Investments In and Advances to Partnerships - Summarized Financial Information, Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 partnership	Dec. 31, 2011 partnership
Local Partnerships [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of Local Partnerships	3	6
Rental property, at cost, net of accumulated depreciation	$ 1,422,152	$ 2,415,293
Accumulated depreciation	8,665,696
Land	477,050	1,018,531
Other assets	1,799,926	6,473,259
Total assets	3,699,128	9,907,083
Mortgage notes payable	3,665,676	4,235,076
Other liabilities	1,293,604	5,807,556
Due to general partners	331,157	331,157
Total liabilities	5,290,437	10,373,789
Partners' capital (deficit)	(1,591,309)	(466,706)
Total liabilities and partners' capital (deficit)	3,699,128	9,907,083
Local Partnership Equity Method [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of Local Partnerships	2	3	[1]
Rental property, at cost, net of accumulated depreciation	956,676	1,454,914
Accumulated depreciation	4,792,429	11,437,387
Land	406,000	715,103
Other assets	642,727	4,531,684
Total assets	2,005,403	6,701,701
Mortgage notes payable	129,244	1,422,457
Other liabilities	217,116	480,041
Due to general partners	294,158	294,158
Total liabilities	640,518	2,196,656
Partners' capital (deficit)	1,364,885	4,505,045
Total liabilities and partners' capital (deficit)	2,005,403	6,701,701
Local Partnership Equity Method Suspended [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of Local Partnerships	1	3	[2]
Rental property, at cost, net of accumulated depreciation	465,476	960,379
Accumulated depreciation	3,873,267	9,695,715
Land	71,050	303,428
Other assets	1,157,199	1,941,575
Total assets	1,693,725	3,205,382
Mortgage notes payable	3,536,432	2,812,619
Other liabilities	1,076,488	5,327,515
Due to general partners	36,999	36,999
Total liabilities	4,649,919	8,177,133
Partners' capital (deficit)	(2,956,194)	(4,971,751)
Total liabilities and partners' capital (deficit)	$ 1,693,725	$ 3,205,382

[1] Capital Commons; Chestnut; Westwood Village

[2] Hillview Terrace; New Sharon Woods; Shallowford Oaks