Consolidated Statements of Partners' Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	AIMCO Properties, L.P.	AIMCO Properties, L.P. Preferred Units	AIMCO Properties, L.P. General Partner and Special Limited Partner	AIMCO Properties, L.P. Limited Partners	AIMCO Properties, L.P. Partners’ Capital Attributable to the Partnership	AIMCO Properties, L.P. Noncontrolling Interests
Balances at Dec. 31, 2015		$ 1,763,905	$ 159,126	$ 1,463,265	$ (9,851)	$ 1,612,540	$ 151,365
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of preferred units held by Aimco		(34,799)	(34,126)	(673)		(34,799)
Redemption of partnership units held by non-Aimco partners		(10,819)			(10,819)	(10,819)
Amortization of Aimco stock-based compensation		8,610		8,610		8,610
Effect of changes in ownership for consolidated entities		(16,064)		(26,171)	10,107	(16,064)
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	$ 7,662	7,662		7,051	351	7,402	260
Other, net		3,323		3,323		3,323
Net income		476,034		430,410	20,368	450,778	25,256
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(35,974)	(25,760)					(25,760)
Distributions to common unitholders		(217,112)		(206,898)	(10,214)	(217,112)
Distributions to preferred unitholders		(10,014)		(10,014)		(10,014)
Balances at Dec. 31, 2016		1,944,966	125,000	1,668,903	(58)	1,793,845	151,121
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of partnership units held by non-Aimco partners		(11,882)			(11,882)	(11,882)
Amortization of Aimco stock-based compensation		9,251		8,638	613	9,251
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	3,401	3,401					3,401
Effect of changes in ownership for consolidated entities		(312,775)		(160,586)	4,867	(155,719)	(157,056)
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	2,814	2,814		2,592	121	2,713	101
Other, net		271		271		271
Net income		339,315		315,774	14,457	330,231	9,084
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(19,132)	(8,367)					(8,367)
Distributions to common unitholders		(236,937)		(226,172)	(10,765)	(236,937)
Distributions to preferred unitholders		(8,594)		(8,594)		(8,594)
Balances at Dec. 31, 2017		1,655,753	125,000	1,538,144	(5,675)	1,657,469	(1,716)
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Repurchases of common partnership units		(373,593)		(373,593)		(373,593)
Issuance of common partnership units	50,151	50,151			50,151	50,151
Redemption of partnership units held by non-Aimco partners		(9,639)			(9,639)	(9,639)
Amortization of Aimco stock-based compensation		9,765		8,074	1,691	9,765
Effect of changes in ownership for consolidated entities		(10,101)		(19,115)	9,014	(10,101)	0
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	1,260	1,260		1,191	69	1,260
Other, net		152		152		152
Net income		708,864		666,227	34,417	700,644	8,220
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	$ (22,310)	(22,310)			(12,839)	(12,839)	(9,471)
Distributions to common unitholders		(238,067)		(238,067)		(238,067)
Distributions to preferred unitholders		(8,594)		(8,594)		(8,594)
Balances at Dec. 31, 2018		$ 1,763,641	$ 125,000	$ 1,574,419	$ 67,189	$ 1,766,608	$ (2,967)