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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C.  20549

                                    FORM 10-Q

(MARK ONE)

[X]  Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
     Act  of 1934.  For the quarterly period ended March 31, 1997.

                                       OR

[ ]  Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)of the Securities Exchange
     Act of 1934.  For the transition period from ..... to .......

                          Commission file number 1-8895

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      HEALTH CARE PROPERTY INVESTORS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


     Maryland                                          33-0091377
(State or other jurisdiction of                        (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation of organization)                          Identification No.)

                      10990 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1200
                          Los Angeles, California 90024
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                                 (310) 473-1990
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                             ----------------------


      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:  Yes [X]  No[  ]

      As  of May 12, 1997 there were 28,711,569 shares of $1.00 par value common
stock outstanding.

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                      HEALTH CARE PROPERTY INVESTORS, INC.

                                      INDEX
                                        
                         PART I.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION
                                        

                                                                       PAGE NO.
                                                                       --------


Item 1.  Financial Statements:

         Consolidated Balance Sheets
         March 31, 1997 and December 31, 1996 . . .  . . . . . . . . .      2

         Consolidated Statements of Income
         Three Months Ended March 31, 1997 and 1996. . . . . . . . . .      3

         Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
         Three Months Ended March 31, 1997 and 1996. . . . . . . . . .      4

         Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements. . . . .      5


Item 2.  Management's Discussion and Analysis of
         Financial Condition and Results of Operations . . . . . . . .      7



         PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION

Signatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      11




                                       -1-



                      HEALTH CARE PROPERTY INVESTORS, INC.
                                        
                           CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                                        
                                   (Unaudited)
                                        
                          (Dollar amounts in thousands)




                                                            March 31,     December 31,
                                                               1997           1996
                                                           -----------    ------------
                                                                   
ASSETS
Real Estate Investments
     Buildings and Improvements                            $ 694,589      $ 693,586
     Accumulated Depreciation                               (154,065)      (147,860)
                                                           ---------      ---------
                                                             540,524        545,726
     Construction in Progress                                 16,878          7,905
     Land                                                     72,329         70,103
                                                           ---------      ---------
                                                             629,731        623,734
Loans Receivable                                             111,881        112,227
Investments in and Advances to Partnerships                    6,496          6,531
Other Assets                                                   8,587          8,350
Cash and Cash Equivalents                                     10,862          2,811
                                                           ---------      ---------
TOTAL ASSETS                                               $ 767,557      $ 753,653
                                                           =========      =========

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Senior Notes Payable                                       $ 277,451      $ 267,470
Convertible Subordinated Notes Payable                       100,000        100,000
Mortgage Notes Payable                                        11,688         12,034
Accounts Payable, Accrued Liabilities and Deferred Income     23,015         19,739
Minority Interests in Partnerships                            17,631         17,604
Stockholders' Equity:
     Common Stock                                             28,708         28,678
     Additional Paid-In Capital                              356,714        355,672
     Cumulative Net Income                                   397,089        379,970
     Cumulative Dividends                                   (444,739)      (427,514)
                                                           ---------      ---------
TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY                                   337,772        336,806
                                                           ---------      ---------
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY                 $ 767,557      $ 753,653
                                                           =========      =========



See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements and 
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations.
                                        
                                        
                                       -2-


                                        
                      HEALTH CARE PROPERTY INVESTORS, INC.
                                        
                        CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                                        
                                   (Unaudited)
                                        
                (Amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)
                                        




                                                                 Three Months
                                                                Ended March 31,
                                                             ---------------------
                                                               1997         1996
                                                             ---------   ---------
                                                                   
REVENUE
Base Rental Income                                           $  21,911   $  20,184
Additional Rental and Interest Income                            5,313       4,782
Interest and Other Income                                        3,643       3,977
                                                             ---------   ---------
                                                                30,867      28,943
                                                             ---------   ---------
EXPENSE
Interest Expense                                                 6,762       6,293
Depreciation/Non Cash Charges                                    6,234       5,253
Other Expenses                                                   1,781       1,752
                                                             ---------   ---------
                                                                14,777      13,298
                                                             ---------   ---------

INCOME FROM OPERATIONS                                          16,090      15,645
    Minority Interests                                          (1,018)     (1,044)
    Gain on Sale of Real Estate Properties                       2,047         ---
                                                             ---------   ---------

NET INCOME                                                   $  17,119   $  14,601
                                                             =========   =========

NET INCOME PER SHARE                                         $    0.60   $    0.51
                                                             =========   =========

WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING                             28,701      28,607
                                                             =========   =========



See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements and
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations.




                                       -3-



                      HEALTH CARE PROPERTY INVESTORS, INC.
                                        
                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                        
                                   (Unaudited)
                                        
                             (Amounts in thousands)




                                                                Three Months
                                                               Ended March 31,
                                                           -----------------------
                                                              1997          1996
                                                           ---------     ---------
                                                                 
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
  Net Income                                               $ 17,119      $ 14,601
  Adjustments to Reconcile Net Income to Net
   Cash Provided by Operating Activities:
      Real Estate Depreciation                                5,482         4,700
      Non Cash Charges                                          752           569
  Partnership Adjustments                                      (192)          (96)
      Gain on Sale of Real Estate Properties                 (2,047)          ---
   Changes in:
      Operating Assets                                         (355)         (614)
      Operating Liabilities                                   3,314         7,508
                                                          ---------     ---------
NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATIONS                              24,073        26,668
                                                          ---------     ---------
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
  Acquisition of Real Estate                                (18,097)      (75,282)
  Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate Properties                8,624           ---
  Other Investments and Loans                                   892         4,882
                                                          ---------     ---------
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES                        (8,581)      (70,400)
                                                          ---------     ---------
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
  Net Change in Bank Notes Payable                              ---       (31,700)
  Issuance of Senior Notes Payable                            9,937       113,329
  Cash Proceeds from Issuing Common Stock                       168           877
  Periodic Payments on Mortgages                               (247)         (329)
  Dividends Paid                                            (17,225)      (16,021)
  Other Financing Activities                                    (74)         (308)
                                                          ---------     ---------
NET CASH (USED IN)/PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES          (7,441)       65,848
                                                          ---------     ---------
NET INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS                     8,051        22,116

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD                2,811         2,000
                                                          ---------     ---------
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD                  $  10,862     $  24,116
                                                          =========     =========



See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements and
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations.
                                        
                                        
                                       -4-


                                        
                      HEALTH CARE PROPERTY INVESTORS, INC.
              NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                 March 31, 1997
                                        
                                   (Unaudited)

(1)  SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The  unaudited  financial  information  furnished  herein,  in  the  opinion  of
management,  reflects all adjustments that are necessary  to  state  fairly  the
financial  position, the results of operations, and cash flows  of  Health  Care
Property  Investors, Inc. and its affiliated subsidiaries and partnerships  (the
"Company").    The  Company  presumes  that  users  of  the  interim   financial
information herein have read or have access to the audited financial  statements
and  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results  of
Operations  for the preceding fiscal year ended December 31, 1996 and  that  the
adequacy  of  additional disclosures needed for a fair presentation,  except  in
regard   to   material  contingencies,  may  be  determined  in  that   context.
Accordingly, footnotes and other disclosures that would substantially  duplicate
the disclosures contained in the Company's most recent annual report to security
holders  have been omitted.  The interim financial information contained  herein
is  not  necessarily  representative of a full  year's  operations  for  various
reasons including acquisitions, changes in rents, interest rates and the  timing
of  debt and equity financings.  These same considerations apply to all year-to-
year comparisons.

Net Income Per Share

Net  Income  Per  Share  is calculated by dividing Net Income  by  the  weighted
average  common  shares  outstanding during the period.  There  were  28,708,284
shares outstanding as of March 31, 1997.

Reclassifications

Reclassifications   have   been   made  for  comparative   financial   statement
presentations.

(2)  MAJOR OPERATORS

Listed  below  are the Company's major operators and the percentage  of  current
revenue from these operators and their subsidiaries.




                                                                 Percentage of
Operators                                          Revenue       Total Revenue
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               
Vencor, Inc. ("Vencor")                          $ 6,095,000          20%
Tenet Healthcare Corporation ("Tenet")             2,733,000           9
Horizon/CMS Health Care Corporation ("Horizon")    2,441,000           8
Beverly Enterprises, Inc. ("Beverly")              2,408,000           8
Emeritus Corporation                               2,213,000           7
Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp.                      2,023,000           7
HealthSouth Corporation ("HealthSouth")            1,575,000           5
Genesis Health Ventures                            1,515,000           5



                                       -5-



All  of  the  leases  with Tenet and Vencor and one lease with  HealthSouth  are
unconditionally  guaranteed by Tenet.  Those leases represent approximately  29%
of the Company's total revenue for the three months ended March 31, 1997.


(3)  STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

The  following  tabulation is a summary of the activity  for  the  Stockholders'
Equity account for the three months ended March 31, 1997 (amounts in thousands):




                                      Common Stock
                           ---------------------------------
                                          Par     Additional                                   Total
                            Number of    Value      Paid In     Cumulative    Cumulative    Stockholders'
                             Shares      Amount     Capital     Net Income    Dividends        Equity
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            
Balance, December 31, 1996    28,678    $28,678     $355,672     $379,970     $(427,514)      $336,806
Issuance of Stock, Net            24         24          880                                       904
Exercise of Stock Options          6          6          162                                       168
Net Income                                                        17,119                        17,119
Dividends Paid                                                                  (17,225)       (17,225)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance, March 31, 1997       28,708    $28,708     $356,714     $397,089     $(444,739)      $337,772
======================================================================================================



(4)  COMMITMENTS

As  of May 1, 1997, the Company has outstanding commitments on closed and to-be-
closed  development  transactions of approximately $53,000,000  and  $6,000,000,
respectively.    The   Company  is  also  committed  to  acquire   approximately
$65,000,000  of  existing health care facilities. The  Company  expects  that  a
significant  portion  of these commitments will be funded;  however,  experience
suggests  that some committed transactions will not close. Transactions  do  not
close   for   various  reasons  including  unsatisfied  pre-closing  conditions,
competitive financing sources, final negotiation differences and the  operator's
inability to obtain required internal or governmental approvals.


(5)  SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

On  April 23, 1997 the Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.61
per  share  payable on May 20, 1997, to stockholders of record on the  close  of
business on May 2, 1997.

In  addition, during April 1997, the Company completed an acquisition  of  three
assisted  living facilities located in Texas for $21,000,000.  This  acquisition
was  funded  in  part by the issuance in April of a ten year $10,000,000  Medium
Term Note with a coupon of 7.62%.

                                        
                                       -6-

                                        
                      HEALTH CARE PROPERTY INVESTORS, INC.
           MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
                            AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS


GENERAL

The  Company  is  in  the business of acquiring health care facilities  that  it
leases  on a long-term basis to health care providers.  On a more limited basis,
the  Company  has provided mortgage financing on health care facilities.  As  of
March  31,  1997,  the  Company's  portfolio  of  properties,  including  equity
investments, consisted of 218 facilities located in 38 states.  These facilities
are  comprised of 134 long-term care facilities, 56 congregate care and assisted
living facilities, 12 medical office buildings, seven acute care hospitals,  six
rehabilitation  facilities,  two  physician  group  practice  clinics  and   one
psychiatric care facility. The gross acquisition price of the properties,  which
includes  partnership acquisitions, was approximately $927,114,000 at March  31,
1997.

The  Company  had  commitments to purchase and construct health care  facilities
totaling  approximately  $124,000,000 for funding during  1997  and  1998.   The
Company  expects that a significant portion of these commitments will be  funded
but  that  a  portion  may  not be funded.  (See Note (4)  to  the  Consolidated
Condensed Financial Statements)


RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Net  Income  for  the three months ended March 31, 1997 totaled  $17,119,000  or
$0.60  per  share  of  common  stock  on revenues  of  $30,867,000  compared  to
$14,601,000  or  $0.51 per share of common stock on revenues of $28,943,000  for
the  same period in 1996.  Net Income for the three months ended March 31,  1997
included  a  $2,047,000  or $0.07 per share gain on  the  sale  of  real  estate
properties.

Base  Rental  Income  for  the  three months  ended  March  31,  1997  increased
$1,727,000 to $21,911,000 primarily as a result of approximately $121,000,000 of
new  investments  during 1996.  Additional Rental and Interest Income  increased
$531,000  to $5,313,000 from growth in the existing portfolio.  These  increases
were  off-set  by  a  reduction  in Interest and Other  Income  of  $334,000  to
$3,643,000  attributable largely to the paydown or payoff  of  certain  mortgage
loans.

Interest Expense for the three months ended March 31, 1997 increased $469,000 to
$6,762,000  due  largely from the issuance in February 1996 of  $115,000,000  of
6.5%  Senior Notes due 2006.  Depreciation/Non Cash Charges for the three months
ended  March 31, 1997 increased $981,000 to $6,234,000 due primarily as a result
of  a  full  quarter's depreciation on approximately $117,000,000 of new  equity
investments during 1996.

                                       -7-




The  Company adopted the definition of Funds From Operations ("FFO")  prescribed
by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts ("NAREIT").  FFO is
defined as net income (computed in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles),  excluding gains (or losses) from debt restructuring and  sales  of
property,   plus   real   estate  depreciation,  and   after   adjustments   for
unconsolidated  partnerships and joint ventures.  Adjustments for unconsolidated
partnerships and joint ventures are calculated to reflect FFO on the same basis.

Below is a summary of the calculation of Funds From Operations:



                                                Three Months
                                               Ended March 31,
                                           -----------------------
                                              1997        1996
                                           ---------    ---------
                                           (Amounts in thousands)
                                                  
Net Income                                 $  17,119    $  14,601
Real Estate Depreciation                       5,482        4,700
Partnership Adjustments                         (192)         (96)
Gain on Sale of Real Estate Properties        (2,047)         ---
                                           ---------    ---------
Funds From Operations                      $  20,362    $  19,205
                                           =========    =========



FFO  for  the  three  months  ended  March  31,  1997  increased  $1,157,000  to
$20,362,000.   The increase is attributable to increases in Base  Rental  Income
and  Additional Rental and Interest Income, as offset by increases  in  Interest
Expense and decreases in Interest and Other Income which are discussed above.

FFO  does  not represent cash generated from operating activities in  accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles, is not necessarily indicative  of
cash available to fund cash needs and should not be considered as an alternative
to  net  income.   FFO,  as defined by the Company, may  not  be  comparable  to
similarly entitled items reported by other real estate investment trusts that do
not define it exactly as the NAREIT definition.

The  Company believes that FFO is an important supplemental measure of operating
performance.   Historical  cost  accounting for real  estate  assets  implicitly
assumes  that the value of real estate assets diminishes predictably over  time.
Since  real estate values instead have historically risen and fallen with market
conditions,  presentations of operating results for  a  real  estate  investment
trust   that  uses  historical  cost  accounting  for  depreciation   could   be
uninformative.   The term FFO was designed by the real estate  investment  trust
industry to address this problem.


LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

The  Company  has  financed acquisitions through the sale of common  stock,  the
issuance of long- term debt, the assumption of mortgage debt, the use of  short-
term  bank lines and through internally generated cash flows.  Facilities  under
construction  are  generally financed by means of cash  on  hand  or  short-term
borrowings  under the Company's existing bank lines. In the future, the  Company
may  use its Medium-Term Note ("MTN") program to finance a portion of the  costs
of  construction.   At  the completion of construction and commencement  of  the
lease,  short-term  borrowings  used in the  construction  phase  are  generally
refinanced with new long-term debt or equity offerings.

                                       -8-
                                        



On  February 15, 1996, the Company issued $115,000,000 in Unsecured Senior Notes
due  2006 bearing a coupon rate of 6.5%.  The majority of the proceeds from this
debt  issuance was used to fund acquisitions made since the second half of 1995.
During  March  and April 1997, the Company issued two ten year $10,000,000  MTNs
with  coupon  rates  of  7.3%  and  7.62%, respectively.   At  March  31,  1997,
stockholders' equity in the Company totaled $337,772,000 and the debt to  equity
ratio  was  1.15 to 1.  For the three months ended March 31, 1997,  FFO  covered
Interest Expense 4.0 to 1.

As  of  April 1, 1997, the Company had approximately $30,975,000 available under
its  Medium-  Term  Note  Program registered pursuant to  a  shelf  registration
statement  for future issuance of MTNs from time to time based on Company  needs
and  then existing market conditions.  In September 1995, the Company registered
$200,000,000 of debt and equity securities under a shelf registration  statement
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission of which  $85,000,000 in  debt
or  equity  securities remains available to be offered by the  Company.   As  of
March 31, 1997, the Company had $100,000,000 available on its revolving line  of
credit.   This  line  of credit with a group of six domestic  and  international
banks  expires  on March 31, 2000.  The Company's Senior Notes  and  Convertible
Subordinated  Notes  have been rated investment grade by  debt  rating  agencies
since 1986.  Current ratings are as follows:

                      Moody's        Standard & Poor's       Duff & Phelps
                    -----------      ------------------     ---------------

Senior Notes            Baa1               BBB+                    A-
Convertable
  Subordinated Notes    Baa2               BBB                    BBB+

Since inception in May 1985, the Company has recorded approximately $531,133,000
in cumulative FFO.  Of this amount, a total of $444,739,000 has been distributed
to stockholders as dividends.  The balance of $86,394,000 has been retained, and
is an additional source of capital for the Company.

At  March  31,  1997, the Company held approximately $34,140,000 in  irrevocable
letters  of  credit  from  commercial banks to secure the  obligations  of  many
lessees'  lease and borrowers' loan obligations.  The Company may draw upon  the
letters  of  credit  if  there are any defaults under the leases  and/or  loans.
Amounts  available under letters of credit change from time  to  time  and  such
changes may be material.

The  first  quarter  1997  dividend of $0.60 per share  or  $17,225,000  in  the
aggregate was paid on February 20, 1997.  Total dividends paid during the  three
months  ended March 31, 1997 as a percentage of FFO for the corresponding period
was  85%.  The Company declared a second quarter dividend of $0.61 per share  or
approximately $17,512,000 in the aggregate, to be paid on May 20, 1997.

                                       -9-




The   Company  has  concluded  a  significant  number  of  "facility   rollover"
transactions  in  1995  and 1996 on properties that have  been  under  long-term
leases and mortgages. "Facility rollover" transactions principally include lease
renewals  and renegotiations, exchanges, sales of properties, and, to  a  lesser
extent,  payoffs  on  mortgage receivables.  In 1995, the Company  completed  20
facility rollovers including the sale of ten facilities with concurrent  "seller
financing"  for a gain of $23,550,000. The 1995 facility rollovers generated  an
increase  of  $900,000  in FFO on an annualized basis.  During  the  year  ended
December  31, 1996, the Company completed or agreed in principle to complete  20
facility  rollovers including the sale of nine facilities in  Missouri  and  the
exchange  of  the  Dallas Rehabilitation Institute for the  HealthSouth  Sunrise
Rehabilitation Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The 1996 facility rollovers
through  December 31, 1996, resulted in a decrease of $1,200,000 in  Funds  From
Operations  on an annualized basis.  Through December 31, 1999, the Company  has
68  more  facilities which are subject to lease expiration, mortgage  maturities
and  purchase options.  The 1998 group includes 14, ten, and five long-term care
facilities leased to Vencor, Beverly and Horizon, respectively.  The Horizon and
Beverly  facilities  cannot be renewed or purchased individually  but  are  each
linked  together  in  one  and two renewal/purchase  groups,  respectively.  The
Company  has  completed certain facility rollovers earlier  than  the  scheduled
lease  expirations  or  mortgage maturities and will  continue  to  pursue  such
opportunities where it is advantageous to do so.

Management  believes  that the Company's liquidity and sources  of  capital  are
adequate  to  finance  its  operations as well  as  its  future  investments  in
additional facilities.
                                        
                                        
                                       
                                        
                                      -10-



                                        
                          PART II.   OTHER INFORMATION


Item 6.   Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K
          ------------------------------------------

          a) Exhibits:

             27     Financial Data Schedule
             10.43  Health Care Property Investors, Inc.
                    Second Amended and Restated Directors
                    Stock Incentive Plan.  1/
             10.44  Health Care Property Investors, Inc.
                    Second Amended and Restated
                    Stock Incentive Plan.  1/
              1/    This exhibit is incorporated by reference to the Company's
                    proxy statement dated March 21, 1997 filed with the 
                    Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with 
                    Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

             b)  Reports on Form 8-K:
                 None


                                   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.


Date:  May 12, 1997               HEALTH CARE PROPERTY INVESTORS, INC.
                                  (REGISTRANT)


                                        /s/  James G. Reynolds
                                   -------------------------------------------
                                   James G. Reynolds
                                   Executive Vice President and
                                   Chief Financial Officer
                                   (Principal Financial Officer)


                                        /s/ Devasis Ghose
                                   -------------------------------------------
                                   Devasis Ghose
                                   Senior Vice President-Finance and Treasurer
                                   (Principal Accounting Officer)



                                      -11-