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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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * WOOD BRENT   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol EASTGROUP PROPERTIES INC [EGP] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Senior Vice President (Last) (First) (Middle) 190 EAST CAPITOL STREET, SUITE 400 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/05/2009 (Street) JACKSON, MS 39201 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 03/05/2009   A   7,257 A (1) 35,201 D   Common Stock 03/05/2009   A   3,817 A (2) 39,018 (3) D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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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

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
WOOD BRENT 190 EAST CAPITOL STREET SUITE 400 JACKSON, MS 39201			Senior Vice President

Signatures

Michael C. Donlon, Attorney-in-Fact for Brent W. Wood		03/09/2009
**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)	Award of restricted shares as 2006-2008 multi-year long-term incentive compensation pursuant to the Company's 2004 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended. These restricted shares vest one-fourth on each of January 1, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
(2)	Award of restricted shares as 2008 annual long-term incentive compensation pursuant to the Company's 2004 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended. These restricted shares vest one-fifth on the date of grant and one-fifth on each of January 1, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
(3)	As of the date hereof, the Reporting Person's direct beneficial ownership includes 1,000 restricted shares granted under the Company's 1994 Management Incentive Plan, as amended, and 14,557 restricted shares granted under the Company's 2004 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, that have not yet vested.

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