Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revenues
Revenues from rental properties		$ 1,152,401	$ 1,144,474	$ 958,888
Management and other fee income		18,391	22,295	35,009
Total revenues		1,170,792	1,166,769	993,897
Operating expenses
Rent		10,993	12,347	14,250
Real estate taxes		146,615	147,150	124,670
Operating and maintenance		140,910	144,980	119,697
General and administrative expenses		117,302	122,735	122,201
Provision for doubtful accounts		5,563	6,075	4,882
Impairment charges		93,266	45,464	217,858
Depreciation and amortization		355,320	344,527	258,074
Total operating expenses		869,969	823,197	683,582
Operating income		300,823	343,572	310,315
Other income/(expense)
Mortgage financing income		1,634	2,940	3,129
Interest, dividends and other investment income		1,478	39,061	966
Other expense, net		2,313	2,234	(8,544)
Interest expense		(192,549)	(218,891)	(203,759)
Early extinguishment of debt charges		(45,674)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes, equity in income of joint ventures, gain on change in control of interests and equity in income from other real estate investments		68,025	168,916	102,107
Provision for income taxes, net		(72,545)	(60,230)	(22,438)
Equity in income of joint ventures, net		218,714	480,395	159,560
Gain on change in control of interests, net		57,386	149,234	107,235
Income from continuing operations		299,353	774,405	384,506
Discontinued operations
(Loss)/income from discontinued operating properties, net of tax			(15)	36,780
Impairment/loss on operating properties, net of tax			(60)	(176,315)
Gain on disposition of operating properties, net of tax				190,520
(Loss)/income from discontinued operating properties			(75)	50,985
Gain on sale of operating properties, net, net of tax		86,785	125,813	389
Net income		386,138	900,143	435,880
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		(7,288)	(6,028)	(11,879)
Net income attributable to the Company		378,850	894,115	424,001
Preferred stock redemption charges			(5,816)
Preferred dividends		(46,220)	(57,084)	(58,294)
Net income available to the Company's common shareholders		$ 332,630	$ 831,215	$ 365,707
Per common share:
-Basic (in dollars per share)		$ 0.79	$ 2.01	$ 0.77
-Diluted (in dollars per share)		0.79	2	0.77
Net income available to the Company:
-Basic (in dollars per share)		0.79	2.01	0.89
-Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.79	$ 2	$ 0.89
Weighted average shares:
-Basic (in shares)		418,402	411,319	409,088
-Diluted (in shares)	[1]	419,709	412,851	411,038
Amounts available to the Company's common shareholders:
Income from continuing operations		$ 332,630	$ 831,290	$ 316,839
(Loss)/income from discontinued operations			(75)	48,868
Net income		332,630	831,215	365,707
Joint Ventures [Member]
Other income/(expense)
Equity in income of joint ventures, net		218,714	480,395	159,560
Other Real Estate Investments [Member]
Operating expenses
Impairment charges			5,300
Other income/(expense)
Equity in income of joint ventures, net		27,773	36,090	38,042
Continuing Operations [Member]
Operating expenses
Impairment charges		$ 93,266	$ 45,383	$ 39,808

[1] The effect of the assumed conversion of certain convertible units had an anti-dilutive effect upon the calculation of Income from continuing operations per share. Accordingly, the impact of such conversions has not been included in the determination of diluted earnings per share calculations. Additionally, there were 3,490,400, 5,300,680 and 7,137,120, stock options that were not dilutive as of December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.