CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revenue:
Rental and other income	$ 2,039,656	$ 1,846,081	$ 1,674,011
Management, development and other fees	5,599	9,947	11,050
Total revenue	2,045,255	1,856,028	1,685,061
Expenses:
Operating expenses, excluding property taxes	478,437	448,747	410,672
Property taxes	204,837	193,499	178,634
Interest expense, net	187,510	175,615	180,618
Loss (gain) on extinguishment of debt, net	7,075	(26,736)	412
Depreciation expense	531,434	477,923	442,682
General and administrative expense	45,771	42,774	41,425
Expensed acquisition, development and other pursuit costs, net of recoveries	9,922	6,822	(3,717)
Casualty and impairment (gain) loss, net	(3,935)	(10,542)	0
Total expenses	1,461,051	1,308,102	1,250,726
Income from continuing operations before equity in income of unconsolidated real estate entities, gain on sale of communities and other real estate, and taxes	584,204	547,926	434,335
Equity in income of unconsolidated real estate entities	64,962	70,018	148,766
Gain on sale of communities	374,623	115,625	84,925
Gain on sale of other real estate	10,224	9,647	490
Income from continuing operations before taxes	1,034,013	743,216	668,516
Income tax expense	305	1,483	9,368
Income from continuing operations	1,033,708	741,733	659,148
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations	0	0	310
Gain on sale of discontinued operations	0	0	37,869
Total discontinued operations	0	0	38,179
Net income	1,033,708	741,733	697,327
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	294	305	(13,760)
Net income attributable to common stockholders	1,034,002	742,038	683,567
Other comprehensive income:
(Loss) income on cash flow hedges	(5,556)	5,354	(121)
Cash flow hedge losses reclassified to earnings	6,433	5,774	6,237
Comprehensive income	$ 1,034,879	$ 753,166	$ 689,683
Earnings per common share—basic:
Income from continuing operations attributable to common stockholders	$ 7.53	$ 5.54	$ 4.93
Discontinued operations attributable to common stockholders	0.00	0.00	0.29
Net income attributable to common stockholders	7.53	5.54	5.22
Earnings per common share—diluted:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	7.52	5.51	4.92
Discontinued operations attributable to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	0.29
Net income attributable to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 7.52	$ 5.51	$ 5.21