Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
DUPREE DANIEL M
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
PREFERRED APARTMENT COMMUNITIES INC [APTS]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chief Investment Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
PREFERRED APARTMENT COMMUNITIES, INC., 3284 NORTHSIDE PARKWAY NW, SUITE 150
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/03/2017
(Street)

ATLANTA, GA 30327
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock, par value $0.01               43,997 D  
Common Stock, par value $0.01               43,265 (1) I By NELL Partners, Inc.

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Class A Units (2) (3) (2) (3) 01/03/2017(2)(3)   A   52,451     (2)(3)   (2)(3) Common Stock 52,451 $ 0 117,297 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
DUPREE DANIEL M
PREFERRED APARTMENT COMMUNITIES, INC.
3284 NORTHSIDE PARKWAY NW, SUITE 150
ATLANTA, GA 30327
  X     Chief Investment Officer  

Signatures

 /s/ Jeffrey R. Sprain, as attorney-in-fact   01/05/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) John A. Williams, Leonard A. Silverstein and Daniel M. DuPree share joint voting and investment power over the shares held by NELL Partners, Inc. Mr. DuPree disclaims any economic interest in 36,775 of such shares, 69.4% of which are owned indirectly by the Nancy Ann Richardson Williams Children's Trust, formed on January 30, 1995, a trust created by Mr. Williams' spouse for the benefit of their children, and 30.5% of which are owned indirectly by Northside Partners Trust, formed on November 2, 2009, a trust created by Mr. Silverstein's spouse for the benefit of their children.
(2) Represents Class A Units ("Class A Unit") of Preferred Apartment Communities Operating Partnership, L.P. (the "Operating Partnership"), of which Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc. (the "Company") is the general partner. On January 4, 2016, the reporting person was awarded a maximum of 52,451 Class B Units of the Operating Partnership ("Class B Units") issued in lieu of any reimbursement for annual cash compensation for 2016, subject to certain performance conditions. When earned and vested, each Class B Unit is converted into a Class A Unit. Each Class A Unit may be exchanged for one share of the Company's common stock, or cash, as selected by the Company. Class A Units do not expire.
(3) As of January 3, 2017, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company determined that the extent to which the performance measures had been achieved during the performance period resulted in 100%, or 52,451 of the Class B Units becoming earned Class B Units. All of the earned Class B Units fully vested on January 3, 2017 and were converted into Class A Units on that date.

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