Condensed Consolidated Statements of Partners' Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member]	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] Preferred Units [Member]	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] General Partner and Special Limited Partner [Member]	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] General Partner and Special Limited Partner [Member] Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] Limited Partners [Member]	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] Partners Capital Attributable To The Partnership [Member]	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] Partners Capital Attributable To The Partnership [Member] Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] Noncontrolling Interests In Consolidated Real Estate Partnerships
Balances at Dec. 31, 2018		$ 1,763,641		$ 125,000	$ 1,574,419		$ 67,189	$ 1,766,608		$ (2,967)
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Repurchases of common partnership units		(20,682)			(20,682)			(20,682)
Redemption of preferred units		(125,000)		$ (125,000)				(125,000)
Issuance of Aimco Operating Partnership units	$ 3,034	3,034					3,034	3,034
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units	4,958	(4,958)			6,244		(11,202)	(4,958)
Amortization of share-based compensation cost		7,182			4,795		2,387	7,182
Effect of changes in ownership of consolidated entities					(12,123)		8,766	(3,357)		3,357
Contribution from noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships	4,911	4,911								4,911
Purchase of noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships		(3,780)								(3,780)
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	(325)	(325)			(306)		(19)	(325)
Net income (loss)	359,461	359,461			340,571		18,787	359,358		103
Distributions paid to common unitholders		(193,406)			(183,579)		(9,827)	(193,406)
Common partnership units issued to common unitholders in special distribution		(516)			(516)			(516)
Distributions paid to preferred unitholders		(3,247)			(3,247)			(3,247)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(9,970)
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests in consolidated real estate partnerships		(143)								(143)
Other, net		(98)			(117)			(117)		19
Balances at Sep. 30, 2019		1,786,074			1,705,459		79,115	1,784,574		1,500
Balances at Jun. 30, 2019		1,842,866			1,763,218		82,366	1,845,584		(2,718)
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units	826	(826)			2,821		(3,647)	(826)
Amortization of share-based compensation cost		1,958			1,163		795	1,958
Effect of changes in ownership of consolidated entities					(5,104)		2,789	(2,315)		2,315
Contribution from noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships	4,911	4,911								4,911
Purchase of noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships		(2,863)								(2,863)
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	(402)	(402)			(378)		(24)	(402)
Net income (loss)	2,037	2,037			1,979		116	2,095		(58)
Distributions paid to common unitholders		(61,345)			(58,065)		(3,280)	(61,345)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(3,367)
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests in consolidated real estate partnerships		(87)								(87)
Other, net		(175)			(175)			(175)
Balances at Sep. 30, 2019		1,786,074			1,705,459		79,115	1,784,574		1,500
Balances at Dec. 31, 2019		1,860,795	$ (277)		1,780,649	$ (277)	83,442	1,864,091	$ (277)	(3,296)
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Repurchases of common partnership units		(10,004)			(10,004)			(10,004)
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units	1,739	(1,739)			5,137		(6,876)	(1,739)
Amortization of share-based compensation cost		7,065			3,911		3,154	7,065
Effect of changes in ownership of consolidated entities		447,688			504,361		4,647	509,008		(61,320)
Contribution from noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships	4,701	4,701								4,701
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	(658)	(658)			(616)		(42)	(658)
Net income (loss)	22,298	22,298			20,970		1,134	22,104		194
Distributions paid to common unitholders		(192,734)			(182,893)		(9,841)	(192,734)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(10,019)	(178)								(178)
Other, net		(160)			153			153		(313)
Balances at Sep. 30, 2020		2,136,797			2,121,391		75,618	2,197,009		(60,212)
Balances at Jun. 30, 2020		1,774,236			1,698,012		79,414	1,777,426		(3,190)
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units	484	(484)					(484)	(484)
Amortization of share-based compensation cost		1,954			902		1,052	1,954
Effect of changes in ownership of consolidated entities		447,688			508,709		335	509,044		(61,356)
Contribution from noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships	4,701	4,701								4,701
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	(243)	(243)			(228)		(15)	(243)
Net income (loss)	(26,379)	(26,379)			(25,007)		(1,341)	(26,348)		(31)
Distributions paid to common unitholders		(64,377)			(61,034)		(3,343)	(64,377)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	$ (3,413)	(70)								(70)
Other, net		(229)			37			37		(266)
Balances at Sep. 30, 2020		$ 2,136,797			$ 2,121,391		$ 75,618	$ 2,197,009		$ (60,212)