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Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Jul. 10, 2013
Dec. 31, 2013
Apr. 17, 2013
Aug. 30, 2013
Sep. 26, 2013
Dec. 31, 2010
integer
Dec. 14, 2011
Apr. 15, 2014
Jun. 30, 2009
Jun. 10, 2009
Dec. 04, 2014
San Rafael                      
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                      
Damages paid $ 1,270,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesPaidValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_SanRafaelMemberMember
$ 1,400,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesPaidValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_SanRafaelMemberMember
                 
San Rafael | Attorney Fees                      
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                      
Damages sought     1,250,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= els_AttorneyFeesMember
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_SanRafaelMemberMember
               
Damages paid       80,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesPaidValue
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= els_AttorneyFeesMember
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_SanRafaelMemberMember
             
City of Santee                      
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                      
One-time rent increase         2.50%els_LitigationSettlementOneTimeRentIncrease
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_CityofSanteeMember
           
Annual rent increase, percentage of CPI         100.00%els_LitigationSettlementAnnualRentIncreasePercentageofCPI
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_CityofSanteeMember
           
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 claims settled           6us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsSettledNumber
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_ColonyParkMember
         
Number of plaintiffs           72us-gaap_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffs
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_ColonyParkMember
         
Number of dismissed claims           66us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsDismissedNumber
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_ColonyParkMember
         
Number of claims dismissed and not appealed           3els_LossContingencyClaimsDismissedAndNotAppealedNumber
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_ColonyParkMember
         
Colony Park | Maximum                      
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                      
Jury imposed compensatory damages           44,000els_JuryImposedCompensatoryDamages
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_ColonyParkMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
         
Colony Park | Attorney Fees                      
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                      
Compensatory damages sought             2,000,000els_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtCompensatory
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= els_AttorneyFeesMember
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_ColonyParkMember
       
Compensatory Damages                      
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                      
Damages awarded               15,300,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_CompensatoryDamagesMember
     
Damages sought but overturned                     15,300,000els_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtbutOverturned
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_CompensatoryDamagesMember
Punitive Damages                      
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                      
Damages awarded               95,800,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_PunitiveDamagesMember
     
Damages sought but overturned                     95,800,000els_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtbutOverturned
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= els_PunitiveDamagesMember
Settled Litigation | Attorney Fees | California Rent Control Litigation                      
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                      
Damages sought                   $ 2,100,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
/ us-gaap_GainContingenciesByNatureAxis
= els_LegalClaimOneMember
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= els_AttorneyFeesMember
/ us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis
= us-gaap_SettledLitigationMember
 
Rent control ordinance expiration period                 10 years