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Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 6 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2013
Dec. 31, 2010
integer
Apr. 15, 2014
Aug. 30, 2013
Apr. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2009
San Rafael [Member] [Member]                
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                
Loss Contingency, Damages Paid, Value $ 1,270,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesPaidValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_SanRafaelMemberMember
$ 1,400,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesPaidValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_SanRafaelMemberMember
           
City of Santee [Member]                
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                
Litigation Settlement, One-Time Rent Increase     3.00%els_LitigationSettlementOneTimeRentIncrease
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_CityofSanteeMember
         
Litigation Settlement, Annual Rent Increase, Percentage of CPI     100.00%els_LitigationSettlementAnnualRentIncreasePercentageofCPI
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_CityofSanteeMember
         
Litigation Settlement, Rent Increase Upon Turnover of Site     10.00%els_LitigationSettlementRentIncreaseUponTurnoverofSite
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_CityofSanteeMember
         
Annual Rent Increase, Percentage of CPI, Prior to Settlement     70.00%els_AnnualRentIncreasePercentageofCPIPriortoSettlement
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_CityofSanteeMember
         
Colony Park                
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                
Loss Contingency Damages Sought By Plaintiff       6,800,000els_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtByPlaintiff
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_ColonyParkMember
       
Number of plaintiff the jury rendered verdicts       6us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsSettledNumber
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_ColonyParkMember
       
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs       72us-gaap_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffs
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_ColonyParkMember
       
Loss Contingency, Claims Dismissed, Number       66us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsDismissedNumber
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_ColonyParkMember
       
Number of plaintiffs dismissed and not appealed       3els_LossContingencyClaimsDismissedAndNotAppealedNumber
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_ColonyParkMember
       
Colony Park | Maximum                
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                
Loss awarded to plaintiffs       44,000els_JuryImposedCompensatoryDamages
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_ColonyParkMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
       
Compensatory Damages [Member]                
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                
Loss Contingency, Damages Awarded, Value         15,300,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_CompensatoryDamagesMember
     
Punitive Damages [Member]                
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                
Loss Contingency, Damages Awarded, Value         95,800,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_PunitiveDamagesMember
     
California Hawaiian [Member]                
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                
Loss Contingency, Range of Possible Loss, Minimum   0us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMinimum
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_CaliforniaHawaiianMember
           
Attorney Fees | San Rafael [Member] [Member]                
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value             1,250,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= els_AttorneyFeesMember
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_SanRafaelMemberMember
 
Loss Contingency, Damages Paid, Value           80,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesPaidValue
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= els_AttorneyFeesMember
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_SanRafaelMemberMember
   
Attorney Fees | Colony Park                
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                
Award for costs and attorney fee claimed by the company       2,000,000els_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtCompensatory
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= els_AttorneyFeesMember
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_ColonyParkMember
       
Settled Litigation [Member] | Attorney Fees | Legal Claim One [Member]                
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value               $ 2,100,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
/ us-gaap_GainContingenciesByNatureAxis
= els_LegalClaimOneMember
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= els_AttorneyFeesMember
/ us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis
= us-gaap_SettledLitigationMember
Expiration period of Ordinance from June 30, 2009 date of judgment               10 years