We are prohibited under the 1940 Act from participating in certain transactions with our affiliates without the prior approval of our independent directors and, in some cases, the SEC. Any person that owns, directly or indirectly, 5% or more of our outstanding voting securities will be our affiliate for purposes of the 1940 Act, and we are generally prohibited from buying or selling any security from or to such affiliate without the prior approval of our independent directors. The 1940 Act also prohibits certain "joint" transactions with certain of our affiliates, which could include concurrent investments in the same portfolio company, without prior approval of our independent directors and, in some cases, of the SEC. We are prohibited from buying or selling any security from or to any person that controls us or who owns more than 25% of our voting securities or certain of that person's affiliates, or entering into prohibited joint transactions with such persons, absent the prior approval of the SEC. As a result of these restrictions, we may be prohibited from buying or selling any security (other than any security of which we are the issuer) from or to any portfolio company of a private fund managed by House Hanover or its affiliates without the prior approval of the SEC, which may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to us.
We may, however, invest alongside House Hanover's investment funds, accounts and investment vehicles in certain circumstances where doing so is consistent with our investment strategy as well as applicable law and SEC staff interpretations. For example, we may invest alongside such investment funds, accounts and investment vehicles consistent with guidance promulgated by the SEC staff to purchase interests in a single class of privately placed securities so long as certain conditions are met, including that House Hanover, acting on our behalf and on behalf of such investment funds, accounts and investment vehicles, negotiates no term other than price. We may also invest alongside House Hanover's investment funds, accounts and investment vehicles as otherwise permissible under regulatory guidance, applicable regulations and House Hanover's allocation policy. This allocation policy provides that allocations among us and investment funds, accounts and investment vehicles managed by House Hanover and its affiliates will generally be made pro rata based on capital available for investment, as determined, in our case, by our board of directors as well as the terms of our governing documents and those of such investment funds, accounts and investment vehicles. It is our policy to base our determinations on such factors as the amount of cash on-hand, existing commitments and reserves, if any, our targeted leverage level, our targeted asset mix and diversification requirements and other investment policies and restrictions set by our board of directors or imposed by applicable laws, rules, regulations or interpretations. We expect that these determinations will be made similarly for investment funds, accounts and investment vehicles managed by House Hanover. However, we can offer no assurance that investment opportunities will be allocated to us fairly or equitably in the short-term or over time.
In situations where co-investment with investment funds, accounts and investment vehicles managed by House Hanover, prior to receiving exemptive relief, is not permitted or appropriate, such as when there is an opportunity to invest concurrently in different securities of the same issuer or where the different investments could be expected to result in a conflict between our interests and those of House Hanover's clients, subject to the limitations described in the preceding paragraph, House Hanover will need to decide which client will proceed with the investment. House Hanover will make these determinations based on its policies and procedures, which generally require that such opportunities be offered to eligible accounts on an alternating basis that will be fair and equitable over time. Moreover, except in certain circumstances, we will be unable to invest in any issuer in which an investment fund, account or investment vehicle managed by House Hanover has previously invested.
We and House Hanover may seek exemptive relief from the SEC to permit greater flexibility to negotiate the terms of co-investments if our board of directors determines that it would be advantageous for us to co-invest with investment funds, accounts and investment vehicles managed by House Hanover in a manner consistent with our investment objective, positions, policies, strategies and restrictions as well as regulatory requirements and other pertinent factors. We believe that co-investment by us and investment funds, accounts and investment vehicles managed by House Hanover may afford us additional investment opportunities and an ability to achieve greater diversification. Accordingly, if we make an application for exemptive relief, we will seek an exemptive order permitting us to invest with investment funds, accounts and investment vehicles managed by House Hanover in the same portfolio companies under circumstances in which such investments would otherwise not be permitted by the 1940 Act. We expect that such exemptive relief permitting co-investments, if granted, would not require review and approval of each co-investment by our independent directors. There can be no assurance if and when the SEC would grant such relief.