UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON D.C. 20549

                                    Form 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                                 January 20, 2003
                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

                    MID-AMERICA APARTMENT COMMUNITIES, INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

        TENNESSEE                     1-12762                   62-1543819
(State of Incorporation)      (Commission File Number)       (I.R.S. Employer
                                                          Identification Number)

                         6584 POPLAR AVENUE, SUITE 300
                           MEMPHIS, TENNEESSEE 38138
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                                 (901) 682-6600
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

             (Former name or address, if changed since last report)

ITEM 5.  Other Event

Mid America Apartment Communities,  Inc. (MAA)

MEMPHIS,  TN, January 20, 2003 - Mid-America  Apartment  Communities  (NYSE:MAA)
announced the second  acquisition by its joint venture with Crow  Holdings.  The
Preserve at Arbor Lakes, a 284-unit apartment community located in Jacksonville,
FL, was  acquired  for $22.1  million.  Mid-America  has a 1/3  interest  in the
property,  and manages the  property on behalf of the  partnership.  Funding was
provided by a $14.9  million draw on the Joint  Venture's  credit  facility with
Freddie Mac and equity  contributed  pro rata by Crow Holdings and  Mid-America.
The  property  is located  just off  Southside  Boulevard  in one of the fastest
growing areas in Jacksonville, which is a market in which Mid-America owns 2,846
apartment units. Memphis Commercial Group acted as broker representing the joint
venture.

Eric Bolton,  President and CEO of  Mid-America  said,  "We are pleased with the
addition of this solid  investment to our  partnership  with Crow Holdings.  The
Jacksonville  market has performed well for  Mid-America  and we look forward to
excellent investment returns from this community. We continue to seek attractive
investments  through this  partnership in stable growth  markets  throughout the
southeastern US and Texas."

Mid-America Apartment Communities is a NYSE traded multifamily REIT specializing
in  the  acquisition,  redevelopment  and  management  of  apartment  properties
throughout  the  southeast  and south  central US with over  33,000  units under
ownership and management. Crow Holdings is a group of international, diversified
investment  holding  companies  that owns and  directs  the  investments  of the
Trammell  Crow family and manages  investments  on behalf of the  Trammell  Crow
family and its investment  partners.  For further  details,  please refer to our
website at www.maac.net or contact Simon R. C. Wadsworth at  901/682-6668,  ext.
105. 6584 Poplar Ave., Suite 300, Memphis, TN 38138.

Certain matters in this press release may constitute  forward-looking statements
within the meaning of Section 27-A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E
of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements include, but are not
limited to, statements made about  anticipated  market  conditions,  anticipated
acquisitions,   redevelopment  opportunities,  and  property  financing.  Actual
results and the timing of certain  events  could  differ  materially  from those
projected in or contemplated by the  forward-looking  statements due to a number
of factors,  including a downturn in general economic  conditions or the capital
markets,  competitive  factors  including  overbuilding  or other  supply/demand
imbalances  in some or all of our markets,  changes in interest  rates and other
items that are difficult to control, as well as the other general risks inherent
in the  apartment  and real estate  businesses.  Reference is hereby made to the
filings of  Mid-America  Apartment  Communities,  Inc.,  with the Securities and
Exchange  Commission,  including quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, reports on Form
8-K, and its annual report on Form 10-K, particularly including the risk factors
contained in the latter filing.

                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                             MID-AMERICA APARTMENT COMMUNITIES, INC.

Date:  January 21, 2003      /s/Simon R.C. Wadsworth
                             Simon R.C. Wadsworth
                             Executive Vice Presidentand Chief Financial Officer
                             (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)