EXHIBIT 99.1

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                                  Press Release
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FROM:      Simon R. C. Wadsworth

SUBJECT:   MID-AMERICA ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF PREFERRED STOCK OFFERING

DATE:      AUGUST 11, 2003
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                     Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc.
                       Announces Completion of Offering of
              8.30% Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

MEMPHIS,   Tenn.-(BUSINESS   WIRE)-Aug.   11,  2003  -   Mid-America   Apartment
Communities, Inc. (NYSE: MAA) announced today that it has completed the offering
of 6,200,000 shares of its 8.30% Series H Cumulative  Redeemable Preferred Stock
at  $25  per  share,  which  includes  the  full  exercise  of a  600,000  share
overallotment option by the underwriters.  The Company received  $150,117,500 in
net proceeds from the sale of the Series H Preferred Stock.

The net  proceeds of the  offering  will be used to redeem all of the issued and
outstanding shares of the 9.5% Series A Cumulative  Preferred Stock, the 8 7/8 %
Series  B  Cumulative  Preferred  Stock  and  the 9  3/8%  Series  C  Cumulative
Redeemable Preferred Stock. A copy of the final prospectus supplement related to
the public offering of the Series H Preferred Stock may be obtained from Raymond
James & Associates, Inc., 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, Florida.

The Series H Preferred Stock will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol MAAPrH.

MAA is a self-administered,  self-managed  apartment-only real estate investment
trust.  For further  information,  please contact Simon R.C.  Wadsworth at (901)
682-6668, ext.105, 6584 Poplar Ave., Suite 300, Memphis, TN 38138.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the  solicitation of
an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or
jurisdiction  in which such offer,  solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior
to registration or qualification  under the securities laws of any such state or
jurisdiction.

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, expenses,
and net operating income at Mid-America's properties,  anticipated lease-up (and
rental  concessions)  at  development   properties,   planned  acquisitions  and
dispositions,  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
such as insurance rates,  increases in real estate taxes in numerous markets, as
well  as  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.

Contact:
   Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc.
   Simon R. C. Wadsworth, 901/682-6668 Ext. 105
   www.maac.net