Variable Interest Entities

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Disclosure Text Block [Abstract]

Consolidation Policy for VIEs

Variable Interest Entities

Partnership

Due to the fact that the Limited Partners do not have kick out rights, or substantive participating rights, the Partnership is a variable interest entity ("VIE"). Because the General Partner holds majority ownership and exercises control over every aspect of the Partnership's operations, the General Partner has been determined as the primary beneficiary and, therefore, consolidates the Partnership.

The assets and liabilities of the General Partner and the Partnership are substantially the same, as the General Partner does not have any significant assets other than its investment in the Partnership. All of the Company's debt is an obligation of the Partnership.

Joint Ventures

We have equity interests in unconsolidated joint ventures that primarily own and operate rental properties or hold land for development. We consolidate those joint ventures that are considered to be VIEs where we are the primary beneficiary. We analyze our investments in joint ventures to determine if the joint venture is considered a VIE and would require consolidation. We (i) evaluate the sufficiency of the total equity investment at risk, (ii) review the voting rights and decision-making authority of the equity investment holders as a group and whether there are limited partners (or similar owning entities) that lack substantive participating or kick out rights and (iii) establish whether or not activities within the venture are on behalf of an investor with disproportionately few voting rights in making this VIE determination.

To the extent that we own interests in a VIE and we (i) are the sole entity that has the power to direct the activities of the VIE and (ii) have the obligation or rights to absorb the VIE's losses or receive its benefits, then we would be determined to be the primary beneficiary and would consolidate the VIE. To the extent we own interests in a VIE, then at each reporting period, we re-assess our conclusions as to which, if any, party within the VIE is considered the primary beneficiary. Consolidated joint ventures that are VIEs are not significant in any period presented in these consolidated financial statements.

To the extent that our joint ventures do not qualify as VIEs, they are consolidated if we control them through majority ownership interests or if we are the managing entity (general partner or managing member) and the other partner does not have substantive participating rights. Control is further demonstrated by our ability to unilaterally make significant operating decisions, refinance debt and sell the assets of the joint venture without the consent of the non-managing entity and the inability of the non-managing entity to remove us from our role as the managing entity. Consolidated joint ventures that are not VIEs are not significant in any period presented in these consolidated financial statements.

There were no unconsolidated joint ventures, in which we have any recognized assets or liabilities or have retained any economic exposure to loss at June 30, 2019, that met the criteria to be considered VIEs. Our maximum loss exposure for guarantees of unconsolidated joint venture indebtedness, none of which relate to VIEs, totaled $150.8 million at June 30, 2019.