Dividends, Common Stock, Cash Paid In Lieu Of Fractional Shares

No definition available.

Name:	aiv_DividendsCommonStockCashPaidInLieuOfFractionalShares
Namespace Prefix:	aiv_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Partners' Capital Account, Distributions, Cash Paid In Lieu Of Fractional Shares

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aiv_PartnersCapitalAccountDistributionsCashPaidInLieuOfFractionalShares
Namespace Prefix:	aiv_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Partners' Capital Account, Distributions, Shares

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aiv_PartnersCapitalAccountDistributionsShares
Namespace Prefix:	aiv_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of shares of common stock issued as dividends during the period. Excludes stock splits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21463-112644

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsShares
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DistributionMadeToLimitedPartnerLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of paid and unpaid common stock dividends declared with the form of settlement in cash.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DividendsCommonStockCash
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total distributions to each class of partners (i.e., general, limited and preferred partners).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120397183&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 4.F)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120397183&loc=d3e187171-122770

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PartnersCapitalAccountDistributions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=aiv_AIMCOPropertiesLPMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PartnerTypeOfPartnersCapitalAccountAxis=aiv_GeneralPartnerAndSpecialLimitedPartnerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DistributionsMadeToMemberOrLimitedPartnerByDistributionTypeAxis=aiv_SpecialDistributionPaidMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DividendsAxis=aiv_SpecialDividendPaidMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Earnings and Dividends per Share and Unit - Summary of Special Dividend and Distribution (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands, shares in Millions	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Distribution Made To Limited Partner [Line Items]
Cash	$ 61,034	$ 58,065		$ 182,893	$ 183,579
AIMCO Properties, LP [Member]
Distribution Made To Limited Partner [Line Items]
Cash	64,377	61,345		192,734	193,406
AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] \| General Partner and Special Limited Partner [Member]
Distribution Made To Limited Partner [Line Items]
Cash	$ 61,034	$ 58,065		$ 182,893	$ 183,579
Special Distribution Paid [Member] \| AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] \| General Partner and Special Limited Partner [Member]
Distribution Made To Limited Partner [Line Items]
Cash			$ 72,700
Common partnership units			4.8
Cash paid in lieu of issuing fractional units			$ 400
Special Dividend Paid [Member]
Distribution Made To Limited Partner [Line Items]
Cash			$ 67,100
Shares of Common Stock			4.5
Cash paid in lieu of issuing fractional shares			$ 400