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

                                 October 16, 2001
                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 9.  Regulation FD

On  October  16,  2001,  Mid-America  Apartment  Communities,  Inc.  issued  the
following press release.

Memphis, TN October 16, 2001.  Mid-America  Apartment  Communities,  Inc. (NYSE:
MAA) today  announced it is revising its  earnings  estimates  for the third and
fourth  quarters  of 2001 and for  2002.  Due to the  general  weakening  of the
economy and a  significant  drop-off in leasing  traffic over the latter half of
September,  the  company  expects to report 3rd  Quarter  Funds from  Operations
("FFO") of $0.70 per share, one cent below First Call's forecast.

For the 4th quarter  Mid-America  expects to report FFO of 70 cents per share, 2
cents below previous  estimates.  FFO is a  widely-accepted  measure of a REIT's
performance.

Eric  Bolton,  President  and  CEO  stated,  "We  currently  have  a  number  of
cross-currents impacting performance,  some positive and some negative.  Leasing
traffic  dropped  sharply after  September  11th although it is now returning to
more normal levels.  Overall, we believe it is prudent to reduce our forecast of
same-store  growth for next year to about 1.6%,  reflecting the general weakness
in the economy, but realize that considerable  uncertainties  continue to exist.
Our current revised  estimate of FFO/share for next year is $2.87, 3% above this
year's  forecast.  We remain  confident  that our  current  level of dividend is
appropriate for this environment, and recognize its importance to investors."

He  added  "With  the  completion  of our  development  program  we  have  added
considerable balance sheet strength, and added further external growth capacity.
We are planning to maintain this  capacity to take  advantage of what we believe
will become an improving acquisition environment."


MAA is a self-administered,  self-managed  apartment-only real estate investment
trust which owns or has ownership  interest in 33,459 apartment units throughout
the southeast  and  southcentral  U.S. and in Texas,  including 189 units in the
development  pipeline.  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  growth  rate of  revenues  and
expenses  at  Mid-America's   properties,   anticipated   lease-up  (and  rental
concessions) at development properties, planned disposition, disposition pricing
and planned acquisitions.. 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,  construction
delays that could cause new and add-on apartment units to reach the market later
than  anticipated,  changes in interest rates and other items that are difficult
to control  such as insurance  rates,  increases in real estate taxes in many of
our markets,  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  Exchnage  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:  October 16, 2001             /s/Simon R.C. Wadsworth
                                    Simon R.C. Wadsworth
                                    Executive Vice President
                                    (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)