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Equity, Capital and Other Interests | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2015
Equity, Capital and other Interests [Abstract] |
Equity Capital And Other Interests [Text Block] |
3. | Equity, Capital and Other Interests
Equity and Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests of Equity Residential The following tables present the changes in the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Shares and “Units” (which includes OP Units and restricted units (formerly known as Long-Term Incentive Plan ("LTIP") Units)) for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013:
|  | 2015 |  | 2014 |  | 2013
Common Shares |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Common Shares outstanding at January 1, |  | 362,855,454 |  |  | 360,479,260 |  |  | 325,054,654 |
Common Shares Issued: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Conversion of OP Units |  | 208,307 |  |  | 94,671 |  |  | 67,939 |
Issuance of Common Shares |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 34,468,085 |
Exercise of share options |  | 1,456,363 |  |  | 2,086,380 |  |  | 586,017 |
Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP) |  | 68,462 |  |  | 68,807 |  |  | 73,468 |
Restricted share grants, net |  | 168,142 |  |  | 169,722 |  |  | 229,097 |
Common Shares Other: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Conversion of restricted shares to restricted units |  | (1,284 | ) |  | (12,146 | ) |  | — |
Repurchased and retired |  | — |  |  | (31,240 | ) |  | — |
Common Shares outstanding at December 31, |  | 364,755,444 |  |  | 362,855,454 |  |  | 360,479,260 |
Units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Units outstanding at January 1, |  | 14,298,691 |  |  | 14,180,376 |  |  | 13,968,758 |
Restricted unit grants, net |  | 335,496 |  |  | 200,840 |  |  | 279,557 |
Conversion of restricted shares to restricted units |  | 1,284 |  |  | 12,146 |  |  | — |
Conversion of OP Units to Common Shares |  | (208,307 | ) |  | (94,671 | ) |  | (67,939 | )
Units outstanding at December 31, |  | 14,427,164 |  |  | 14,298,691 |  |  | 14,180,376 |
Total Common Shares and Units outstanding at December 31, |  | 379,182,608 |  |  | 377,154,145 |  |  | 374,659,636 |
Units Ownership Interest in Operating Partnership |  | 3.8 | % |  | 3.8 | % |  | 3.8 | %
The equity positions of various individuals and entities that contributed their properties to the Operating Partnership in exchange for OP Units, as well as the equity positions of the holders of restricted units, are collectively referred to as the “Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership”. Subject to certain exceptions (including the “book-up” requirements of restricted units), the Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership may exchange their Units with EQR for Common Shares on a one-for-one basis. The carrying value of the Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership (including redeemable interests) is allocated based on the number of Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership Units in total in proportion to the number of Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership Units in total plus the number of Common Shares. Net income is allocated to the Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership based on the weighted average ownership percentage during the period. The Operating Partnership has the right but not the obligation to make a cash payment instead of issuing Common Shares to any and all holders of Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership Units requesting an exchange of their OP Units with EQR. Once the Operating Partnership elects not to redeem the Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership Units for cash, EQR is obligated to deliver Common Shares to the exchanging holder of the Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership Units. The Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership Units are classified as either mezzanine equity or permanent equity. If EQR is required, either by contract or securities law, to deliver registered Common Shares, such Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership are differentiated and referred to as “Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership”. Instruments that require settlement in registered shares cannot be classified in permanent equity as it is not always completely within an issuer’s control to deliver registered shares. Therefore, settlement in cash is assumed and that responsibility for settlement in cash is deemed to fall to the Operating Partnership as the primary source of cash for EQR, resulting in presentation in the mezzanine section of the balance sheet. The Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership are adjusted to the greater of carrying value or fair market value based on the Common Share price of EQR at the end of each respective reporting period. EQR has the ability to deliver unregistered Common Shares for the remaining portion of the Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership Units that are classified in permanent equity at December 31, 2015 and 2014. The carrying value of the Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership is allocated based on the number of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership Units in proportion to the number of Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership Units in total. Such percentage of the total carrying value of Units which is ascribed to the Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership is then adjusted to the greater of carrying value or fair market value as described above. As of December 31, 2015, the Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership have a redemption value of approximately $566.8 million, which represents the value of Common Shares that would be issued in exchange with the Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership Units. The following table presents the changes in the redemption value of the Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively (amounts in thousands):
|  | 2015 |  | 2014 |  | 2013
Balance at January 1, |  | $ | 500,733 |  |  | $ | 363,144 |  |  | $ | 398,372 |
Change in market value |  | 64,378 |  |  | 139,818 |  |  | (79,667 | )
Change in carrying value |  | 1,672 |  |  | (2,229 | ) |  | 44,439 |
Balance at December 31, |  | $ | 566,783 |  |  | $ | 500,733 |  |  | $ | 363,144 |
Net proceeds from EQR Common Share and Preferred Share (see definition below) offerings are contributed by EQR to ERPOP. In return for those contributions, EQR receives a number of OP Units in ERPOP equal to the number of Common Shares it has issued in the equity offering (or in the case of a preferred equity offering, a number of preference units in ERPOP equal in number and having the same terms as the Preferred Shares issued in the equity offering). As a result, the net offering proceeds from Common Shares and Preferred Shares are allocated between shareholders’ equity and Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership to account for the change in their respective percentage ownership of the underlying equity of ERPOP. The Company’s declaration of trust authorizes it to issue up to 100,000,000 preferred shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per share (the “Preferred Shares”), with specific rights, preferences and other attributes as the Board of Trustees may determine, which may include preferences, powers and rights that are senior to the rights of holders of the Company’s Common Shares. The following table presents the Company’s issued and outstanding Preferred Shares as of December 31, 2015 and 2014:
|  |  |  |  |  | Amounts in thousands
|  | Redemption Date (1) |  | Annual Dividend per Share (2) |  | December 31, 2015 |  | December 31, 2014
Preferred Shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
8.29% Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred; liquidation value $50 per share; 745,600 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2015 and 1,000,000 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2014 (3) (4) |  | 12/10/26 |  |  | $4.145 |  |  | $ | 37,280 |  |  | $ | 50,000 |
|  |  |  |  |  | $ | 37,280 |  |  | $ | 50,000 |
(1) | On or after the redemption date, redeemable preferred shares may be redeemed for cash at the option of the Company, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to the liquidation price per share, plus accrued and unpaid distributions, if any.
(2) | Dividends on Preferred Shares are payable quarterly.
(3) | Effective January 26, 2015, the Company repurchased and retired 196,400 Series K Preferred Shares with a par value of $9.82 million for total cash consideration of approximately $12.7 million. As a result of this partial redemption, the Company incurred a cash charge of approximately $2.8 million which was recorded as a premium on the redemption of Preferred Shares.
(4) | Effective November 12, 2015, the Company repurchased and retired 58,000 Series K Preferred Shares with a par value of $2.9 million for total cash consideration of approximately $3.6 million. As a result of this partial redemption, the Company incurred a cash charge of approximately $0.7 million which was recorded as a premium on the redemption of Preferred Shares.
Capital and Redeemable Limited Partners of ERP Operating Limited Partnership The following tables present the changes in the Operating Partnership's issued and outstanding Units and in the limited partners' Units for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013:
|  | 2015 |  | 2014 |  | 2013
General and Limited Partner Units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
General and Limited Partner Units outstanding at January 1, |  | 377,154,145 |  |  | 374,659,636 |  |  | 339,023,412 |
Issued to General Partner: |  |  |  |  |  |
Issuance of OP Units |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 34,468,085 |
Exercise of EQR share options |  | 1,456,363 |  |  | 2,086,380 |  |  | 586,017 |
EQR's Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP) |  | 68,462 |  |  | 68,807 |  |  | 73,468 |
EQR's restricted share grants, net |  | 168,142 |  |  | 169,722 |  |  | 229,097 |
Issued to Limited Partners: |  |  |  |  |  |
Restricted unit grants, net |  | 335,496 |  |  | 200,840 |  |  | 279,557 |
OP Units Other: |  |  |  |  |  |
Repurchased and retired |  | — |  |  | (31,240 | ) |  | — |
General and Limited Partner Units outstanding at December 31, |  | 379,182,608 |  |  | 377,154,145 |  |  | 374,659,636 |
Limited Partner Units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Limited Partner Units outstanding at January 1, |  | 14,298,691 |  |  | 14,180,376 |  |  | 13,968,758 |
Limited Partner restricted unit grants, net |  | 335,496 |  |  | 200,840 |  |  | 279,557 |
Conversion of EQR restricted shares to restricted units |  | 1,284 |  |  | 12,146 |  |  | — |
Conversion of Limited Partner OP Units to EQR Common Shares |  | (208,307 | ) |  | (94,671 | ) |  | (67,939 | )
Limited Partner Units outstanding at December 31, |  | 14,427,164 |  |  | 14,298,691 |  |  | 14,180,376 |
Limited Partner Units Ownership Interest in Operating Partnership |  | 3.8 | % |  | 3.8 | % |  | 3.8 | %
The Limited Partners of the Operating Partnership as of December 31, 2015 include various individuals and entities that contributed their properties to the Operating Partnership in exchange for OP Units, as well as the equity positions of the holders of restricted units. Subject to certain exceptions (including the “book-up” requirements of restricted units), Limited Partners may exchange their Units with EQR for Common Shares on a one-for-one basis. The carrying value of the Limited Partner Units (including redeemable interests) is allocated based on the number of Limited Partner Units in total in proportion to the number of Limited Partner Units in total plus the number of General Partner Units. Net income is allocated to the Limited Partner Units based on the weighted average ownership percentage during the period. The Operating Partnership has the right but not the obligation to make a cash payment instead of issuing Common Shares to any and all holders of Limited Partner Units requesting an exchange of their OP Units with EQR. Once the Operating Partnership elects not to redeem the Limited Partner Units for cash, EQR is obligated to deliver Common Shares to the exchanging limited partner. The Limited Partner Units are classified as either mezzanine equity or permanent equity. If EQR is required, either by contract or securities law, to deliver registered Common Shares, such Limited Partner Units are differentiated and referred to as “Redeemable Limited Partner Units”. Instruments that require settlement in registered shares cannot be classified in permanent equity as it is not always completely within an issuer's control to deliver registered shares. Therefore, settlement in cash is assumed and that responsibility for settlement in cash is deemed to fall to the Operating Partnership as the primary source of cash for EQR, resulting in presentation in the mezzanine section of the balance sheet. The Redeemable Limited Partner Units are adjusted to the greater of carrying value or fair market value based on the Common Share price of EQR at the end of each respective reporting period. EQR has the ability to deliver unregistered Common Shares for the remaining portion of the Limited Partner Units that are classified in permanent equity at December 31, 2015 and 2014. The carrying value of the Redeemable Limited Partner Units is allocated based on the number of Redeemable Limited Partner Units in proportion to the number of Limited Partner Units in total. Such percentage of the total carrying value of Limited Partner Units which is ascribed to the Redeemable Limited Partner Units is then adjusted to the greater of carrying value or fair market value as described above. As of December 31, 2015, the Redeemable Limited Partner Units have a redemption value of approximately $566.8 million, which represents the value of Common Shares that would be issued in exchange with the Redeemable Limited Partner Units. The following table presents the changes in the redemption value of the Redeemable Limited Partners for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively (amounts in thousands):
|  | 2015 |  | 2014 |  | 2013
Balance at January 1, |  | $ | 500,733 |  |  | $ | 363,144 |  |  | $ | 398,372 |
Change in market value |  | 64,378 |  |  | 139,818 |  |  | (79,667 | )
Change in carrying value |  | 1,672 |  |  | (2,229 | ) |  | 44,439 |
Balance at December 31, |  | $ | 566,783 |  |  | $ | 500,733 |  |  | $ | 363,144 |
EQR contributes all net proceeds from its various equity offerings (including proceeds from exercise of options for Common Shares) to ERPOP. In return for those contributions, EQR receives a number of OP Units in ERPOP equal to the number of Common Shares it has issued in the equity offering (or in the case of a preferred equity offering, a number of preference units in ERPOP equal in number and having the same terms as the preferred shares issued in the equity offering). The following table presents the Operating Partnership's issued and outstanding “Preference Units” as of December 31, 2015 and 2014:
|  |  |  |  |  | Amounts in thousands
|  | Redemption Date (1) |  | Annual Dividend per Unit (2) |  | December 31, 2015 |  | December 31, 2014
Preference Units: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
8.29% Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preference Units; liquidation value $50 per unit; 745,600 units issued and outstanding at December 31, 2015 and 1,000,000 units issued and outstanding at December 31, 2014 (3) (4) |  | 12/10/26 |  |  | $4.145 |  |  | $ | 37,280 |  |  | $ | 50,000 |
|  |  |  |  |  |  | $ | 37,280 |  |  | $ | 50,000 |
(1) | On or after the redemption date, redeemable preference units may be redeemed for cash at the option of the Operating Partnership, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to the liquidation price per unit, plus accrued and unpaid distributions, if any, in conjunction with the concurrent redemption of the corresponding Company Preferred Shares.
(2) | Dividends on Preference Units are payable quarterly.
(3) | Effective January 26, 2015, the Operating Partnership repurchased and retired 196,400 Series K Preference Units with a par value of $9.82 million for total cash consideration of approximately $12.7 million, in conjunction with the concurrent redemption of the corresponding Company Preferred Shares. As a result of this partial redemption, the Operating Partnership incurred a cash charge of approximately $2.8 million which was recorded as a premium on the redemption of Preference Units.
(4) | Effective November 12, 2015, the Operating Partnership repurchased and retired 58,000 Series K Preference Units with a par value of $2.9 million for total cash consideration of approximately $3.6 million, in conjunction with the concurrent redemption of the corresponding Company Preferred Shares. As a result of this partial redemption, the Operating Partnership incurred a cash charge of approximately $0.7 million which was recorded as a premium on the redemption of Preference Units.
Other EQR and ERPOP currently have an active universal shelf registration statement for the issuance of equity and debt securities that automatically became effective upon filing with the SEC on July 30, 2013 and expires on July 30, 2016. Per the terms of ERPOP's partnership agreement, EQR contributes the net proceeds of all equity offerings to the capital of ERPOP in exchange for additional OP Units (on a one-for-one Common Share per OP Unit basis) or preference units (on a one-for-one preferred share per preference unit basis). On February 27, 2013, the Company issued 34,468,085 Common Shares to an affiliate of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. as partial consideration for the portion of the Archstone Portfolio acquired by the Company (as discussed in Note 4 below). The shares had a total value of $1.9 billion based on the February 27, 2013 closing price of EQR Common Shares of $55.99 per share. Concurrent with this transaction, ERPOP issued 34,468,085 OP Units to EQR. On March 7, 2013, EQR filed a shelf registration statement relating to the resale of these shares by the selling shareholders. In September 2009, the Company announced the establishment of an At-The-Market (“ATM”) share offering program which would allow EQR to sell Common Shares from time to time into the existing trading market at current market prices as well as through negotiated transactions. Per the terms of ERPOP's partnership agreement, EQR contributes the net proceeds from all equity offerings to the capital of ERPOP in exchange for additional OP Units (on a one-for-one Common Share per OP Unit basis). On July 30, 2013, the Board of Trustees approved an increase to the amount of shares which may be offered under the ATM program to 13.0 million Common Shares and extended the program maturity to July 2016. EQR has not issued any shares under this program since September 14, 2012. Effective July 30, 2013, the Board of Trustees approved an increase and modification to the Company's share repurchase program to allow for the potential repurchase of up to 13.0 million Common Shares. Considering the repurchase activity for the year ended December 31, 2014 (see discussion below), EQR has remaining authorization to repurchase an additional 12,968,760 of its shares as of December 31, 2015. During the year ended December 31, 2014, EQR repurchased 31,240 of its Common Shares at an average price of $56.87 per share for total consideration of $1.8 million. These shares were retired subsequent to the repurchases. Concurrent with these transactions, ERPOP repurchased and retired 31,240 OP Units previously issued to EQR. All of the shares repurchased during the year ended December 31, 2014 were repurchased from employees at the then current market prices to cover the minimum statutory tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of employees' restricted shares. No shares were repurchased during the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2013. During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company acquired all of its partners' interests in one consolidated partially owned property consisting of 268 apartment units and one consolidated partially owned land parcel for $5.5 million. In conjunction with these transactions, the Company reduced paid in capital (included in general partner's capital in the Operating Partnership's financial statements) by $2.3 million, Noncontrolling Interests – Partially Owned Properties by $2.2 million and other liabilities by $1.0 million. During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Operating Partnership issued the 3.00% Series P Cumulative Redeemable Preference Units with a liquidation value of approximately $18.4 million in conjunction with the buyout of its partner's 95% interest in a previously unconsolidated development property. The Series P Preference Units are classified as a liability due in part to the fact that the holder can put the units back to the Operating Partnership for cash. Dividends are paid quarterly on the Series P Preference Units. See Note 4 for further discussion of the buyout.

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- Definition Represents the Equity of the Parent Company and the Capital of the Operating Partnership as well as the interests of Partially Owned and Limited Partners. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The entire disclosure for shareholders' equity as well as for the formation, structure, control and ownership of the partnership. Including, but not limited to: (1) balances of common stock, preferred stock, paid-in capital and retained earnings; (2) accumulated balance for each classification of other comprehensive income and total amount of comprehensive income; (3) amount and nature of changes in separate accounts, including the number of shares authorized and outstanding, number of shares issued upon exercise and conversion, and for other comprehensive income, the adjustments for reclassifications to net income; (4) rights and privileges of each class of stock authorized; (5) basis of treasury stock, if other than cost, and amounts paid and accounting treatment for treasury stock purchased significantly in exess of market; (6) dividends paid or payable per share and in the aggregate for each class of stock for each period presented; (7) dividend restrictions and accumulated preferred dividends in arrears (in aggregate and per share amount); (8) balances of general partners capital account, limited partners capital account, preferred partners capital account and total partners capital account and units outstanding; (9) amount and nature of changes to amount of partner's capital and units outstanding by class, rights and privileges for each class of units; and (10) distribution policies and distributions paid by unit class. + References No definition available. + Details
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