Fair Value

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value

Fair Value

Financial Instruments Carried at Fair Value

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company uses interest rate swap and interest rate cap agreements to manage its interest rate risk. These instruments are carried at fair value in the Company's financial statements. In adjusting the fair value of its derivative contracts for the effect of counterparty nonperformance risk, the Company has considered the impact of its net position with a given counterparty, as well as any applicable credit enhancements, such as collateral postings, thresholds, mutual puts and guarantees. The Company minimizes its credit risk on these transactions by dealing with major, creditworthy financial institutions which have an A or better credit rating by the Standard & Poor's Ratings Group. As part of its on-going control procedures, the Company monitors the credit ratings of counterparties and the exposure of the Company to any single entity, thus reducing credit risk concentration. The Company believes the likelihood of realizing losses from counterparty nonperformance is remote. Although the Company has determined that the majority of the inputs used to value its derivatives fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, such as interest rate, term to maturity and volatility, the credit valuation adjustments associated with its derivatives use Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads, to evaluate the likelihood of default by itself and its counterparties. As of December 31, 2019, the Company assessed the significance of the impact of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of its derivative positions and has determined it is not significant. As a result, the Company has determined that its derivative valuations are classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

The Company recognized a gain of $753,000 for hedge ineffectiveness for the year ended December 31, 2017, included as a component of interest expense, net on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.

The following table summarizes the consolidated derivative positions at December 31, 2019 (dollars in thousands):

	Non-designated Hedges Interest Rate Caps			Cash Flow Hedges Interest Rate Swaps
Notional balance	$	443,827		$	350,000
Weighted average interest rate (1)	3.2		%	N/A
Weighted average swapped/capped interest rate	6.5		%	2.1		%
Earliest maturity date	January 2021			October 2020
Latest maturity date	November 2021			October 2020

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(1) For interest rate caps, represents the weighted average interest rate on the hedged debt.

During 2019, in conjunction with the issuance of the Company's 3.30% notes due 2029 in May 2019, the Company settled $250,000,000 of forward interest rate swap agreements designated as cash flow hedges of the interest rate variability on the forecasted issuance of the unsecured notes, making a payment of $12,309,000. The Company has deferred this amount in accumulated other comprehensive loss on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets, and will recognize the impact as a component of interest expense, net, over the term of the debt of ten years.

In 2019, the Company entered into $350,000,000 of new forward interest rate swap agreements executed to reduce the impact of variability in interest rates on a portion of the Company's expected debt issuance activity in 2020, which were outstanding as of December 31, 2019. For further discussion, see Note 13, "Subsequent Events."

The Company had six derivatives designated as cash flow hedges and five derivatives not designated as hedges at December 31, 2019. Fair value changes for derivatives not in qualifying hedge relationships for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, were not material. During 2019, the Company deferred $11,930,000 of losses for cash flow hedges as a component of other comprehensive income (loss).

The following table summarizes the deferred losses reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income as a component of interest expense, net (dollars in thousands):

	For the year ended
	12/31/19		12/31/18		12/31/17
Cash flow hedge losses reclassified to earnings	$	6,571	$	6,143	$	7,070

The Company anticipates reclassifying approximately $6,983,000 of hedging losses from accumulated other comprehensive loss into earnings within the next 12 months to offset the variability of cash flows of the hedged item during this period. The Company did not have any derivatives designated as fair value hedges as of December 31, 2019 and 2018.

Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests

The Company provided redemption options (the “Puts”) that allow joint venture partners of the Company to require the Company to purchase their interests in the investment at a guaranteed minimum amount related to two consolidated ventures. The Puts are payable in cash. The Company determines the fair value of the Puts based on unobservable inputs, applying a guaranteed rate of return to the joint venture partners' net capital contribution balances as of period end. Given the significance of the unobservable inputs, the valuations are classified in Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

The Company issued units of limited partnership interest in DownREITs which provide the DownREIT limited partners the ability to present all or some of their units for redemption for cash as determined by the partnership agreement. Under the DownREIT agreements, for each limited partnership unit, the limited partner is entitled to receive cash in the amount equal to the fair value of the Company's common stock on or about the date of redemption. In lieu of cash redemption, the Company may elect to exchange such units for an equal number of shares of the Company's common stock. The limited partnership units in the DownREITs are valued using the market price of the Company's common stock, a Level 1 price under the fair value hierarchy.

Financial Instruments Not Carried at Fair Value

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalent balances are held with various financial institutions within accounts designed to preserve principal. The Company monitors credit ratings of these financial institutions and the concentration of cash and cash equivalent balances with any one financial institution and believes the likelihood of realizing material losses related to cash and cash equivalent balances is remote. Cash and cash equivalents are carried at their face amounts, which reasonably approximate their fair values and are Level 1 within the fair value hierarchy.

Other Financial Instruments

Rents and other receivables and prepaids, accounts and construction payable and accrued expenses and other liabilities are carried at their face amounts, which reasonably approximate their fair values.

In conjunction with the development of Avalon Brooklyn Bay, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement to construct a mixed-use building that included for-sale residential condominium units and related common elements, in additional to the Company's rental apartments, in which the Company has a 100% interest. The venture partner has a 100% interest in the for-sale residential condominium units. The Company was responsible for the development and construction of the structure, and provided a loan to the venture partner for the venture partner's share of costs for the for-sale residential condominium units. As of December 31, 2019, the Company has a receivable from the venture partner in the form of a variable rate mortgage note, secured by the remaining for-sale residential condominium units. The balance as of December 31, 2019 was $10,650,000, representing outstanding principal and interest, net of repayments, and as of December 31, 2018, was $12,819,000, representing outstanding principal and interest. These amounts are reported as a component of prepaid expenses and other assets on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company recognizes interest income on the accrual basis.

The Company values its unsecured notes using quoted market prices, a Level 1 price within the fair value hierarchy. The Company values its notes payable and outstanding amounts under the Credit Facility and Term Loans using a discounted cash flow analysis on the expected cash flows of each instrument. This analysis reflects the contractual terms of the instrument, including the period to maturity, and uses observable market-based inputs, including interest rate curves. The process also considers credit valuation adjustments to appropriately reflect the Company’s nonperformance risk. The Company has concluded that the value of its notes payable and amounts outstanding under its Credit Facility and Term Loans are Level 2 prices as the majority of the inputs used to value its positions fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

Financial Instruments Measured/Disclosed at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

The following table summarizes the classification between the three levels of the fair value hierarchy of the Company's financial instruments measured/disclosed at fair value on a recurring basis (dollars in thousands):

Description	Total Fair Value			Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)			Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)			Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
	12/31/2019
Cash Flow Hedges
Interest Rate Swaps - Assets	$	388		$	—		$	388		$	—
Interest Rate Swaps - Liabilities	(6,379		)	—			(6,379		)	—
Puts	(206		)	—			—			(206		)
DownREIT units	(1,573		)	(1,573		)	—			—
Indebtedness
Fixed rate unsecured notes	(6,197,771		)	(6,197,771		)	—			—
Secured notes and variable rate unsecured indebtedness	(1,398,147		)	—			(1,398,147		)	—
Total	$	(7,603,688	)	$	(6,199,344	)	$	(1,404,138	)	$	(206	)
	12/31/2018
Non Designated Hedges
Interest Rate Caps	$	2		$	—		$	2		$	—
Cash Flow Hedges
Interest Rate Swaps - Liabilities	(6,366		)	—			(6,366		)	—
Puts	(465		)	—			—			(465		)
DownREIT units	(1,305		)	(1,305		)	—			—
Indebtedness
Fixed rate unsecured notes	(5,268,277		)	(5,268,277		)	—			—
Secured notes and variable rate unsecured indebtedness	(1,505,876		)	—			(1,505,876		)	—
Total	$	(6,782,287	)	$	(5,269,582	)	$	(1,512,240	)	$	(465	)