Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Revenues:
Community base rental income	$ 109,270els_CommunityBaseRentalIncome	$ 106,045els_CommunityBaseRentalIncome
Rental home income	3,554els_RentalHomeIncome	3,757els_RentalHomeIncome
Resort base rental income	51,645els_ResortBaseRentalIncome	44,949els_ResortBaseRentalIncome
Right-to-use annual payments	10,981els_RightToUseAnnualPayments	11,214els_RightToUseAnnualPayments
Right-to-use contracts current period, gross	2,797	3,081
Right-to-use contract upfront payments, deferred, net	(773)	(1,147)
Utility and other income	19,082els_UtilityAndOtherIncome	17,571els_UtilityAndOtherIncome
Gross revenues from home sales	6,937us-gaap_SalesOfRealEstate	5,178us-gaap_SalesOfRealEstate
Brokered resale revenues and ancillary services revenues, net	1,982us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet	1,799us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet
Interest income	1,820us-gaap_InterestIncomeOperating	2,697us-gaap_InterestIncomeOperating
Income from other investments, net	1,119us-gaap_OtherIncome	1,601us-gaap_OtherIncome
Total revenues	208,414us-gaap_Revenues	196,745us-gaap_Revenues
Expenses:
Property operating and maintenance	61,117	58,696
Rental home operating and maintenance	1,669	1,908
Real estate taxes	12,594us-gaap_RealEstateTaxExpense	12,485us-gaap_RealEstateTaxExpense
Sales and marketing, gross	2,522us-gaap_SellingAndMarketingExpense	2,563us-gaap_SellingAndMarketingExpense
Right-to-use contract commissions, deferred, net	(243)	(555)
Property management	11,290us-gaap_OwnedPropertyManagementCosts	10,632us-gaap_OwnedPropertyManagementCosts
Depreciation on real estate assets and rental homes	28,116	27,642
Amortization of in-place leases	665us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	1,315us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
Cost of home sales	6,724us-gaap_CostOfRealEstateSales	5,368us-gaap_CostOfRealEstateSales
Home selling expenses	805us-gaap_SellingExpense	569us-gaap_SellingExpense
General and administrative	7,406us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	5,760us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
Early debt retirement	16,991us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount	0us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
Property rights initiatives	553	311
Interest and related amortization	27,276us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt	28,048us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
Total expenses	177,485us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	154,742us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses
Income before equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures	30,929	42,003
Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures	884	1,887
Income allocated to non-controlling interests – Common OP Units	(2,331)	(3,481)
Net income available for Common Shares	27,185	38,099
Consolidated net income	31,813us-gaap_ProfitLoss	43,890us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Other comprehensive (loss) income (“OCI”):
Adjustment for fair market value of swap	(857)	445
Consolidated comprehensive income	30,956	44,335
Comprehensive income attributable to Common Stockholders	26,396us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	38,507us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax
Earnings per Common Share – Basic:
Net income available for Common Shares (usd per share)	$ 0.32us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ 0.46us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic
Earnings per Common Share - Fully Diluted:
Net income available for Common Shares (usd per share)	$ 0.32us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ 0.46us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted
Distributions declared per Common Share outstanding (usd per share)	$ 0.375	$ 0.325
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding – basic (shares)	83,961	83,116
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding – fully diluted (shares)	91,777	91,353
6.75% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock
Other comprehensive (loss) income (“OCI”):
Series C Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock Dividends	(2,297)	(2,310)
Non- controlling interests – Common OP Units
Other comprehensive (loss) income (“OCI”):
Comprehensive income allocated to non-controlling interests – Common OP Units	$ (2,263)	$ (3,518)

The total amount of revenue recognized for the period from manufactured home community site operating leases.

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A tax based on the assessed value of real estate by the local government. The tax is usually based on the value of property (including the land).

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Dividends paid to preferred stock holders that is redeemable solely at the option of the issuer.

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Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

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Revenue from the sale of commercial, industrial, or residential property during the period. This element is more likely than not relevant to an entity for which real estate operations are a principal activity. If real estate operations are not a principal activity, the reporting entity would likely use a gain (loss) on sale of property, plant, or equipment type element.

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