EXHIBIT 99.1 PRESS RELEASE DATED FEBRUARY 21, 2005



FROM:    SIMON R.C. WADSWORTH

SUBJECT: MID-AMERICA  ANNOUNCES PROPERTY ACQUISITION

DATE:    FEBRUARY 21, 2005
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MEMPHIS, TN, Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. (NYSE: MAA) announced today
the acquisition of two upscale  apartment  communities  totaling 657 units.  The
purchase price was $47 million.  The sister properties,  built in 1998 and 2000,
are located in the northeast metro area of Atlanta on Lake Lanier.

Together,  the  properties  consist of 657 one, two, and three  bedroom  upscale
apartment homes that average 1,150 square feet.  Units include 9-foot  ceilings,
crown molding,  and available  fireplaces.  The  communities  feature a swimming
pool,  state-of-the  art health and fitness  center,  attached  garages,  hiking
trails and frontage along Lake Lanier.

The blended initial cap rate of the  transaction,  after an implied charge of 4%
management fee and $350 per unit reserves, is forecast to be 6.53%, and the deal
is  expected  to be  immediately  accretive  to FFO and  AFFO.  The  transaction
involves  the  assumption  of an existing  loan with a balance of  approximately
$19.5 million, an interest rate of 6.62%, and a maturity date of March 2014.

The $27.5 million  balance of the purchase price was funded by proceeds from the
Company's direct stock purchase plan and by the Company's credit facilities.


MAA is a self-administered,  self-managed  apartment-only real estate investment
trust, which owns or has ownership interest in 38,561 apartment units throughout
the southeast and south-central  U.S. and in Texas. 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,  costs remaining to complete development
properties,  planned disposition,  disposition pricing, and planned acquisitions
and  developments.  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.