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Equity, Capital and Other Interests (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2016
Common shares and units rollforward | The following tables present the changes in the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Shares and “Units” (which includes OP Units and restricted units) for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014:
|  | 2016 |  | 2015 |  | 2014
Common Shares |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Common Shares outstanding at January 1, |  | 364,755,444 |  |  | 362,855,454 |  |  | 360,479,260 |
Common Shares Issued: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Conversion of OP Units |  | 88,838 |  |  | 208,307 |  |  | 94,671 |
Exercise of share options |  | 815,044 |  |  | 1,456,363 |  |  | 2,086,380 |
Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP) |  | 63,909 |  |  | 68,462 |  |  | 68,807 |
Restricted share grants, net |  | 147,689 |  |  | 168,142 |  |  | 169,722 |
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, |  | 365,870,924 |  |  | 364,755,444 |  |  | 362,855,454 |
Units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Units outstanding at January 1, |  | 14,427,164 |  |  | 14,298,691 |  |  | 14,180,376 |
Restricted unit grants, net |  | 287,749 |  |  | 335,496 |  |  | 200,840 |
Conversion of restricted shares to restricted units |  | — |  |  | 1,284 |  |  | 12,146 |
Conversion of OP Units to Common Shares |  | (88,838 | ) |  | (208,307 | ) |  | (94,671 | )
Units outstanding at December 31, |  | 14,626,075 |  |  | 14,427,164 |  |  | 14,298,691 |
Total Common Shares and Units outstanding at December 31, |  | 380,496,999 |  |  | 379,182,608 |  |  | 377,154,145 |
Units Ownership Interest in Operating Partnership |  | 3.8 | % |  | 3.8 | % |  | 3.8 | %
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Table Text Block] | The following table presents the changes in the redemption value of the Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively (amounts in thousands):
|  | 2016 |  | 2015 |  | 2014
Balance at January 1, |  | $ | 566,783 |  |  | $ | 500,733 |  |  | $ | 363,144 |
Change in market value |  | (115,093 | ) |  | 64,378 |  |  | 139,818 |
Change in carrying value |  | (9,598 | ) |  | 1,672 |  |  | (2,229 | )
Balance at December 31, |  | $ | 442,092 |  |  | $ | 566,783 |  |  | $ | 500,733 |
Schedule Of Preferred Stock [Table Text Block] | The following table presents the Company’s issued and outstanding Preferred Shares as of December 31, 2016 and 2015:
|  |  |  |  |  | Amounts in thousands
|  | Redemption Date (1) |  | Annual Dividend per Share (2) |  | December 31, 2016 |  | December 31, 2015
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, 2016 and 2015 |  | 12/10/26 |  | $ | 4.145 |  |  | $ | 37,280 |  |  | $ | 37,280 |
|  |  |  |  |  | $ | 37,280 |  |  | $ | 37,280 |
(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.
ERPOP [Member] |
Common shares and units rollforward | 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, 2016, 2015 and 2014:
|  | 2016 |  | 2015 |  | 2014
General and Limited Partner Units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
General and Limited Partner Units outstanding at January 1, |  | 379,182,608 |  |  | 377,154,145 |  |  | 374,659,636 |
Issued to General Partner: |  |  |  |  |  |
Exercise of EQR share options |  | 815,044 |  |  | 1,456,363 |  |  | 2,086,380 |
EQR's Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP) |  | 63,909 |  |  | 68,462 |  |  | 68,807 |
EQR's restricted share grants, net |  | 147,689 |  |  | 168,142 |  |  | 169,722 |
Issued to Limited Partners: |  |  |  |  |  |
Restricted unit grants, net |  | 287,749 |  |  | 335,496 |  |  | 200,840 |
OP Units Other: |  |  |  |  |  |
Repurchased and retired |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | (31,240 | )
General and Limited Partner Units outstanding at December 31, |  | 380,496,999 |  |  | 379,182,608 |  |  | 377,154,145 |
Limited Partner Units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Limited Partner Units outstanding at January 1, |  | 14,427,164 |  |  | 14,298,691 |  |  | 14,180,376 |
Limited Partner restricted unit grants, net |  | 287,749 |  |  | 335,496 |  |  | 200,840 |
Conversion of EQR restricted shares to restricted units |  | — |  |  | 1,284 |  |  | 12,146 |
Conversion of Limited Partner OP Units to EQR Common Shares |  | (88,838 | ) |  | (208,307 | ) |  | (94,671 | )
Limited Partner Units outstanding at December 31, |  | 14,626,075 |  |  | 14,427,164 |  |  | 14,298,691 |
Limited Partner Units Ownership Interest in Operating Partnership |  | 3.8 | % |  | 3.8 | % |  | 3.8 | %
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Table Text Block] | The following table presents the changes in the redemption value of the Redeemable Limited Partners for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively (amounts in thousands):
|  | 2016 |  | 2015 |  | 2014
Balance at January 1, |  | $ | 566,783 |  |  | $ | 500,733 |  |  | $ | 363,144 |
Change in market value |  | (115,093 | ) |  | 64,378 |  |  | 139,818 |
Change in carrying value |  | (9,598 | ) |  | 1,672 |  |  | (2,229 | )
Balance at December 31, |  | $ | 442,092 |  |  | $ | 566,783 |  |  | $ | 500,733 |
Schedule Of Preferred Stock [Table Text Block] | The following table presents the Operating Partnership's issued and outstanding “Preference Units” as of December 31, 2016 and 2015:
|  |  |  |  |  | Amounts in thousands
|  | Redemption Date (1) |  | Annual Dividend per Unit (2) |  | December 31, 2016 |  | December 31, 2015
Preference Units: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
8.29% Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preference Units; liquidation value $50 per unit; 745,600 units issued and outstanding at December 31, 2016 and 2015 |  | 12/10/26 |  | $ | 4.145 |  |  | $ | 37,280 |  |  | $ | 37,280 |
|  |  |  |  |  |  | $ | 37,280 |  |  | $ | 37,280 |
(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.

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