CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total Stockholders' Equity	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Cumulative Dividends In Excess Of Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Total Noncontrolling Interests	Total
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 10,723,300	$ 456,961	$ 11,334,041	$ (1,053,215)	$ (14,487)	$ 207,834	$ 10,931,134
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013		456,961
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income (loss)	922,233			922,233		14,358	936,591
Other comprehensive income	(9,408)				(9,408)		(9,408)
Issuance of common stock, net	92,688	$ 2,939	89,749			(557)	92,131
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		2,939
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock							473
Conversion of DownREIT units (in shares)		27
Repurchase of common stock	(12,703)	$ (323)	(12,380)				(12,703)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)		(323)
Exercise of stock options	4,461	$ 169	4,292				4,461
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		169
Amortization of deferred compensation	21,885		21,885				21,885
Common dividends	(1,001,559)			(1,001,559)			(1,001,559)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests						(15,611)	(15,611)
Issuance of noncontrolling interests						57,746	57,746
Purchase of noncontrolling interests	(5,600)		(5,600)			(1,968)	(7,568)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	10,735,297	$ 459,746	11,431,987	(1,132,541)	(23,895)	261,802	10,997,099
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014		459,746
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income (loss)	(559,235)			(559,235)		12,817	(546,418)
Other comprehensive income	(6,575)				(6,575)		(6,575)
Issuance of common stock, net	182,067	$ 5,117	176,950			(3,183)	$ 178,884
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		5,117					1,800
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock							$ 2,979
Conversion of DownREIT units (in shares)		104
Repurchase of common stock	(8,738)	$ (198)	(8,540)				(8,738)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)		(198)
Exercise of stock options	27,587	$ 823	26,764				27,587
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		823
Amortization of deferred compensation	26,127		26,127				26,127
Common dividends	(1,046,638)			(1,046,638)			(1,046,638)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(263)		(263)			(18,884)	(19,147)
Issuance of noncontrolling interests						151,185	151,185
Purchase of noncontrolling interests	(5,986)		(5,986)			(1,063)	(7,049)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	9,343,643	$ 465,488	11,647,039	(2,738,414)	(30,470)	402,674	9,746,317
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015		465,488
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income (loss)	627,747			627,747		12,179	639,926
Other comprehensive income	828				828		828
Issuance of common stock, net	64,177	$ 2,552	61,625				64,177
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		2,552
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock	6,093	$ 145	5,948			$ (6,093)	6,093
Conversion of DownREIT units (in shares)		145				7,000
Repurchase of common stock	(8,685)	$ (237)	(8,448)				(8,685)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)		(237)
Exercise of stock options	3,473	$ 133	3,340				3,473
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		133
Amortization of deferred compensation	22,884		22,884				22,884
Common dividends	(979,542)			(979,542)			(979,542)
Distribution of QCP, Inc	(3,532,763)		(3,532,763)				(3,532,763)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(36)		(36)			$ (26,311)	(26,347)
Issuance of noncontrolling interests						11,834	11,834
Deconsolidation of noncontrolling interests	439		(36)	475		67	506
Purchase of noncontrolling interests	(663)		(663)			(637)	(1,300)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 5,547,595	$ 468,081	$ 8,198,890	$ (3,089,734)	$ (29,642)	$ 393,713	$ 5,941,308
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		468,081