Condensed Consolidated Statements of Partners' Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member]	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] Preferred Units [Member]	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] General Partner and Special Limited Partner [Member]	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] Limited Partner [Member]	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] Partners Capital Attributable To The Partnership [Member]	AIMCO Properties, LP [Member] Noncontrolling Interests In Consolidated Real Estate Partnerships
Balances at Dec. 31, 2017		$ 1,655,753	$ 125,000	$ 1,538,144	$ (5,675)	$ 1,657,469	$ (1,716)
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of Aimco Operating Partnership units	$ 50,151	50,151			50,151	50,151
Redemption of partnership units held by non-Aimco partners		(8,458)			(8,458)	(8,458)
Amortization of share-based compensation		7,521		6,285	1,236	7,521
Effect of changes in ownership of partnership units		(10,101)		(18,137)	8,036	(10,101)
Other, net		119		119		119
Net income		700,958		658,820	34,093	692,913	8,045
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	1,319	1,319		1,247	72	1,319
Distributions paid to common unitholders		(188,753)		(179,351)	(9,402)	(188,753)
Distributions paid to preferred unitholders		(6,445)		(6,445)		(6,445)
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests in consolidated real estate partnerships		(7,934)					(7,934)
Balances at Sep. 30, 2018		2,194,130	125,000	2,000,682	70,053	2,195,735	(1,605)
Balances at Jun. 30, 2018		1,654,785	125,000	1,489,941	42,828	1,657,769	(2,984)
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of partnership units held by non-Aimco partners		(847)			(847)	(847)
Amortization of share-based compensation		2,260		1,804	456	2,260
Effect of changes in ownership of partnership units				(753)	753
Other, net		(2)		(2)		(2)
Net income		601,983		569,991	30,198	600,189	1,794
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	1,736	1,736		1,642	94	1,736
Distributions paid to common unitholders		(63,222)		(59,793)	(3,429)	(63,222)
Distributions paid to preferred unitholders		(2,148)		(2,148)		(2,148)
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests in consolidated real estate partnerships		(415)					(415)
Balances at Sep. 30, 2018		2,194,130	125,000	2,000,682	70,053	2,195,735	(1,605)
Balances at Dec. 31, 2018		1,763,641	125,000	1,574,419	67,189	1,766,608	(2,967)
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Repurchases of common partnership units held by Aimco		(20,682)		(20,682)		(20,682)
Redemption of preferred units held by Aimco		(125,000)	$ (125,000)			(125,000)
Issuance of Aimco Operating Partnership units	3,034	3,034			3,034	3,034
Redemption of partnership units held by non-Aimco partners		(4,958)		6,244	(11,202)	(4,958)
Amortization of share-based compensation		7,182		4,795	2,387	7,182
Effect of changes in ownership of partnership units				(12,123)	8,766	(3,357)	3,357
Contribution from noncontrolling interest inconsolidated real estate partnerships	4,911	4,911					4,911
Purchase of noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships		(3,780)					(3,780)
Other, net		(98)		(117)		(117)	19
Net income		359,461		340,571	18,787	359,358	103
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	(325)	(325)		(306)	(19)	(325)
Distributions paid to common unitholders		(193,406)		(183,579)	(9,827)	(193,406)
Common partnership units issued to common unitholders in special distribution		(516)		(516)		(516)
Distributions paid to preferred unitholders		(3,247)		(3,247)		(3,247)
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests in consolidated real estate partnerships		(143)					(143)
Balances at Sep. 30, 2019		1,786,074		1,705,459	79,115	1,784,574	1,500
Balances at Jun. 30, 2019		1,842,866		1,763,218	82,366	1,845,584	(2,718)
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of partnership units held by non-Aimco partners		(826)		2,821	(3,647)	(826)
Amortization of share-based compensation		1,958		1,163	795	1,958
Effect of changes in ownership of partnership units				(5,104)	2,789	(2,315)	2,315
Contribution from noncontrolling interest inconsolidated real estate partnerships	4,911	4,911					4,911
Purchase of noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships		(2,863)					(2,863)
Other, net		(175)		(175)		(175)
Net income		2,037		1,979	116	2,095	(58)
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	$ (402)	(402)		(378)	(24)	(402)
Distributions paid to common unitholders		(61,345)		(58,065)	(3,280)	(61,345)
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests in consolidated real estate partnerships		(87)					(87)
Balances at Sep. 30, 2019		$ 1,786,074		$ 1,705,459	$ 79,115	$ 1,784,574	$ 1,500