Essex Property Trust 10-K 2022-12-31

Filed 2023-02-23. 23 sections, 628K characters. Original on sec.gov · Markdown · JSON

What changed since the 2021-12-31 10-KNew, removed and reworded risk factor headings, then every item sentence by sentence.

Cover and table of contents

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(MARK ONE)

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from ___________ to _____________

001-13106 (Essex Property Trust, Inc.)

333-44467-01 (Essex Portfolio, L.P.)

(Commission File Number)

ESSEX PROPERTY TRUST, INC.

ESSEX PORTFOLIO, L.P.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


Maryland						77-0369576
(Essex Property Trust, Inc.)						(Essex Property Trust, Inc.)
California						77-0369575
(Essex Portfolio, L.P.)						(Essex Portfolio, L.P.)
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)						(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

1100 Park Place, Suite 200

San Mateo, California 94403

(Address of Principal Executive Offices including Zip Code)

(650) 655-7800

(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:


Title of each class						Trading Symbol(s)						Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $.0001 par value (Essex Property Trust, Inc.)						ESS						New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.


Essex Property Trust, Inc.			Yes			☒			No			☐			Essex Portfolio, L.P.			Yes			☐			No			☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.


Essex Property Trust, Inc.			Yes			☐			No			☒			Essex Portfolio, L.P.			Yes			☐			No			☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.


Essex Property Trust, Inc.			Yes			☒			No			☐			Essex Portfolio, L.P.			Yes			☒			No			☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).


Essex Property Trust, Inc.			Yes			☒			No			☐			Essex Portfolio, L.P.			Yes			☒			No			☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company," and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Essex Property Trust, Inc.:


Large accelerated filer			☒			Accelerated filer			☐			Non-accelerated filer			☐			Smaller reporting company			☐
																		Emerging growth company			☐

Essex Portfolio, L.P.:


Large accelerated filer			☐			Accelerated filer			☐			Non-accelerated filer			☒			Smaller reporting company			☐
																		Emerging growth company			☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.


Essex Property Trust, Inc.			☐			Essex Portfolio, L.P.			☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.


Essex Property Trust, Inc.			☒												Essex Portfolio, L.P.			☐

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant's executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).


Essex Property Trust, Inc.			Yes			☐			No			☒			Essex Portfolio, L.P.			Yes			☐			No			☒

As of June 30, 2022, the aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of Essex Property Trust, Inc. was $16,906,398,955. The aggregate market value was computed with reference to the closing price on the New York Stock Exchange on the last trading day preceding such date. Shares of common stock held by executive officers, directors and holders of more than ten percent of the outstanding common stock have been excluded from this calculation because such persons may be deemed to be affiliates. This exclusion does not reflect a determination that such persons are affiliates for any other purposes. There is no public trading market for the common units of Essex Portfolio, L.P. As a result, the aggregate market value of the common units held by non-affiliates of Essex Portfolio, L.P. cannot be determined.

As of February 21, 2023, 64,518,322 shares of common stock ($.0001 par value) of Essex Property Trust, Inc. were outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE:

Portions of the definitive Proxy Statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") pursuant to Regulation 14A in connection with the 2023 annual meeting of stockholders of Essex Property Trust, Inc. are incorporated by reference in Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Such Proxy Statement will be filed with the SEC within 120 days of December 31, 2022.

Auditor Name: KPMG LLP Location: San Francisco, California PCAOB ID: 185

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This report combines the annual reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 of Essex Property Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation, and Essex Portfolio, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership of which Essex Property Trust, Inc. is the sole general partner.

Unless stated otherwise or the context otherwise requires, references to the "Company," "we," "us," or "our" mean collectively Essex Property Trust, Inc. and those entities/subsidiaries owned or controlled by Essex Property Trust, Inc., including Essex Portfolio, L.P., and references to the "Operating Partnership," or "EPLP" mean Essex Portfolio, L.P. and those entities/subsidiaries owned or controlled by Essex Portfolio, L.P. Unless stated otherwise or the context otherwise requires, references to "Essex" mean Essex Property Trust, Inc., not including any of its subsidiaries.

Essex operates as a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust ("REIT"), and is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership. As of December 31, 2022, Essex owned approximately 96.6% of the ownership interest in the Operating Partnership with the remaining 3.4% interest owned by limited partners. As the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership, Essex has exclusive control of the Operating Partnership's day-to-day management.

The Company is structured as an umbrella partnership REIT ("UPREIT") and Essex contributes all net proceeds from its various equity offerings to the Operating Partnership. In return for those contributions, Essex receives a number of Operating Partnership limited partnership units ("OP Units," and the holders of such OP Units, "Unitholders") equal to the number of shares of common stock it has issued in the equity offerings. Contributions of properties to the Company can be structured as tax-deferred transactions through the issuance of OP Units, which is one of the reasons why the Company is structured in the manner outlined above. Based on the terms of the Operating Partnership's partnership agreement, OP Units can be exchanged into Essex common stock on a one-for-one basis. The Company maintains a one-for-one relationship between the OP Units issued to Essex and shares of common stock.

The Company believes that combining the reports on Form 10-K of Essex and the Operating Partnership into this single report provides the following benefits:

enhances investors' understanding of Essex and the Operating Partnership by enabling investors to view the business as a whole in the same manner as management views and operates the business;
eliminates duplicative disclosure and provides a more streamlined and readable presentation since a substantial portion of the disclosure applies to both Essex and the Operating Partnership; and
creates time and cost efficiencies through the preparation of one combined report instead of two separate reports.

Management operates Essex and the Operating Partnership as one business. The management of Essex consists of the same members as the management of the Operating Partnership.

All of the Company's property ownership, development, and related business operations are conducted through the Operating Partnership and Essex has no material assets, other than its investment in the Operating Partnership. Essex's primary function is acting as the general partner of the Operating Partnership. As general partner with control of the Operating Partnership, Essex consolidates the Operating Partnership for financial reporting purposes. Therefore, the assets and liabilities of Essex and the Operating Partnership are the same on their respective financial statements. Essex also issues equity from time to time and guarantees certain debt of the Operating Partnership, as disclosed in this report. The Operating Partnership holds substantially all of the assets of the Company, including the Company's ownership interests in its co-investments. The Operating Partnership conducts the operations of the business and is structured as a partnership with no publicly traded equity. Except for the net proceeds from equity offerings by the Company, which are contributed to the capital of the Operating Partnership in exchange for OP Units (on a one-for-one share of common stock per OP Unit basis), the Operating Partnership generates all remaining capital required by the Company's business. These sources of capital include the Operating Partnership's working capital, net cash provided by operating activities, borrowings under its revolving credit facilities, the issuance of secured and unsecured debt and equity securities and proceeds received from disposition of certain properties and co-investments.

The Company believes it is important to understand the few differences between Essex and the Operating Partnership in the context of how Essex and the Operating Partnership operate as a consolidated company. Stockholders' equity, partners' capital and noncontrolling interest are the main areas of difference between the consolidated financial statements of Essex and those of the Operating Partnership. The limited partners of the Operating Partnership are accounted for as partners' capital in the Operating Partnership's consolidated financial statements and as noncontrolling interest in Essex's consolidated financial statements. The noncontrolling interest in the Operating Partnership's consolidated financial statements include the interest of unaffiliated partners in various consolidated partnerships and co-investment partners. The noncontrolling interest in Essex's

iii

consolidated financial statements include (i) the same noncontrolling interest as presented in the Operating Partnership’s consolidated financial statements and (ii) OP Unitholders. The differences between stockholders' equity and partners' capital result from differences in the equity issued at Essex and Operating Partnership levels.

To help investors understand the significant differences between Essex and the Operating Partnership, this report on Form 10-K provides separate consolidated financial statements for Essex and the Operating Partnership; a single set of consolidated notes to such financial statements that includes separate discussions of stockholders' equity or partners' capital, and earnings per share/unit, as applicable; and a combined Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

This report on Form 10-K also includes separate Part II, Item 9A. Controls and Procedures sections and separate Exhibits 31 and 32 certifications for each of Essex and the Operating Partnership in order to establish that the requisite certifications have been made and that Essex and the Operating Partnership are compliant with Rule 13a-15 or Rule 15d-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and 18 U.S.C. §1350.

In order to highlight the differences between Essex and the Operating Partnership, the separate sections in this report on Form 10-K for Essex and the Operating Partnership specifically refer to Essex and the Operating Partnership. In the sections that combine disclosure of Essex and the Operating Partnership, this report refers to actions or holdings as being actions or holdings of the Company. Although the Operating Partnership is generally the entity that directly or indirectly enters into contracts and co-investments and holds assets and debt, reference to the Company is appropriate because the Company is one business and the Company operates that business through the Operating Partnership. The separate discussions of Essex and the Operating Partnership in this report should be read in conjunction with each other to understand the results of the Company on a consolidated basis and how management operates the Company.

The information furnished in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, statements of income, comprehensive income, equity, capital, and cash flows of the Company and the Operating Partnership reflect all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the aforementioned consolidated financial statements for the periods and are normal and recurring in nature, except as otherwise noted.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the notes to such consolidated financial statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations herein.

ESSEX PROPERTY TRUST, INC.

ESSEX PORTFOLIO, L.P.

2022 ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K

TABLE OF CONTENTS


Part I.		Page
Item 1.	Business	1
Item 1A.	Risk Factors	8
Item 1B.	Unresolved Staff Comments	21
Item 2.	Properties	22
Item 3.	Legal Proceedings	29
Item 4.	Mine Safety Disclosures	29
Part II.
Item 5.	Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities	30
Item 6.	[Reserved]	34
Item 7.	Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	35
Item 7A.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risks	47
Item 8.	Financial Statements and Supplementary Data	48
Item 9.	Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure	48
Item 9A.	Controls and Procedures	48
Item 9B.	Other Information	49
Item 9C.	Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections	49
Part III.
Item 10.	Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance	50
Item 11.	Executive Compensation	50
Item 12.	Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters	50
Item 13.	Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence	50
Item 14.	Principal Accounting Fees and Services	50
Part IV.
Item 15.	Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules	51
Item 16.	Form 10-K Summary	51
Signatures		S-1

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PART I

Forward-Looking Statements

This Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Such forward-looking statements are described in Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, "Forward-Looking Statements." Actual results could differ materially from those set forth in each forward-looking statement. Certain factors that might cause such a difference are discussed in this report, including in Item 1A, Risk Factors of this Form 10-K.

Item 1. Business

OVERVIEW

Essex Property Trust, Inc. ("Essex"), a Maryland corporation, is an S&P 500 company that operates as a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust ("REIT"). Essex owns all of its interest in its real estate and other investments directly or indirectly through Essex Portfolio, L.P. (the "Operating Partnership" or "EPLP"). Essex is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership and as of December 31, 2022, had an approximately 96.6% general partner interest in the Operating Partnership. In this report, the terms the "Company," "we," "us," and "our" also refer to Essex Property Trust, Inc., the Operating Partnership and those entities/subsidiaries owned or controlled by Essex and/or the Operating Partnership.

Essex has elected to be treated as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, commencing with the year ended December 31, 1994. Essex completed its initial public offering on June 13, 1994. In order to maintain compliance with REIT tax rules, the Company utilizes taxable REIT subsidiaries for various revenue generating or investment activities. All taxable REIT subsidiaries are consolidated by the Company for financial reporting purposes.

The Company is engaged primarily in the ownership, operation, management, acquisition, development and redevelopment of predominantly apartment communities, located along the West Coast of the United States. As of December 31, 2022, the Company owned or had ownership interests in 252 operating apartment communities, aggregating 62,147 apartment homes, excluding the Company's ownership in preferred equity co-investments, loan investments, three operating commercial buildings, and a development pipeline comprised of one unconsolidated joint venture project and various predevelopment projects aggregating 264 apartment homes (collectively, the "Portfolio").

The Company’s website address is http://www.essex.com. The Company’s annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to those reports, and the Proxy Statement for its Annual Meeting of Stockholders are available, free of charge, on its website as soon as practicable after the Company files the reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The information contained on the Company's website shall not be deemed to be incorporated into this report.

BUSINESS STRATEGIES

The following is a discussion of the Company’s business strategies in regards to real estate investment and management.

Business Strategies

Research Driven Approach to Investments – The Company believes that successful real estate investment decisions and portfolio growth begin with extensive regional economic research and local market knowledge. The Company continually assesses markets where the Company operates, as well as markets where the Company considers future investment opportunities by evaluating markets and focusing on the following strategic criteria:

Major metropolitan areas that have regional population in excess of one million;
Constraints on new supply driven by: (i) low availability of developable land sites where competing housing could be economically built; (ii) political growth barriers, such as protected land, urban growth boundaries, and potential lengthy and expensive development permit processes; and (iii) natural limitations to development, such as mountains or waterways;
Rental demand enhanced by affordability of rents relative to costs of for-sale housing; and
Housing demand based on job growth, proximity to jobs, high median incomes and the quality of life including related commuting factors.

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Recognizing that all real estate markets are cyclical, the Company regularly evaluates the results of its regional economic, and local market research, and adjusts the geographic focus of its portfolio accordingly. The Company seeks to increase its portfolio allocation in markets projected to have the strongest local economies and to decrease allocations in markets projected to have declining economic conditions. Likewise, the Company also seeks to increase its portfolio allocation in markets that have attractive property valuations and to decrease allocations in markets that have inflated valuations and low relative yields.

Property Operations – The Company manages its communities by focusing on activities that may generate above-average rental growth, tenant retention/satisfaction and long-term asset appreciation. The Company intends to achieve this by utilizing the strategies set forth below:

Property Management – Oversee delivery and quality of the housing provided to our tenants and manage the properties financial performance.
Capital Preservation – The Company's asset management services are responsible for the planning, budgeting and completion of major capital improvement projects at the Company’s communities.
Business Planning and Control – Comprehensive business plans are implemented in conjunction with significant investment decisions. These plans include benchmarks for future financial performance based on collaborative discussions between on-site managers, the operations leadership team, and senior management.
Development and Redevelopment – The Company focuses on acquiring and developing apartment communities in supply constrained markets, and redeveloping its existing communities to improve the financial and physical aspects of the Company’s communities.

CURRENT BUSINESS ACTIVITIES

Acquisitions of Real Estate Interests

Acquisitions are an important component of the Company’s business plan. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company purchased or increased its interests in three communities consisting of 590 apartment homes for approximately $215.9 million. The table below summarizes acquisition activity for the year ended December 31, 2022 ($ in millions):


Property Name	Location	Apartment Homes	Essex Ownership Percentage		Ownership	Quarter in 2022	Purchase Price
Vela	Woodland Hills, CA	379	50	%	Wesco VI	Q1	$	183.0	(1)
Regency Palm Court and Windsor Court	Los Angeles, CA	211	100	%	EPLP	Q3	32.9		(2)




Total 2022		590					$	215.9

(1) Represents the contract price for the entire property, not the Company’s share.

(2) In July 2022, the Company acquired its joint venture partner’s 49.8% minority interest in two apartment communities, consisting of 211 apartment homes located in Los Angeles, CA, for a contract price of $32.9 million.

Dispositions of Real Estate

As part of its strategic plan to own quality real estate in supply-constrained markets, the Company continually evaluates all of its communities and sells those communities that no longer meet the Company's strategic criteria. The Company may use the capital generated from the dispositions to invest in higher-return communities, other real estate investments or to fund other commitments. The Company believes that the sale of these communities will not have a material impact on its future results of operations or cash flows nor will the sale of these communities materially affect the Company's ongoing operations. In general, the Company seeks to offset the dilutive impact on long-term earnings and funds from operations from these dispositions through the positive impact of reinvestment of proceeds.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company sold one community consisting of 250 apartment homes for approximately $160.0 million.


Property Name	Location	Apartment Homes	Ownership	Quarter in 2022	Sales Price (in millions)
Anavia	Anaheim, CA	250	EPLP	Q4	$	160.0	(1)

Total 2022		250			$	160.0

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(1) The Company recognized a $94.4 million gain on sale.

Development Pipeline

The Company defines development projects as new communities that are being constructed, or are newly constructed and are in a phase of lease-up and have not yet reached stabilized operations. As of December 31, 2022, the Company's development pipeline was comprised of one unconsolidated joint venture project under development aggregating 264 apartment homes and various predevelopment projects, with total incurred costs of $102.0 million. The estimated remaining project costs are approximately $25.0 million, of which $12.8 million represents the Company's share of estimated remaining costs, for total estimated project costs of $127.0 million.

The Company defines predevelopment projects as proposed communities in negotiation or in the entitlement process with an expected high likelihood of becoming entitled development projects. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had various consolidated predevelopment projects. The Company may also acquire land for future development purposes or sale.

The following table sets forth information regarding the Company’s development pipeline ($ in millions):


				As of
				12/31/2022
		Essex	Estimated	Incurred		Estimated
Development Pipeline	Location	Ownership%	Apartment Homes	Project Cost (1)		Project Cost(1)




Development Projects - Joint Venture
LIVIA (fka Scripps Mesa Apartments) (2)	San Diego, CA	51%	264	$	77	$	102
Total Development Projects - Joint Venture			264	77		102
Predevelopment Projects - Consolidated
Other Projects	Various	100%	—	25		25
Total - Consolidated Predevelopment Projects			—	25		25



Grand Total - Development and Predevelopment Pipeline			264	$	102	$	127

(1)Includes costs related to the entire project, including both the Company's and joint venture partners' costs. Includes incurred costs and estimated costs to complete these development projects. For predevelopment projects, only incurred costs are included in estimated costs.

(2)Incurred project cost and estimated project cost are net of a projected value for low income housing tax credit proceeds and the value of the tax-exempt bond structure.

Long Term Debt

During 2022, the Company made regularly scheduled principal payments and loan payoffs of $43.2 million to its secured mortgage notes payable at an average interest rate of 3.6%.

In October 2022, the Company obtained a $300.0 million unsecured term loan priced at Adjusted Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") plus 0.85%. The loan has been swapped to an all-in fixed rate of 4.2% and matures in October 2024 with three 12-month extension options, exercisable at the Company's option. The loan includes a six-month delayed draw feature with the proceeds expected to be drawn in April 2023 to repay the Company's $300.0 million unsecured notes due in May 2023.

Bank Debt

As of December 31, 2022, Moody’s Investor Service and Standard and Poor's ("S&P") credit agencies rated Essex Property Trust, Inc. and Essex Portfolio, L.P. Baa1/Stable and BBB+/Stable, respectively.

At December 31, 2022, the Company had two unsecured lines of credit aggregating $1.24 billion. The Company's $1.2 billion credit facility had an interest rate of Adjusted SOFR plus 0.75% which is based on a tiered rate structure tied to the Company's credit ratings, adjusted for the Company's sustainability metric grid, and a scheduled maturity date of January 2027 with two six-month extensions, exercisable at the Company's option. The Company's $35.0 million working capital unsecured line of

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credit had an interest rate of Adjusted SOFR plus 0.75%, which is based on a tiered rate structure tied to the Company's credit ratings, adjusted for the Company's sustainability metric grid, and a scheduled maturity date of July 2024.

Equity Transactions

During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company did not issue any shares of common stock through its equity distribution agreement entered into in September 2021 (the "2021 ATM Program"). As of December 31, 2022, there were no outstanding forward sale agreements, and $900.0 million of shares remain available to be sold under the 2021 ATM Program.

In September 2022, the Company's Board of Directors approved a new stock repurchase plan to allow the Company to acquire shares of common stock up to an aggregate value of $500.0 million. The plan supersedes the Company's previous common stock repurchase plan announced in December 2015. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company repurchased and retired 740,053 shares of its common stock totaling $189.7 million, including commissions, of which 420,606 shares of common stock totaling $101.7 million were repurchased under the new plan after its approval. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had $398.3 million of purchase authority remaining under its $500.0 million stock repurchase plan.

Co-investments

The Company has entered into, and may continue in the future to enter into, joint ventures or partnerships (including limited liability companies) through which it owns an indirect economic interest in less than 100% of the community or land or other investments owned directly by the joint venture or partnership. For each joint venture the Company holds a non-controlling interest in the venture and, in most cases, may earn customary management fees, development fees, asset property management fees, and a promote interest.

The Company has also made, and may continue in the future to make, preferred equity investments in various multifamily development projects. The Company earns a preferred rate of return on these investments.

HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

Company Overview and Values

The Company is headquartered in San Mateo, CA, and has regional corporate offices in Woodland Hills, CA; Irvine, CA and Bellevue, WA. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had 1,772 employees, 99.9% of whom were full-time employees. A total of 1,327 employees worked on-site at our operating communities and 445 worked in our corporate offices. The Company's mission is to create quality communities in premier locations and it is critical to the Company's mission that it attracts, trains and retains a talented and diverse team by providing a better place to work and significant opportunities for professional growth. The Company's culture supports its mission and is guided by its core values: to act with integrity, to care about what matters, to do right with urgency, to lead at every level and to seek fairness. The Company seeks to reinforce those values within its workforce.

Workplace Diversity

The Company believes it has one of the most diverse workforces among its peers in the real estate industry in part due to its robust and integrated diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy, which utilizes training programs, employee committees, and executive sponsorships to strengthen and promote diversity, equal opportunity, and fair treatment for all Company associates. As of December 31, 2022, the Company's workforce was, based on the voluntary self-identification of our employee base, approximately 45% Hispanic or Latino, 28% White, 12% Asian, 7% Black or African American, 1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 1% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 5% two or more races. 3% of employees chose to not disclose their race. 54% of the Company’s managerial level employees, 22% of its senior executives, and 20% of its named executive officers self-identified as Hispanic or Latino, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaska Native, or two or more races. As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s workforce was 41% female, 58% male, and 1% chose not to disclose their gender. 57% of our corporate associates and 36% of our on-site operational associates self-identified as female. The Company had 249 women in positions of manager or higher, representing 60% of managerial positions, a decrease from 65% in 2021. The slight decrease is primarily attributable to the Company’s new operational structure which resulted in 62 operational associates moving into non-managerial roles. While some oversight duties were realigned, salary and benefits were not impacted, and women continue to hold a majority of the managerial roles at the Company. Gender diversity within the Company’s leadership is similar to the overall gender diversity of the Company’s employees and managers, with women composing 60% of the Company’s executive officers and 56% of the Company’s senior executives. The tables below detail the Company’s gender representation by position and the age diversity of its workforce.

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The Company has a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ("DEI") Committee which directs the overarching goal setting, implementation, and follow-up for DEI initiatives and whose chairperson reports directly to the CEO on the Committee’s activities. The Company supports the employee-led affinity groups, Women at Essex and the LGBTQ+ focused Rainbow Alliance, which foster a sense of community and inclusion for a diverse mix of associates at the Company through discussions and activities that are intended to engage, educate, enable, and empower the Company's employees. All associates are offered training aimed at preventing workplace harassment, including harassment based on age, gender or ethnicity, training covering the foundations of DEI and awareness of unconscious bias in the workplace, and all managers are required to complete anti-harassment training.

The Company is committed to pay equity and conducts a pay equity analysis on an annual basis. The Company developed a robust, multiple regression analysis model, which confirmed that we continue to maintain our gender pay parity. Our robust statistical analysis confirmed that gender was not a significant factor in determining pay decisions in 2022.

The following aligns with the Company’s EE0-1 data for 2022:


Gender Representation by Position (1)		December 31, 2022
	Male # (2)		Female # (2)		Male %		Female %
Corporate - Top Executives, VPs, Assistant VPs, Directors, & Managers		74		76		49%		51%
Corporate - Below manager position		100		173		37%		63%
Field - Regional Directors/Managers, Community Managers		89		173		34%		66%
Field - Leasing Specialists, Leasing Managers, Relationship Reps, Bookkeepers		110		216		34%		66%
Field - Maintenance Supervisors and Techs		548		11		98%		2%
Field - Porter, Landscaper, Painter, Security Guard, Amenities Attendant		109		89		55%		45%

(1) Table excludes 4 associates that did not declare gender and does not include board directors and consultants.

(2) Gender is labeled as how respondents elected to be self-identified.


Total Workforce by Age Group		December 31, 2022
	#		%
<= 25		166		9%
26-35		534		30%
36-45		422		24%
46-55		348		20%
56-65		262		15%
> 65		40		2%

Training and Development

The Company values leadership at every level and demonstrates such value with respect to its associates by providing opportunities for all associates to develop personal and professional skills and by offering programs to encourage employee retention and advancement. These programs include leadership training, communication training, individual learning plans, Community Manager and Maintenance Manager training, investments in learning technology, and mentorship programs. Additionally, the Company provides its associates with outside educational benefits by offering an annual $3,000 tuition reimbursement to further support professional growth. To identify, retain and reward top performers, the Company offers a tenure program, which involves a cash gift for every five years of service, as well as excellence awards and a spot bonus recognition program to reward associates for good teamwork, good ideas and good service. The Company encourages internal promotions and hiring for open positions. In 2022, the Company promoted 12% of its employees to higher positions in the Company, a slight decrease from 2021 when the Company promoted 16% of its employees primarily due to the Company’s focus on ensuring proper fit for its associates entering into new roles in the new operational structure. The Company engages in succession planning for its leadership and managerial positions and its executive team identifies and mentors the Company's top talent in order to ensure strong leadership at the Company for the future.

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Employee Well-Being and Safety

The Company's compensation and benefits program and safety practices further reinforce its commitment to investing in the well-being of its associates while incentivizing its employees to promote fulfillment of the Company’s mission. The Company offers competitive compensation and a standard suite of benefits, including health insurance, a retirement plan with a $6,000 annual matching potential benefit, life and disability coverage, paid parental leave, and commuter benefits. Additionally, the Company offers a housing discount for associates that live at Company communities, and additionally offers retirement support, associate discount programs, mental health support, including a mental health program and refresh days for our operations teams, and health benefit credits for participation in wellness programs. The Company engages in an annual compensation study to align compensation with market standards and to ensure the Company is appropriately compensating its top performers.

Providing a safe working environment and promoting employee safety is imperative to the Company, and the Company continued to prioritize its associates’ health and safety throughout 2022. The Company has safety policies in place that align with an Injury & Illness Prevention Program, which seeks to proactively prevent workplace accidents and protect the health and safety of the Company's associates through training and analysis of incident reports. The Company provides safety training to Community Managers, Maintenance Supervisors, and Maintenance Technicians on a wide-range of topics, including Industrial Safety and Health, Confined Space Awareness, Electrical Safety and Protection, Active Shooter Event, Fire Extinguishing, Safety Data Sheets, Safe Lifting the E-Way, Ladder Safety, and Heat Stress in the Workplace. Additionally, in 2022, the Company continued to provide associates with additional paid time off for COVID-19 related illness and care through its Special Circumstances Leave policy in order to enable associates with adequate time to recover and to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Community and Social Impact

The Company believes volunteering can create positive change in the communities where our associates live and work and that the Company's commitment to giving back helps it attract and retain associates. The Company's Volunteer Program is aimed at supporting and encouraging eligible associates to become actively involved in their communities through the Company's support of charity initiatives and offering paid hours for volunteer time. Additionally, the Company’s “Essex Cares” program provides direct aid to the Company’s residents, associates, and local communities, including those who have experienced financial hardships.

Employee Engagement

In order to engage and promote communication with our associates and solicit meaningful feedback on our efforts to create a positive work environment, the Company issues engagement surveys to all associates to measure 10 key drivers of employee experience including organizational fit, DEI, freedom of opinion, meaningful work, management support and recognition, among others. Engagement surveys are split into three phases: new hire surveys, Company-wide bi-annual surveys, and exit surveys. 89% of Company employees participated in the surveys in 2022. The Company’s overall score on the surveys was 8.3 out of 10.

INSURANCE

The Company purchases general liability and property insurance coverage, including loss of rent, for each of its communities. The Company also purchases limited earthquake, terrorism, environmental and flood insurance. There are certain types of losses which may not be covered or could exceed coverage limits. The insurance programs are subject to deductibles and self-insured retentions in varying amounts. The Company utilizes a wholly owned insurance subsidiary, Pacific Western Insurance LLC ("PWI"), to self-insure certain earthquake and property losses. As of December 31, 2022, PWI had cash and marketable securities of approximately $107.6 million, and is consolidated in the Company's financial statements.

All of the Company's communities are located in areas that are subject to earthquake activity. The Company evaluates its financial loss exposure to seismic events by using actuarial loss models developed by the insurance industry and in most cases property vulnerability analysis based on structural evaluations by seismic consultants. The Company manages this exposure, where considered appropriate, desirable, and cost-effective, by upgrading properties to increase their resistance to forces caused by seismic events, by considering available funds and coverages provided by PWI and/or by purchasing seismic insurance. In most cases the Company also purchases limited earthquake insurance for certain properties owned by the Company's co-investments.

In addition, the Company carries other types of insurance coverage related to a variety of risks and exposures.

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Based on market conditions, the Company may change or potentially eliminate insurance coverages, or increase levels of self-insurance. Further, the Company may incur losses, which could be material, due to uninsured risks, deductibles and self-insured retentions, and/or losses in excess of coverage limits.

COMPETITION

There are numerous housing alternatives that compete with the Company’s communities in attracting tenants. These include other apartment communities, condominiums and single-family homes. If the demand for the Company’s communities is reduced or if competitors develop and/or acquire competing housing, rental rates and occupancy may drop which may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

The Company faces competition from other REITs, businesses and other entities in the acquisition, development and operation of apartment communities. Some competitors are larger and have greater financial resources than the Company. This competition may result in increased costs of apartment communities the Company acquires and/or develops.

WORKING CAPITAL

The Company believes that cash flows generated by its operations, existing cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities balances, availability under existing lines of credit, access to capital markets and the ability to generate cash from the disposition of real estate are sufficient to meet all of its reasonably anticipated cash needs during 2023.

The timing, source and amounts of cash flows provided by financing activities and used in investing activities are sensitive to changes in interest rates, stock price, and other fluctuations in the capital markets environment, which can affect the Company’s plans for acquisitions, dispositions, development and redevelopment activities.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

As a real estate owner and operator, we are subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws, regulations and ordinances and may be subject to liability and the costs of removal or remediation of certain potentially hazardous materials that may be present in our communities. See the discussion under the caption, "Risks Related to Real Estate Investments and Our Operations - The Company’s Portfolio may have environmental liabilities" in Item 1A, Risk Factors, for information concerning the potential effect of environmental regulations on its operations, which discussion is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.

OTHER MATTERS

Certain Policies of the Company

The Company intends to continue to operate in a manner that will not subject it to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The Company may in the future (i) issue securities senior to its common stock, (ii) fund acquisition activities with borrowings under its line of credit and (iii) offer shares of common stock and/or units of limited partnership interest in the Operating Partnership or affiliated partnerships as partial consideration for property acquisitions. The Company from time to time acquires partnership interests in partnerships and joint ventures, either directly or indirectly through subsidiaries of the Company, when such entities’ underlying assets are real estate.

The Company invests primarily in apartment communities that are located in predominantly coastal markets within Southern California, Northern California, and the Seattle metropolitan area. The Company currently intends to continue to invest in apartment communities in such regions. However, the geographical composition of the portfolio is evaluated periodically and may be modified by management.

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Item 1A. RISK FACTORS

For purposes of this section, the term "stockholders" means the holders of shares of Essex Property Trust, Inc.’s common stock. Set forth below are the risks that we believe are material to Essex Property Trust, Inc.’s stockholders and Essex Portfolio, L.P.’s unitholders. You should carefully consider the following factors in evaluating our Company, our properties and our business.

Our business, operating results, cash flows and financial condition are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, those set forth below, any one of which could cause our actual operating results to vary materially from recent results or from our anticipated future results.

Risks Related to Our Real Estate Investments and Operations

General real estate investment risks may adversely affect property income and values, and therefore our stock price may be adversely affected. If the communities and other real estate investments, including development and redevelopment properties, do not generate sufficient income to meet operating and financing expenses, cash flow and the ability to make distributions will be adversely affected. Income and growth from the communities may be further adversely affected by, among other things, the following factors, in addition to the other risk factors listed in this Item 1A:

changes in the general or local economic climate and demand for housing, including layoffs, industry slowdowns, relocations of employees from local employers, changing demographics, increased worker locational flexibility, and other events negatively impacting local employment rates, wages and the local economy;
changes in supply and cost of housing;
changing economic conditions, such as high inflationary periods in which our operating and financing costs may increase at a rate greater than our ability to increase rents, or deflationary periods where rents may decline more quickly relative to operating and financing costs; and
the appeal and desirability of our communities to tenants relative to other housing alternatives, including the size and amenity offerings, safety and location convenience, and our technology offerings.

Short-term leases expose us to the effects of declining market rents, and the Company may be unable to renew leases or relet units as leases expire. If the Company is unable to promptly renew or re-let in place leases, or if the rental rates upon renewal or reletting are significantly lower than expected rates, then the Company’s results of operations and financial condition will be adversely affected.

Economic environments can negatively impact the Company’s liquidity and operating results. In the event of a recession or other negative economic effects, the Company could incur reductions in rental and occupancy rates, property valuations and increases in costs. Any such recession or economic downturn may affect consumer confidence and spending and negatively impact the volume and pricing of real estate transactions, which could negatively affect the Company’s liquidity and its ability to vary its portfolio promptly in response to changes to the economy. Furthermore, if residents do not increase their income, they may be unable or unwilling to pay rent.

Rent control, or other changes in applicable laws, or noncompliance with applicable laws, could adversely affect the Company's operations, property values or expose us to liability. The Company must own, operate, manage, acquire, develop and redevelop its properties in compliance with numerous federal, state and local laws and regulations, some of which may conflict with one another or be subject to limited judicial or regulatory interpretations. These laws and regulations may include zoning laws, building codes, rent control or stabilization laws, emergency orders, laws benefiting disabled persons, federal, state and local tax laws, landlord tenant laws, environmental laws, employment laws, immigration laws and other laws regulating housing or that are generally applicable to the Company's business and operations. Changes in, or noncompliance with, laws and regulations could expose the Company to liability and could require the Company to make significant unanticipated expenditures to address noncompliance.

Existing and future rent control or rent stabilization laws and regulations, along with similar laws and regulations that expand tenants’ rights or impose additional costs on landlords, may reduce rental revenues or increase operating costs. Such laws and regulations limit our ability to charge market rents, increase rents, evict tenants or recover increases in our operating expenses and could reduce the value of our communities or make it more difficult for us to dispose of properties in certain circumstances. Expenses associated with our investment in these communities, such as debt service, real estate taxes, insurance and maintenance costs, are generally not reduced when circumstances cause a reduction in rental income from the community.

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The COVID-19 pandemic and the future outbreak of other contagious diseases could materially affect our business, financial condition, stock price, and results of operations. Uncertainty still surrounds the long-term impact of COVID-19. If there is a future outbreak of COVID-19 or other contagious diseases, the Company may again be subject to eviction moratoria, limits on rent increases and collection efforts, or may be legally required to or otherwise agree to restructure tenants’ rent obligations and may not be able to do so on terms as favorable to us as those currently in place. In the event of tenant nonpayment, default or bankruptcy, we may incur costs in protecting our investment, collecting delinquent rents, and re-leasing our property and have limited ability to renew existing leases or sign new leases at levels consistent with market rents. A new pandemic or disease outbreak may cause increased costs, lower profitability and market fluctuations that may affect our ability to obtain necessary funds for our business or negatively impact the ability of the Company’s third-party mezzanine loan borrowers and preferred equity investment sponsors to repay the Company.

Acquisitions of communities involve various risks and uncertainties and may fail to meet expectations. The Company intends to continue to acquire apartment communities. However, acquisitions may fail to meet the Company’s expectations due to factors including inaccurate estimates of future income, expenses and the costs of improvements or redevelopment. Further, the value and operational performance of an apartment community may be diminished if neighborhood changes occur before we are able to redevelop or sell the community. Also, in connection with such acquisitions, we may assume unknown or contingent liabilities, which could ultimately lead to material costs for us that we did not expect to incur and for which the Company may have no recourse, or only limited recourse, against the sellers. In addition, the total amount of costs and expenses that may be incurred with respect to liabilities associated with apartment communities may exceed our expectations, and we may experience other unanticipated adverse effects, all of which may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. The use of equity financing for future developments or acquisitions could dilute the interest of the Company’s existing stockholders. If the Company finances new acquisitions under existing lines of credit, there is a risk that, unless the Company obtains substitute financing, the Company may not be able to undertake additional borrowing for further acquisitions or developments or such borrowing may be not available on advantageous terms.

**Development and redevelopment activities may be delayed, not completed, and/or not achieve expected results

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Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None**.**

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Item 2. Properties

The Company’s portfolio as of December 31, 2022 (including communities owned by unconsolidated joint ventures, but excluding communities underlying preferred equity investments) was comprised of 252 stabilized operating apartment communities (comprising 62,147 apartment homes), of which 26,374 apartment homes are located in Southern California, 23,248 apartment homes are located in Northern California, and 12,525 apartment homes are located in the Seattle metropolitan area. The Company’s apartment communities accounted for 99.0% of the Company’s revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Occupancy Rates

Financial occupancy is defined as the percentage resulting from dividing actual rental income by total scheduled rental income. Total scheduled rental income represents the value of all apartment homes, with occupied apartment homes valued at contractual rental rates pursuant to leases and vacant apartment homes valued at estimated market rents. When calculating actual rents for occupied apartment homes and market rents for vacant apartment homes, delinquencies and concessions are not taken into account. The Company believes that financial occupancy is a meaningful measure of occupancy because it considers the value of each vacant unit at its estimated market rate. Financial occupancy may not completely reflect short-term trends in physical occupancy and financial occupancy rates, and the Company's calculation of financial occupancy may not be comparable to financial occupancy as disclosed by other REITs. Market rates are determined using the recently signed effective rates on new leases at the property and are used as the starting point in the determination of the market rates of vacant apartment homes. The Company may increase or decrease these rates based on a variety of factors, including overall supply and demand for housing, concentration of new apartment deliveries within the same submarket which can cause periodic disruption due to greater rental concessions to increase leasing velocity, and rental affordability.

For communities that are development properties in lease-up without stabilized occupancy figures, the Company believes the physical occupancy rate is the appropriate performance metric. While a community is in the lease-up phase, the Company’s primary motivation is to stabilize the property, which may entail the use of rent concessions and other incentives, and thus financial occupancy which is based on contractual income is not considered the best metric to quantify occupancy.

Communities

The Company’s communities are primarily urban and suburban high density wood frame communities comprising of three to seven stories above grade construction with structured parking situated on 1-10 acres of land with densities averaging between 30-80+ units per acre. As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s communities include 104 garden-style, 138 mid-rise, and 10 high-rise communities. Garden-style communities are generally defined as on-grade properties with two and/or three-story buildings with no structured parking while mid-rise communities are generally defined as properties with three to seven story buildings and some structured parking. High-rise communities are typically defined as properties with buildings that are greater than seven stories, are steel or concrete framed, and frequently have structured parking. The communities have an average of approximately 247 apartment homes, with a mix of studio, one-, two- and some three-bedroom apartment homes. A wide variety of amenities are available at the Company’s communities, including covered parking, fireplaces, swimming pools, clubhouses with fitness facilities, playground areas and dog parks.

The Company hires, trains and supervises on-site service and maintenance personnel. The Company believes that the following primary factors enhance the Company’s ability to retain tenants:

located near employment centers;
attractive communities that are well maintained; and
proactive customer service.

Commercial Buildings

The Company owns three commercial buildings with approximately 283,000 square feet located in California and Washington, of which the Company occupied approximately 13,000 square feet as of December 31, 2022. Furthermore, as of December 31, 2022, the commercial buildings' physical occupancy rate was 83% consisting of 7 tenants, including the Company.

Operating Portfolio

The table below describes the Company’s operating portfolio as of December 31, 2022. (See Note 8, "Mortgage Notes Payable" to the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more

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information about the Company’s secured mortgage debt and Schedule III thereto for a list of secured mortgage loans related to the Company’s portfolio.)


			Apartment	Year	Year
Communities (1)	Location	Type	Homes	Built	Acquired (20)	Occupancy(2)
Southern California
Alpine Village	Alpine, CA	Garden	301	1971	2002	96%
Barkley, The (3)(4)	Anaheim, CA	Garden	161	1984	2000	97%
Park Viridian	Anaheim, CA	Mid-rise	320	2008	2014	96%
Bonita Cedars	Bonita, CA	Garden	120	1983	2002	97%
The Village at Toluca Lake	Burbank, CA	Mid-rise	145	1974	2017	97%
Camarillo Oaks	Camarillo, CA	Garden	564	1985	1996	96%
Camino Ruiz Square	Camarillo, CA	Garden	159	1990	2006	98%
Pinnacle at Otay Ranch I & II	Chula Vista, CA	Mid-rise	364	2001	2014	97%
Mesa Village	Clairemont, CA	Garden	133	1963	2002	96%
Villa Siena	Costa Mesa, CA	Garden	272	1974	2014	96%
Emerald Pointe	Diamond Bar, CA	Garden	160	1989	2014	97%
Regency at Encino	Encino, CA	Mid-rise	75	1989	2009	98%
The Havens (5)	Fountain Valley, CA	Garden	440	1969	2014	96%
Valley Park	Fountain Valley, CA	Garden	160	1969	2001	97%
Capri at Sunny Hills (4)	Fullerton, CA	Garden	102	1961	2001	95%
Haver Hill (6)	Fullerton, CA	Garden	264	1973	2012	96%
Pinnacle at Fullerton	Fullerton, CA	Mid-rise	192	2004	2014	97%
Wilshire Promenade	Fullerton, CA	Mid-rise	149	1992	1997	97%
Montejo Apartments	Garden Grove, CA	Garden	124	1974	2001	97%
The Henley I	Glendale, CA	Mid-rise	83	1974	1999	96%
The Henley II	Glendale, CA	Mid-rise	132	1970	1999	96%
CBC and The Sweeps	Goleta, CA	Garden	239	1962	2006	99%
Huntington Breakers	Huntington Beach, CA	Mid-rise	342	1984	1997	97%
The Huntington	Huntington Beach, CA	Garden	276	1975	2012	97%
Hillsborough Park (7)	La Habra, CA	Garden	235	1999	1999	97%
Village Green	La Habra, CA	Garden	272	1971	2014	96%
The Palms at Laguna Niguel	Laguna Niguel, CA	Garden	460	1988	2014	96%
Trabuco Villas	Lake Forest, CA	Mid-rise	132	1985	1997	98%
Marbrisa	Long Beach, CA	Mid-rise	202	1987	2002	96%
Pathways at Bixby Village	Long Beach, CA	Garden	296	1975	1991	96%
5600 Wilshire	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	284	2008	2014	97%
Alessio	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	624	2001	2014	96%
Ashton Sherman Village	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	264	2014	2016	97%
Avant	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	440	2014	2015	95%
The Avery	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	121	2014	2014	96%
Bellerive	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	63	2011	2011	97%
Belmont Station	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	275	2009	2009	96%
Bunker Hill	Los Angeles, CA	High-rise	456	1968	1998	95%
Catalina Gardens	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	128	1987	2014	95%
Cochran Apartments	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	58	1989	1998	96%
Emerson Valley Village	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	144	2012	2016	97%
Gas Company Lofts (6)	Los Angeles, CA	High-rise	251	2004	2013	96%
The Blake LA	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	196	1979	1997	97%
Marbella	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	60	1991	2005	96%

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			Apartment	Year	Year
Communities (1)	Location	Type	Homes	Built	Acquired (20)	Occupancy(2)
Pacific Electric Lofts (8)	Los Angeles, CA	High-rise	314	2006	2012	95%
Park Catalina	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	90	2002	2012	96%
Park Place	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	60	1988	1997	96%
Regency Palm Court	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	116	1987	2014	89%
Santee Court	Los Angeles, CA	High-rise	165	2004	2010	95%
Santee Village	Los Angeles, CA	High-rise	73	2011	2011	95%
Tiffany Court	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	101	1987	2014	97%
Wallace on Sunset	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	200	2021	2021	95%
Wilshire La Brea	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	478	2014	2014	96%
Windsor Court	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	95	1987	2014	93%
Windsor Court	Los Angeles, CA	Mid-rise	58	1988	1997	96%
Aqua at Marina Del Rey	Marina Del Rey, CA	Mid-rise	500	2001	2014	97%
Marina City Club (9)	Marina Del Rey, CA	Mid-rise	101	1971	2004	99%
Mirabella	Marina Del Rey, CA	Mid-rise	188	2000	2000	96%
Mira Monte	Mira Mesa, CA	Garden	354	1982	2002	97%
Hillcrest Park	Newbury Park, CA	Garden	608	1973	1998	95%
Fairway Apartments at Big Canyon (10)	Newport Beach, CA	Mid-rise	74	1972	1999	93%
Muse	North Hollywood, CA	Mid-rise	152	2011	2011	96%
Country Villas	Oceanside, CA	Garden	180	1976	2002	97%
Mission Hills	Oceanside, CA	Garden	282	1984	2005	96%
Renaissance at Uptown Orange	Orange, CA	Mid-rise	460	2007	2014	96%
Mariner's Place	Oxnard, CA	Garden	105	1987	2000	97%
Monterey Villas	Oxnard, CA	Garden	122	1974	1997	95%
Tierra Vista	Oxnard, CA	Mid-rise	404	2001	2001	96%
Arbors at Parc Rose (8)	Oxnard, CA	Mid-rise	373	2001	2011	96%
The Hallie	Pasadena, CA	Mid-rise	292	1972	1997	97%
The Stuart	Pasadena, CA	Mid-rise	188	2007	2014	97%
Villa Angelina	Placentia, CA	Garden	256	1970	2001	97%
Fountain Park	Playa Vista, CA	Mid-rise	705	2002	2004	96%
Highridge (4)	Rancho Palos Verdes, CA	Mid-rise	255	1972	1997	96%
Cortesia	Rancho Santa Margarita, CA	Garden	308	1999	2014	96%
Pinnacle at Talega	San Clemente, CA	Mid-rise	362	2002	2014	96%
Allure at Scripps Ranch	San Diego, CA	Mid-rise	194	2002	2014	97%
Bernardo Crest	San Diego, CA	Garden	216	1988	2014	97%
Cambridge Park	San Diego, CA	Mid-rise	320	1998	2014	96%
Carmel Creek	San Diego, CA	Garden	348	2000	2014	96%
Carmel Landing	San Diego, CA	Garden	356	1989	2014	95%
Carmel Summit	San Diego, CA	Mid-rise	246	1989	2014	97%
CentrePointe	San Diego, CA	Garden	224	1974	1997	95%
Esplanade (5)	San Diego, CA	Garden	616	1986	2014	96%
Form 15	San Diego, CA	Mid-rise	242	2014	2016	97%
Montanosa	San Diego, CA	Garden	472	1990	2014	97%
Summit Park	San Diego, CA	Garden	300	1972	2002	97%
Essex Skyline (11)	Santa Ana, CA	High-rise	350	2008	2010	94%
Fairhaven Apartments (4)	Santa Ana, CA	Garden	164	1970	2001	97%
Parkside Court (5)	Santa Ana, CA	Mid-rise	210	1986	2014	97%

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			Apartment	Year	Year
Communities (1)	Location	Type	Homes	Built	Acquired (20)	Occupancy(2)
Pinnacle at MacArthur Place	Santa Ana, CA	Mid-rise	253	2002	2014	96%
Hope Ranch	Santa Barbara, CA	Garden	108	1965	2007	97%
Bridgeport Coast (12)	Santa Clarita, CA	Mid-rise	188	2006	2014	96%
Meadowood (7)	Simi Valley, CA	Garden	320	1986	1996	95%
Shadow Point	Spring Valley, CA	Garden	172	1983	2002	96%
The Fairways at Westridge (12)	Valencia, CA	Mid-rise	234	2004	2014	97%
The Vistas of West Hills (12)	Valencia, CA	Mid-rise	220	2009	2014	97%
Allegro	Valley Village, CA	Mid-rise	97	2010	2010	97%
Lofts at Pinehurst, The	Ventura, CA	Garden	118	1971	1997	96%
Pinehurst (13)	Ventura, CA	Garden	28	1973	2004	99%
Woodside Village	Ventura, CA	Garden	145	1987	2004	97%
Passage Buena Vista (14)	Vista, CA	Garden	179	2020	2021	96%
Walnut Heights	Walnut, CA	Garden	163	1964	2003	97%
The Dylan	West Hollywood, CA	Mid-rise	184	2014	2014	95%
The Huxley	West Hollywood, CA	Mid-rise	187	2014	2014	96%
Reveal	Woodland Hills, CA	Mid-rise	438	2010	2011	96%
Avondale at Warner Center	Woodland Hills, CA	Mid-rise	446	1970	1999	96%
Vela (16)	Woodland Hills, CA	Mid-rise	379	2018	2022	95%
			26,374			96%
Northern California
Belmont Terrace	Belmont, CA	Mid-rise	71	1974	2006	96%
Fourth & U	Berkeley, CA	Mid-rise	171	2010	2010	94%
The Commons	Campbell, CA	Garden	264	1973	2010	97%
Pointe at Cupertino	Cupertino, CA	Garden	116	1963	1998	97%
Connolly Station	Dublin, CA	Mid-rise	309	2014	2014	96%
Avenue 64	Emeryville, CA	Mid-rise	224	2007	2014	95%
The Courtyards at 65th Street (15)	Emeryville, CA	Mid-rise	331	2004	2019	94%
Emme	Emeryville, CA	Mid-rise	190	2015	2015	94%
Foster's Landing	Foster City, CA	Garden	490	1987	2014	96%
Stevenson Place	Fremont, CA	Garden	200	1975	2000	95%
Mission Peaks	Fremont, CA	Mid-rise	453	1995	2014	96%
Mission Peaks II	Fremont, CA	Garden	336	1989	2014	97%
Paragon Apartments	Fremont, CA	Mid-rise	301	2013	2014	96%
Boulevard	Fremont, CA	Garden	172	1978	1996	97%
Briarwood (8)	Fremont, CA	Garden	160	1978	2011	97%
The Woods (8)	Fremont, CA	Garden	160	1978	2011	96%
The Rexford (16)	Fremont, CA	Garden	203	1973	2021	96%
City Centre (12)	Hayward, CA	Mid-rise	192	2000	2014	97%
City View	Hayward, CA	Garden	572	1975	1998	97%
Lafayette Highlands	Lafayette, CA	Garden	150	1973	2014	95%
777 Hamilton (17)	Menlo Park, CA	Mid-rise	195	2017	2019	95%
Apex	Milpitas, CA	Mid-rise	367	2014	2014	96%
Regency at Mountain View (6)	Mountain View, CA	Mid-rise	142	1970	2013	96%
Bridgeport (7)	Newark, CA	Garden	184	1987	1987	97%
The Landing at Jack London Square	Oakland, CA	Mid-rise	282	2001	2014	96%
The Grand	Oakland, CA	High-rise	243	2009	2009	95%
The Galloway	Pleasanton, CA	Mid-rise	506	2016	2016	96%

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			Apartment	Year	Year
Communities (1)	Location	Type	Homes	Built	Acquired (20)	Occupancy(2)
Radius	Redwood City, CA	Mid-rise	264	2015	2015	95%
Township	Redwood City, CA	Mid-rise	132	2014	2019	95%
San Marcos	Richmond, CA	Mid-rise	432	2003	2003	96%
500 Folsom (14)	San Francisco, CA	High-rise	537	2021	2021	95%
Bennett Lofts	San Francisco, CA	Mid-rise	164	2004	2012	82%
Fox Plaza	San Francisco, CA	High-rise	445	1968	2013	96%
MB 360	San Francisco, CA	Mid-rise	360	2014	2014	96%
Park West	San Francisco, CA	Mid-rise	126	1958	2012	95%
101 San Fernando	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	323	2001	2010	96%
360 Residences (15)	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	213	2010	2017	94%
Bella Villagio	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	231	2004	2010	96%
Century Towers (14)	San Jose, CA	High-rise	376	2017	2017	96%
Enso	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	183	2014	2015	97%
Epic	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	769	2013	2013	96%
Esplanade	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	278	2002	2004	97%
Fountains at River Oaks	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	226	1990	2014	97%
Marquis	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	166	2015	2016	96%
Meridian at Midtown (15)	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	218	2015	2018	95%
Mio	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	103	2015	2016	97%
Palm Valley	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	1,100	2008	2014	96%
Patina at Midtown (14)	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	269	2021	2021	95%
Sage at Cupertino (4)	San Jose, CA	Garden	230	1971	2017	95%
Silver (14)	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	268	2019	2021	94%
The Carlyle (7)	San Jose, CA	Garden	132	2000	2000	96%
The Waterford	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	238	2000	2000	96%
Willow Lake	San Jose, CA	Mid-rise	508	1989	2012	97%
Lakeshore Landing	San Mateo, CA	Mid-rise	308	1988	2014	96%
Hillsdale Garden (14)	San Mateo, CA	Garden	697	1948	2006	96%
Station Park Green	San Mateo, CA	Mid-rise	599	2018	2018	95%
Deer Valley	San Rafael, CA	Garden	171	1996	2014	97%
Bel Air	San Ramon, CA	Garden	462	1988	1995	96%
Canyon Oaks	San Ramon, CA	Mid-rise	250	2005	2007	96%
Crow Canyon	San Ramon, CA	Mid-rise	400	1992	2014	97%
Foothill Gardens	San Ramon, CA	Garden	132	1985	1997	96%
Mill Creek at Windermere	San Ramon, CA	Mid-rise	400	2005	2007	96%
Twin Creeks	San Ramon, CA	Garden	44	1985	1997	96%
1000 Kiely	Santa Clara, CA	Garden	121	1971	2011	97%
Le Parc	Santa Clara, CA	Garden	140	1975	1994	97%
Marina Cove (18)	Santa Clara, CA	Garden	292	1974	1994	96%
Mylo	Santa Clara, CA	Mid-rise	476	2021	2021	95%
Riley Square (8)	Santa Clara, CA	Garden	156	1972	2012	97%
Villa Granada	Santa Clara, CA	Mid-rise	270	2010	2014	96%
Chestnut Street Apartments	Santa Cruz, CA	Garden	96	2002	2008	98%
Bristol Commons	Sunnyvale, CA	Garden	188	1989	1995	96%
Brookside Oaks (4)	Sunnyvale, CA	Garden	170	1973	2000	98%
Lawrence Station	Sunnyvale, CA	Mid-rise	336	2012	2014	96%
Magnolia Lane (19)	Sunnyvale, CA	Garden	32	2001	2007	96%

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			Apartment	Year	Year
Communities (1)	Location	Type	Homes	Built	Acquired (20)	Occupancy(2)
Magnolia Square (4)	Sunnyvale, CA	Garden	156	1963	2007	96%
Montclaire	Sunnyvale, CA	Mid-rise	390	1973	1988	97%
Reed Square	Sunnyvale, CA	Garden	100	1970	2011	97%
Solstice	Sunnyvale, CA	Mid-rise	280	2014	2014	96%
Summerhill Park	Sunnyvale, CA	Garden	100	1988	1988	98%
Via	Sunnyvale, CA	Mid-rise	284	2011	2011	96%
Windsor Ridge	Sunnyvale, CA	Mid-rise	216	1989	1989	97%
Vista Belvedere	Tiburon, CA	Mid-rise	76	1963	2004	96%
Verandas (12)	Union City, CA	Mid-rise	282	1989	2014	97%
Agora	Walnut Creek, CA	Mid-rise	49	2016	2016	97%
Brio (4)	Walnut Creek, CA	Mid-rise	300	2015	2019	96%
			23,248			96%
Seattle, Washington Metropolitan Area
Belcarra	Bellevue, WA	Mid-rise	296	2009	2014	96%
BellCentre	Bellevue, WA	Mid-rise	249	2001	2014	96%
Cedar Terrace	Bellevue, WA	Garden	180	1984	2005	96%
Courtyard off Main	Bellevue, WA	Mid-rise	110	2000	2010	95%
Ellington	Bellevue, WA	Mid-rise	220	1994	2014	94%
Emerald Ridge	Bellevue, WA	Garden	180	1987	1994	97%
Foothill Commons	Bellevue, WA	Mid-rise	394	1978	1990	96%
Palisades, The	Bellevue, WA	Garden	192	1977	1990	97%
Park Highland	Bellevue, WA	Mid-rise	250	1993	2014	96%
Piedmont	Bellevue, WA	Garden	396	1969	2014	96%
Sammamish View	Bellevue, WA	Garden	153	1986	1994	97%
Woodland Commons	Bellevue, WA	Garden	302	1978	1990	96%
Bothell Ridge (5)	Bothell, WA	Garden	214	1988	2014	96%
Canyon Pointe	Bothell, WA	Garden	250	1990	2003	97%
Inglenook Court	Bothell, WA	Garden	224	1985	1994	96%
Pinnacle Sonata	Bothell, WA	Mid-rise	268	2000	2014	96%
Salmon Run at Perry Creek	Bothell, WA	Garden	132	2000	2000	97%
Stonehedge Village	Bothell, WA	Garden	196	1986	1997	98%
Highlands at Wynhaven	Issaquah, WA	Mid-rise	333	2000	2008	96%
Park Hill at Issaquah	Issaquah, WA	Garden	245	1999	1999	97%
Wandering Creek	Kent, WA	Garden	156	1986	1995	97%
Ascent	Kirkland, WA	Garden	90	1988	2012	96%
Bridle Trails	Kirkland, WA	Garden	108	1986	1997	97%
Corbella at Juanita Bay	Kirkland, WA	Garden	169	1978	2010	97%
Evergreen Heights	Kirkland, WA	Garden	200	1990	1997	97%
Slater 116	Kirkland, WA	Mid-rise	108	2013	2013	96%
Montebello	Kirkland, WA	Garden	248	1996	2012	97%
Martha Lake Apartments (16)	Lynwood, WA	Mid-rise	155	1991	2021	97%
Aviara (19)	Mercer Island, WA	Mid-rise	166	2013	2014	96%
Laurels at Mill Creek	Mill Creek, WA	Garden	164	1981	1996	98%
Monterra in Mill Creek (16)	Mill Creek, WA	Garden	139	2003	2021	97%
Parkwood at Mill Creek	Mill Creek, WA	Garden	240	1989	2014	97%
The Elliot at Mukilteo (4)	Mukilteo, WA	Garden	301	1981	1997	96%
Castle Creek	Newcastle, WA	Garden	216	1998	1998	98%

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			Apartment	Year	Year
Communities (1)	Location	Type	Homes	Built	Acquired (20)	Occupancy(2)
Elevation	Redmond, WA	Garden	158	1986	2010	96%
Pure Redmond	Redmond, WA	Mid-rise	105	2016	2019	96%
Redmond Hill (8)	Redmond, WA	Garden	442	1985	2011	96%
Shadowbrook	Redmond, WA	Garden	418	1986	2014	95%
The Trails of Redmond	Redmond, WA	Garden	423	1985	2014	95%
Vesta (8)	Redmond, WA	Garden	440	1998	2011	96%
Brighton Ridge	Renton, WA	Garden	264	1986	1996	96%
Fairwood Pond	Renton, WA	Garden	194	1997	2004	98%
Forest View	Renton, WA	Garden	192	1998	2003	97%
Pinnacle on Lake Washington	Renton, WA	Mid-rise	180	2001	2014	97%
8th & Republican (15)	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	211	2016	2017	96%
Annaliese	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	56	2009	2013	97%
The Audrey at Belltown	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	137	1992	2014	96%
The Bernard	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	63	2008	2011	96%
Cairns, The	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	99	2006	2007	95%
Collins on Pine	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	76	2013	2014	96%
Canvas	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	123	2014	2021	100%
Domaine	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	92	2009	2012	97%
Expo (14)	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	275	2012	2012	93%
Fountain Court	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	320	2000	2000	95%
Patent 523	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	295	2010	2010	96%
Taylor 28	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	197	2008	2014	96%
Velo and Ray (15)	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	308	2014	2019	96%
Vox Apartments	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	58	2013	2013	95%
Wharfside Pointe	Seattle, WA	Mid-rise	155	1990	1994	97%
			12,525			96%

Total/Weighted Average			62,147			96%

Footnotes to the Company’s Portfolio Listing as of December 31, 2022

(1)Unless otherwise specified, the Company consolidates each community in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

(2)For communities, occupancy rates are based on financial occupancy for the year ended December 31, 2022, except for communities that were stabilized during the year, in which case occupancy as of December 31, 2022 was used. For an explanation of how financial occupancy is calculated, see "Occupancy Rates" in this Item 2.

(3)The community is subject to a ground lease, which, unless extended, will expire in 2083.

(4)Each of these communities is part of a DownREIT structure in which the Company is the general partner or manager and the other limited partners or members are granted rights of redemption for their interests.

(5)This community is owned by BEXAEW. The Company has a 50% interest in BEXAEW, which is accounted for using the equity method of accounting.

(6)This community is owned by Wesco III, LLC ("Wesco III"). The Company has a 50% interest in Wesco III, which is accounted for using the equity method of accounting.

(7)This community is owned by BEX II, LLC ("BEX II"). The Company has a 50% interest in BEX II, which is accounted for using the equity method of accounting.

(8)This community is owned by Wesco I, LLC ("Wesco I"). The Company has a 58% interest in Wesco I, which is accounted for using the equity method of accounting.

(9)This community is subject to a ground lease, which, unless extended, will expire in 2067.

(10)This community is subject to a ground lease, which, unless extended, will expire in 2027.

(11)The Company has a 97% interest and a former Executive Vice President of the Company has a 3% interest in this community.

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(12)This community is owned by Wesco IV, LLC ("Wesco IV") The Company has a 65.1% interest in Wesco IV, which is accounted for using the equity method of accounting.

(13)This community is subject to a ground lease, which, unless extended, will expire in 2028.

(14)The Company has an interest in a single asset entity owning this community.

(15)This community is owned by Wesco V, LLC ("Wesco V"). The Company has a 50% interest in Wesco V, which is accounted for using the equity method of accounting.

(16)This community is owned by Wesco VI, LLC ("Wesco VI"). The Company has a 50% interest in Wesco VI, which is accounted for using the equity method of accounting.

(17)This community is owned by BEX IV, LLC ("BEX IV"). The Company has a 50.1% interest in BEX IV, which is accounted for using the equity method of accounting.

(18)A portion of this community on which 84 apartment homes are presently located is subject to a ground lease, which, unless extended, will expire in 2028.

(19)The community is subject to a ground lease, which, unless extended, will expire in 2070.

(20) Represents the initial year the joint venture or consolidated community was acquired.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

The information regarding lawsuits, other proceedings and claims, set forth in Note 17, "Commitments and Contingencies", to our consolidated financial statements included in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 3. In addition to such matters referred to in Note 17, the Company is subject to various other legal and/or regulatory proceedings arising in the course of its business operations. We believe that, with respect to such matters that we are currently a party to, the ultimate disposition of any such matter will not result in a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not Applicable.

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Part II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market Information

The shares of the Company’s common stock are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ESS".

There is no established public trading market for the Operating Partnership's limited partnership units ("OP Units").

Holders

The approximate number of holders of record of the shares of Essex's common stock was 987 as of February 21, 2023. This number does not include stockholders whose shares are held in investment accounts by other entities. Essex believes the actual number of stockholders is greater than the number of holders of record.

As of February 21, 2023, there were 64 holders of record of OP Units, including Essex.

Return of Capital

Under provisions of the Code, the portion of the cash dividend, if any, that exceeds earnings and profits is considered a return of capital. The return of capital is generated due to a variety of factors, including the deduction of non-cash expenses, primarily depreciation, in the determination of earnings and profits.

The status of the cash dividends distributed for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020 related to common stock are as follows:


	2022		2021		2020
Common Stock
Ordinary income	80.17	%	70.92	%	85.23	%
Capital gain	16.78	%	22.07	%	10.68	%
Unrecaptured section 1250 capital gain	3.05	%	7.01	%	4.09	%

	100.00	%	100.00	%	100.00	%

Dividends and Distributions

Future dividends/distributions by Essex and the Operating Partnership will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors of Essex and will depend on the actual cash flows from operations of the Company, its financial condition, capital requirements, the annual distribution requirements under the REIT provisions of the Code, applicable legal restrictions and such other factors as the Board of Directors deems relevant. There are currently no contractual restrictions on Essex's and the Operating Partnership's present or future ability to pay dividends and distributions, and we do not anticipate that our ability to pay dividends/distributions will be impaired; however, there can be no assurances in that regard.

The Board of Directors declared a dividend/distribution for the fourth quarter of 2022 of $2.20 per share. The dividend/distribution was paid on January 13, 2023 to stockholders/unitholders of record as of January 3, 2023.

Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan

Essex has adopted a dividend reinvestment and share purchase plan designed to provide holders of common stock with a convenient and economical means to reinvest all or a portion of their cash dividends in shares of common stock and to acquire additional shares of common stock through voluntary purchases. Computershare, LLC, which serves as Essex's transfer agent, administers the dividend reinvestment and share purchase plan. For a copy of the plan, contact Computershare, LLC at (312) 360-5354.

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Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans

The information required by this section is incorporated herein by reference from our Proxy Statement, relating to our 2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, under the headings "Equity Compensation Plan Information," to be filed with the SEC within 120 days of December 31, 2022.

Issuance of Registered Equity Securities

During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company did not issue any shares of common stock under the 2021 ATM Program. As of December 31, 2022, there were no outstanding forward sale agreements, and $900.0 million of shares remain available to be sold under the 2021 ATM Program.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

In December 2015, Essex's Board of Directors authorized a stock repurchase plan to allow Essex to acquire shares of common stock up to an aggregate value of $250.0 million. In February 2019, the Board of Directors approved the replenishment of the stock repurchase plan such that, as of such date, the Company had $250.0 million of purchase authority remaining under the stock repurchase plan. In each of May and December 2020, the Board of Directors approved the replenishment of the stock repurchase plan such that, as of each such date, Essex had $250.0 million of purchase authority remaining under the replenished plan. In September 2022, the Board of Directors approved a new stock repurchase plan to allow Essex to acquire shares of common stock up to an aggregate value of $500.0 million and as of December 31, 2022, the Company had repurchased 420,606 shares of common stock under this plan, totaling $101.7 million. The plan supersedes the previous common stock repurchase plan announced in December 2015. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company repurchased and retired 740,053 shares of its common stock totaling $189.7 million, including commissions, at an average price of $256.37 per share. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had $398.3 million of purchase authority remaining under the stock repurchase plan.

Performance Graph

The line graph below compares the cumulative total stockholder return on Essex's common stock for the last five years with the cumulative total return on the S&P 500, the FTSE NAREIT All Equity REIT index and the FTSE NAREIT Equity Apartments index over the same period. This comparison assumes that the value of the investment in the common stock and each index was $100 on December 31, 2017 and that all dividends were reinvested. The FTSE NAREIT Equity Apartments index was added in the current year as it more closely aligns with executive compensation and performance of the Company against its more directly comparable peers.

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	Period Ending
Index	12/31/2017		12/31/2018		12/31/2019		12/31/2020		12/31/2021		12/31/2022
Essex Property Trust, Inc.	$	100.00	$	104.83	$	132.00	$	108.12	$	164.77	$	102.55
FTSE NAREIT Equity Apartments Index	$	100.00	$	103.70	$	130.99	$	110.89	$	181.43	$	123.46
FTSE NAREIT All Equity REITs Index	$	100.00	$	95.96	$	123.46	$	117.14	$	165.51	$	124.22
S&P 500 Index	$	100.00	$	95.62	$	125.72	$	148.85	$	191.58	$	156.88

(1)Common stock performance data is provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

The graph and other information furnished under the above caption "Performance Graph" in this Part II Item 5 of this Form 10-K shall not deemed to be "soliciting material" or to be "filed" with the SEC or subject to Regulation 14A or 14C, or to the liabilities of the Exchange Act.

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities

During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Operating Partnership issued OP Units in private placements in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, in the amounts and for the consideration set forth below:

During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, Essex issued an aggregate of 76,246 and 248,725 shares of its common stock upon the exercise of stock options, respectively. Essex contributed the proceeds from the option exercises of $19.5 million and $58.5 million to the Operating Partnership in exchange for an aggregate of 76,246 and 248,725 OP Units, as required by the Operating Partnership’s partnership agreement, during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

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During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, Essex issued an aggregate of 11,707 and 30,360 shares of its common stock in connection with restricted stock awards for no cash consideration, respectively. For each share of common stock issued by Essex in connection with such awards, the Operating Partnership issued OP Units to Essex as required by the Operating Partnership's partnership agreement, for an aggregate of 11,707 and 30,360 OP Units during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, Essex issued an aggregate of 8,310 and 10,293 shares of its common stock in connection with the exchange of OP Units by limited partners into shares of common stock. For each share of common stock issued by Essex in connection with such exchange, the Operating Partnership issued OP Units to Essex as required by the Operating Partnership's partnership agreement, for an aggregate of 8,310 and 10,293 OP Units during the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Essex may sell shares through its equity distribution program, then contribute the net proceeds from these share issuances to the Operating Partnership in exchange for OP Units as required by the Operating Partnership's partnership agreement. During the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company did not issue or sell any shares of common stock pursuant to the 2021 ATM Program. As of December 31, 2022, there were no outstanding forward sale agreements.

Stock Repurchases

The following table summarizes the Company's purchase of shares of its common stock during the three months ended December 31, 2022:


	Total Number of Shares Purchased	Average Price Paid Per Share		Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of a Publicly Announced Program(1)	Maximum Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Program (in millions)(1)
November 1, 2022 - November 30, 2022	28,200	$	210.82	28,200	$	424.2
December 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022	121,009	$	213.45	121,009	$	398.3
Total	149,209	$	212.95	149,209	$	398.3

(1) In September 2022, the Board of Directors approved a new stock repurchase plan to allow the Company to acquire shares of common stock up to an aggregate of $500.0 million. The plan supersedes the Company's previous common stock repurchase plan announced in December 2015. Following the approval of the new plan, 420,606 shares of common stock totaling $101.7 million were repurchased under the new plan.

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Item 6. [Reserved]

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the accompanying consolidated financial statements and notes thereto. These consolidated financial statements include all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary to reflect a fair statement of the results and all such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature.

OVERVIEW

Essex is a self-administered and self-managed REIT that acquires, develops, redevelops, and manages apartment communities in selected residential areas located on the West Coast of the United States. Essex owns all of its interests in its real estate investments, directly or indirectly, through the Operating Partnership. Essex is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership and, as of December 31, 2022, had an approximately 96.6% general partner interest in the Operating Partnership.

The Company’s investment strategy has two components: constant monitoring of existing markets, and evaluation of new markets to identify areas with the characteristics that underlie rental growth. The Company’s strong financial condition supports its investment strategy by enhancing its ability to quickly shift acquisition, development, redevelopment, and disposition activities to markets that will optimize the performance of the Company's portfolio.

As of December 31, 2022, the Company owned or had ownership interests in 252 operating apartment communities, comprising 62,147 apartment homes, excluding the Company's ownership in preferred equity co-investments, loan investments, three operating commercial buildings, and a development pipeline comprised of one unconsolidated joint venture project.

The Company’s apartment communities are predominately located in the following major regions:

Southern California (primarily Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and Ventura counties)

Northern California (the San Francisco Bay Area)

Seattle Metro (Seattle metropolitan area)

As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s development pipeline was comprised of one unconsolidated joint venture project under development aggregating 264 apartment homes and various predevelopment projects, with total incurred costs of $102.0 million. The estimated remaining project costs are approximately $25.0 million, $12.8 million of which represents the Company's estimated remaining costs, for total estimated project costs of $127.0 million.

As of December 31, 2022, the Company also had an ownership interest in three operating commercial buildings (totaling approximately 283,000 square feet).

By region, the Company's operating results for 2022 and 2021 and projection for 2023 new housing supply (defined as new multifamily apartment homes and single family homes, excluding developments with fewer than 50 apartment homes as well as student, senior and 100% affordable housing), projection for 2023 job growth, and 2023 estimated Same-Property revenue growth are as follows:

Southern California Region: As of December 31, 2022, this region represented 43% of the Company’s consolidated operating apartment homes. Revenues for "2022 Same-Properties" (as defined below), or "Same-Property revenues," increased 11.3% in 2022 as compared to 2021. In 2023, the Company projects new residential supply of 30,300 apartment homes and single family homes, which represents 0.5% of the total housing stock. The Company projects an increase of 2,000 jobs or 0.3% in the Southern California region.

Northern California Region: As of December 31, 2022, this region represented 37% of the Company’s consolidated operating apartment homes. Same-Property revenues increased 8.4% in 2022 as compared to 2021. In 2023, the Company projects new residential supply of 12,750 apartment homes and single family homes, which represents 0.5% of the total housing stock. The Company projects an increase of 4,500 jobs or 0.7% in the Northern California region.

Seattle Metro Region**:** As of December 31, 2022, this region represented 20% of the Company’s consolidated operating apartment homes. Same-Property revenues increased 12.0% in 2022 as compared to 2021. In 2023, the Company projects new residential supply of 14,450 apartment homes and single family homes, which represents 1.1% of the total housing stock. The Company projects an increase of 3,000 jobs or 0.4% in the Seattle Metro region.

In total, the Company projects an increase in 2023 Same-Property revenues of between 3.25% to 4.75%. Same-Property operating expenses are projected to increase in 2023 by 4.50% to 5.50%.

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The Company’s consolidated operating communities are as follows:


	As of			As of
	December 31, 2022			December 31, 2021
	Apartment Homes	%		Apartment Homes	%
Southern California	22,151	43	%	22,190	43	%
Northern California	19,230	37	%	19,123	37	%
Seattle Metro	10,341	20	%	10,341	20	%
Total	51,722	100	%	51,654	100	%

Co-investments, developments under construction, and preferred equity interest co-investment communities are not included in the table presented above for both periods.

Market Considerations, including the COVID-19 Pandemic

Though diminishing, the COVID-19 pandemic and its related variants continue to impact the U.S. and world economies. In an effort to mitigate its impact on affected populations, federal, state and local jurisdictions implemented varying forms of requirements which may continue to negatively affect profitability. While the California eviction moratorium sunsetted during the third quarter of 2021, other state and local eviction moratoriums and laws that limit rent increases during times of emergency and impair the ability to collect unpaid rent during certain timeframes continue to be in effect in various formats at various regions in which our communities are located, impacting the Company and its properties. The Company continues to work to comply with the stated intent of local, county, state and federal laws.

While COVID-19’s impact begins to dissipate, geopolitical tensions between Russian and Ukraine increased uncertainty during

Inflation has caused an increase in consumer prices, thereby reducing purchasing power and elevating the risks of a

recession. Due to increased inflation, the U.S. Federal Reserve raised the federal funds rate a total of seven times during 2022. In response, market interest rates have increased significantly during this time. At the same time, the labor market remains historically tight and companies continue to look to add employees, pushing unemployment lower.

The long-term impact of these developments will largely depend on new information which may emerge concerning the

COVID-19 pandemic, future laws that may be enacted, geopolitical tensions, inflation, the impact on job growth and the broader economy, and reactions by consumers, companies, governmental entities and capital markets.

Primarily as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company's cash delinquencies as a percentage of scheduled rental income for the Company’s stabilized apartment communities or "Same-Property" (stabilized properties consolidated by the Company for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021) have generally remained higher

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Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risks

Interest Rate Hedging Activities

The Company’s objective in using derivatives is to add stability to interest expense and to manage its exposure to interest rate movements or other identified risks. To accomplish this objective, the Company uses interest rate swaps as part of its cash flow hedging strategy. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had one interest rate swap contract to mitigate the risk of changes in the interest-related cash outflows on $300.0 million of the unsecured term loan that had not been drawn and had a balance of zero. As of December 31, 2022, the Company also had $223.6 million of secured variable rate indebtedness. The Company’s interest rate swap is designated as a cash flow hedge as of December 31, 2022. The following table summarizes the notional amount, carrying value, and estimated fair value of the Company’s cash flow hedge derivative instruments used to hedge interest rates as of December 31, 2022. The notional amount represents the aggregate amount of a particular security that is currently hedged at one time, but does not represent exposure to credit, interest rates or market risks. The table also includes a sensitivity analysis to demonstrate the impact on the Company’s derivative instruments from an increase or decrease in 10-year Treasury bill interest rates by 50 basis points, as of December 31, 2022.


	Notional Amount		Maturity Date Range		Carrying and Estimated Fair Value			Estimated Carrying Value
				+50			-50
($ in thousands)				Basis Points			Basis Points
Cash flow hedges:
Interest rate swaps	$	300,000	2026		$	5,556		$	10,107	$	851

Total cash flow hedges	$	300,000	2026		$	5,556		$	10,107	$	851

Additionally, the Company has entered into total return swap contracts, with an aggregate notional amount of $223.6 million that effectively convert $223.6 million of fixed mortgage notes payable to a floating interest rate based on the SIFMA plus a spread and have a carrying value of zero at December 31, 2022. The Company is exposed to insignificant interest rate risk on these swaps as the related mortgages are callable, at par, by the Company, co-terminus with the termination of any related swap. These derivatives do not qualify for hedge accounting.

Interest Rate Sensitive Liabilities

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The Company is exposed to interest rate changes primarily as a result of its lines of credit and long-term debt used to maintain liquidity and fund capital expenditures and expansion of the Company’s real estate investment portfolio and operations. The Company’s interest rate risk management objective is to limit the impact of interest rate changes on earnings and cash flows and to lower its overall borrowing costs. To achieve its objectives, the Company borrows primarily at fixed rates and may enter into derivative financial instruments such as interest rate swaps, caps and treasury locks in order to mitigate its interest rate risk on a related financial instrument. The Company does not enter into derivative or interest rate transactions for speculative purposes.

The Company’s interest rate risk is monitored using a variety of techniques. The table below presents the principal amounts and weighted average interest rates by year of expected maturity to evaluate the expected cash flows. Management has estimated the fair value of the Company’s $5.7 billion of fixed rate debt at December 31, 2022, to be $5.2 billion. Management has estimated the fair value of the Company’s $275.7 million of variable rate debt at December 31, 2022, to be $273.2 million based on the terms of existing mortgage notes payable and variable rate demand notes compared to those available in the marketplace. The following table represents scheduled principal payments ($ in thousands):


	For the Years Ended December 31,
($ in thousands, except for interest rates)	2023			2024			2025			2026			2027			Thereafter			Total		Fair value
Fixed rate debt	$	302,093		$	402,177		$	632,035		$	548,291		$	419,558		$	3,417,000		$	5,721,154	$	5,195,981
Average interest rate	3.4		%	4.0		%	3.5		%	3.5		%	3.8		%	3.0		%
Variable rate debt (1)	$	852		$	13,005		$	1,019		$	1,114		$	84,397		$	175,269		$	275,656	$	273,160
Average interest rate	3.6		%	4.3		%	3.6		%	3.6		%	3.4		%	3.7		%

(1)$223.6 million of variable rate debt is tax exempt to the note holders.

The table incorporates only those exposures that exist as of December 31, 2022; it does not consider those exposures or positions that could arise after that date. As a result, the Company’s ultimate realized gain or loss, with respect to interest rate fluctuations and hedging strategies would depend on the exposures that arise prior to settlement.

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

The response to this item is submitted as a separate section of this Form 10-K. See Item 15.

Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

Not applicable.

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

Essex Property Trust, Inc.

As of December 31, 2022, Essex carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of management, including Essex's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of Essex's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act). Based upon that evaluation, Essex’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that as of December 31, 2022, Essex’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by Essex in the reports that Essex files or submits under the Exchange Act was recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC's rules and forms and that such disclosure controls and procedures were also effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that Essex files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to Essex’s management, including Essex’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

There were no changes in Essex’s internal control over financial reporting, that occurred during the quarter ended December 31, 2022, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, Essex’s internal control over financial reporting.

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Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Essex’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act). Essex’s management assessed the effectiveness of Essex’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022. In making this assessment, Essex’s management used the criteria set forth in the report entitled "Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013)" published by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission ("COSO"). Essex’s management has concluded that, as of December 31, 2022, its internal control over financial reporting was effective based on these criteria. Essex’s independent registered public accounting firm, KPMG LLP, has issued an attestation report over Essex’s internal control over financial reporting, which is included herein.

Essex Portfolio, L.P.

As of December 31, 2022, the Operating Partnership carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of management, including Essex's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Operating Partnership's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act). Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that as of December 31, 2022, the Operating Partnership’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Operating Partnership in the reports that the Operating Partnership files or submits under the Exchange Act was recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC's rules and forms and that such disclosure controls and procedures were also effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that the Operating Partnership files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Operating Partnership’s management, including Essex's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

There were no changes in the Operating Partnership’s internal control over financial reporting, that occurred during the quarter ended December 31, 2022, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Operating Partnership’s internal control over financial reporting.

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

The Operating Partnership’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act). The Operating Partnership’s management assessed the effectiveness of the Operating Partnership’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022. In making this assessment, the Operating Partnership’s management used the criteria set forth in the report entitled "Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013)" published by COSO. The Operating Partnership’s management has concluded that, as of December 31, 2022, its internal control over financial reporting was effective based on these criteria.

Item 9B. Other Information

None.

Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections

Not applicable.

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PART III

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference from our Proxy Statement, relating to our 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, under the heading "Board and Corporate Governance Matters," to be filed with the SEC within 120 days of December 31, 2022.

Item 11. Executive Compensation

The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference from our Proxy Statement, relating to our 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, under the headings "Executive Compensation" and "Director Compensation," to be filed with the SEC within 120 days of December 31, 2022.

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference from our Proxy Statement, relating to our 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, under the heading "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management," to be filed with the SEC within 120 days of December 31, 2022.

Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence

The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference from our Proxy Statement, relating to our 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, under the heading "Certain Relationships and Related Persons Transactions," to be filed with the SEC within 120 days of December 31, 2022.

Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services

The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference from our Proxy Statement, relating to our 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, under the headings "Report of the Audit Committee" and "Fees Paid to KPMG LLP," to be filed with the SEC within 120 days of December 31, 2022.

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PART IV

Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

(A) Financial Statements


(1) Consolidated Financial Statements of Essex Property Trust, Inc.			Page

Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID: 185)			F-1

Consolidated Balance Sheets: As of December 31, 2022 and 2021			F-6

Consolidated Statements of Income: Years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020			F-7

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income: Years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020			F-8

Consolidated Statements of Equity: Years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020			F-9

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows: Years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020			F-11

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements			F-20

(2) Consolidated Financial Statements of Essex Portfolio, L.P.

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm			F-4

Consolidated Balance Sheets: As of December 31, 2022 and 2021			F-13

Consolidated Statements of Income: Years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020			F-14

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income: Years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020			F-15

Consolidated Statements of Capital: Years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020			F-16

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows: Years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020			F-18

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements			F-20

(3) Financial Statement Schedule – Schedule III – Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation as of December 31, 2022			F-57

(4) See the Exhibit Index immediately preceding the signature page and certifications for a list of exhibits filed or incorporated by reference as part of this report.

(B) Exhibits

The Company hereby files, as exhibits to this Form 10-K, those exhibits listed on the Exhibit Index referenced in Item 15(A)(4) above.

Item 16. Form 10-K Summary

None.

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders and Board of Directors

Essex Property Trust, Inc.:

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Essex Property Trust, Inc and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2022, and the related notes and financial statement schedule III (collectively, the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2022, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, and our report dated February 23, 2023 expressed an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

Basis for Opinion

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matter

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of a critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

Evaluation of events or changes in circumstances that indicate rental properties may be impaired

As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company evaluates the carrying amount of rental properties for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of a rental property may be impaired. The Company had $10.8 billion in rental properties as of December 31, 2022.

We identified the evaluation of events or changes in circumstances that indicate rental properties may be impaired as a critical audit matter. Specifically, subjective auditor judgment was required to evaluate the length of the period the Company expects to receive cash flows from the rental property. Changes to shorten the period the Company expects to receive cash flows from the rental property could indicate a potential impairment.

F- 1

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The following are the primary procedures we performed to address this critical audit matter. We evaluated the design and tested the operating effectiveness of certain internal controls over the Company’s process to evaluate events or changes in circumstances that would indicate rental properties may be impaired. This included controls over the process for determining the length of the period the Company expects to receive cash flows from the rental property. We evaluated the Company’s assessment by (1) inquiring with the Company about events or changes in circumstances considered by the Company, (2) considering certain factors related to the current economic environment, and (3) reading board of director’s minutes and external communications with investors and analysts.


/s/ KPMG LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 1994.

San Francisco, California

February 23, 2023

F- 2

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders and Board of Directors

Essex Property Trust, Inc.:

Opinion on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

We have audited Essex Property Trust, Inc. and subsidiaries' (the Company) internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2022, and the related notes and financial statement schedule III (collectively, the consolidated financial statements), and our report dated February 23, 2023 expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements.

Basis for Opinion

The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financia

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