Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
ASSETS
Net real estate related to VIEs	$ 817,297	$ 846,081
Cash and cash equivalents related to VIEs	35,430	34,808
Restricted cash related to VIEs	50,373	55,076
Accounts receivable, net related to VIEs	10,238	8,393
Investment in unconsolidated real estate partnerships related to VIEs	48,748	54,374
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Non-recourse property tax-exempt bond financing related to VIEs	225,837	209,550
Non-recourse property loans payable related to VIEs	417,669	428,417
Other borrowings related to VIEs	13,294	15,486
Accrued liabilities and other related to VIEs	$ 66,162	$ 79,170
Equity:
Class A Common Stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Class A Common Stock, shares authorized	485,687,260	422,157,736
Class A Common Stock, shares issued	120,477,521	117,642,872
Class A Common Stock, shares outstanding	120,477,521	117,642,872

Accounts receivable, net related to Variable Interest Entities.

Name:	aiv_AccountsReceivableNetRelatedToVariableInterestEntities
Namespace Prefix:	aiv
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Accrued liabilities and other related to Variable Interest Entities.

+ Details

Name:	aiv_AccruedLiabilitiesAndOtherRelatedToVariableInterestEntities
Namespace Prefix:	aiv
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Cash and cash equivalents related to Variable Interest Entities.

+ Details

Name:	aiv_CashAndCashEquivalentsRelatedToVariableInterestEntities
Namespace Prefix:	aiv
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Investment in unconsolidated real estate partnerships related to Variable Interest Entities.

+ Details

Name:	aiv_InvestmentInUnconsolidatedRealEstatePartnershipsRelatedToVariableInterestEntities
Namespace Prefix:	aiv
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Net real estate related to Variable Interest Entities.

+ Details

Name:	aiv_NetRealEstateRelatedToVariableInterestEntities
Namespace Prefix:	aiv
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Other borrowings related to Variable Interest Entities.

+ Details

Name:	aiv_OtherBorrowingsRelatedToVariableInterestEntities
Namespace Prefix:	aiv
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Non-recourse Property loans payable related to Variable Interest Entities.

+ Details

Name:	aiv_PropertyLoansPayableRelatedToVariableInterestEntities
Namespace Prefix:	aiv
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Non-recourse property tax-exempt bond financing related to Variable Interest Entities.

+ Details

Name:	aiv_PropertyTaxExemptBondFinancingRelatedToVariableInterestEntities
Namespace Prefix:	aiv
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Restricted cash related to Variable Interest Entities.

+ Details

Name:	aiv_RestrictedCashRelatedToVariableInterestEntities
Namespace Prefix:	aiv
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face amount or stated value of common stock per share; generally not indicative of the fair market value per share.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 129
-Paragraph 4

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 30
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	us-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The maximum number of common shares permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 30
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total number of common shares of an entity that have been sold or granted to shareholders (includes common shares that were issued, repurchased and remain in the treasury). These shares represent capital invested by the firm's shareholders and owners, and may be all or only a portion of the number of shares authorized. Shares issued include shares outstanding and shares held in the treasury.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 30
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total number of shares of common stock held by shareholders. May be all or portion of the number of common shares authorized. These shares represent the ownership interest of the common shareholders. Excludes common shares repurchased by the entity and held as Treasury shares. Shares outstanding equals shares issued minus shares held in treasury. Does not include common shares that have been repurchased.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)
-Number 12
-Paragraph 10

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 04
-Article 3

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 30
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilitiesAndStockholdersEquityAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterestAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration