SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                 -------------

                                   FORM 11-K

                                  ANNUAL REPORT
                        PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

(Mark One)

[X]  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
     1934 [NO FEE REQUIRED, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 7, 1996].

For the fiscal year ended  December 31, 2000
                        -------------------------------

                                       OR

[ ]  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
     ACT OF 1934 [NO FEE REQUIRED].

     For the transition period from               to
                                    -------------    --------------

                         Commission file number 1-12672

     A. Full title of the plan and the address of the plan, if different from
that of the issuer named below:

                1996 Non-Qualified Employee Stock Purchase Plan
                -----------------------------------------------

     B. Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan and the
address of its principal executive office:

               AvalonBay Communities, Inc.
               2900 Eisenhower Ave., Suite 300
               Alexandria, VA 22314





                    REPORT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS


To The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors
AvalonBay Communities, Inc.
1996 Non-Qualified Employee Stock Purchase Plan:

We have audited the accompanying statements of financial condition of the
AvalonBay Communities, Inc. 1996 Non-Qualified Employee Stock Purchase Plan
as amended and restated (the Plan) as of December 31, 2000 and 1999, and the
related statements of changes in plan equity for each of the three years
ended December 31, 2000. These financial statements are the responsibility of
the Plan's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally
accepted in the United States. Those standards require that we plan and
perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial
statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on
a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the
financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting
principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as
evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our
audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the financial condition of the Plan at December 31,
2000 and 1999 and the changes in plan equity for each of the three years
ended December 31, 2000, in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States.

                                                        /s/ ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP

Vienna, Virginia

March 27, 2001




                          AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES, INC.

                1996 NON-QUALIFIED EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                        STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

                           DECEMBER 31, 2000 AND 1999




                                                                   2000                    1999
                                                                ----------              ----------
                                                                               
ASSETS:
Receivable from AvalonBay Communities, Inc.:
   Participant contributions                                 $            --         $      274,653
   Employer contributions                                                 --                 48,468
                                                             ---------------         ---------------

Plan equity                                                  $            --         $      323,121
                                                             ===============         ===============


     The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                                   2




                          AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES, INC.

                1996 NON-QUALIFIED EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                      STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN PLAN EQUITY

              FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2000, 1999 AND 1998



                                                                           2000             1999             1998
                                                                           ----             ----             ----

                                                                                             
Plan equity at the beginning of the year                           $      323,121    $      499,365   $      298,392
Additions:
   Participant contributions                                            1,132,676         1,026,919          678,997
   Employer contributions                                                 431,743           181,221          119,884
                                                                    --------------   ---------------   ---------------

            Total additions                                             1,564,419         1,208,140          798,881

Deductions:
   Purchase and distribution of common stock to participants            1,887,540         1,384,384          597,908
                                                                    --------------   ---------------   ---------------

Plan equity at the end of the year                                 $           --    $      323,121   $     499,365
                                                                    ==============   ===============   ===============


     The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                                    3




                          AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES, INC.

                1996 NON-QUALIFIED EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1.   THE PLAN:

     Bay Apartment Communities, Inc. ("Bay") adopted the 1996 Non-Qualified
     Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended and restated (the "Plan"). On
     June 4, 1998, Avalon Properties, Inc. merged with and into Bay, and in
     connection with such merger Bay was renamed AvalonBay Communities, Inc.
     (the "Company"). The primary purpose of the Plan is to encourage common
     stock ownership by eligible directors and associates (the "Participants")
     in the belief that such ownership will increase each Participant's interest
     in the success of the Company. Until January 1, 2000, the Plan provided for
     two purchase periods per year. A purchase period was a six month period
     beginning each January 1 and July 1 and ending each June 30 and December
     31, respectively. After January 1, 2000, there is one purchase period per
     year, which begins May 1 and ends October 31. Participants may contribute
     portions of their compensation during a purchase period and purchase common
     stock at the end thereof. Participation in the Plan entitles each
     Participant to purchase common stock at a price which is equal to the
     lesser of 85% of the closing price for a share of stock on the first day
     of such purchase period or 85% of the closing price on the last day of
     such purchase period.

     The Company has reserved 1,000,000 shares of common stock for Participants
     under the Plan.

          PARTICIPANTS CONTRIBUTIONS:

          Full time employees who have completed one month of service with the
          Company and part time employees who have completed one year of service
          in which he or she is credited with at least 1,000 hours of service
          are eligible to participate in the Plan either by payroll withholding
          or cash payments at any time during each purchase period. Directors
          who have completed one month as a member of the Board of Directors are
          eligible to participate in the Plan by making cash payments at any
          time during each purchase period. Participants elect to participate in
          the Plan by completing and submitting an election form to the Company
          as plan administrator (the "Plan Administrator").

          EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS:

          Employer contributions represent the discount or aggregate difference
          between the market value price of the Company's common stock and the
          established discount purchase price at the end of a purchase period.

          DISTRIBUTIONS:

          The Company's transfer agent and registrar issues shares of common
          stock upon receipt of Participant and Company contributions. The
          transfer agent and registrar then prepares stock certificates, which
          are registered in the Participant's name, and holds such certificates
          on behalf of the Participants or issues stock certificates to the
          Participant upon their written request. Accordingly, all shares
          purchased under the provisions of the Plan are deemed to be
          immediately distributed to the Participants.

                                    Continued


                                        4




                          AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES, INC.

                1996 NON-QUALIFIED EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


1.   THE PLAN, CONTINUED:

          WITHDRAWALS:

          A Participant may withdraw all or any part of the contributions made
          during a purchase period by delivering an amended election form to the
          plan administrator on or before the last day of such purchase period.

          PLAN TERMINATION:

          The Board of Directors of the Plan (the "Board") may terminate this
          Plan and any purchase period at any time (together with any related
          contribution elections) or may terminate any purchase period (together
          with any related contribution elections) at any time, provided,
          however, no such termination shall be retroactive unless the Board
          determines that applicable law requires a retroactive termination of
          this Plan.


2.   SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES:

          BASIS OF ACCOUNTING:

          The accompanying financial statements have been prepared on the
          accrual basis of accounting.

          ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES:

          All administrative expenses of the Plan are paid by the Company.

          DISTRIBUTIONS:

          Distributions are recorded when common stock has been distributed to
          Participants.


3.   INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE STATUS:

     The Plan is not a qualified plan under Section 423(b) of the Internal
     Revenue Code. Participants are subject to any required tax withholding by
     the Company on the discount/compensation earned under the Plan.

                                    Continued


                                        5




                          AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES, INC.

                1996 NON-QUALIFIED EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


4.   DISTRIBUTIONS:

     A summary of stock purchased and distributed for the respective purchase
     periods are as follows:




Date of purchase:                         July 1, 1998    January 2, 1999     July 1, 1999    January 1, 2000     November 1, 2000
Purchase period ended:                    June 30, 1998   December 31, 1998   June 30, 1999   December 31, 1999   October 31, 2000
                                          -------------   -----------------   -------------   -----------------   ----------------

                                                                                                   
Participant contributions               $      254,589    $      424,408     $      752,266      $      274,653       $  1,132,676

Employer contributions                          44,927            74,957            132,753              48,468            431,743
                                        --------------    --------------     --------------      --------------       ------------

Market value of stock                   $      299,516    $      499,365     $      885,019      $      323,121       $  1,564,419
                                        ==============    ==============     ==============      ==============       ============

Market value of stock purchased and
      distributed per share             $        38.00    $        34.25     $        33.94      $       34.625       $     45.938
                                        ==============    ==============     ==============      ==============       ============

Shares purchased and distributed                 7,882            14,580             26,076               9,332             34,055
                                        ==============    ==============     ==============      ==============       ============





                                                       6




                                   SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, the Plan Administrator has duly caused this annual report to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES, INC.
                                       1996 Non-Qualified Employee Stock
                                         Purchase Plan

Dated: March 30, 2001                  By: /s/ Thomas J Sargeant
                                           ---------------------------
                                       Name: Thomas J Sargeant, Chief Financial
                                             Officer and Executive VP