SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND BASIS OF PRESENTATIONS (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	In March 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (“Topic 848”), which was amended in December 2022 by ASU 2022-06, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848). Topic 848 contains practical expedients for reference rate reform related activities that impact debt, leases, derivatives and other contracts. The guidance in Topic 848 is optional and may be elected through December 31, 2024 as reference rate reform activities occur. During the first quarter of 2023, we executed an amendment to the $700.0 million unsecured revolving credit facility (“Revolving Credit Facility”) to convert the benchmark interest rate from LIBOR to an adjusted SOFR ("Secured Overnight Financing Rate"). We elected to apply the optional expedients in Topic 848 to (i) assert that the hedged interest payments remain probable regardless of any expected modification in terms related to reference rate reform, and (ii) continue the method of assessing effectiveness as documented in the original hedge documentation so that the reference rate on the hypothetical derivative matches the reference rate on the hedging instrument. Application of these expedients preserves the presentation of derivatives consistent with past presentation. The impact of this guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In November 2023, the FASB issued an amendment to the segment reporting standards which requires disclosure for each reportable segment, on an interim and annual basis, of the significant expense categories and amounts that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker and included in each reported measure of a segment’s profit or loss. Additionally, it requires a disclosure of the title and position of the individual or the name of the group or committee identified as the chief operating decision maker. The new standard will be effective for annual periods beginning on January 1, 2024 and interim periods beginning on January 1, 2025 on a retrospective basis. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting the standard on our consolidated financial statements. In March 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued its final rule that requires registrants to provide climate disclosures in their annual reports and registration statements, beginning with annual reports for the year ending December 31, 2025. On April 4, 2024, the SEC voluntarily stayed the final rule pending the completion of judicial review of cases pending in the Eighth Circuit. We are continuing to evaluate the disclosure impact of the final rule.
Principles of Consolidation	The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the consolidated accounts of Elme Communities and our subsidiaries and entities in which Elme Communities has a controlling financial interest. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Basis of Presentation	We have prepared the accompanying unaudited financial statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to those rules and regulations, although we believe that the disclosures made are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. In addition, in the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the periods presented have been included. These unaudited financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Lessee Accounting	For leases where we are the lessee, primarily our corporate office operating lease, we recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 842. The right-of-use asset and associated liability is equal to the present value of the minimum lease payments, applying our incremental borrowing rate. Our borrowing rate is computed based on observable borrowing rates taking into consideration our credit quality and adjusting to a secured borrowing rate for similar assets and term. Lease expense for the operating lease is recognized on a straight-line basis over the expected lease term and is included in “General and administrative expenses.”
Restricted Cash	Restricted cash includes funds held in escrow for tenant security deposits.
Transformation Costs	Transformation costs include costs related to the strategic shift away from the commercial sector to the residential sector, including the allocation of internal costs, consulting, advisory and termination benefits.
Use of Estimates in the Financial Statements	The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Fair Value Measurement	Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis For assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis, quantitative disclosures about the fair value measurements are required to be disclosed separately for each major category of assets and liabilities, as follows: Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets Level 2: Significant other observable inputs Level 3: Significant unobservable inputs The only assets or liabilities we had at June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 that are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis are the assets held in the Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“SERP”), which primarily consist of investments in mutual funds, and the interest rate derivatives (see note 6). We base the valuations related to the SERP on quoted prices in active markets and accordingly these valuations fall into Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy. The valuation of the interest rate derivatives is determined using widely accepted valuation techniques, including discounted cash flow analysis on the expected cash flows of each interest rate derivative. This analysis reflects the contractual terms of the interest rate derivatives, including the period to maturity, and uses observable market-based inputs, including interest rate curves and implied volatilities. The fair values of interest rate derivatives are determined using the market standard methodology of netting the discounted future fixed cash payments (or receipts) and the discounted expected variable cash receipts (or payments). The variable cash payments (or receipts) are based on an expectation of future interest rates (forward curves) derived from observable market interest rate curves. To comply with the provisions of ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement, we incorporate credit valuation adjustments in the fair value measurements to appropriately reflect both our own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty’s nonperformance risk. These credit valuation adjustments were concluded to not be significant inputs for the fair value calculations for the periods presented. In adjusting the fair value of our derivative contracts for the effect of nonperformance risk, we have considered the impact of netting and any applicable credit enhancements, such as the posting of collateral, thresholds, mutual puts and guarantees. The valuation of interest rate derivatives fall into Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND BASIS OF PRESENTATIONS (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2024

In March 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (“Topic 848”), which was amended in December 2022 by ASU 2022-06, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848). Topic 848 contains practical expedients for reference rate reform related activities that impact debt, leases, derivatives and other contracts. The guidance in Topic 848 is optional and may be elected through December 31, 2024 as reference rate reform activities occur. During the first quarter of 2023, we executed an amendment to the $700.0 million unsecured revolving credit facility (“Revolving Credit Facility”) to convert the benchmark interest rate from LIBOR to an adjusted SOFR ("Secured Overnight Financing Rate"). We elected to apply the optional expedients in Topic 848 to (i) assert that the hedged interest payments remain probable regardless of any expected modification in terms related to reference rate reform, and (ii) continue the method of assessing effectiveness as documented in the original hedge documentation so that the reference rate on the hypothetical derivative matches the reference rate on the hedging instrument. Application of these expedients preserves the presentation of derivatives consistent with past presentation. The impact of this guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In November 2023, the FASB issued an amendment to the segment reporting standards which requires disclosure for each reportable segment, on an interim and annual basis, of the significant expense categories and amounts that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker and included in each reported measure of a segment’s profit or loss. Additionally, it requires a disclosure of the title and position of the individual or the name of the group or committee identified as the chief operating decision maker. The new standard will be effective for annual periods beginning on January 1, 2024 and interim periods beginning on January 1, 2025 on a retrospective basis. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting the standard on our consolidated financial statements.

In March 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued its final rule that requires registrants to provide climate disclosures in their annual reports and registration statements, beginning with annual reports for the year ending December 31, 2025. On April 4, 2024, the SEC voluntarily stayed the final rule pending the completion of judicial review of cases pending in the Eighth Circuit. We are continuing to evaluate the disclosure impact of the final rule.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the consolidated accounts of Elme Communities and our subsidiaries and entities in which Elme Communities has a controlling financial interest. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Basis of Presentation

We have prepared the accompanying unaudited financial statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to those rules and regulations, although we believe that the disclosures made are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. In addition, in the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the periods presented have been included. These unaudited financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Lessee Accounting

For leases where we are the lessee, primarily our corporate office operating lease, we recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 842. The right-of-use asset and associated liability is equal to the present value of the minimum lease payments, applying our incremental borrowing rate. Our borrowing rate is computed based on observable borrowing rates taking into consideration our credit quality and adjusting to a secured borrowing rate for similar assets and term.

Lease expense for the operating lease is recognized on a straight-line basis over the expected lease term and is included in “General and administrative expenses.”

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash includes funds held in escrow for tenant security deposits.

Transformation Costs

Transformation costs include costs related to the strategic shift away from the commercial sector to the residential sector, including the allocation of internal costs, consulting, advisory and termination benefits.

Use of Estimates in the Financial Statements

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Fair Value Measurement

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

For assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis, quantitative disclosures about the fair value measurements are required to be disclosed separately for each major category of assets and liabilities, as follows:

Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets

Level 2: Significant other observable inputs

Level 3: Significant unobservable inputs

The only assets or liabilities we had at June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 that are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis are the assets held in the Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“SERP”), which primarily consist of investments in mutual funds, and the interest rate derivatives (see note 6).

We base the valuations related to the SERP on quoted prices in active markets and accordingly these valuations fall into Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy.

The valuation of the interest rate derivatives is determined using widely accepted valuation techniques, including discounted cash flow analysis on the expected cash flows of each interest rate derivative. This analysis reflects the contractual terms of the interest rate derivatives, including the period to maturity, and uses observable market-based inputs, including interest rate curves and implied volatilities. The fair values of interest rate derivatives are determined using the market standard methodology of netting the discounted future fixed cash payments (or receipts) and the discounted expected variable cash receipts (or payments). The variable cash payments (or receipts) are based on an expectation of future interest rates (forward

curves) derived from observable market interest rate curves. To comply with the provisions of ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement, we incorporate credit valuation adjustments in the fair value measurements to appropriately reflect both our own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty’s nonperformance risk. These credit valuation adjustments were concluded to not be significant inputs for the fair value calculations for the periods presented. In adjusting the fair value of our derivative contracts for the effect of nonperformance risk, we have considered the impact of netting and any applicable credit enhancements, such as the posting of collateral, thresholds, mutual puts and guarantees. The valuation of interest rate derivatives fall into Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.