EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to future undiscounted net cash flows (including estimated future expenditures necessary to substantially complete the asset) expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company did not identify any impairment charges which should be recorded. Depreciation of buildings and other improvements is computed using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives of generally 40 years for buildings and 3 to 15 years for improvements. Building improvements are capitalized, while maintenance and repair expenses are charged to expense as incurred. Significant renovations and improvements that improve or extend the useful life of the assets are capitalized. Depreciation expense was $96,290,000, $86,590,000 and $76,007,000 for 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. (e) Development and Value-Add Properties (f) Real Estate Held for Sale (g) Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (h) Cash Equivalents (i) Amortization For properties under development and value-add properties (defined in Note 2) acquired in the development stage, costs associated with development (i.e., land, construction costs, interest expense, property taxes and other direct and indirect costs associated with development) are aggregated into the total capitalized costs of the property. Included in these costs are management’s estimates for the portions of internal costs (primarily personnel costs) deemed related to such development activities. The internal costs are allocated to specific development projects based on development activity. As the property becomes occupied, depreciation commences on the occupied portion of the building, and costs are capitalized only for the portion of the building that remains vacant. The Company transfers properties from the development and value-add program to  Real estate properties as follows: (i) for development properties, at the earlier of 90% occupancy or one year after completion of the shell construction, and (ii) for value-add properties, at the earlier of 90% occupancy or one year after acquisition. Upon the earlier of 90% occupancy or one year after completion of the shell construction, capitalization of development costs, including interest expense, property taxes and internal personnel costs, ceases and depreciation commences on the entire property (excluding the land). In accordance with ASU 2014-08,  Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant, and Equipment (Topic 360), Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity,  the Company would report a disposal of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity in discontinued operations if the disposal represents a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity's operations and financial results when the component or group of components meets the criteria to be classified as held for sale or when the component or group of components is disposed of by sale or other than by sale. In addition, the Company would provide additional disclosures about both discontinued operations and the disposal of an individually significant component of an entity that does not qualify for discontinued operations presentation in the financial statements. EastGroup performs an analysis of properties sold to determine whether the sales qualify for discontinued operations presentation. EastGroup applies ASC 815,  Derivatives and Hedging , which requires all entities with derivative instruments to disclose information regarding how and why the entity uses derivative instruments and how derivative instruments and related hedged items affect the entity’s financial position, financial performance and cash flows. See Note 13 for a discussion of the Company's derivative instruments and hedging activities. The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Debt origination costs are deferred and amortized over the term of each loan using the effective interest method. Amortization of debt issuance costs was $1,418,000, $1,344,000 and $1,352,000 for 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Amortization of facility fees was $790,000, $790,000 and $736,000 for 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.  The Company considers a real estate property to be held for sale when it meets the criteria established under ASC 360,  Property, Plant and Equipment,  including when it is probable that the property will be sold within a year. Real estate properties held for sale are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less estimated costs to sell and are not depreciated while they are held for sale. 56