Distribution Reinvestment Plan

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Distribution Reinvestment And Share Purchase Plan [Abstract]

Distribution Reinvestment Plan

14. Distribution Reinvestment Plan

On September 30, 2014, the Company filed with the SEC a Form S-3 Registration Statement to register 4,790,000 Common Shares pursuant to a Distribution Reinvestment Plan (the “2014 DRIP”), which included the remaining shares available for issuance under a previous registration.  The registration was automatically declared effective the same day and will expire when all 4,790,000 shares have been issued.  The Company has 4,691,298 Common Shares available for issuance under the 2014 DRIP at December 31, 2017.

The 2014 DRIP provides holders of record and beneficial owners of Common Shares and Preferred Shares with a simple and convenient method of reinvesting cash dividends/distributions in additional Common Shares.  Common Shares purchased under the 2014 DRIP may, at the option of EQR, be directly issued by EQR or purchased by EQR’s transfer agent in the open market using participants’ funds.  The net proceeds from any Common Share issuances are contributed to ERPOP in exchange for OP Units.