On March 19, 2020, upon the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and pursuant to the Sixth Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended, of Essex Property Trust, Inc. (the Company), the Board of Directors of the Company increased the size of the Board to ten directors and elected Maria R. Hawthorne as a director to fill the vacancy on the Board. At the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company, Ms. Hawthorne will stand for re-election for a full one-year term along with the other designated directors. Ms. Hawthorne has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of PS Business Parks (“PSB”), since July 2016 and August 2015, respectively. In addition, Ms. Hawthorne also served as PSB’s acting Chief Financial Officer from September 2017 to September 2018. Ms. Hawthorne was also elected as a member of PSB’s Board in July 2016.