Edgar Filing: ISTAR FINANCIAL INC

Ownership Submission

FORM 4

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^*

MATIS NINA

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ISTAR FINANCIAL INC [SFI]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

_____ Director	_____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below)	_____ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

1114 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
10/09/2008

(Street)

NEW YORK, NY 10036

4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Restricted Stock Units (Common Stock)	10/09/2008		A		300,000 ⁽¹⁾	A	$ 0	410,527 ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾	D

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)

Code

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
MATIS NINA 1114 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS NEW YORK, NY 10036			Executive Vice President

Signatures

s/ Nina B Matis		10/13/2008
^**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	iStar Financial Inc. has granted the Reporting Person a special incentive award for purposes of retention, in the amount of 300,000 Restricted Stock Units effective October 9, 2008. The Units represent the right to receive an equivalent number of shares of iStar common stock if and when the Units vest. The Units will cliff vest in one installment on October 9, 2011 if the Reporting Person is employed on the applicable vesting date. The Reporting Person is entitled to receive common stock dividend equivalent payments on the unvested Units from the award date. Units that are not vested may not be sold, transferred or pledged except by will, the laws of descent or to or for the benefit of the Reporting Person's family. If the Reporting Person voluntarily terminates employment with iStar, or iStar terminates the Reporting Person's employment for cause (as defined), any unvested Units will be forfeited automatically as of the date employment terminates.
(2)	Following this award, the Reporting Person owns a total of 410,527 Restricted Stock Units, representing the right to receive an equivalent number of shares of iStar common stock if and when the Units vest.
(3)	In addition to these Restricted Stock Units, the Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of a total of 31,857 shares of iStar common stock.

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