Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2014
Derivative [Line Items]
Gain reclassified from accumulated OCI into income, net	$ 1.0
2014 Swap \| Term Loans
Derivative [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate (in percentage)		1.04%
Maturity years (in years)		3 years
Maturity date		Aug. 01, 2017
Basis spread on variable rate (in percentage)	1.35%
Interest rate at period end (in percentage)	2.39%

Initial duration period until maturity of the derivative contract.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	els_
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- Definition

The estimated net amount of existing gains or losses on cash flow hedges at the reporting date expected to be reclassified to earnings within the next 12 months.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35736893&loc=d3e80748-113994

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the interest rate derivative.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fixed interest rate related to the interest rate derivative.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date the derivative contract matures, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Details

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