Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities - Additional Information (Details)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($) Rate
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures
Amount of interest rate risk expected to be reclassified in the next 12 months \| $	$ 1,200,000
Interest Rate Swap
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures
Notional amount \| $	$ 200,000,000.0
Derivative instrument, underlying rate (percentage) \| Rate	1.85%
Derivative instrument, effective rate (percentage)	3.05%
LIBOR \| Interest Rate Swap
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures
Derivative instrument, variable rate (percentage)	1.20%
Term Loan
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures
Debt instrument face amount \| $	$ 200,000,000.0
Loans Payable
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures
Derivative, contract term (years)	3 years
Loans Payable \| LIBOR \| Minimum
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures
Debt instrument, variable rate on spread \| Rate	1.20%
Loans Payable \| LIBOR \| Maximum
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures
Debt instrument, variable rate on spread \| Rate	1.90%

Derivative Instrument, Effective Interest Rate

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	els_
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Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119993939&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

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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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Balance Type:	na
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
Balance Type:	na
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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- Definition

Nominal or face amount used to calculate payment on derivative.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590274&loc=SL5580258-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590274&loc=SL5579245-113959

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Period the derivative contract is outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

The estimated net amount of unrealized gains or losses on interest rate cash flow hedges as of the balance sheet date expected to be reclassified to earnings within the next twelve months.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121549185&loc=d3e80748-113994

+ Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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