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Investment in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
site
Mar. 31, 2014
Feb. 12, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]        
Adjustment depreciation $ 200,000els_AdjustmentDepreciation $ 200,000els_AdjustmentDepreciation    
Distributions of income from unconsolidated joint ventures 443,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentDividendsOrDistributions 1,312,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentDividendsOrDistributions    
Distributions, including those in excess of basis   1,400,000els_ProceedsfromEquityInvestmentDistributionsincludingthoseinexcessofbasis    
Distribution in excess of basis   1,100,000els_ProceedsfromEquityInvestmentDistributionsamountinexcessofbasis    
Number Of Joint Venture Sites 3,125els_NumberOfJointVentureSites      
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures 17,889,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures     13,512,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures 884,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 1,887,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments    
Other Regions | Meadows Investments        
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]        
Number Of Joint Venture Sites 1,077els_NumberOfJointVentureSites
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_MeadowsInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= els_OtherRegionsMember
     
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage 50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_MeadowsInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= els_OtherRegionsMember
     
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures 73,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_MeadowsInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= els_OtherRegionsMember
    0us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_MeadowsInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= els_OtherRegionsMember
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures 273,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_MeadowsInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= els_OtherRegionsMember
277,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_MeadowsInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= els_OtherRegionsMember
   
Other Regions | ECHO Financing        
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]        
Additional Investments in Joint Ventures     4,000,000els_AdditionalInvestmentsinJointVentures
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_ECHOFinancingMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= els_OtherRegionsMember
 
Number Of Joint Venture Sites 0els_NumberOfJointVentureSites
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_ECHOFinancingMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= els_OtherRegionsMember
     
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage 50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_ECHOFinancingMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= els_OtherRegionsMember
     
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures 10,365,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_ECHOFinancingMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= els_OtherRegionsMember
    6,302,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_ECHOFinancingMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= els_OtherRegionsMember
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures 63,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_ECHOFinancingMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= els_OtherRegionsMember
(7,000)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_ECHOFinancingMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= els_OtherRegionsMember
   
Florida | Lakeshore Investments        
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]        
Number Of Joint Venture Sites 342els_NumberOfJointVentureSites
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_LakeshoreInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_FL
     
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage 65.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_LakeshoreInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_FL
     
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures 51,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_LakeshoreInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_FL
    9,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_LakeshoreInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_FL
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures 96,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_LakeshoreInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_FL
1,179,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_LakeshoreInvestmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_FL
   
Arizona | Voyager Investments        
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]        
Number Of Joint Venture Sites 1,706els_NumberOfJointVentureSites
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_VoyagerMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_AZ
     
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage 50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_VoyagerMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_AZ
     
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures 7,400,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_VoyagerMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_AZ
    7,201,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_VoyagerMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_AZ
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures $ 452,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_VoyagerMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_AZ
$ 438,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_VoyagerMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= stpr_AZ
   
Recreational Vehicle Resort | Voyager Investments        
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]        
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage 50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_VoyagerMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= els_RecreationalVehicleResortMember
     
Servicing Assets | Voyager Investments        
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]        
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage 33.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ invest_InvestmentAxis
= els_VoyagerMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= els_ServicingAssetsMember