Exhibit 23.1

                    Consent of Independent Public Accountants

The General Partners
Essex Portfolio, L.P.;

We consent to incorporation by reference in the registration statements on Form
S-3 (No. 333-68503, No. 333-44467, No. 333-21989, and No. 333-36029), and the
registration statements on Form S-8 (No. 33-84830 and No. 333-55646) of Essex
Portfolio, L.P., our report dated February 5, 2002, except as to the second
paragraph of Note (3)(b), for which the date is February 15, 2002, relating to
the consolidated balance sheets of Essex Portfolio, L.P. and subsidiaries as of
December 31, 2001 and 2000 and the related consolidated statements of
operations, Partner's capital and cash flows for each of the years in the
three-year period ended December 31, 2001 and the related financial statement
schedule, which report appears in the December 31, 2001 annual report on Form
10-K of Essex Portfolio, L.P.

KPMG LLP

San Francisco, California
April 1, 2002