DEBT, NOTES PAYABLE AND SPECIAL ASSESSMENT OBLIGATIONS (Details Textual)				1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Oct. 01, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 24, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 24, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) a $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 01, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 23, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 07, 2011 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Contract Termination					$ (21,700,000)
Interest expense					2,409,000	$ 3,454,000	$ 7,640,000	$ 13,043,000
Notes payable					96,315,000		96,315,000		$ 69,010,000
Costs for capital improvements					6,300,000		6,300,000
Accretion of discount							456,000	$ 1,425,000
Long-term debt					$ 105,970,000		$ 105,970,000		78,991,000
SRE Monarch Lending [Member] | Non-Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated rated (percentage)					16.00%		16.00%
Note payable to related party									5,000,000
Fee amount					$ 100,000		$ 100,000					$ 50,000
Structuring fee									100,000
Cfd Obligation [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt					4,700,000		4,700,000		5,000,000
Cfd Obligation One [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt					3,200,000		$ 3,200,000		3,300,000
Real estate property mortgaged (in acres) | a							171
Real estate held-for-sale					5,100,000		$ 5,100,000
Cfd Obligation Two [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt					1,400,000		$ 1,400,000		1,600,000
Real estate property mortgaged (in acres) | a							13
Real estate held for development					$ 27,100,000		$ 27,100,000
Periodic payment amount							$ 300,000
Minimum [Member] | Cfd Obligation One [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Annual interest rate (percent)					5.00%		5.00%
Minimum [Member] | Cfd Obligation Two [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Annual interest rate (percent)					6.00%		6.00%
Maximum [Member] | Cfd Obligation One [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Annual interest rate (percent)					6.00%		6.00%
Maximum [Member] | Cfd Obligation Two [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Annual interest rate (percent)					7.50%		7.50%
First Credit Bank [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable									24,800,000	$ 24,800,000
Amended interest rate (percentage)										8.00%
Prepayment penalty amount					$ 500,000		$ 500,000
Subsequent Event [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable rate (percentage)	1.25%
Stated rated (percentage)	4.50%
IMH Gabella [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Construction project equity contribution											$ 11,500,000
Available borrowing capacity									24,000,000
Land Available for Development					23,500,000		23,500,000
Hotel Capital Improvements [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from new financing					2,000,000
Apple Valley [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from new financing							4,000,000
Project One [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Minimum required liquidity balance					7,500,000		7,500,000
Land Available for Development					$ 3,000,000		3,000,000
Project One [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Minimum required liquidity balance	$ 4,000,000
Senior Loans [Member] | NW Capital [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable									36,000,000
Sedona Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Non-recourse debt													$ 50,000,000
Annual interest rate (percent)													0.50%
Variable rate (percentage)		6.75%
Extension fee paid		$ 500,000
Default interest rate (percentage)													5.00%
Prepayment penalty rate (percentage)		0.50%
Modified Loan Terms [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount			$ 45,000,000						36,000,000
Stated rated (percentage)			17.00%
Payment terms			the Company on a quarterly basis; and (5) on October 24, 2014, and no later than every 90 days thereafter until the Maturity Date, the Company was required to make payments equal to the sum of: (x) $5.0 million (which payment was to be applied toward the then-outstanding principal and interest due on the Modified Loan); and (y) a fee of one percent (1)% of the then-outstanding principal balance of the Modified Loan
Periodic payment amount							$ 5,000,000
Periodic payment fee (percentage)							(1.00%)
Subordinated Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated rated (percentage)					4.00%		4.00%
Noncurrent subordinated long-term debt									20,000,000
Maturity term (in years)							5 years
Exchange Offering Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount					$ 10,200,000		$ 10,200,000
Stated rated (percentage)					4.00%		4.00%
Fair value of notes payable					$ 6,400,000		$ 6,400,000
Effective interest rate (percentage)					14.60%		14.60%
Debt issue discount					$ 2,900,000		$ 2,900,000		$ 3,800,000
Accretion of discount							$ 500,000
Prepayment rate (percent)							50.00%
Construction Loans [Member] | IMH Gabella [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Extension fee (percentage)									0.25%
Financial covenants, minimum net worth					50,000,000		$ 50,000,000
Settlement Payable in Conjunction with Apple Valley, Minnesota Development Project [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable									$ 500,000
Face amount				$ 3,700,000
Stated rated (percentage)				10.00%
Settlement Payable in Conjunction with Apple Valley, Minnesota Development Project [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Payment terms (in years)				5 years
Settlement Payable in Conjunction with Apple Valley, Minnesota Development Project [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Payment terms (in years)				10 years
Asset Loan 1 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Non-recourse debt													$ 24,400,000
Annual interest rate (percent)													0.50%
Variable rate (percentage)		8.50%
Asset Loan 2 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Non-recourse debt													$ 4,400,000
Annual interest rate (percent)													8.50%
Variable rate (percentage)		0.50%
Extension fee (percentage)		1.00%
Asset Loan 3 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Non-recourse debt					28,800,000		28,800,000
Construction Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount					$ 24,000,000		$ 24,000,000
Stated rated (percentage)					4.25%		4.25%
Long-term debt					$ 9,583,000		$ 9,583,000		1,000
Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from new financing							$ 78,800,000
Convertible Senior Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated rated (percentage)														17.00%
Restrictive covenants							The restrictive covenants related to our ability to sell or encumber our assets, issue additional indebtedness, restructure or modify our ownership structure, settle litigation over $10.5 million, enter into new material agreements and certain other operational matters.
Litigation liability settlement limit					$ 10,500,000		$ 10,500,000
Convertible Senior Notes Payable [Member] | Nwra Ventures I Llc [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount														$ 50,000,000
Subordinated Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt conversion price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares							$ 8.02
Loan Agreement With EDA [Member] | Apple Valley [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated rated (percentage)					6.00%		6.00%
Business subsidy under development agreement					$ 1,000,000		$ 1,000,000
Contingencies receipts under development agreement					800,000		800,000		800,000
Loan Agreement With EDA [Member] | Apple Valley [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Business subsidy under development agreement					$ 1,100,000		$ 1,100,000
Senior Notes [Member] | Modified Loan Terms [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated rated (percentage)					17.00%		17.00%
Long-term debt					$ 0		$ 0		36,000,000
Notes Payable to Banks [Member] | Note Payable in Connection with Deed-in-lieu of Foreclosure Acquisition [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount					$ 24,800,000		$ 24,800,000
Stated rated (percentage)					8.00%		8.00%
Long-term debt					$ 0		$ 0		$ 24,765,000
LIBOR [Member] | Construction Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable rate (percentage)							3.75%