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	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment		Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Cumulative Dividends In Excess Of Earnings		Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Total Stockholders’ Equity		Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjusted Balance	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjusted Balance Common Stock	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjusted Balance Additional Paid-In Capital	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjusted Balance Cumulative Dividends In Excess Of Earnings	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjusted Balance Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjusted Balance Total Stockholders’ Equity	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjusted Balance Noncontrolling Interests
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 5,594,938	$ 469,436	$ 8,226,113	$ (3,370,520)	$ (24,024)	$ 5,301,005	$ 293,933	$ 79,144	[1]	$ 79,144	[1]	$ 79,144	[1]	$ 5,674,082	$ 469,436	$ 8,226,113	$ (3,291,376)	$ (24,024)	$ 5,380,149	$ 293,933
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017		469,436													469,436
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
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
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	590	[2]	590	[2]	590	[2]	6,513,181	$ 477,496	8,398,847	(2,926,606)	(4,708)	5,945,029	568,152
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		477,496													477,496
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Accounting Standards Update [Extensible List]	us-gaap:AccountingStandardsUpdate201602Member
Net income (loss)	$ 60,061			45,530		45,530	14,531
Other comprehensive income (loss)	1,851				1,851	1,851
Issuance of common stock, net	791,048	$ 27,523	763,525			791,048
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		27,523
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock	0	$ 213	4,932			5,145	(5,145)
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock (in shares)		213
Repurchase of common stock	(5,043)	$ (162)	(4,881)			(5,043)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)		(162)
Exercise of stock options	4,538	$ 152	4,386			4,538
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		152
Amortization of deferred compensation	18,162		18,162			18,162
Common dividends	(720,123)			(720,123)		(720,123)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(28,301)						(28,301)
Issuances of noncontrolling interests	33,318						33,318
Purchase of noncontrolling interests	(1,218)		(1,079)			(1,079)	(139)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 6,667,474	$ 505,222	9,183,892	(3,601,199)	(2,857)	6,085,058	582,416	$ (1,524)	[3]	$ (1,524)	[3]	$ (1,524)	[3]	$ 6,665,950	$ 505,222	$ 9,183,892	$ (3,602,723)	$ (2,857)	$ 6,083,534	$ 582,416
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		505,222													505,222
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Accounting Standards Update [Extensible List]	us-gaap:AccountingStandardsUpdate201613Member
Net income (loss)	$ 428,253			413,563		413,563	14,690
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(828)				(828)	(828)
Issuance of common stock, net	1,067,071	$ 33,307	1,033,764			1,067,071
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		33,307
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock	0	$ 120	3,957			4,077	$ (4,077)
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock (in shares)		120					7,000
Repurchase of common stock	(10,529)	$ (298)	(10,231)			(10,529)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)		(298)
Exercise of stock options	1,806	$ 54	1,752			1,806
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		54
Amortization of deferred compensation	20,534		20,534			20,534
Common dividends	(787,072)			(787,072)		(787,072)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(36,994)						$ (36,994)
Purchase of noncontrolling interests	(3,619)		(3,811)			(3,811)	192
Balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 7,344,572	$ 538,405	$ 10,229,857	$ (3,976,232)	$ (3,685)	$ 6,788,345	$ 556,227
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020		538,405

[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.

[2] On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted a series of ASUs related to accounting for leases, and recognized the cumulative-effect of adoption to beginning retained earnings. Refer to Note 2 for a detailed impact of adoption.

[3] On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted a series of ASUs related to accounting for credit losses and recognized the cumulative-effect of adoption to beginning retained earnings. Refer to Note 2 for a detailed impact of adoption.