CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY AND REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Total Stockholders’ Equity	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Cumulative Dividends In Excess Of Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Total Noncontrolling Interests	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	[1]	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Total Stockholders’ Equity	[1]	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Cumulative Dividends In Excess Of Earnings	[1]	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjusted Balance	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjusted Balance Total Stockholders’ Equity	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 Noncontrolling Interests
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			505,222													505,222
Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 6,658,859	$ 6,076,443	$ 505,222	$ 9,175,277	$ (3,601,199)	$ (2,857)	$ 582,416	$ (1,524)		$ (1,524)		$ (1,524)		$ 6,657,335	$ 6,074,919	$ 505,222	$ 9,175,277	$ (3,602,723)	$ (2,857)	$ 582,416
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income (loss)	278,008	267,169			267,169		10,839
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(379)	(379)				(379)
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			33,248
Issuance of common stock, net	1,065,900	1,065,900	$ 33,248	1,032,652
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock (in shares)			120
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock	0	4,077	$ 120	3,957			(4,077)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)			(289)
Repurchase of common stock	(10,273)	(10,273)	$ (289)	(9,984)
Exercise of stock options (in shares)			54
Exercise of stock options	1,806	1,806	$ 54	1,752
Amortization of stock-based compensation	15,817	15,817		15,817
Common dividends	(587,596)	(587,596)			(587,596)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(22,925)						(22,925)
Adjustments to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests	(35,502)	(35,502)		(35,502)
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020			538,355
Balance at Sep. 30, 2020	7,362,191	6,795,938	$ 538,355	10,183,969	(3,923,150)	(3,236)	566,253
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2019	11,106													$ 11,106
Increase (Decrease) in Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(32)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	274
Adjustments to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests	35,502
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2020	46,850
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020			538,318
Balance at Jun. 30, 2020	7,637,256	7,067,208	$ 538,318	10,191,263	(3,660,187)	(2,186)	570,048
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income (loss)	(59,581)	(63,417)			(63,417)		3,836
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(1,050)	(1,050)				(1,050)
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			47
Issuance of common stock, net	511	511	$ 47	464
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)			(10)
Repurchase of common stock	(275)	(275)	$ (10)	(265)
Amortization of stock-based compensation	5,159	5,159		5,159
Common dividends	(199,546)	(199,546)			(199,546)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(7,631)						(7,631)
Adjustments to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests	(12,652)	(12,652)		(12,652)
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020			538,355
Balance at Sep. 30, 2020	7,362,191	6,795,938	$ 538,355	10,183,969	(3,923,150)	(3,236)	566,253
Beginning balance at Jun. 30, 2020	34,054
Increase (Decrease) in Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(13)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	157
Adjustments to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests	12,652
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2020	46,850
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020			538,405
Balance at Dec. 31, 2020	7,289,950	6,733,723	$ 538,405	10,175,235	(3,976,232)	(3,685)	556,227
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income (loss)	493,331	476,779			476,779		16,552
Other comprehensive income (loss)	404	404				404
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			974
Issuance of common stock, net	1,422	1,422	$ 974	448
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)			(410)
Repurchase of common stock	(12,553)	(12,553)	$ (410)	(12,143)
Exercise of stock options (in shares)			97
Exercise of stock options	3,291	3,291	$ 97	3,194
Amortization of stock-based compensation	17,224	17,224		17,224
Common dividends	(488,084)	(488,084)			(488,084)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(24,277)						(24,277)
Purchase of noncontrolling interests	(70)	(5)		(5)			(65)
Adjustments to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests	(61,841)	(61,841)		(61,841)
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2021			539,066
Balance at Sep. 30, 2021	7,218,797	6,670,360	$ 539,066	10,122,112	(3,987,537)	(3,281)	548,437
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2020	57,396
Increase (Decrease) in Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income (loss)	23
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(95)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	426
Adjustments to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests	61,841
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2021	119,591
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2021			538,955
Balance at Jun. 30, 2021	7,351,410	6,802,543	$ 538,955	10,147,230	(3,880,253)	(3,389)	548,867
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income (loss)	61,883	54,711			54,711		7,172
Other comprehensive income (loss)	108	108				108
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			20
Issuance of common stock, net	378	378	$ 20	358
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)			(2)
Repurchase of common stock	(73)	(73)	$ (2)	(71)
Exercise of stock options (in shares)			93
Exercise of stock options	3,166	3,166	$ 93	3,073
Amortization of stock-based compensation	5,666	5,666		5,666
Common dividends	(161,995)	(161,995)			(161,995)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(7,602)						(7,602)
Adjustments to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests	(34,144)	(34,144)		(34,144)
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2021			539,066
Balance at Sep. 30, 2021	7,218,797	$ 6,670,360	$ 539,066	$ 10,122,112	$ (3,987,537)	$ (3,281)	$ 548,437
Beginning balance at Jun. 30, 2021	85,367
Increase (Decrease) in Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Net income (loss)	23
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(43)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	100
Adjustments to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests	34,144
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2021	$ 119,591

[1] On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted a series of Accounting Standards Updates (“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.