Variable Interest Entities	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Variable Interest Entities	5.Variable Interest Entities We hold various interests in entities deemed to be VIEs, which we evaluate at acquisition, formation, after a change in the ownership agreement or after a change in the real estate venture's economics to determine if the VIEs should be consolidated in our financial statements or should no longer be considered a VIE. Certain criteria we assess in determining whether the VIEs should be consolidated relate to our control over significant business activities, our voting rights and the noncontrolling interest kick-out rights, which ultimately dictate whether we are the primary beneficiary of the VIE. Unconsolidated VIEs As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, we had interests in entities deemed to be VIEs that are in the development stage and do not hold sufficient equity at risk or conduct substantially all their operations on behalf of an investor with disproportionately few voting rights. Although we are engaged to act as the managing partner in charge of day-to-day operations of these investees, we are not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs, as we do not hold unilateral power over activities that, when taken together, most significantly impact the respective VIE's performance. We account for our investment in these entities under the equity method. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the net carrying amounts of our investment in these entities were $242.7 million and $242.9 million, which are included in "Investments in unconsolidated real estate ventures" in our balance sheets. Our equity in the income of unconsolidated VIEs is included in "Income (loss) from unconsolidated real estate ventures, net" in our statements of operations. Our maximum loss exposure in these entities is limited to our investments, construction commitments and certain guarantees. See Note 17 for additional information. Consolidated VIEs JBG SMITH LP is our most significant consolidated VIE. We hold 90.3% of the limited partnership interest in the operating partnership, act as the general partner and exercise full responsibility, discretion and control over its day-to-day management. We consolidate VIEs in which we control the significant business activities. These entities are VIEs because they are in the development stage and/or do not hold sufficient equity at risk. We are the primary beneficiaries of these VIEs because the noncontrolling interest holders do not have substantive kick-out or participating rights, and we control the significant business activities. The noncontrolling interests of JBG SMITH LP do not have substantive liquidation rights, substantive kick-out rights without cause, or substantive participating rights that could be exercised by a simple majority of noncontrolling interest limited partners (including by such a limited partner unilaterally). Because the noncontrolling interest holders do not have these rights, JBG SMITH LP is a VIE. As general partner, we have the power to direct the activities of JBG SMITH LP that most significantly affect its performance, and through our majority interest, we have both the right to receive benefits from and the obligation to absorb losses of JBG SMITH LP. Accordingly, we are the primary beneficiary of JBG SMITH LP and consolidate it in our financial statements. Because we conduct our business and hold our assets and liabilities through JBG SMITH LP, its total assets and liabilities comprise substantially all of our consolidated assets and liabilities. In conjunction with the acquisition of F1RST Residences in December 2019, we entered into a like-kind exchange agreement with a third-party intermediary. As of December 31, 2019, the third-party intermediary was the legal owner of the entity that owned this property. We determined we were the primary beneficiary of the VIE, and accordingly, we consolidated the property and its operations as of the acquisition date. Legal ownership of this entity was transferred to us by the third-party intermediary as the like-kind exchange agreement was completed with the sale of Metropolitan Park in January 2020. As of March 31, 2020, in addition to JBG SMITH LP, we consolidated one VIE with total assets and liabilities of $146.6 million and $7.6 million. As of December 31, 2019, in addition to JBG SMITH LP, we consolidated two VIEs with total assets and liabilities of $136.8 million and $11.8 million. For consolidated VIEs other than JBG SMITH LP, only the assets of the respective VIE can be used to settle obligations of that VIE, and their creditors have no recourse to our wholly owned assets.

Variable Interest Entities

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

5.Variable Interest Entities

We hold various interests in entities deemed to be VIEs, which we evaluate at acquisition, formation, after a change in the ownership agreement or after a change in the real estate venture's economics to determine if the VIEs should be consolidated in our financial statements or should no longer be considered a VIE. Certain criteria we assess in determining whether the VIEs should be consolidated relate to our control over significant business activities, our voting rights and the noncontrolling interest kick-out rights, which ultimately dictate whether we are the primary beneficiary of the VIE.

Unconsolidated VIEs

As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, we had interests in entities deemed to be VIEs that are in the development stage and do not hold sufficient equity at risk or conduct substantially all their operations on behalf of an investor with disproportionately few voting rights. Although we are engaged to act as the managing partner in charge of day-to-day operations of these investees, we are not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs, as we do not hold unilateral power over activities that, when taken together, most significantly impact the respective VIE's performance. We account for our investment in these entities under the equity method. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the net carrying amounts of our investment in these entities were $242.7 million and $242.9 million, which are included in "Investments in unconsolidated real estate ventures" in our balance sheets. Our equity in the income of unconsolidated VIEs is included in "Income (loss) from unconsolidated real estate ventures, net" in our statements of operations. Our maximum loss exposure in these entities is limited to our investments, construction commitments and certain guarantees. See Note 17 for additional information.

Consolidated VIEs

JBG SMITH LP is our most significant consolidated VIE. We hold 90.3% of the limited partnership interest in the operating partnership, act as the general partner and exercise full responsibility, discretion and control over its day-to-day management.

We consolidate VIEs in which we control the significant business activities. These entities are VIEs because they are in the development stage and/or do not hold sufficient equity at risk. We are the primary beneficiaries of these VIEs because the

noncontrolling interest holders do not have substantive kick-out or participating rights, and we control the significant business activities.

The noncontrolling interests of JBG SMITH LP do not have substantive liquidation rights, substantive kick-out rights without cause, or substantive participating rights that could be exercised by a simple majority of noncontrolling interest limited partners (including by such a limited partner unilaterally). Because the noncontrolling interest holders do not have these rights, JBG SMITH LP is a VIE. As general partner, we have the power to direct the activities of JBG SMITH LP that most significantly affect its performance, and through our majority interest, we have both the right to receive benefits from and the obligation to absorb losses of JBG SMITH LP. Accordingly, we are the primary beneficiary of JBG SMITH LP and consolidate it in our financial statements. Because we conduct our business and hold our assets and liabilities through JBG SMITH LP, its total assets and liabilities comprise substantially all of our consolidated assets and liabilities.

In conjunction with the acquisition of F1RST Residences in December 2019, we entered into a like-kind exchange agreement with a third-party intermediary. As of December 31, 2019, the third-party intermediary was the legal owner of the entity that owned this property. We determined we were the primary beneficiary of the VIE, and accordingly, we consolidated the property and its operations as of the acquisition date. Legal ownership of this entity was transferred to us by the third-party intermediary as the like-kind exchange agreement was completed with the sale of Metropolitan Park in January 2020.

As of March 31, 2020, in addition to JBG SMITH LP, we consolidated one VIE with total assets and liabilities of $146.6 million and $7.6 million. As of December 31, 2019, in addition to JBG SMITH LP, we consolidated two VIEs with total assets and liabilities of $136.8 million and $11.8 million. For consolidated VIEs other than JBG SMITH LP, only the assets of the respective VIE can be used to settle obligations of that VIE, and their creditors have no recourse to our wholly owned assets.