“Real estate investment trust” as used in this part means any unincorporated association or trust formed to engage in business and managed by, or under the direction of, one or more trustees for the benefit of the holders or owners (hereinafter in this part “shareowners”) of transferable shares of beneficial interest in the trust estate (hereinafter in this part “shares”) and that meets one of the following two tests:

1. (a) It received, before the effective date of this part, an order, permit, or qualification from the Commissioner of Corporations pursuant to the provisions of the Corporate Securities Law of 1968 or any predecessor statute finding that it was a real estate investment trust, notwithstanding the subsequent amendment, suspension or revocation of any such finding, order, permit, or qualification, and it has for one or more of its three fiscal years immediately prior to the effective date of this part complied with, or in good faith filed a federal income tax return on the basis that it has complied with the requirements for real estate investment trusts set forth in Section 856 of the Federal Internal Revenue Code; or

2. (b) It is formed for the purpose of engaging in business as a real estate investment trust under Part II of Subchapter M of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time; the sale of its shares has been qualified at any time by the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation pursuant to the Corporate Securities Law of 1968; and in good faith it has commenced business as a real estate investment trust.

   An unincorporated association or trust that otherwise meets the requirements of this section shall not be affected in its status as a real estate investment trust, regardless of whether it is in fact taxable for any year or years under Part II of Subchapter M of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.