CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 1,136,438	$ 1,004,356	$ 827,706
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation expense	814,978	758,596	707,331
Amortization of deferred financing costs	8,432	7,462	7,454
Amortization of debt discount	2,786	2,681	1,880
Loss on extinguishment of debt, net	1,646	17,787	9,333
Amortization of stock-based compensation	33,864	25,505	21,603
Equity in loss (income) of, and return on, unconsolidated entities and noncontrolling interests, net of eliminations	5,255	(108)	8,673
Real estate casualty loss	0	1,723	0
Abandonment of development pursuits	5,599	685	9,262
Unrealized gain on terminated cash flow hedges	0	(2,654)	(2,894)
Cash flow hedge losses reclassified to earnings	3,883	7,887	8,984
Gain on sale of real estate assets	(598,741)	(627,637)	(346,041)
Gain on sale of for-sale condominiums	(2,217)	(3,110)	(8,213)
(Decrease) increase in resident security deposits, prepaid expenses and other assets	(7,167)	5,505	(28,675)
Increase in accrued expenses, other liabilities and accrued interest payable	17,176	4,492	3,212
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,421,932	1,203,170	1,219,615
Cash flows from investing activities:
Development/redevelopment of real estate assets including land acquisitions and deferred development costs	(921,203)	(654,861)	(843,907)
Acquisition of real estate assets	(536,838)	(771,692)	0
Capital expenditures - existing real estate assets	(160,313)	(142,688)	(108,531)
Capital expenditures - non-real estate assets	(14,392)	(10,547)	(28,505)
Increase (decrease) in payables for construction	9,080	(29,887)	1,474
Proceeds from sale of real estate, net of selling costs	934,117	850,230	619,773
Proceeds from the sale of for-sale condominiums, net of selling costs	117,266	124,532	202,033
Note receivable lending	(29,352)	(1,210)	(258)
Note receivable payments	4,021	2,435	3,419
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	51,464	63,171	11,157
Investments in unconsolidated entities	(14,269)	(53,536)	(36,088)
Net cash used in investing activities	(560,419)	(624,053)	(179,433)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuance of common stock, net	20,020	31,874	3,464
Repurchase of common stock, net	0	0	(183,876)
Dividends paid	(889,607)	(888,344)	(883,212)
Issuance of mortgage notes payable	0	0	51,000
Repayments of mortgage notes payable, including prepayment penalties	(43,332)	(109,562)	(126,712)
Issuance of unsecured notes	348,565	1,098,643	1,296,581
Repayment of unsecured notes	(100,000)	(462,147)	(958,680)
Payment of deferred financing costs	(14,301)	(8,864)	(11,277)
Receipt (payment) for termination of forward interest rate swaps	26,869	4,751	(25,135)
Acquisition of/payments to noncontrolling interest	(997)	(55)	(68)
Payments related to tax withholding for share-based compensation	(16,989)	(13,463)	(14,917)
Distributions to DownREIT partnership unitholders	(48)	(48)	(48)
Distributions to joint venture and profit-sharing partners	(376)	(306)	(384)
Preferred interest obligation redemption and dividends	(860)	(1,340)	(1,000)
Net cash used in financing activities	(671,056)	(348,861)	(854,264)
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and cash in escrow	190,457	230,256	185,918
Cash, cash equivalents and cash in escrow, beginning of year	543,788	313,532	127,614
Cash, cash equivalents and cash in escrow, end of year	734,245	543,788	313,532
Cash paid during the year for interest, net of amount capitalized	212,241	203,773	196,848
Supplemental Cash Flow Information
Cash and cash equivalents	613,189	420,251	216,976
Cash in escrow	121,056	123,537	96,556
Cash, cash equivalents and cash in escrow shown in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows	$ 734,245	$ 543,788	$ 313,532