EXHIBIT 24 POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints each of Bruce C. Strohm, Yasmina Duwe, Jane D. Matz and
Barbara A. Shuman, the undersigned's true and lawful
attorney-in-fact to:

(1)	execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
capacity as an officer and/or trustee of Equity Residential (the "Company"),
Forms 3, 4 and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;

(2)	do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned
which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such
Form 3, 4 or 5 and timely file such form with the United States Securities
and Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority; and

(3)	take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with
the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of
benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by, the
undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such
attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of
Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions
as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-fact's direction.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power
and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever
requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the
rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes
as the undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full
power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all
that such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or
substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this
power of attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.  The
undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in
serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not
assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned's
responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect
to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued
by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed
writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed as of this 22nd day of June 2006.


/s/ JOHN E. NEAL