Variable Interest Entities Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 24,205,247	$ 49,193,343
Restricted cash	7,836,842	11,685,729
Interest receivable	5,806,290us-gaap_InterestReceivable	4,121,486us-gaap_InterestReceivable
Mortgage revenue bonds held in trust, at fair value	426,022,847	378,423,092
Mortgage revenue bonds, at fair value	81,875,851us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities	70,601,045us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
Public housing capital fund trusts, at fair value	60,272,941	61,263,123
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure, Mortgage-backed Securities	14,884,339	14,841,558
Real Estate Assets [Abstract]
Land and improvements	15,590,493us-gaap_LandAndLandImprovements	15,589,893us-gaap_LandAndLandImprovements
Buildings and improvements	132,000,442	131,910,221
Real estate assets before accumulated depreciation	147,590,935us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross	147,500,114us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
Accumulated depreciation	(26,327,145)	(24,691,800)
Net real estate assets	121,263,790us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	122,808,314us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Other assets	30,564,221us-gaap_OtherAssets	31,301,527us-gaap_OtherAssets
Assets	772,732,368us-gaap_Assets	744,239,217us-gaap_Assets
Liabilities [Abstract]
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	4,995,537	4,627,089
Distribution payable	7,607,693us-gaap_DividendsPayableCurrent	7,617,390us-gaap_DividendsPayableCurrent
Debt financing	379,307,493atax_DebtFinancing	345,359,000atax_DebtFinancing
Mortgages payable	76,445,451us-gaap_LongTermDebt	76,707,834us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Derivative Assets (Liabilities), at Fair Value, Net	1,165,855	0
Liabilities	469,522,029us-gaap_Liabilities	434,311,313us-gaap_Liabilities
Partners' Capital
General Partner	512,533us-gaap_GeneralPartnersCapitalAccount	578,238us-gaap_GeneralPartnersCapitalAccount
Beneficial Unit Certificate holders	323,952,314us-gaap_LimitedPartnersCapitalAccount	330,457,117us-gaap_LimitedPartnersCapitalAccount
Unallocated deficit of Consolidated VIEs	(21,237,622)	(21,091,456)
Total Partners' Capital	303,227,225us-gaap_PartnersCapital	309,943,899us-gaap_PartnersCapital
Noncontrolling interest	(16,886)	(15,995)
Total Capital	303,210,339	309,927,904	272,030,032	203,122,765
Total Liabilities and Partners' Capital	772,732,368	744,239,217
Partnership [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	24,180,224	49,157,571
Restricted cash	7,350,135	11,141,496
Interest receivable	6,476,392	4,791,828
Mortgage revenue bonds held in trust, at fair value	442,029,721	394,568,208
Mortgage revenue bonds, at fair value	81,875,851	70,601,045
Public housing capital fund trusts, at fair value	60,272,941	61,263,123
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure, Mortgage-backed Securities	14,884,339	14,841,558
Real Estate Assets [Abstract]
Land and improvements	13,754,093	13,753,493
Buildings and improvements	110,742,966	110,706,173
Real estate assets before accumulated depreciation	124,497,059	124,459,666
Accumulated depreciation	(15,513,016)	(14,108,154)
Net real estate assets	108,984,043	110,351,512
Other assets	41,298,994	41,958,914
Assets	787,352,640	758,675,255
Liabilities [Abstract]
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	4,623,103	4,123,346
Distribution payable	7,607,693	7,617,390
Debt financing	379,307,493	345,359,000
Mortgages payable	76,445,451	76,707,834
Derivative Assets (Liabilities), at Fair Value, Net	1,165,855
Liabilities	469,149,595	433,807,570
Partners' Capital
General Partner	512,533	578,238
Beneficial Unit Certificate holders	317,707,398	324,305,442
Unallocated deficit of Consolidated VIEs	0	0
Total Partners' Capital	318,219,931	324,883,680
Noncontrolling interest	(16,886)	(15,995)
Total Capital	318,203,045	324,867,685
Total Liabilities and Partners' Capital	787,352,640	758,675,255
Consolidated VIEs [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	25,023	35,772
Restricted cash	486,707	544,233
Interest receivable	0	0
Mortgage revenue bonds held in trust, at fair value	0	0
Mortgage revenue bonds, at fair value	0	0
Public housing capital fund trusts, at fair value		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure, Mortgage-backed Securities	0	0
Real Estate Assets [Abstract]
Land and improvements	1,836,400	1,836,400
Buildings and improvements	21,257,476	21,204,048
Real estate assets before accumulated depreciation	23,093,876	23,040,448
Accumulated depreciation	(10,814,129)	(10,583,646)
Net real estate assets	12,279,747	12,456,802
Other assets	377,523	420,054
Assets	13,169,000	13,456,861
Liabilities [Abstract]
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	22,479,786	22,225,477
Distribution payable	0	0
Debt financing	0	0
Mortgages payable	14,686,000	14,731,000
Derivative Assets (Liabilities), at Fair Value, Net	0
Liabilities	37,165,786	36,956,477
Partners' Capital
General Partner	0	0
Beneficial Unit Certificate holders	0	0
Unallocated deficit of Consolidated VIEs	(23,996,786)	(23,499,616)
Total Partners' Capital	(23,996,786)	(23,499,616)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total Capital	(23,996,786)	(23,499,616)
Total Liabilities and Partners' Capital	13,169,000	13,456,861
Consolidations, Eliminations for VIEs [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Interest receivable	(670,102)	(670,342)
Mortgage revenue bonds held in trust, at fair value	(16,006,874)	(16,145,116)
Mortgage revenue bonds, at fair value	0	0
Public housing capital fund trusts, at fair value		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure, Mortgage-backed Securities	0	0
Real Estate Assets [Abstract]
Land and improvements	0	0
Buildings and improvements	0	0
Real estate assets before accumulated depreciation	0	0
Accumulated depreciation	0	0
Net real estate assets	0	0
Other assets	(11,112,296)	(11,077,441)
Assets	(27,789,272)	(27,892,899)
Liabilities [Abstract]
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(22,107,352)	(21,721,734)
Distribution payable	0	0
Debt financing	0	0
Mortgages payable	(14,686,000)	(14,731,000)
Derivative Assets (Liabilities), at Fair Value, Net	0
Liabilities	(36,793,352)	(36,452,734)
Partners' Capital
General Partner	0	0
Beneficial Unit Certificate holders	6,244,916	6,151,675
Unallocated deficit of Consolidated VIEs	2,759,164	2,408,160
Total Partners' Capital	9,004,080	8,559,835
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total Capital	9,004,080	8,559,835
Total Liabilities and Partners' Capital	$ (27,789,272)	$ (27,892,899)

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity, which is held in trust, whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may by ued in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents Available-for-sale Securities which consist of all investments in certain debt and equity securities neither classified as trading or held-to-maturity securities. A debt security represents a creditor relationship with an enterprise. Debt securities include, among other items, US Treasury securities, US government securities, municipal securities, corporate bonds, convertible debt, commercial paper, and all sescuritized debt instruments. An equity security represents an ownership interest in an enterprise or the right to acquire or dispose of an ownership interest in an enterprise at fixed or determinable prices. Equity securities include, among other things, common stock, certain preferred stock, warrant rights, call options, and put options, but do not include convertible debt. An entity may opt to provide the reader with additional narrative text to better understand the nature of investments in debt and equity securities which are categorized as Available-for-sale.

No definition available.