
	Education Realty Trust, Inc., a real estate investment trust (REIT), develops, acquires, owns, and manages student housing communities located near university campuses in the United States. It also provides third-party management services, including residence life and student development, marketing, leasing administration, strategic relationships, information systems, and accounting services for student housing communities owned by educational institutions and charitable foundations. In addition, the company offers third-party development consulting services, such as market analysis and evaluation of housing needs and options; co-operation with university in architectural design; negotiation of ground lease, development agreement, construction contract, architectural contract, and bond documents; oversight of architectural design process; co-ordination of governmental and university plan approvals; oversight of construction process; design, purchase, and installation of furniture; pre-opening marketing to students; and obtaining final approvals of construction. It provides its third-party development consulting services primarily to universities seeking to modernize their on-campus student housing communities, as well as to other third-party investors. As of December 31, 2009, the company owned 40 student housing communities located in 19 states containing 25,454 beds in 7,813 apartment units located near 35 universities. It also provided third-party management services for 20 student housing communities located in 9 states containing 10,186 beds in 3,272 apartment units at 16 universities. The company qualifies as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. As a REIT, it would not be subject to federal corporate income tax if it distributes at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its stockholders. The company was founded in 1964 and is based in Memphis, Tennessee.
