Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021 USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2021 USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income	$ 30,605		$ 94,517		$ 98,198
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			304,189		275,237
Gain on sale of land			0		(382)
Distributions of income from joint ventures			6,553		6,250
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	(2,500)	[1],[2]	(6,652)	[1],[2]	(5,909)	[1]
Share-based compensation			12,148		10,237
Net change in operating accounts and other			25,267		29,653
Net cash from operating activities			436,022		413,284
Cash flows from investing activities
Development and capital improvements, including land			(279,698)		(294,409)
Acquisition of operating properties			(464,000)		0
Proceeds from sale of land			0		753
Increase in non-real estate assets			(4,685)		(6,126)
Other			(7,371)		1,693
Net cash from investing activities			(755,754)		(298,089)
Cash flows from financing activities
Common shares issued	220,675		579,518		0
Payments of Dividends			(255,120)		(249,223)
Borrowings on unsecured credit facility and other short-term borrowings			0		358,000
Repayments on unsecured credit facility and other short-term borrowings			0		(402,000)
Proceeds from notes payable			0		743,103
Other			4,348		958
Net cash from financing activities			328,746		450,838
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash			9,014		566,033
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, beginning of period			424,533		27,499
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, end of period	433,547		433,547		593,532
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	428,226		428,226		589,614
Restricted cash	5,321		5,321		3,918
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	433,547		433,547		593,532
Supplemental information
Cash paid for interest, net of interest capitalized			64,794		56,895
Cash paid for income taxes			2,221		1,920
Supplemental schedule of noncash investing and financing activities
Distributions declared but not paid			87,919		84,137
Value of shares issued under benefit plans, net of cancellations			18,858		19,538
Conversion of operating partnership units	0		0
Accrual associated with construction and capital expenditures			25,137		26,845
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for the use of new operating lease liabilities			0		93
Conversion of operating partnership units	$ 0		0
Conversion of Stock, Name [Domain]
Supplemental schedule of noncash investing and financing activities
Conversion of operating partnership units			5,936		0
Conversion of operating partnership units			$ 5,936		$ 0

[1] Equity in income excludes our ownership interest of fee income from various services provided by us to the Funds.

[2] Equity in income for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 includes our ownership interest of the Resident Relief Funds payments of approximately $0.4 million.