CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Cumulative Dividends In Excess Of Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Total Stockholders’ Equity	Noncontrolling Interests
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015		$ 9,746,317	$ 465,488	$ 11,647,039	$ (2,738,414)	$ (30,470)	$ 9,343,643	$ 402,674
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015			465,488
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income (loss)		639,926			627,747		627,747	12,179
Other comprehensive income (loss)		828				828	828
Issuance of common stock, net		64,177	$ 2,552	61,625			64,177	0
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			2,552
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock		0	$ 145	5,948			6,093	(6,093)
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock (in shares)			145
Repurchase of common stock		(8,685)	$ (237)	(8,448)			(8,685)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)			(237)
Exercise of stock options		3,473	$ 133	3,340			3,473
Exercise of stock options (in shares)			133
Amortization of deferred compensation		22,884		22,884			22,884
Common dividends		(979,542)			(979,542)		(979,542)
Distribution of QCP, Inc.		(3,532,763)		(3,532,763)			(3,532,763)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests		(26,347)		(36)			(36)	(26,311)
Issuances of noncontrolling interests		11,834						11,834
Deconsolidation of noncontrolling interests		506		(36)	475		439	67
Purchase of noncontrolling interests		(1,300)		(663)			(663)	(637)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016		5,941,308	$ 468,081	8,198,890	(3,089,734)	(29,642)	5,547,595	393,713
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016			468,081
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income (loss)		422,634			414,169		414,169	8,465
Other comprehensive income (loss)		5,618				5,618	5,618
Issuance of common stock, net		27,353	$ 1,402	25,951			27,353
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			1,402
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock		0	$ 78	2,411			2,489	(2,489)
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock (in shares)			78
Repurchase of common stock		(4,785)	$ (157)	(4,628)			(4,785)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)			(157)
Exercise of stock options		768	$ 32	736			768
Exercise of stock options (in shares)			32
Amortization of deferred compensation		14,258		14,258			14,258
Common dividends		(694,955)			(694,955)		(694,955)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests		(26,129)						(26,129)
Issuances of noncontrolling interests		1,615						1,615
Deconsolidation of noncontrolling interests		(58,062)						(58,062)
Purchase of noncontrolling interests		(34,685)		(11,505)			(11,505)	(23,180)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017		5,594,938	$ 469,436	8,226,113	(3,370,520)	(24,024)	5,301,005	293,933
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017			469,436
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Impact of adoption of ASU No. 2017-05	[1]	79,144			79,144		79,144
Adjusted balance		5,674,082	$ 469,436	8,226,113	(3,291,376)	(24,024)	5,380,149	293,933
Net income (loss)		1,073,474			1,061,093		1,061,093	12,381
Other comprehensive income (loss)		19,316				19,316	19,316
Issuance of common stock, net		215,179	$ 8,078	207,101			215,179
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			8,078
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock		0	$ 3	133			136	$ (136)
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock (in shares)			3					7,000
Repurchase of common stock		(3,432)	$ (141)	(3,291)			(3,432)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)			(141)
Exercise of stock options		2,477	$ 120	2,357			2,477
Exercise of stock options (in shares)			120
Amortization of deferred compensation		16,563		16,563			16,563
Common dividends		(696,913)			(696,913)		(696,913)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests		(18,415)						$ (18,415)
Issuances of noncontrolling interests		299,666						299,666
Purchase of noncontrolling interests		(69,406)		(50,129)			(50,129)	(19,277)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018		$ 6,512,591	$ 477,496	$ 8,398,847	$ (2,927,196)	$ (4,708)	$ 5,944,439	$ 568,152
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			477,496

[1] On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2017-05, Clarifying the Scope of Asset Derecognition Guidance and Accounting for Partial Sales of Nonfinancial Assets (“ASU 2017-05”), and recognized the cumulative-effect of adoption to beginning retained earnings. Refer to Note 2 for a detailed impact of adoption.