OPINION
I
On January 6,1982, the plaintiff, La Jolla Mortgage Fund (“Fund”), filed this complaint seeking relief from the automatic stay. In the complaint, the Fund claimed that there is no equity in the property, which constitutes the collateral for two notes held by the Fund, and that the property is not necessary for an effective reorganization of the defendant-debtor, Rancho El Cajon Associates (“debtor”). The plaintiff also urged relief on the ground that the debtor had failed to provide adequate protection for the Fund’s interest in the property.
On January 20, 1982, the debtor requested a hearing claiming that there was equity in the property, and it was necessary for an effective reorganization. This was followed by a formal answer, which was filed on January 28, 1982.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled to be held on February 2, 1982. At that hearing, counsel for both parties agreed to waive the preliminary hearing, allowing the stay to remain in place, and reserve all issues until the final hearing could be held. The final hearing was held before this Court on February 25, 1982. At the conclusion of the final hearing, this Court ruled that the automatic stay should be lifted. This opinion is filed to explain this ruling granting relief to the plaintiff.
II
FACTS
The plaintiff is the holder of two notes secured by deeds of trust on a single family residence, which was constructed by the debtor-partnership at 7881 Cimarron Lane in the City of La Mesa, California. These notes became all due and payable on July 2, 1981. The debtor defaulted by failing to make the necessary payments on these notes, and the plaintiff recorded notices of default on July 13, 1981. This precipitated the debtor’s filing this Chapter 11 proceeding on October 16, 1981.
At the final hearing, it was stipulated by the parties that the total amount now due on the obligations due to the plaintiff is $108,824.17, including principal, accrued interest and other charges. In addition, the parties agreed that there exists a junior lien on the property, in favor of the Imperial Bank, for a note in the amount of $38,000, including accrued interest. Thus, the total encumbrances against the subject property amount to $146,824.17.
To establish the value of the property, the plaintiff presented an appraiser who valued it at $110,000. The debtor presented its own appraiser who calculated that the property had a fair market value of $145,-000. 1
III
SIGNIFICANT ISSUE PRESENTED
Whether junior secured claims are to be considered in calculations concerning the existence of a “value cushion,” as adequate protection under 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)(1), and *286 in determining the existence of equity in property under 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)(2)(A).
IV
DISCUSSION
The Code is designed to allow Chapter 11 debtors time in which to formulate a plan of rehabilitation, free from creditor pressure.
In
re
Wolford Enterprises, Inc.,
(d) On request of a party in interest and after notice and a hearing, the court shall grant relief from the stay provided under subsection (a) of this section, such as by terminating, annulling, modifying, or conditioning such stay—
(1) for cause, including the lack of adequate protection of an interest in property of such party in interest; or
(2) with respect to a stay of an act against property, if—
(A) the debtor does not have an equity in such property; and
(B) such property is not necessary to an effective reorganization.
A. Adequate Protection
Under Section 363(e) of the Code, an entity having an interest in property, which the debtor proposes to use, is entitled to
adequate protection
of its interest.
In re Brickel,
The creditor’s right to adequate protection is limited to the lesser of the value of the collateral or the amount of the secured claim. Comment,
Automatic Stay Under the 1978 Bankruptcy Code: An Equitable Roadblock to Secured Creditor Relief,
17 San Diego L.Rev. 1113, 1129 (1980) (“Comment”).
See In re Alyucan Interstate Corp., supra,
(1) requiring the trustee to make periodic cash payments to such entity, to the extent that the stay under section 362 of this title, use, sale, or lease under section 363 of this title, or any grant of a lien under section 364 of this title results in a decrease in the value of such entity’s interest in such property;
(2) providing to such entity an additional or replacement lien to the extent that such stay, use, sale, lease, or grant results in a decrease in the value of such entity’s interest in such property; or
(3) granting such other relief, other than entitling such entity to compensation allowable under section 503(b)(1) of this title as an administrative expense, as will result in the realization by such entity of the indubitable equivalent of such entity’s interest in such property.
11 U.S.C. § 361.
See Matter of Stanley Hotel, Inc.,
Here, the debtor has simply proposed that the collateral itself has sufficient value to constitute adequate protection of the Fund’s interest. Shortly after the Code became effective, this Court in
In re San Clemente Estates,
Of course, since this is a question of providing adequate protection, the debtor has the burden of proof.
See In re Presock,
It should be noted that each case must be approached in light of its individual circumstances. Obviously, the situation involving a greatly oversecured claim will be quite different from the case of an undersecured claim. In the latter case, where the collateral is worth less than the debt, then the claim is secured only to the extent of the value of the collateral, with the remainder being considered as an unsecured claim.
See
3
Collier on Bankruptcy,
¶ 506.03 at 506-6 (15th ed.).
5
If the “value cushion” is small, or if we have an undersecured claim, and the value of the property is not on the rise, then the Court must be more particular concerning the adequacy of the offered protection, especially when it is simply the collateral itself. In such marginal situations, the collateral alone may not be enough, even at an early stage of the proceedings. A debtor may have to offer more than just the property, if it wishes to prevail.
See In re Castle Ranch of Ramona, Inc.,
Turning now to the valuation to be attributed to the subject property. At the trial, the parties strongly contested this question. Since the term “value” is an elusive and illusory concept, this Court can only endeavor to make a reasonable determination based upon the evidence, including the opinions of the two expert witnesses, presented during this trial.
See In re Grundstrom,
(w)e deal here in likelihoods and probabilities. We do not have techniques or paraphernalia with which to make evaluations or predictions with the finite exactitude known to the laboratory.
In re Pitts, supra,
This brings us to a significant issue raised by the Fund. It argues that in calculating whether its interest is adequately protected by the value of the collateral, it is necessary to consider the junior secured claim in the analysis. The debtor would dispute this approach and argues that this Court should disregard the junior claim, for all purposes, in this action. If the Fund is correct, then this Court would have no choice but to determine a lack of adequate protection, for if all secured claims are considered, it is clear that they exceed the property’s value by over $30,000.
However, this Court must reject the Fund’s position. The Fund is only entitled to have its secured claim adequately protected, not those of junior claim holders. If the party seeking relief receives the indubitable equivalence of its interest, then the debtor has sustained its burden of providing adequate protection, even in cases where the junior claims are not so protected. 11 U.S.C. § 361.
Accord, In re Gardner,
B. Debtor’s Equity in Property and Need To an Effective Reorganization
In addition to challenging the debtor’s offer of adequate protection, the Fund relies on Section 362(d)(2), which is limited to eases, such as this, involving a stay of acts against property. This provision was added to the Code as a direct response to situations involving real property mortgage foreclosures where the petition for relief is filed in the Bankruptcy Court on the eve of the foreclosure.
See Matter of Sulzer, supra,
The first question we present is whether the debtor has any equity in the subject property. On this, and nothing else, the party requesting relief has the burden of proof. 11 U.S.C. § 362(g).
See In re Roane, supra,
The net value of the property has been determined by this Court to be $114,623. Against this, the Fund urges this Court to consider all outstanding encumbrances on the property. The debtor, of course, argues that the junior secured claim should not be considered. It appears that there exists a difference of opinion among the Bankruptcy Courts on this question. Judge King of Philadelphia, in a case involving a claim for relief under 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)(2), has declared that in determining whether equity exists “in the subject property, all encumbrances are totalled, whether or not all the lienholders have joined in the request from the stay.”
In re Mikole Developers, Inc., supra,
While Judge King’s opinions support the Fund, there are two published opinions which appear to support the debtor’s view.
In Matter of Spring Garden Foliage, Inc.,
In this, the debtor argues that this property is needed in its reorganization. If the debtor can sustain its burden of proof on this issue, relief from the stay will not be granted under Section 362(d)(2), even though there is no equity in the property.
See In re Suter,
Under Section 362(d)(2)(B), the stay would be lifted if the “property is not necessary to an effective reorganization.” 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)(2)(B). On this point:
*291 (i)t is not enough for a debtor to argue that the automatic stay should continue because it needs the secured property in order to propose a reorganization. If this were the test all property held by debtors could be regarded as necessary for the debtor’s reorganization. The key word under Code § 362(d)(2)(B) is “effective”; the property must be necessary to an effective reorganization. If all the debt- or can offer at this time is high hopes without any financial prospects on the horizon to warrant a conclusion that a reorganization in the near future is likely, it cannot be said that the property is necessary to an “effective” reorganization.
In re Clark Tech. Associates, Ltd., supra,
To sustain its burden, the debtor has proffered the argument that lifting the stay would likely result in the Fund foreclosing on the property and possibly “selling out” the junior secured claim. If this were to happen, the debtor argues, then the junior creditor could then file a substantial unsecured claim for any deficiency. The debtor is correct that under California law a holder of a nonpurchase-price money note and deed of trust in a junior position can file a claim for any deficiency when “sold-out” by a senior encumbrance.
See
Cal. Code Civ.Proc. § 580b;
Roseleaf Corp. v. Chierighino,
The problem with the debtor’s argument in this case is the complete failure of the debtor to present evidence that would support the finding that reorganization is likely and to explain how the minimal value in this property could be useful here in' the reorganization. It does not appear, even under the most optimum circumstances, that this property could produce any significant reduction in any Imperial Bank claim. Given this failure of proof, this Court must conclude that the subject property is not necessary to an effective reorganization.
V
CONCLUSION
Relief must be granted, under 11 U.S.C. § 362(d)(2), in this action to lift this stay of acts against property, as the debtor has no equity in the property and it is not necessary to an effective reorganization.
The Fund will lodge an appropriate proposed judgment pursuant to this opinion, within seven days.
This opinion will constitute findings of fact and conclusions of law under Bankruptcy Rule 752.
Notes
. One of the debtor’s general partners testified that the property has a value of $160,000, even though the property has been listed for sale at only $145,000.
. However, it should be noted that the adequate protection provision is not designed to put the holder of a secured claim in the same position as when the transaction was initially negotiated. See
In re Hutton-Johnson Co., Inc.,
. See
also
11 U.S.C. § 506, the Code provision governing determination of secured status of claims, and
In re Clark Tech. Associates, Ltd.,
. For some other cases following this approach:
See In re Pitts,
supra,
. This is in accord with the requirements of the Fifth Amendment which only protects “property” rights. To the extent a claim exceeds the value of the collateral, it ceases to be a property right requiring protection. Gordanier, supra, 54 Am.Bankr.L.J. at 305.
. For some more cases where the senior claim was deemed protected even though there was not enough value to cover all secured claims:
See In re Sulzer,
. Of course, this Court always stands ready to hear from the holders of junior secured claims on whether such stays should remain in force. In an appropriate case, the urging of such claim holders may make a difference in the final outcome, as they are entitled to have their interests considered in the equitable balance that this Court is charged to strike. See
In re San Clemente Estates, supra,
