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Our Organization and Basis of Presentation | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
Our Organization and Basis of Presentation | Our Organization and Basis of Presentation Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. ("ELS"), a Maryland corporation, together with MHC Operating Limited Partnership (the "Operating Partnership") and its other consolidated subsidiaries (the "Subsidiaries"), are referred to herein as "we," "us," "the Company," and "our." We are a fully integrated owner and operator of lifestyle-oriented properties ("Properties") consisting primarily of manufactured ("MH") communities and recreational vehicle ("RV") resorts and campgrounds. We provide our customers the opportunity to place factory built homes, cottages, cabins or RVs either permanently or on a long-term or short-term basis. Our customers may lease individual developed areas ("Sites") or enter right-to-use contracts, which provide them access to specific Properties for limited stays. Our Properties are designed and improved for home options of various sizes and designs that are produced off-site by third party manufacturers, installed and set on designated Sites ("Site Set") within the Properties. We believe that we have qualified for taxation as a real estate investment trust ("REIT") for U.S. federal income tax purposes since our taxable year ended December 31, 1993. We plan to continue to meet the requirements for taxation as a REIT. Many of these requirements, however, are highly technical and complex. For example, to qualify as a REIT, at least 95% of our gross income must come from sources that are itemized in the REIT tax laws. We must meet a number of organizational requirements, including a requirement to distribute to stockholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income computed without regard to our deduction for dividends paid and our net capital gain. If we fail to qualify as a REIT, we could be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates. Also, unless the IRS granted us relief under certain statutory provisions, we would remain disqualified as a REIT for four years following the year we first failed to qualify. Even if we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we are subject to certain foreign, state and local taxes on our income and property and U.S. federal income and excise taxes on our undistributed income. Our Properties are owned primarily by the Operating Partnership and managed internally by wholly-owned affiliates of the Operating Partnership. We contributed the proceeds from our initial public offering and subsequent offerings to the Operating Partnership for units of common interests in the partnership ("OP Units"), and we currently hold a number of OP Units equal to the number of our outstanding common shares. In addition, we are the general partner of the Operating Partnership. The financial results of the Operating Partnership and the Subsidiaries are consolidated in our consolidated financial statements. In addition, since certain activities, if performed by us, may cause us to earn income which is not qualifying for the REIT gross income tests, we have formed taxable REIT Subsidiaries, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), to engage in such activities. Several Properties are wholly-owned by Realty Systems, Inc. ("RSI"), one of our taxable REIT Subsidiaries. In addition, RSI is engaged in the business of purchasing and selling or leasing Site Set homes that are located in Properties we own and manage. RSI also provides brokerage services to residents at such Properties for those residents who move from a Property but do not relocate their homes. RSI may provide brokerage services, in competition with other local brokers, by seeking buyers for the Site Set homes. RSI also operates ancillary activities at certain Properties consisting of operations such as golf courses, pro shops, stores and restaurants. The limited partners of the Operating Partnership (the "Common OP Unitholders") receive an allocation of net income that is based on their respective ownership percentage in the Operating Partnership that is shown on the Consolidated Financial Statements as Non-controlling interests—Common OP Units. As of December 31, 2017, the Non-Controlling Interests—Common OP Units represented 5,834,100 OP Units which are convertible into an equivalent number of shares of our common stock. The issuance of additional shares of common stock or Common OP Units changes the respective ownership of the Operating Partnership for the Non-controlling interests—Common OP Units.

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