SEC Company Response from AMERICAN CHURCH MORTGAGE CO (CIK 0000934543) — Apr 22, 2005
AMERICAN CHURCH MORTGAGE CO (CIK 0000934543)
Date: April 22, 2005 · CIK: 0000934543 · Accession: 0000934543-05-000009
AI Filing Summary & Sentiment
Referenced dates: April 13, 2005
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April 22, 2005
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20549
Attention: Robert Telewicz, Staff Accountant
RE: American Church Mortgage Company
Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2004
File No. 33-87570
Mr. Telewicz:
We are in receipt of the Commission's letter dated April 13, 2005 which
requests additional information regarding American Church Mortgage Company's
("ACMC") Loan Loss Reserve Policy and valuation of our Bond Portfolio. We have
prepared the following responses to the Commission's questions below.
Loan Loss Reserve Policy, Page 18
We disclosed in our Form 10-KSB that we currently have three loans that are
three or more payments in arrears. Listed below are the details to each of these
loans and the loan loss reserve amount applied to each loan.
Loan #1: Name: Unity of Faith Christian Center
Original Loan: $426,000
Funding Date: 05/31/2002
Collateral Appraised Value: $1,065,000
Current Balance Outstanding: $403,378
Loan to Value: 40.00%
On May 31, 2002, a Deed of Trust and Assignment of Rents was filed with the
County of Edgecome, in the State of North Carolina between Unity of Faith
Christian Center ("Unity") and ACMC. The Deed of Trust secures ACMC with a
mortgage on the Church's real property representing collateral for a promissory
note in the principal sum of FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY SIX THOUSAND and 00/100 Dollars
($426,000) made to the Church by ACMC. Unity's current mortgage balance
outstanding as of December 31, 2004 was $403,378.
Unity has missed a total of five mortgage payments in 2003 and one mortgage
payment in 2004. The total amount in arrears as of December 31, 2004 is $20,128.
Unity owns two church properties valued at $1,065,000. The first property known
as the Cokey Road property is currently being rented by another church
congregation. This congregation has entered into an agreement with Unity to
purchase this property for $389,000. This is a lease to own purchase agreement.
All proceeds from the sale of the property will be used to "pay-down" Unity's
mortgage indebtedness with ACMC. The purchasing congregation is working on
obtaining financing to purchase the Cokey Road property. Unity's remaining
property valued at approximately $670,000 will continue to serve as collateral
for the remaining balance of the loan once the sale of the Cokey Road property
is
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Securities and Exchange Commission
April 22, 2005
Page Two
completed. The closing of the sale of the Cokey Road property is to occur within
the next 60 to 90 days. There is no assurance that the congregation purchasing
the Cokey Road property will be able to obtain financing. We have been in
contact with Unity's Senior Pastor as well as the Church's Treasurer and with
their cooperation are monitoring the sale of the Cokey Road property. We have
reserved $8,520 toward Unity's missed mortgage payments as defined in our loan
loss reserve policy. It is the opinion of ACMC's loan committee that $8,520 is
an adequate loan loss reserve amount since the collateral against our loan is
only 40% of the appraised value of all of Unity's properties.
Loan #2: Name: Abundant Faith Ohio
Original Loan: $400,000
Funding Date: 08/06/2002
Collateral Appraised Value: $634,000
Current Balance Outstanding: $390,161
Loan to Value: 63.00%
On August 6, 2002, a Mortgage Security Agreement and Assignment of Rents
and Revenues was filed with the County of Cuyahoga, in the State of Ohio between
Abundant Faith Apostolic Church ("Abundant") and ACMC. The Mortgage Security
Agreement secures ACMC with a mortgage on the Church's real property
representing collateral for a promissory note in the principal sum of FOUR
HUNDRED THOUSAND and 00/100 Dollars ($400,000) made to the Church by ACMC.
Abundant's current mortgage balance outstanding as of December 31, 2004 was
$390,161.
Abundant borrowed funds from ACMC to purchase and renovate its new worship
facility located at 504 E. 149th Street in Cleveland, Ohio. The renovations of
the new church facility have not been completed and Abundant stopped making
mortgage payments in October 2003. The congregation is no longer meeting and
Abundant has not made any mortgage payments since September of 2003. We have
engaged legal counsel and have began foreclosure against the Church. We have
filed complaints against the Church, the Church's Senior Pastor, the Project
Manager and the General Contractor. We began foreclosure on the Church's
property in April of 2004 and expect to take possession of the property within
the next 60 to 90 days. We will list the property for sale through a local
real-estate agent. The building is secure and our collateral is not
deteriorating. We have applied our loan reserve policy against this loan and
have reserved $20,000 against the balance of the loan as well as an additional
$15,000 for attorney and court costs. It is the opinion of ACMC's loan committee
that $35,000 is an adequate loan loss reserve amount against this loan at this
time.
Loan #3: Name: Ark Ministries of Tyler, Inc.
Original Loan: $347,000
Funding Date: 08/06/2002
Collateral Appraised Value: $487,000
Current Balance Outstanding: $339,095
Loan to Value: 71.00%
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Securities and Exchange Commission
April 22, 2005
Page Three
On August 6, 2002, a Deed of Trust and Assignment of Rents was filed with
the County of Smith, in the State of Texas between Ark Ministries of Tyler, Inc.
("Ark Ministries") and ACMC. The Deed of Trust secures ACMC with a mortgage on
the Church's real property representing collateral for a promissory note in the
principal sum of THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND and 00/100 Dollars ($300,000) made to
the Church by ACMC.
On April 29, 2003, a Supplemental Deed of Trust and Assignment of Rents was
filed with the County of Smith, in the State of Texas between Ark Ministries of
Tyler, Inc. ("Ark Ministries") and ACMC. The Deed of Trust secures ACMC with an
additional mortgage on the Church's real property representing collateral for a
promissory note in the principal sum of FORTY SEVEN THOUSAND and 00/100 Dollars
($47,000) made to the Church by ACMC. In addition to the First Mortgage provided
to ACMC by Ark Ministries, we also obtained $40,000 in personal guarantees from
the Church's former Senior Pastor, current president and two other board members
of Ark Ministries.
Ark Ministries borrowed funds from ACMC to renovate their current church
facility. All renovation proceeds were dispersed to the Church and the
renovations were completed. The city of Tyler, Texas required the Church to
install an elevator. The proceeds from the supplemental loan was used to
purchase and install an elevator in their current facility. Ark Ministries last
full mortgage payment was October of 2003. Since October of 2003 Ark Ministries
has sent payments totaling $1,500 to ACMC. Ark Ministries monthly mortgage
obligation is: $3,159.95 per month. ACMC learned their was a split
(disagreement) among the congregation and the Senior Pastor and over half the
congregation left to start their own church. Since the split, the Church has not
been able to make its monthly mortgage payments to ACMC.
Soon after the split, Ark Ministries began renting their facility to
another congregation for minimal monthly rent. This congregation has requested
information regarding purchasing the church from Ark Ministries. In discussion
with the potential buyer, it was agreed to delay foreclosure beginning January
1, 2005 for a period of 45 days to allow the buyer to obtain financing to
purchase the church. The 45 day period has elapsed and the potential buyer has
not obtain financing. On March 25, 2005, ACMC engaged counsel to begin
foreclosure on Ark Ministries. We have applied our loan reserve policy against
this loan and have reserved $13,561 against the balance of the loan. It is the
opinion of ACMC's loan committee that as of December 31, 2004 the loan loss
reserve amount of $13,561 was adequate reserve for this loan at this time.
These three loans account for 82% or $57,000 of the total $70,000 loan loss
reserve amount as of December 31, 2004. The remaining loan loss amount of
$13,000 is for four other loans in our portfolio which have one or two months of
payments that are in arrears. We review and update our loan loss reserve on a
quarterly basis
We strive to continually work with our problem loans to rectify their
payment history problems by offering incentives such as waiving late interest
fees if the Church can make up their payment arrearage through a payment plan.
Some problem loans have switched to interest only payments for a period of six
to twelve months to help reduce their expenses since they are experiencing a
temporary shortfall in their tithes and offerings. In most instances, this has
rectified the Church payment problem and the Church is grateful for our
understanding and acceptance of an alternate payment plan.
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Securities and Exchange Commission
April 22, 2005
Page Four
However, foreclosure is inevitable as discussed above. Foreclosure brings
on additional costs including attorney fees, court costs, realtor fees and cost
to secure and maintain the integrity of the collateral and protect it from arson
and vandalism. In addition, when ACMC obtains property through foreclosure, the
local city and county government immediately revoke the tax exempt status of the
property as a not-for-profit religious organization and ACMC must now pay
real-estate taxes on the acquired property.
We will continue to perform our duties in a diligent and fiduciary manner.
We will enforce our loan loss reserve policy, avoid foreclosure if at all
possible, and openly discuss our loan loss reserve policy with our loan
committee, our auditors and our board of directors and keep our investors
properly informed.
Bond Portfolio, Page F-8
As stated in our loan lending guidelines, ACMC may purchase securities
issued by not-for- profit religious organizations. Churches, schools and
day-care centers are typical not-for-profit religious organizations that issue
debt securities, commonly referred to as "Church Bonds." ACMC purchases Church
Bonds from American Investors Group, Inc. ("American") who primary business is
underwriting Church Bonds. ACMC also purchases bonds from client's of American's
who need to sell their bonds prior to maturity.
Investors understand that there is no formally established secondary market
for Church Bonds. ACMC along with American's other retail investors are
primarily interested in the income they receive from the investment and not its
liquidity. ACMC is prepared to hold bonds until they mature or are called,
whichever occurs first. Since there is no formally established secondary market
for Church Bonds the interest paid on these investments is higher than other
fixed income investments that trade actively in the secondary market.
ACMC has determined that the carrying value of the bond portfolio
approximates fair value because of minimal changes in interest rates and quality
of the underlying collateral since initial purchase. Bonds owned by ACMC are not
held for trading purposes. However, ACMC classifies its bond portfolio as
"available-for-sale." ACMC may sell bonds at its discretion to raise additional
capital to fund loans. ACMC is under no obligation to sell its bonds but may due
so to reduce exposure to one particular issuer and/or to continue to diversify
its portfolio of bonds and loans. ACMC believes as long as a bond is paying out
its full quarterly interest payment to its bondholders, there is no reason to
value them at anything less than at cost plus amortized interest income. If for
any reason we do not receive our quarterly interest payments, we will determine
the reason why payment was either delayed or not received and determine if the
carrying value of the bond at cost is appropriate. All bonds in our bond
portfolio are current in their payments and no delays or interruptions have
occurred.
Finally, American Church Mortgage Company and its officers and management
understand the Company is responsible for the adequacy and accuracy of the
disclosure in our filings and that staff comments or changes to disclosure in
response to staff comments do not foreclose the Commission from taking any
action with respect to the filings; and American Church Mortgage Company may not
assert staff comments as a defense in any proceedings initiated by the
Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the United States.
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Securities and Exchange Commission
April 22, 2005
Page Five
If the Commission has any questions or needs any additional information,
please contact Scott J. Marquis, Vice-President at (952) 252-0909 or the
undersigned at (952) 952-0911.
Sincerely,
/s/ Philip J. Myers
Philip J. Myers
President
American Church Mortgage Company
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