Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
NEITHERCUT DAVID J
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
EQUITY RESIDENTIAL [EQR] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President & CEO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
TWO NORTH RIVERSIDE PLAZA, SUITE 400		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
09/23/2011
(Street)

CHICAGO, IL 60606		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
LTIP Units $ 0 (1) 09/23/2011   A   61,170     (2) 09/23/2021 Operating Partnership Units 61,170 $ 0 61,170 D  
Non-qualified Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 53.13 09/23/2011   A   435,078     (3) 09/23/2021 Common Shares Of Beneficial Interest 435,078 $ 0 435,078 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
NEITHERCUT DAVID J
TWO NORTH RIVERSIDE PLAZA, SUITE 400
CHICAGO, IL 60606		   X     President & CEO  

Signatures

 s/ By: Jane Matz, Attorney-in-fact   09/27/2011
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) On September 23, 2011, the reporting person received a retention award of restricted limited partnership interests ("LTIP Units") in ERP Operating Limited Partnership (the "Operating Partnership"), the operating partnership of Equity Residential (the "Company"). The LTIP Units are a class of units of the Operating Partnership that, conditioned upon minimum allocations to the capital accounts of the LTIP Units for federal income tax purposes, are convertible by the holder into an equivalent number of OP Units of the Operating Partnership, which, subject to vesting, are redeemable by the holder for common shares of the Company on a one-for-one basis or the cash value of such shares, at the Company's option.
(2) The LTIP Units are scheduled to vest on February 1, 2016, provided the reporting person does not voluntarily leave the Company prior to that date, or earlier upon his death, disability, or change in control of the Company. In the event of the termination of the reporting person's employment by the Company (other than for cause), the award would vest pro-rata.
(3) On September 23, 2011, the reporting person received a retention award of share options scheduled to vest in full on February 1, 2016, provided the reporting person does not voluntarily leave the Company prior to that date, or earlier upon his death, disability, or change in control of the Company. In the event of the termination of the reporting person's employment by the Company (other than for cause), the award would vest pro-rata.

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