Related Party Transactions (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 Unit	Dec. 31, 2012 Unit	Dec. 31, 2011
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Management and other fees from affiliates including management, property management, development and redevelopment fees from co-investments, net of intercompany amounts eliminated by company	$ 11.7	$ 10.9	$ 6.1
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (in hundredths)		2.50%
Number of units acquired	1,079	2,052
Cost of acquired entity	349.1	551.1
Executive Vice President of the Company invested	4.0
Limited partnership interest in partnership investments (in hundredths)	3.00%
Marcus and Millichamp Company TMMC Affiliate [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Preferred equity interest investment in a related party entity	8.6
Brokerage commissions revenue	0.6	0.4	0
Wesco III [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Short term bridge loan		26.0
Pacific Urban Residential [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Preferred equity interest investment in a related party entity		14.0
Additional preferred equity interest investment related party entity		4.0
Preferred return on investment in related party investee (in hundredths)		9.50%
Maturity date		May 31, 2016
Montebello [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of units acquired		248
Cost of acquired entity		52.0
TMCC and Wesco I [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Units in the community		156
Cost of acquired entity		38.3
MMC [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Preferred return on preferred equity investment, thereafter, maximum (in hundredths)	13.00%
Preferred return on preferred equity investment, thereafter, minimum (in hundredths)	9.00%
Maximum Term Extended (in years)	1 year
Income related to the restructured investment	$ 0.4