Exhibit 23.1

                   Consent of Independent Public Accountants

The Board of Directors
Essex Property Trust, Inc.;

   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 Property Trust, Inc. 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 Property Trust, Inc. and
subsidiaries as of December 31, 2001 and 2000 and the related consolidated
statements of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows of Essex Property
Trust, Inc. and subsidiaries 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
Property Trust, Inc.

KPMG LLP

San Francisco, California
March 29, 2002