EXHIBIT 24.5

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Glade M. Knight and Stanley
J. Olander, Jr., each acting singly, her attorney-in-fact, to execute on her
behalf, individually and in each capacity stated below, and to file, any
documents referred to below relating to the registration and resale of common
shares of Cornerstone Realty Income Trust, Inc. ("Cornerstone") which may be
issued in connection with the redemption of preferred partnership units pursuant
to the Agreement of Limited Partnership of Cornerstone NC Operating Limited
Partnership dated as of September 30, 2001, such documents being: (i) a
Registration Statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission;
and (ii) any and all amendments to any of the foregoing, with all exhibits and
documents required to be filed in connection therewith. The undersigned further
grants unto said attorneys and each of them full power and authority to perform
each and every act necessary to be done in order to accomplish the foregoing
registrations as fully as he himself might do.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed this power of attorney as of
this 26/th/ day of September, 2002.



                                             /s/ Penelope W. Kyle
                                             -----------------------------------
                                             Penelope W. Kyle
                                             Director of Cornerstone