XML 17 R42.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.2.0.727

Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) |  |  |  | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Apr. 15, 2014 USD ($) | Sep. 26, 2013 | Dec. 14, 2011 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2010 USD ($) integer | Dec. 04, 2014 USD ($)
City of Santee |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
One-time rent increase |  | 2.50% |  |  |
Annual rent increase, percentage of CPI |  | 100.00% |  |  |
Rent increase upon turnover of site |  | 10.00% |  |  |
Annual rent increase, percentage of CPI, prior to settlement |  | 70.00% |  |  |
Colony Park |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency damages sought by plaintiff |  |  |  | $ 6,800,000 |
Number of claims settled |  |  |  | 6 |
Number of plaintiffs |  |  |  | 72 |
Number of dismissed claims | integer |  |  |  | 66 |
Number of claims dismissed and not appealed |  |  |  | 3 |
Colony Park | Maximum |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Jury imposed compensatory damages |  |  |  | $ 44,000 |
Colony Park | Attorney Fees |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Compensatory damages sought |  |  | $ 2,000,000 |  |
Compensatory Damages |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Damages awarded | $ 15,300,000 |  |  |  |
Damages sought but overturned |  |  |  |  | $ 15,300,000
Punitive Damages |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Damages awarded | $ 95,800,000 |  |  |  |
Damages sought but overturned |  |  |  |  | $ 95,800,000

X
- Definition Annual rent increase up to a percentage of CPI that was allowed prior to a settlement agreement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_AnnualRentIncreasePercentageofCPIPriortoSettlement
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Jury Imposed Compensatory Damages + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_JuryImposedCompensatoryDamages
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Annual rent increase up to CPI allowed under a settlement agreement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_LitigationSettlementAnnualRentIncreasePercentageofCPI
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The percentage of rent increase allowed under a settlement agreement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_LitigationSettlementOneTimeRentIncrease
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The rate increase on a site upon turnover of that site allowed under a settlement agreement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_LitigationSettlementRentIncreaseUponTurnoverofSite
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Loss Contingency, Claims Dismissed and Not Appealed, Number + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_LossContingencyClaimsDismissedAndNotAppealedNumber
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Loss Contingency, Damages Sought by Plaintiff + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtByPlaintiff
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Compensatory + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtCompensatory
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of damages previously sought by the plaintiff in a legal matter but later overturned by court + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtbutOverturned
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number of claims dismissed. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsDismissedNumber
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number of claims settled. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsSettledNumber
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of damages awarded to the plaintiff in the legal matter. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14557-108349 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedValue
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number of plaintiffs that have filed claims pertaining to a loss contingency. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffs
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=els_CityofSanteeMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=els_ColonyParkMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=els_AttorneyFeesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=els_CompensatoryDamagesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=els_PunitiveDamagesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |