CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Cumulative Dividends In Excess Of Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Total Stockholders’ Equity	Total Noncontrolling Interests
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016		$ 5,941,308	$ 468,081	$ 8,198,890	$ (3,089,734)	$ (29,642)	$ 5,547,595	$ 393,713
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016			468,081
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income (loss)		464,177			461,145		461,145	3,032
Other comprehensive income (loss)		984				984	984
Issuance of common stock, net		3,472	$ 427	3,045			3,472
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			427
Conversion of DownREIT units to common stock		0	$ 54	1,494			1,548	(1,548)
Conversion of DownREIT units (in shares)			54
Repurchase of common stock		(3,532)	$ (116)	(3,416)			(3,532)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)			(116)
Amortization of deferred compensation		3,765		3,765			3,765
Common dividends		(173,629)			(173,629)		(173,629)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest		(5,659)						(5,659)
Issuances of noncontrolling interest		650						650
Deconsolidation of noncontrolling interest		(58,061)						(58,061)
Balance at Mar. 31, 2017		6,173,475	$ 468,446	8,203,778	(2,802,218)	(28,658)	5,841,348	332,127
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2017			468,446
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Cumulative effect of new accounting principle	[1]	79,144			79,144		79,144
Adjusted balance		5,674,082	$ 469,436	8,226,113	(3,291,376)	(24,024)	5,380,149	293,933
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017		5,594,938	$ 469,436	8,226,113	(3,370,520)	(24,024)	5,301,005	293,933
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017			469,436
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income (loss)		43,237			40,232		40,232	3,005
Other comprehensive income (loss)		2,717				2,717	2,717
Issuance of common stock, net		2,774	$ 382	2,392			2,774
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			382
Repurchase of common stock		(2,144)	$ (93)	(2,051)			(2,144)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)			(93)
Amortization of deferred compensation		5,919		5,919			5,919
Common dividends		(174,149)			(174,149)		(174,149)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest		(5,077)						(5,077)
Issuances of noncontrolling interest		995						995
Purchase of noncontrolling interest		(67,431)		(49,207)			(49,207)	(18,224)
Balance at Mar. 31, 2018		$ 5,480,923	$ 469,725	$ 8,183,166	$ (3,425,293)	$ (21,307)	$ 5,206,291	$ 274,632
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018			469,725

[1] On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2017-05, Clarifying the Scope of Asset Derecognition Guidance and Accounting for Partial Sales of Nonfinancial Assets (“ASU 2017-05”), and recognized the cumulative-effect of adoption to beginning retained earnings. Refer to Note 2 for a detailed impact of adoption.