the exercise of such options, the Company issued an aggregate of 1,750 shares of Common Stock to Mr. Opaleski in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(2) thereof. Mr. Opaleski represented that he was acquiring such shares for investment purposes and not with a view to distribution within the meaning of the Securities Act. The stock certificates evidencing such shares bear a restrictive legend. In December 1995, Mr. Carl Weinert exercised options to purchase 833 shares of Common Stock and, in August 1996, Mr. Weinert exercised options to purchase 833 shares of Common Stock. Both of these options were granted in connection with the Director Option Plan. Upon the exercise of such options, the Company issued an aggregate of 1,666 shares of Common Stock to Mr. Weinert in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(2) thereof. Mr. Weinert represented that he was acquiring such shares for investment purposes and not with a view to distribution within the meaning of the Securities Act. The stock certificates evidencing such shares bear a restrictive legend. In December 1995, Mr. Paul Lapides exercised options to purchase 500 shares of Common Stock, which were granted in connection with the Director Option Plan. Upon the exercise of such options, the Company issued 500 shares of Common Stock to Mr. Lapides in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(2) thereof. Mr. Lapides represented that he was acquiring such shares for investment purposes and not with a view to distribution within the meaning of the Securities Act. The stock certificate evidencing such shares bears a restrictive legend. II-2 19 In June 1996, Mr. Ted Simon exercised options to purchase 500 shares of Common Stock, which were granted in connection with the Director Option Plan. Upon the exercise of such options, the Company issued 500 shares of Common Stock to Mr. Simon in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(2) thereof. Mr. Simon represented that he was acquiring such shares for investment purposes and not with a view to distribution within the meaning of the Securities Act. The stock certificate evidencing such shares bears a restrictive legend. ITEM 8. EXHIBITS The exhibits filed herewith are set forth on the exhibit index filed as part of this Registration Statement. ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: (i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; (ii)to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement; (iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to such information in this registration statement; Provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement. (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. II-3 20 In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. II-4 21 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Farmington Hills, State of Michigan, on September 9, 1996. SUN COMMUNITIES, INC., a Maryland corporation By: /s/ Gary A. Shiffman ------------------------------------------ Gary A. Shiffman, President POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below, hereby constitutes and appoints Milton M. Shiffman, Gary A. Shiffman, and Jeffrey P. Jorissen, or either of them, his attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments or post-effective amendments to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith or in connection with the registration of the Common Stock under the Securities Act of 1933, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each of such attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary in connection with such matters as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of such attorneys-in-fact and agents or his substitute or substitutes may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated. II-5
NAME TITLE DATE /s/ Milton M. Shiffman Chairman of the Board of Directors September 9, 1996 ----------------------------------------------------------- Milton M. Shiffman /s/ Gary A. Shiffman Chief Executive Officer, President, and September 9, 1996 ----------------------------------------------------------- Director Gary A. Shiffman /s/ Jeffrey P. Jorissen Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice September 9, 1996 ----------------------------------------------------------- President, Secretary, and Principal Accounting Jeffrey P. Jorissen Officer /s/ Carl R. Weinert Director September 9, 1996 ----------------------------------------------------------- Carl R. Weinert /s/ Paul D. Lapides Director September 9, 1996 ----------------------------------------------------------- Paul D. Lapides /s/ Ted J. Simon Director September 9, 1996 ----------------------------------------------------------- Ted J. Simon /s/ Ronald L. Piasecki Director September 9, 1996 ----------------------------------------------------------- Ronald L. Piasecki /s/ Clunet R. Lewis Director September 9, 1996 ----------------------------------------------------------- Clunet R. Lewis 22 SUN COMMUNITIES, INC. EXHIBIT INDEX - --------------- (1) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration Statement No. 33-69340. (2) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration Statement No. 33-80972.
SEQUENTIALLY EXHIBIT NUMBERED NUMBER DESCRIPTION PAGE ------ ----------- ------------- 4.1 Amended and Restated 1993 Stock Option Plan 4.2 Amended and Restated 1993 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan 4.3 Form of Stock Option Agreement between the Company and certain directors, officers and (1) other individuals 4.4 Form of Non-Employee Director Stock Option Agreement between the Company and certain (2) directors 5.1 Opinion of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, P.C. with respect to the validity of the shares of Common Stock underlying options registered hereby 23.1 Consent of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, P.C. (included as part of Exhibit 5.1) 23.2 Consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., independent accountants 24.1 Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this Registration Statement)
1 EXHIBIT 4.1 SUN COMMUNITIES, INC. AMENDED AND RESTATED 1993 STOCK OPTION PLAN ARTICLE I. PURPOSE AND ADOPTION OF THE PLAN 1.01 PURPOSE. The purpose of the Sun Communities, Inc. Stock Option Plan (the "Plan") is to provide certain key employees of Sun Communities, Inc. (the "Company") with an additional incentive to promote the Company's financial success and to provide an incentive which the Company may use to induce able persons to enter into or remain in the employment of the Company or a Subsidiary. 1.02 ADOPTION AND TERM. The Plan was initially approved by the Board and the Company's shareholders and was effective as of November 19, 1993. The Amended and Restated Plan was approved by the Board on, and is effective as of, May 20, 1996, subject to approval of the Company's stockholders on or before May 20, 1997, and will remain in effect until all shares authorized under the terms of the Plan have been issued, unless earlier terminated or abandoned by action of the Board; provided, however, that no Incentive Stock Option may be granted after November 19, 2003. ARTICLE II. DEFINITIONS 2.01 ADMINISTRATOR means the group of persons having authority to administer the Plan pursuant to Section 3.01. 2.02 AVERAGE PRICE means, on any given date, the average of the closing sales prices of the Company Common Stock as quoted on the New York Stock Exchange for the ten (10) business day period immediately preceding and including the Date of Grant. 2.03 AWARD means any one or combination of Non-Qualified Stock Options, Performance Based Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Share Rights or any other award made under the terms of the Plan. 2.04 AWARD AGREEMENT means a written agreement between the Company and Participant or a written acknowledgment from the Company specifically setting forth the terms and conditions of an Award granted under the Plan. 2.05 AWARD PERIOD means, with respect to an Award, the period of time set forth in the Award Agreement during which specified conditions set forth in the Award Agreement must be satisfied. 2 2.06 BENEFICIARY means (a) an individual, trust or estate who or which, by will or by operation of the laws of descent and distribution, succeeds to the rights and obligations of the Participant under the Plan and Award Agreement upon the Participant's death; or (b) an individual, who by designation of the Participant, succeeds to the rights and obligations of the Participant under the Plan and Award Agreement upon the Participant's death. 2.07 BOARD means the Board of Directors of the Company. 2.08 CHANGE OF CONTROL EVENT means (a) an event or series of events by which any Person or other entity or group (as such term is used in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) of Persons or other entities acting in concert as a partnership or other group (a "Group of Persons") (other than Persons who are, or Groups of Persons entirely made up of, (i) management personnel of the Company or (ii) any affiliates of any such management personnel) shall, as a result of a tender or exchange offer or offers, an open market purchase or purchases, a privately negotiated purchase or purchases or otherwise, become the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, except that a Person shall be deemed to have "beneficial ownership" of all securities that such Person has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of 20% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting stock of the Company; (b) the Company consolidates with, or merges with or into, another Person (other than a Subsidiary in a transaction which is not otherwise a Change of Control Event), or sells, assigns, conveys, transfers, leases or otherwise disposes of all or substantially all of its assets to any Person, or any Person consolidates with, or merges with or into the Company, in any such event pursuant to a transaction in which the outstanding voting stock of the Company is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property; (c) during any consecutive two-year period, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board (together with any new directors whose election by such Board or whose nomination for election by the stockholders of the Company, was approved by a vote of 66-2/3% of the directors then still in office who were either directors at the beginning of such period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved) cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board then in office; or (d) any liquidation or dissolution of the Company (other than a liquidation into a Subsidiary that is not otherwise a Change of Control Event). 2.09 CODE means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. References to a section of the Code shall include that section and any comparable section or sections of any future legislation that amends, supplements or supersedes that section. 2.10 COMPANY means Sun Communities, Inc., a Maryland corporation. 2.11 COMPANY COMMON STOCK means the Common Stock of the Company, par value $0.01. 3 2.12 DATE OF GRANT means the date designated by the Administrator as the date as of which it grants an Award, which shall not be earlier than the date on which the Administrator approves the granting of such Award. 2.13 DIRECTOR means a member of the Board of Directors of the Company. 2.14 EXCHANGE ACT means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. 2.15 EXERCISE PRICE means, with respect to a Stock Appreciation Right, the amount established by the Administrator, in accordance with Section 7.03 hereunder, and set forth in the Award Agreement, which is to be subtracted from the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise in order to determine the amount of the Incremental Value to be paid to the Participant. 2.16 EXPIRATION DATE means the date specified in an Award Agreement as the expiration date of such Award. 2.17 FAIR MARKET VALUE means, with respect to Awards granted coincident with the date of the closing of the Company's initial public offering of Company Common Stock, the public offering price. Thereafter, Fair Market Value means, on any given date, the average of the highest and lowest selling price for the Company Common Stock as reported on the Composite Tape for New York Stock Exchange Listed Companies, or, if there were no sales on such date, the average of the highest and lowest selling price for the most recent date upon which a sale was reported. 2.18 INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION means a stock option described in Section 422 of the Code. 2.19 INCREMENTAL VALUE has the meaning given such term in Section 7.01 of the Plan. 2.20 NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION means a stock option which is not an Incentive Stock Option. 2.21 OFFICER means a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, controller, and any other person who performs functions corresponding to the foregoing officers for the Company, any member of the Board of the Company or any person performing similar functions with respect to the Company, and any other participant who is deemed to be an officer or director of the Company for purposes of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, as currently in effect or as amended from time to time. 2.22 OPTIONS means all Non-Qualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options and Performance Based Options granted at any time under the Plan. 2.23 PARTICIPANT shall have the meaning set forth in Article V. -3- 4 2.24 PERFORMANCE BASED OPTION means a stock option which, upon exercise or at any other time, would not result in or give rise to "applicable employee remuneration" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code. 2.25 PLAN means the Sun Communities, Inc. Stock Option Plan, as described herein and as it may be amended from time to time. 2.26 PURCHASE PRICE, with respect to options, shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.02. 2.27 RESTRICTED SHARE RIGHT means a right to receive Company Common Stock subject to restrictions imposed under the terms of an Award granted pursuant to Article IX. 2.28 RULE 16B-3 means Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 16 of the Exchange Act, as currently in effect and as it may be amended from time to time, and any successor rule. 2.29 STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHT means an Award granted in accordance with Article VII. 2.30 SUBSIDIARY shall have the meaning set forth in Section 424(f) of the Code. 2.31 TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT means the voluntary or involuntary termination of a Participant's employment with the Company for any reason, including death, disability, retirement or as the result of the divestiture of the Participant's employer or any other similar transaction in which the Participant's employer ceases to be the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company. Whether an authorized leave of absence or absence on military or government service, absence due to disability, or absence for any other reason shall constitute Termination of Employment shall be determined in each case by the Administrator in its sole discretion. ARTICLE III. ADMINISTRATION 3.01 ADMINISTRATION. The Administrator of the Plan shall be a committee of two or more Directors with authority to act as provided in Rule 16b-3 and shall be elected or appointed by the Board. The members of the committee shall meet the "disinterested person" requirements of Rule 16b-3(c)(2)(i) and, with respect to Awards designated as Performance Based Options, shall also be "outside directors" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code. The Administrator shall administer the Plan in accordance with this provision and shall have the sole discretionary authority to interpret the Plan, to establish and modify administrative rules for the Plan, to impose such conditions and restrictions on Awards as it determines appropriate, to cancel Awards (including those made pursuant to other plans of the Company) and to substitute new options (including options granted under other plans of the Company) with the consent of the recipient, and to take such steps in connection with the Plan and Awards granted thereunder as it may -4- 5 deem necessary or advisable. The Administrator may, with respect to Participants who are not Officers, delegate such of its powers and authority under the Plan as it deems appropriate to designated officers or employees of the Company. 3.02 INDEMNIFICATION. Members of the Administrator shall be entitled to indemnification and reimbursement from the Company for any action or any failure to act in connection with service as Administrator to the full extent provided for or permitted by the Company's certificate of incorporation or bylaws or by any insurance policy or other agreement intended for the benefit of the Company's officers, directors or employees or by any applicable law. ARTICLE IV. COMPANY COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE PURSUANT TO THE PLAN 4.01 SHARES ISSUABLE. Shares to be issued under the Plan may be authorized and unissued shares or issued shares which have been reacquired by the Company. Except as provided in Section 4.03, the Awards granted to any Participant and to all Participants in the aggregate under the Plan shall be limited so that the sum of the following shall never exceed nine percent (9%) of the total number of shares of Company Common Stock outstanding: (i) all shares which shall be issued upon the exercise of outstanding Options or other Awards granted under the Plan, (ii) all shares for which payment of Incremental Value shall be made by reason of the exercise of Stock Appreciation Rights at any time granted under the Plan, and (iii) the number of shares otherwise issuable under an Award which are applied by the Company to payment of the withholding or tax liability discussed in Section 11.04. 4.02 SHARES SUBJECT TO TERMINATED AWARDS. In the event that any Award at any time granted under the Plan shall be surrendered to the Company, be terminated or expire before it shall have been fully exercised, or an award of Stock Appreciation Rights is exercised for cash, then all shares formerly subject to such Award as to which such Award shall not have been exercised shall be available for any Award subsequently granted in accordance with the Plan. Shares of Company Common Stock subject to Options, or portions thereof, which have been surrendered in connection with the exercise of tandem Stock Appreciation Rights shall not be available for subsequent Awards under the Plan, and shares of Company Common Stock issued in payment of such Stock Appreciation Rights shall be charged against the number of shares of Company Common Stock available for the grant of Awards. Shares which are reacquired by the Company or shares issuable subject to Restricted Share Rights which are forfeited pursuant to forfeiture provisions in the Award Agreement shall be available for subsequently granted Awards only if the forfeiting Participant received no benefits of ownership (such as dividends actually paid to the Participant) other than voting rights of the forfeited shares. Any shares of Company Common Stock issued by the Company pursuant to its assumption or substitution of outstanding grants from acquired companies shall not reduce the number of shares available for Awards under this Plan unless issued under this Plan. -5- 6 4.03 ADJUSTMENTS TO REFLECT CAPITAL CHANGES. (a) RECAPITALIZATION. The number and kind of shares subject to outstanding Awards, the Purchase Price or Exercise Price for such shares, and the number and kind of shares available for Awards subsequently granted under the Plan shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other change in capitalization with a similar substantive effect upon the Plan or the Awards granted under the Plan. The Administrator shall have the power to determine the amount of the adjustment to be made in each case. (b) SALE OR REORGANIZATION. After any reorganization, merger or consolidation in which the Company is a surviving corporation, each Participant shall, at no additional cost, be entitled upon exercise of an Award to receive (subject to any required action by stockholders), in lieu of the number of shares of Company Common Stock receivable or exercisable pursuant to such Award, a number and class of shares of stock or other securities to which such Participant would have been entitled pursuant to the terms of the reorganization, merger or consolidation if, at the time of such reorganization, merger or consolidation, such Participant had been the holder of record of a number of shares of stock equal to the number of shares receivable or exercisable pursuant to such Award. Comparable rights shall accrue to each Participant in the event of successive reorganizations, mergers or consolidations of the character described above. (c) OPTIONS TO PURCHASE STOCK OF ACQUIRED COMPANIES. After any reorganization, merger or consolidation in which the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company shall be a surviving corporation, the Administrator may grant substituted Options under the provisions of the Plan, pursuant to Section 424 of the Code, replacing old options granted under a plan of another party to the reorganization, merger or consolidation, where such party's stock may no longer be issued following such merger or consolidation. The foregoing adjustments and manner of application of the foregoing provisions shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion. Any adjustments may provide for the elimination of any fractional shares which might otherwise have become subject to any Awards. ARTICLE V. PARTICIPATION 5.01 ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES. Participants in the Plan shall be the Officers who are employees of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company and other employees of the Company or a Subsidiary having managerial, supervisory or similar responsibilities or who are key administrative employees or sales managers, and who are not covered by any collective bargaining agreement binding on such persons' employer, as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may designate from time to time. The Administrator's designation of a Participant in any year shall not require the Administrator to designate such person to receive Awards in any other year. The Administrator shall consider such -6- 7 factors as it deems pertinent in selecting Participants and in determining the type and amount of their respective Awards. 5.02 SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR CERTAIN NON-EMPLOYEES. Notwithstanding any provision contained in this Plan to the contrary, the Administrator may grant Awards under the Plan to non-employees who, in the judgment of the Administrator, render significant services to the Company or a Subsidiary, on such terms and conditions as the Administrator deems appropriate and consistent with the intent of the Plan. ARTICLE VI. OPTION AWARDS 6.01 POWER TO GRANT OPTIONS. The Administrator may grant, to such Participants as the Administrator may select, Options entitling the Participant to purchase Company Common Stock from the Company at the Average Price in such quantity and on such terms and subject to such conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, as may be established by the Administrator; provided, however, that the Options may be granted at exercise prices of no less than 85% of the Average Price if such discount is expressly granted in lieu of a reasonable amount of salary or bonus. The terms of any Option granted under this Plan shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Options granted to Officers shall not be exercisable for a period of at least six months from the Date of Grant. 6.02 PURCHASE PRICE OF OPTIONS. The Purchase Price of each share of Company Common Stock which may be purchased upon exercise of any Option granted under the Plan shall be determined in accordance with Section 6.01, provided that the Purchase Price for shares of Company Common Stock purchased pursuant to Stock Options designated by the Administrator as Incentive Stock Options shall be equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant as required under Section 422 of the Code and provided further that the Purchase Price for shares of Company Common Stock purchased pursuant to Stock Options designated by the Administrator as Performance Based Options shall be equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant. 6.03 DESIGNATION OF INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, the Administrator may designate, at the Date of Grant of each Option, that the Option is an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code. (a) INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION SHARE LIMITATION. No Participant may be granted Incentive Stock Options under the Plan (or any other plans of the Company) which would result in stock with an aggregate Fair Market Value (measured on the Date of Grant) of more than $100,000 first becoming exercisable in any one calendar year, or which would entitle such Participant to purchase a number of shares greater than the maximum number permitted by Section 422 of the Code as in effect on the Date of Grant. -7- 8 (b) OTHER INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION TERMS. Whenever possible, each provision in the Plan and in every Option granted under this Plan which is designated by the Administrator as an Incentive Stock Option shall be interpreted in such a manner as to entitle the Option to the tax treatment afforded by Section 422 of the Code. If any provision of this Plan or any Option designated by the Administrator as an Incentive Stock Option shall be held not to comply with requirements necessary to entitle such Option to such tax treatment, then (i) such provision shall be deemed to have contained from the outset such language as shall be necessary to entitle the Option to the tax treatment afforded under Section 422 of the Code, and (ii) all other provisions of this Plan and the Award Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. If any agreement covering an Option designated by the Administrator to be an Incentive Stock Option under this Plan shall not explicitly include any terms required to entitle such Incentive Stock Option to the tax treatment afforded by Section 422 of the Code, all such terms shall be deemed implicit in the designation of such Option and the Option shall be deemed to have been granted subject to all such terms. 6.04 DESIGNATION OF PERFORMANCE BASED OPTIONS. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, the Administrator may designate, at the Date of Grant of each Option, that the Option is a Performance Based Option. A Performance Based Option shall have a Purchase Price not less than the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant and shall contain such other terms and conditions as the Administrator may deem necessary so that, upon exercise or at any other time, the Performance Based Option does not result in or give rise to "applicable employee remuneration" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code. 6.05 RIGHTS AS A STOCKHOLDER. The Participant or any transferee of an Option pursuant to Section 8.02 or Section 11.05 shall have no rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares of Company Common Stock covered by an Option until the Participant or transferee shall have become the holder of record of any such shares, and no adjustment shall be made for dividends and cash or other property or distributions or other rights with respect to any such shares of Company Common Stock for which the record date is prior to the date on which the Participant or a transferee of the Option shall have become the holder of record of any such shares covered by the Option. ARTICLE VII. STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS 7.01 POWER TO GRANT STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS. The Administrator is authorized to grant to any Participant, on such terms established by the Administrator on or prior to the Date of Grant and subject to and not inconsistent with the provisions of this Plan, the right to receive the payment from the Company, payable as provided in Section 7.04, of an amount equal to the Incremental Value of the Stock Appreciation Rights, which shall be an amount equal to the remainder derived from subtracting (i) the Exercise Price for the right established in the Award Agreement from (ii) the Fair Market Value of a share of Company Common Stock on the date of exercise. The terms of any -8- 9 Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. 7.02 TANDEM STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS. The Administrator may grant to any Participant a Stock Appreciation Right consistent with the provisions of this Plan covering any share of Company Common Stock which is, at the Date of Grant of the Stock Appreciation Right, also covered by an Option granted to the same Participant, either prior to or simultaneously with the grant to such Participant of the Stock Appreciation Right, provided: (i) any Option covering any share of Company Common Stock shall expire and not be exercisable upon the exercise of any Stock Appreciation Right with respect to the same share; (ii) any Stock Appreciation Right covering any share of Company Common Stock shall not be exercisable upon the exercise of any related Option with respect to the same share; and (iii) an Option and Stock Appreciation Right covering the same share of Company Common Stock may not be exercised simultaneously. 7.03 EXERCISE PRICE. The Exercise Price established under any Stock Appreciation Right granted under this Plan shall be determined by the Administrator and, in the case of a tandem Stock Appreciation Right, shall not be less than the Purchase Price of the related Option. Upon exercise of the Stock Appreciation Rights, the number of shares subject to exercise under a related Option shall automatically be reduced by the number of shares of Company Common Stock represented by the Option or portion thereof which is surrendered as a result of the exercise of such Stock Appreciation Rights. 7.04 PAYMENT OF INCREMENTAL VALUE. Any payment which may become due from the Company by reason of Participant's exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right may be paid to the Participant as determined by the Administrator (i) all in cash, (ii) all in Company Common Stock, or (iii) in any combination of cash and Company Common Stock. In the event that all or a portion of the payment is made in Company Common Stock, the number of shares of the Company Common Stock delivered in satisfaction of such payment shall be determined by dividing the amount of the payment by the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise. The Administrator may determine whether payment upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right will be made in cash or in stock, or a combination thereof, upon or at any time prior to the exercise of such Stock Appreciation Right. No fractional share of Company Common Stock shall be issued to make any payment; if any fractional shares would be issuable, the mix of cash and Company Common Stock payable to the Participant shall be adjusted as directed by the Administrator to avoid the issuance of any fractional share. Payment may be made in cash to Officers only if the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised during the "window period" required under Rule 16b-3(e)(3) and otherwise in accordance with Rule 16b-3. -9- 10 ARTICLE VIII. TERMS OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS 8.01 DURATION OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS. Options and Stock Appreciation Rights shall terminate after the first to occur of the following events: (a) Expiration Date of the Award as provided in the Award Agreement; or (b) Termination of the Award as provided in Section 8.02; or (c) In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, ten years from the Date of Grant; or (d) Solely in the case of tandem Stock Appreciation Rights, upon the Expiration Date of the related Option. 8.02 EXERCISE ON DEATH OR TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. (a) Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, in the event of the death of a Participant while an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company, the right to exercise all unexpired Awards shall be accelerated and shall accrue as of the date of death, and the Participant's Awards may be exercised by his Beneficiary at any time within one year after the date of the Participant's death. (b) Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, in the event of Participant's Termination of Employment at any time for any reason (including disability or retirement) other than death or for "cause", as defined in paragraph (d) below, an Award may be exercised, but only to the extent it was otherwise exercisable, on the date of Termination of Employment, within ninety days after the date of Termination of Employment. In the event of the death of the Participant within the ninety-day period following Termination of Employment, his Award may be exercised by his Beneficiary within the one year period provided in subparagraph (a) above. (c) With respect to an Award which is intended to constitute an Incentive Stock Option, upon Termination of Employment, such Award shall be exercisable as provided in Section 422 of the Code. (d) In the event that a Participant's Termination of Employment is for "cause", all Awards shall terminate immediately upon Termination of Employment. A Participant's employment shall be deemed to have been terminated for "cause" if such termination is determined, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, to have resulted from an act or omission by the Participant constituting active and deliberate dishonesty, as established by a final judgment or actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services, or from the Participant's -10- 11 continuous failure to perform his or her duties under any employment agreement in effect between the Participant and the Company in any material manner (or, in the absence of such an agreement, the consistent failure or refusal of the Participant to perform according to reasonable expectations and standards set by the Board and/or management consistent with Participant's title and position) after receipt of notice of such failure from the Company specifying how the Participant has so failed to perform. 8.03 ACCELERATION OF EXERCISE TIME. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall have the right (but shall not in any case be obligated) to permit purchase of shares under any Award prior to the time such Award would otherwise become exercisable under the terms of the Award Agreement. 8.04 EXTENSION OF EXERCISE TIME. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall have the right (but shall not in any case be obligated) to permit any Award granted under this Plan to be exercised after its Expiration Date or after the ninety day period following Termination of Employment, subject, however, to the limitations described in Section 8.01 (c) and (d). 8.05 CONDITIONS FOR EXERCISE. An Award Agreement may contain such waiting periods, exercise dates and restrictions on exercise (including, but not limited to, periodic installments which may be cumulative) as may be determined by the Administrator at the Date of Grant. No Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised prior to six months from the Date of Grant. 8.06 CHANGE OF CONTROL EVENT. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, and subject to such other terms and conditions as the Administrator may establish in the Award Agreement, upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Event, irrespective of whether or not an Award is then exercisable, the Participant shall have the right to exercise in full any unexpired Award to the extent not theretofore exercised or terminated; provided, however, that any Stock Appreciation Right so exercised must have a Date of Grant at least six months prior to the date of exercise. 8.07 EXERCISE PROCEDURES. Each Option and Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan shall be exercised by written notice to the Company which must be received by the officer of the Company designated in the Award Agreement on or before the Expiration Date of the Award. The Purchase Price of shares purchased upon exercise of an Option granted under the Plan shall be paid in full in cash by the Participant pursuant to the Award Agreement; provided, however, that the Administrator may (but need not) permit payment to be made by delivery to the Company of either (a) shares of Company Common Stock (including shares issuable to the Participant pursuant to the exercise of the Option), or (b) any combination of cash and shares of Company Common Stock, or (c) such other consideration as the Administrator deems appropriate and in compliance with applicable law (including payment in accordance with a cashless exercise program under which, if so instructed by the Participant, shares of Company Common Stock may be issued directly to the Participant's broker or dealer upon receipt of the Purchase Price in cash from the broker or dealer.) In the event that -11- 12 any Company Common Stock shall be transferred to the Company to satisfy all or any part of the Purchase Price, the part of the Purchase Price deemed to have been satisfied by such transfer of Company Common Stock shall be equal to the product derived by multiplying the Fair Market Value as of the date of exercise times the number of shares transferred. The Participant may not transfer to the Company in satisfaction of the Purchase Price (y) a number of shares which when multiplied times the Fair Market Value as of the date of exercise would result in a product greater than the Purchase Price or (z) any fractional share of Company Common Stock. Any part of the Purchase Price paid in cash upon the exercise of any Option shall be added to the general funds of the Company and used for any proper corporate purpose. Unless the Administrator shall otherwise determine, any Company Common Stock transferred to the Company as payment of all or part of the Purchase Price upon the exercise of any Option shall be held as treasury shares. ARTICLE IX. RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS 9.01 RESTRICTED SHARE AWARDS. The Administrator may grant to any Participant an Award of Restricted Share Rights entitling such person to receive shares of Company Common Stock in such quantity, and on such terms, conditions and restrictions (whether based on performance standards, periods of service or otherwise) as the Administrator shall determine on or prior to the Date of Grant. The terms of any Award of Restricted Share Rights granted under the Plan shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. 9.02 DURATION OF RESTRICTED SHARE RIGHTS. In no event shall any Restricted Share Rights granted entitle the holder to receive shares of Company Common Stock free of all restrictions on transfer at any time prior to the expiration of three years from the Date of Grant, and each Award Agreement shall provide that the Participant shall remain employed by the Company or a Subsidiary for that three year period (subject to the Company's or Subsidiary's right to terminate such employment). 9.03 FORFEITURE OF RESTRICTED SHARE RIGHTS. Subject to Section 9.05, all Restricted Share Rights shall be forfeited and all Restricted Share Awards shall terminate unless the Participant continues in the service of the Company or a Subsidiary until the expiration of the forfeiture and satisfies any other conditions set forth in the Award Agreement. If the Award Agreement shall so provide, in the case of death, disability or retirement (as defined in the Award Agreement) of the Participant, all of the shares covered by the Restricted Share Rights shall immediately vest and any restrictions shall lapse as of the date of such death, disability or retirement. 9.04 DELIVERY OF SHARES UPON VESTING. Upon the lapse of the restrictions established in the Award Agreement, the Participant shall be entitled to receive, without payment of any cash or other consideration, certificates for the number of shares covered by the Award. -12- 13 9.05 WAIVER OR MODIFICATION OF FORFEITURE PROVISIONS. The Administrator has full power and authority to modify or waive any or all terms, conditions or restrictions (other than the minimum restriction period set forth in Section 9.02) applicable to any Restricted Share Rights granted to a Participant under the Plan; provided that no modification shall, without consent of the Participant, adversely affect the Participant's rights thereunder and no modification shall reduce the employment requirement to less than three years, except in the case of death, disability or retirement. 9.06 RIGHTS AS A STOCKHOLDER. No person shall have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares subject to Restricted Share Rights until such time as the person shall have been issued a certificate for such shares. ARTICLE X. OTHER STOCK BASED AWARDS 10.01 GRANT OF OTHER AWARDS. Other Awards of Company Common Stock or other securities of the Company and other Awards that are valued in whole or in part by reference to, or are otherwise based on, Company Common Stock ("Other Awards") may be granted either alone or in addition to or in conjunction with Options or Stock Appreciation Rights under the Plan. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Administrator shall have the sole and complete authority to determine the persons to whom and the time or times at which Other Awards shall be made, the number of shares of Company Common Stock or other securities, if any, to be granted pursuant to such Other Awards, and all other conditions of such Other Awards. Any Other Award shall be confirmed by an Award Agreement executed by the Administrator and the Participant, which agreement shall contain such provisions as the Administrator determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out the intent of this Plan with respect to the Other Award. 10.02 TERMS OF OTHER AWARDS. In addition to the terms and conditions specified in the Award Agreement, Other Awards made pursuant to this Article X shall be subject to the following: (a) Any shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Other Awards may not be sold, assigned, transferred or otherwise encumbered prior to the date on which the shares are issued, or, if later, the date on which any applicable restriction, performance or deferral period lapses; and (b) If specified by the Administrator and the Award Agreement, the recipient of an Other Award shall be entitled to receive, currently or on a deferred basis, interest or dividends or dividend equivalents with respect to the Company Common Stock or other securities covered by the Other Award; and (c) The Award Agreement with respect to any Other Award shall contain provisions providing for the disposition of such Other Award in the event of Termination of Employment prior to the exercise, realization or payment of such -13- 14 Other Award, with such provisions to take account of the specific nature and purpose of the Other Award. ARTICLE XI. TERMS APPLICABLE TO ALL AWARDS 11.01 AWARD AGREEMENT. The grant and the terms and conditions of the Award shall be set forth in an Award Agreement between the Company and the Participant. No person shall have any rights under any Award granted under the Plan unless and until the Administrator and the Participant to whom the Award is granted shall have executed and delivered an Award Agreement expressly granting the Award to such person and setting forth the terms of the Award. 11.02 PLAN PROVISIONS CONTROL AWARD TERMS. The terms of the Plan shall govern all Awards granted under the Plan, and in no event shall the Administrator have the power to grant any Award under the Plan which is contrary to any of the provisions of the Plan. In the event any provision of any Award granted under the Plan shall conflict with any term in the Plan as constituted on the Date of Grant of such Award, the term in the Plan as constituted on the Date of Grant of such Award shall control. Except as provided in Section 4.03, (i) the terms of any Award granted under the Plan may not be changed after the granting of such Award without the express approval of the Participant and (ii) no modification may be made to an Award granted to an Officer except in compliance with Rule 16b-3. 11.03 MODIFICATION OF AWARD AFTER GRANT. Each Award granted under the Plan to a Participant other than an Officer may be modified after the date of its grant by express written agreement between the Company and the Participant, provided that such change (i) shall not be inconsistent with the terms of the Plan and (ii) shall be approved by the Administrator. No modifications may be made to any Awards granted to an Officer except in compliance with Rule 16b-3. 11.04 TAXES. The Company shall be entitled, if the Administrator deems it necessary or desirable, to withhold (or secure payment from the Participant in lieu of withholding) the amount of any withholding or other tax required by law to be withheld or paid by the Company with respect to any amount payable and/or shares issuable under such Participant's Award, or with respect to any income recognized upon a disqualifying disposition of shares received pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option, and the Company may defer payment or issuance of the cash or stock upon exercise or vesting of an Award unless indemnified to its satisfaction against any liability for such tax. The amount of such withholding or tax payment shall be determined by the Administrator and, unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, shall be payable by the Participant at the time of issuance or payment in accordance with the following rules: (a) A Participant, other than an Officer, shall have the right to elect to meet his or her withholding requirement by: (1) having the Company withhold from such Award the appropriate number of shares of Company Common Stock, rounded out to the next whole number, the Fair Market Value of which is equal to -14- 15 such amount, or, in the case of the cash payment, the amount of cash, as is determined by the Company to be sufficient to satisfy applicable tax withholding requirements; or (2) direct payment to the Company in cash of the amount of any taxes required to be withheld with respect to such Award. (b) Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, with respect to Officers, the Company shall withhold from such Award the appropriate number of shares of Company Common Stock, rounded up to the next whole number, the Fair Market Value of which is equal to the amount, as determined by the Administrator, (or, in the case of a cash payment, the amount of cash) required to satisfy applicable tax withholding requirements. (c) In the event that an Award or property received upon exercise of an Award has already been transferred to the Participant on the date upon which withholding requirements apply, the Participant shall pay directly to the Company the cash amount determined by the Company to be sufficient to satisfy applicable federal, state or local withholding requirements. The Participant shall provide to the Company such information as the Company shall require to determine the amounts to be withheld and the time such withholding requirements become applicable. (d) If permitted under applicable federal income tax laws, a Participant may elect to be taxed in the year in which an Award is exercised or received, even if it would not otherwise have become taxable to the Participant. If the Participant makes such an election, the Participant shall promptly notify the Company in writing and shall provide the Company with a copy of the executed election form as filed with the Internal Revenue Service no later than thirty days from the date of exercise or receipt. Promptly following such notification, the Participant shall pay directly to the Company the cash amount determined by the Company to be sufficient to satisfy applicable federal, state or local withholding tax requirements. 11.05 LIMITATIONS ON TRANSFER. A Participant's rights and interest under the Plan may not be assigned or transferred other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or pursuant to the terms of a domestic relations order, as defined in Section 414(p)(1)(B) of the Code, which satisfies the requirements of Section 414(p)(1)(A) of the Code (a "Qualified Domestic Relations Order"). During the lifetime of a Participant, only the Participant personally (or the Participant's personal representative or attorney-in-fact) or the alternate payee named in a Qualified Domestic Relations Order may exercise the Participant's rights under the Plan. The Participant's Beneficiary may exercise a Participant's rights to the extent they are exercisable under the Plan following the death of the Participant. 11.06 SURRENDER OF AWARDS. Any Award granted under the Plan may be surrendered to the Company for cancellation on such terms as the Administrator and Participant approve, including, but not limited to, terms which provide that upon such surrender the Company will pay to the Participant cash or Company Common Stock, or a combination of cash and Company Common Stock. -15- 16 ARTICLE XII. GENERAL PROVISIONS 12.01 AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF PLAN. (a) AMENDMENT. The Board shall have complete power and authority to amend the Plan at any time and to add any other stock based Award or other incentive compensation programs to the Plan as it deems necessary or appropriate and no approval by the stockholders of the Company or by any other person, committee or entity of any kind shall be required to make any amendment; provided, however, that the Board shall not, without the requisite affirmative approval of stockholders of the Company, (i) make any amendment which requires stockholder approval under any applicable law, including Rule 16b-3 or the Code; or (ii) which, unless approved by the requisite affirmative approval of stockholders of the Company, would cause, result in or give rise to "applicable employee remuneration" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code with respect to any Performance Based Option. No termination or amendment of the Plan may, without the consent of the Participant to whom any Award shall theretofore have been granted under the Plan, adversely affect the right of such individual under such Award. For the purposes of this section, an amendment to the Plan shall be deemed to have the affirmative approval of the stockholders of the Company if such amendment shall have been submitted for a vote by the stockholders at a duly called meeting of such stockholders at which a quorum was present and the majority of votes cast with respect to such amendment at such meeting shall have been cast in favor of such amendment, or if the holders of outstanding stock having not less than a majority of the outstanding shares consent to such amendment in writing in the manner provided under the Company's bylaws. (b) TERMINATION. The Board shall have the right and the power to terminate the Plan at any time. If the Plan is not earlier terminated, the Plan shall terminate when all shares authorized under the Plan have been issued. No Award shall be granted under the Plan after the termination of the Plan, but the termination of the Plan shall not have any other effect and any Award outstanding at the time of the termination of the Plan may be exercised after termination of the Plan at any time prior to the expiration date of such Award to the same extent such award would have been exercisable if the Plan had not been terminated. 12.02 NO RIGHT TO EMPLOYMENT. No employee or other person shall have any claim or right to be granted an Award under this Plan. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any employee any right to be retained in the employ of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company. 12.03 COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 16B-3. It is intended that the Plan be applied and administered in compliance with Rule 16b-3. If any provision of the Plan would be in violation of Rule 16b-3 if applied as written, such provision shall not have effect as written and shall be given effect so as to comply with Rule 16b-3, as determined by the Administrator. The Board is authorized to amend the Plan and to make any such -16- 17 modifications to Award Agreements to comply with Rule 16b-3, as it may be amended from time to time, and to make any other such amendments or modifications as it deems necessary or appropriate to better accomplish the purposes of the Plan in light of any amendments made to Rule 16b-3. 12.04 SECURITIES LAW RESTRICTIONS. The shares of Company Common Stock issuable pursuant to the terms of any Awards granted under the Plan may not be issued by the Company without registration or qualification of such shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or under various state securities laws or without an exemption from such registration requirements. Unless the shares to be issued under the Plan have been registered and/or qualified as appropriate, the Company shall be under no obligation to issue shares of Company Common Stock upon exercise of an Award unless and until such time as there is an appropriate exemption available from the registration or qualification requirements of federal or state law as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion. The Administrator may require any person who is granted an award hereunder to agree with the Company to represent and agree in writing that if such shares are issuable under an exemption from registration requirements, the shares will be "restricted" securities which may be resold only in compliance with applicable securities laws, and that such person is acquiring the shares issued upon exercise of the Award for investment, and not with the view toward distribution. 12.05 CAPTIONS. The captions (i.e., all section headings) used in the Plan are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of the Plan, and shall not be deemed to limit, characterize or affect in any way any provisions of the Plan, and all provisions of the Plan shall be construed as if no captions have been used in the Plan. 12.06 SEVERABILITY. Whenever possible, each provision in the Plan and every Award at any time granted under the Plan shall be interpreted in such a manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of the Plan or any Award at any time granted under the Plan shall be held to be prohibited or invalid under applicable law, then (a) such provision shall be deemed amended to accomplish the objectives of the provision as originally written to the fullest extent permitted by law and (b) all other provisions of the Plan and every other Award at any time granted under the Plan shall remain in full force and effect. 12.07 NO STRICT CONSTRUCTION. No rule of strict construction shall be implied against the Company, the Administrator, or any other person in the interpretation of any of the terms of the Plan, any Award granted under the Plan or any rule or procedure established by the Administrator. 12.08 CHOICE OF LAW. All determinations made and actions taken pursuant to the Plan shall be governed by the laws of Michigan and construed in accordance therewith. -17-
1 EXHIBIT 4.2 SUN COMMUNITIES, INC. AMENDED AND RESTATED 1993 NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION PLAN ARTICLE I. PURPOSE AND ADOPTION OF THE PLAN 1.01 PURPOSE. The purpose of the Sun Communities, Inc. Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan is to attract and retain the services of experienced and knowledgeable independent directors of Sun Communities, Inc. (the "Company") and to provide an additional incentive for such directors to continue to work for the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. 1.02 ADOPTION AND TERM. The Plan was initially approved by the Board as of December 21, 1993 and ratified and approved by the Company's stockholders on May 26, 1994. The Amended and Restated Plan was approved by the Board on May 20, 1996, subject to approval of the Company's stockholders on or before May 20, 1997, and will remain in effect until all shares authorized under the terms of the Plan have been issued, unless earlier terminated or abandoned by action of the Board. ARTICLE II. DEFINITIONS 2.01 AVERAGE PRICE means the average of the closing sales prices of the Company Common Stock as quoted on the New York Stock Exchange for the ten (10) business day period immediately preceding and including June 30th of the year for which the Performance Option was earned. 2.01 BENEFICIARY means (a) an individual, trust or estate who or which, by will or by operation of the laws of descent and distribution, succeeds to the rights and obligations of the Non-Employee Director under the Plan and Option Agreement upon the Non-Employee Director's death; or (b) an individual, who by designation of the Non-Employee Director, succeeds to the rights and obligations of the Non- Employee Director under the Plan and Option Agreement upon the Non-Employee Director's death. 2.02 BOARD means the Board of Directors of the Company. 2.03 CODE means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. References to a section of the Code shall include that section and any comparable section or sections of any future legislation that amends, supplements or supersedes that section. 2.04 COMPANY means Sun Communities, Inc., a Maryland corporation. 2.05 COMPANY COMMON STOCK means the Common Stock of the Company, par value $0.01. 2 2.06 DATE OF GRANT means: (a) with respect to Initial Options, the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, or if later, the date an individual first becomes a Director; and (b) with respect to Performance Options, December 31st of the year for which the Performance Option is earned. 2.07 DIRECTOR means a member of the Board of Directors of the Company. 2.08 EXCHANGE ACT means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. 2.09 EXPIRATION DATE means the date specified in an Option Agreement as the expiration date of such Award. 2.10 FAIR MARKET VALUE means, on any given date, the average of the highest and lowest selling price for the Company Common Stock as reported on the Composite Tape for New York Stock Exchange Listed Companies, or, if there were no sales on such date, the average of the highest and lowest selling price for the most recent date upon which a sale was reported. 2.11 INITIAL OPTION has the meaning set forth in Section 5.01. 2.12 NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR means a Director who is not an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary. 2.13 NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION means a stock option which is not an Incentive Stock Option as described in Section 422 of the Code. 2.14 OPTION means a Non-Qualified Stock Option granted at any time under the Plan. 2.15 OPTION AGREEMENT means a written agreement between the Company and the optionholder evidencing the grant of an Option and setting forth the terms and conditions of the Option. 2.16 PERFORMANCE OPTION has the meaning set forth in Section 5.01. 2.17 PER SHARE FFO means, with respect to any fiscal year, the Company's funds from operations (as defined by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts) per weighted average number of outstanding shares of Company Common Stock for such fiscal year, as determined by reference to the Company's audited financial statements. 2.18 PLAN means the Amended and Restated Sun Communities, Inc. 1993 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan, as described herein and as it may be amended from time to time. 2.19 PURCHASE PRICE, with respect to Options, has the meaning set forth in Section 5.02. 3 2.20 RULE 16b-3 means Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 16 of the Exchange Act, as currently in effect and as it may be amended from time to time, and any successor rule. 2.21 SUBSIDIARY shall have the meaning set forth in Section 424(f) of the Code. ARTICLE III. COMPANY COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE PURSUANT TO THE PLAN 3.01 SHARES ISSUABLE. Shares to be issued under the Plan may be authorized and unissued shares or issued shares which have been reacquired by the Company. Except as provided in Section 3.03, the Options granted under the Plan shall be limited so that all shares which shall be issued upon the exercise of outstanding Options granted under the Plan shall never exceed 100,000 shares of Company Common Stock. 3.02 SHARES SUBJECT TO TERMINATED OPTIONS. In the event that any Option at any time granted under the Plan shall be surrendered to the Company, be terminated or expire before it shall have been fully exercised, then all shares formerly subject to such Option as to which such Option shall not have been exercised shall be available for any Option subsequently granted in accordance with the Plan. 3.03 ADJUSTMENTS TO REFLECT CAPITAL CHANGES. (a) RECAPITALIZATION. The number and kind of shares subject to outstanding Options, the Purchase Price for such shares, and the number and kind of shares available for Options subsequently granted under the Plan shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other change in capitalization with a similar substantive effect upon the Plan or the Options granted under the Plan. The Board shall have the power to determine the amount of the adjustment to be made in each case. (b) SALE OR REORGANIZATION. After any reorganization, merger or consolidation in which the Company is a surviving corporation, each Non-Employee Director shall, at no additional cost, be entitled upon exercise of an Option to receive (subject to any required action by stockholders), in lieu of the number of shares of Company Common Stock receivable or exercisable pursuant to such Option, a number and class of shares of stock or other securities to which such Non-Employee Director would have been entitled pursuant to the terms of the reorganization, merger or consolidation if, at the time of such reorganization, merger or consolidation, such Non- Employee Director had been the holder of record of a number of shares of stock equal to the number of shares receivable or exercisable pursuant to such Option. Comparable rights shall accrue to each Non-Employee Director in the event of successive reorganizations, mergers or consolidations of the character described above. -3- 4 ARTICLE IV. PARTICIPATION ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS. All Non-Employee Directors of the Company shall be eligible to receive Options under the Plan. ARTICLE V. OPTION AWARDS 5.01 GRANT OF OPTIONS. (a) INITIAL OPTIONS. Each of the Company's Non-Employee Directors, on the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, shall automatically receive a Non-Qualified Stock Option (the "Initial Option") to purchase 2,500 shares, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 3.03, of Company Common Stock on the date of adoption. Thereafter, each of the Company's Non-Employee Directors shall automatically receive the Initial Option, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 3.03, on the day he or she first becomes a Director. Each Initial Option shall be evidenced by an Option Agreement. (b) PERFORMANCE OPTIONS. As of December 31st of each fiscal year of the Company, each of the Company's Non-Employee Directors that has continuously served the Company for the entire fiscal year shall automatically receive a Non-Qualified Stock Option (the "Performance Option") to purchase the following number of shares of Company Common Stock, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 3.03: (i) if Per Share FFO for such fiscal year increased by less than 5% as compared to Per Share FFO for the previous fiscal year, 0 shares of Company Common Stock; (ii) if Per Share FFO for such fiscal year increased by 5% or more but less than 6% as compared to Per Share FFO for the previous fiscal year, 1,000 shares of Company Common Stock; (iii) if Per Share FFO for such fiscal year increased by 6% or more but less than 7% as compared to Per Share FFO for the previous fiscal year, 1,500 shares of Company Common Stock; (iv) if Per Share FFO for such fiscal year increased by 7% or more but less than 8% as compared to Per Share FFO for the previous fiscal year, 2,000 shares of Company Common Stock; (v) if Per Share FFO for such fiscal year increased by 8% or more but less than 9% as compared to Per Share FFO for the previous fiscal year, 2,500 shares of Company Common Stock; -4- 5 (vi) if Per Share FFO for such fiscal year increased by 9% or more but less than 10% as compared to Per Share FFO for the previous fiscal year, 3,000 shares of Company Common Stock; or (vii) if Per Share FFO for such fiscal year increased by 10% or more as compared to Per Share FFO for the previous fiscal year, 3,500 shares of Company Common Stock. The Performance Options, if any, shall be granted as soon as possible after issuance of the Company's audited financial statements but shall be effective as of December 31st of the year for which the Performance Option was earned. Each Performance Option shall be evidenced by an Option Agreement. 5.02 PURCHASE PRICE OF OPTIONS. The Purchase Price of each share of Company Common Stock which may be purchased upon exercise of any Initial Option granted under the Plan shall be the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant. The Purchase Price of each share of Company Common Stock which may be purchased upon exercise of any Performance Option granted under the Plan shall be the Average Price. 5.03 VESTING OF OPTIONS. No Option may be exercised prior to one year from the Date of Grant. An Option shall become exercisable with respect to one-third (1/3) of the shares one year from the Date of Grant, with respect to an additional one-third (1/3) of the shares two years from the Date of Grant and with respect to the final one-third (1/3) of the shares three years from the Date of Grant. 5.04 DURATION OF OPTIONS. Options granted under the Plan shall terminate after the first to occur of the following events: (a) Ten years from the Date of Grant. (b) Three months after the Optionee ceases to be a Director, except in the case of death, as described in (c) below. (c) In the event of the death of a Non-Employee Director while a Director, the right to exercise all unexpired Options shall be accelerated and shall accrue as of the date of death, and the Non-Employee Director's Options may be exercised by his Beneficiary at any time within one year after the date of the Non-Employee Director's death. In the event of the death of a Non- Employee Director within the ninety day period after he or she ceases to be a Director, the Non-Employee Director's Beneficiary may exercise his or her Options, to the extent exercisable on the date of death, within one year after the date of the Non-Employee Director's death. 5.05 EXERCISE PROCEDURES. Each Option granted under the Plan may be exercised by written notice to the Company which must be received by the Secretary of the Company on or before the Expiration Date of the Option. The Purchase Price of -5- 6 shares purchased upon exercise of an Option granted under the Plan shall be paid in full in cash by the Non-Employee Director on the date of exercise. 5.06 RIGHTS AS A STOCKHOLDER. The Non-Employee Director or any transferee of an Option pursuant to Section 5.04(c) or Section 5.09 shall have no rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares of Company Common Stock covered by an Option until the Non-Employee Director or transferee shall have become the holder of record of any such shares, and no adjustment shall be made for dividends and cash or other property or distributions or other rights with respect to any such shares of Company Common Stock for which the record date is prior to the date on which the Non-Employee Director or a transferee of the Option shall have become the holder of record of any such shares covered by the Option. 5.07 PLAN PROVISIONS CONTROL OPTION TERMS. The terms of the Plan shall govern all Options granted under the Plan. In the event any provision of any Option granted under the Plan shall conflict with any term in the Plan as constituted on the Date of Grant of such Option, the term in the Plan as constituted on the Date of Grant of such Option shall control. Except as provided in Section 3.03, (i) the terms of any Option granted under the Plan may not be changed after the granting of such Option without the express approval of the Non-Employee Director and (ii) no modification may be made to an Option granted under the Plan except in compliance with Rule 16b-3. 5.08 TAXES. The Company shall be entitled, if the Company deems it necessary or desirable, to withhold (or secure payment from the Non-Employee Director in lieu of withholding) the amount of any withholding or other tax required by law to be withheld or paid by the Company with respect to any shares issuable upon exercise of an Option, and the Company may defer issuance of the stock upon exercise unless indemnified to its satisfaction against any liability for such tax. 5.09 LIMITATIONS ON TRANSFER. A Non-Employee Director's rights and interest under the Plan may not be assigned or transferred other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or pursuant to the terms of a domestic relations order, as defined in Section 414(p)(1)(B) of the Code, which satisfies the requirements of Section 414(p)(1)(A) of the Code (a "Qualified Domestic Relations Order"). During the lifetime of a Non-Employee Director, only the Non-Employee Director personally (or the Non-Employee Director's personal representative or attorney-in-fact) or the alternate payee named in a Qualified Domestic Relations Order may exercise the Non-Employee Director's rights under the Plan. The Non-Employee Director's Beneficiary may exercise a Non-Employee Director's rights to the extent they are exercisable under the Plan following the death of the Non-Employee Director. -6- 7 ARTICLE VI. GENERAL PROVISIONS 6.01 AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF PLAN. (a) AMENDMENT. The Board shall have complete power and authority to amend the Plan at any time as it deems necessary or appropriate and no approval by the stockholders of the Company or by any other person, committee or entity of any kind shall be required to make any amendment; provided, however, that the Board shall not, without the requisite affirmative approval of stockholders of the Company, make any amendment which requires stockholder approval under any applicable law, including Rule 16b-3 or the Code, unless such compliance, if discretionary, is no longer desired. No termination or amendment of the Plan may, without the consent of the Non-Employee Director to whom any Option shall theretofore have been granted under the Plan, adversely affect the right of such individual under such Option. For the purposes of this section, an amendment to the Plan shall be deemed to have the affirmative approval of the stockholders of the Company if such amendment shall have been submitted for a vote by the stockholders at a duly called meeting of such stockholders at which a quorum was present and the majority of votes cast with respect to such amendment at such meeting shall have been cast in favor of such amendment, or if the holders of outstanding stock having not less than a majority of the outstanding shares consent to such amendment in writing in the manner provided under the Company's bylaws. (b) TERMINATION. The Board shall have the right and the power to terminate the Plan at any time. If the Plan is not earlier terminated, the Plan shall terminate when all shares authorized under the Plan have been issued. No Option shall be granted under the Plan after the termination of the Plan, but the termination of the Plan shall not have any other effect and any Option outstanding at the time of the termination of the Plan may be exercised after termination of the Plan at any time prior to the expiration date of such Option to the same extent such award would have been exercisable if the Plan had not been terminated. 6.02 NO RIGHT TO CONTINUE AS DIRECTOR. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any Non- Employee Director any right to be retained as a Director, or to limit in any way the right of the stockholders of the Company to remove such person as a Director. 6.03 COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 16B-3. It is intended that the Plan be established and operated so as to qualify for the exemption from Section 16 of the Exchange Act available under Rule 16b-3, and so that the Non-Employee Director receiving Options hereunder will qualify as "disinterested" under Rule 16b-3 for purposes of administering other stock option plans of the Company. If any provision of the Plan would not comply with Rule 16b-3 if applied as written, such provision shall not have effect as written and shall be given effect so as to comply with Rule 16b-3, as determined by the Board. The Board is authorized to amend the Plan and to make any such modifications to Option -7- 8 Agreements to comply with Rule 16b-3, as it may be amended from time to time, and to make any other such amendments or modifications as it deems necessary or appropriate to better accomplish the purposes of the Plan in light of any amendments made to Rule 16b-3. 6.04 SECURITIES LAW RESTRICTIONS. The shares of Company Common Stock issuable pursuant to the terms of any Options granted under the Plan may not be issued by the Company without registration or qualification of such shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or under various state securities laws or without an exemption from such registration requirements. Unless the shares to be issued under the Plan have been registered and/or qualified as appropriate, the Company shall be under no obligation to issue shares of Company Common Stock upon exercise of an Option unless and until such time as there is an appropriate exemption available from the registration or qualification requirements of federal or state law as determined by the Company in its sole discretion. The Company may require any person who is granted an award hereunder to agree with the Company to represent and agree in writing that if such shares are issuable under an exemption from registration requirements, the shares will be "restricted" securities which may be resold only in compliance with applicable securities laws, and that such person is acquiring the shares issued upon exercise of the Option for investment, and not with the view toward distribution. 6.05 CAPTIONS. The captions (i.e., all section headings) used in the Plan are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of the Plan, and shall not be deemed to limit, characterize or affect in any way any provisions of the Plan, and all provisions of the Plan shall be construed as if no captions have been used in the Plan. 6.06 SEVERABILITY. Whenever possible, each provision in the Plan and every Option at any time granted under the Plan shall be interpreted in such a manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of the Plan or any Option at any time granted under the Plan shall be held to be prohibited or invalid under applicable law, then (a) such provision shall be deemed amended to accomplish the objectives of the provision as originally written to the fullest extent permitted by law and (b) all other provisions of the Plan and every other Option at any time granted under the Plan shall remain in full force and effect. 6.07 CHOICE OF LAW. All determinations made and actions taken pursuant to the Plan shall be governed by the laws of Michigan and construed in accordance therewith. -8-
1 EXHIBIT 5.1 [JAFFE, RAITT, HEUER & WEISS LETTERHEAD] September 12, 1996 Sun Communities, Inc. 31700 Middlebelt Road, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334 Re: Sun Communities, Inc. Gentlemen: We have acted as counsel to Sun Communities, Inc. (the "Company"), a Maryland corporation, in connection with the registration by the Company of up to 1,461,513 shares of Common Stock, $.01 par value per share ("Common Stock"), issued or issuable by the Company upon the exercise of options granted under the Sun Communities, Inc. Amended and Restated 1993 Stock Option Plan or the Sun Communities, Inc. Amended and Restated 1993 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan, as described in the Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 13, 1996 (together with all amendments thereto, the "Registration Statement"). We do not purport to be experts on or to express any opinion in this letter concerning any law other than the laws of the State of Michigan and the General Corporation Law of Maryland, and this opinion is qualified accordingly. This opinion is limited to matters expressly set forth in this letter, and no opinion is to be inferred or may be implied beyond the matters expressly so stated. In rendering the opinion contained in this letter, we have assumed without investigation that the information supplied to us by the Company is accurate and complete. Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that the shares of Common Stock to be offered under the Registration Statement have been duly authorized, and upon the issuance and sale thereof in the manner referred to in the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. Very truly yours, JAFFE, RAITT, HEUER & WEISS Professional Corporation
1 EXHIBIT 23.2 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS We consent to the incorporation by reference in this registration statement on Form S-8 of our report dated February 23, 1996, on our audits of the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule of Sun Communities, Inc. which report is incorporated by reference from the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995. We also consent to the incorporation by reference in this registration statement on Form S-8 of our report dated February 14, 1996, on our audits of the historical summaries of combined gross income and direct operating expenses of the Aspen Properties for the years ended December 31, 1995, 1994 and 1993 which report is incorporated by reference from the March 20, 1996 Form 8-K of Sun Communities, Inc. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts." Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. Detroit, Michigan September 12, 1996