Real Estate Disposition Activities (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) community home	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Number of Apartment Communities Sold \| community	1
Gain on sale of communities	$ 51,430	$ 70,936
Gain on sale of real estate	0	22
Impairment of Real Estate	$ (2,202)	$ 5,788
Number of Land Parcels Held For Sale \| community	3
Eaves Trumbull [Member]
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Apartment homes \| home	340
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate	$ 70,250
Gain on sale of communities	$ 51,430

Represents the number of apartment homes sold during the period.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Number of Operating Apartment Communities Sold

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Number of Land Parcels Held For Sale

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of other assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585

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- Definition

The net gain (loss) resulting from sales and other disposals of real estate owned for investment purposes.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.14(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

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- Definition

The charge against earnings in the period to reduce the carrying amount of real property to fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51719941&loc=d3e2921-110230

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Cash received for the sale of real estate that is not part of an investing activity during the current period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3179-108585

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