Summary of significant accounting (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Property, Plant and Equipment

Depreciation is computed on a straight-line basis based on the estimated useful lives of the associated real estate assets.

	Useful Lives (in years)
Land and Building Improvements	10-30
Manufactured Homes	10-25
Furniture, Fixture and Equipment	5
In-place leases	Expected term
Above and below-market leases	Applicable lease term

Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable

The allowance reflects our best estimate of collectibility risks on outstanding receivables. Our allowance for doubtful accounts was as follows:

	December 31,
(amounts in thousands):	2020		2019		2018
Balance, beginning of year	$	6,586	$	5,230	$	5,545
Change in accounting principle (ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326)) (1)	3,875		—		—
Provision for losses	7,287		3,929		4,154
Write-offs	(3,288)		(2,573)		(4,469)
Balance, end of year	$	14,460	$	6,586	$	5,230

(1) See Note 2. (o) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies for more detail.

Tax Treatment Of Dividends And Distributions Table

During the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, our tax treatment of common stock distributions, as adjusted for the stock split, was as follows (unaudited):

	2020		2019		2018
Tax status of common stock distributions deemed paid during the year:
Ordinary income	$	1.234	$	1.241	$	1.069
Long-term capital gains	0.006		—		—
Non-dividend distributions	0.057		—		—
Distributions declared per common stock outstanding	$	1.297	$	1.241	$	1.069

Accounting Standards Update and Change in Accounting Principle

The cumulative-effect adjustment resulting from the adoption of ASU 2016-13 as of January 1, 2020 was as follows:

Balance net of allowance	Balance Sheet Location	Balance at December 31, 2019		Adjustment due to ASU 2016-13 Adoption		Balance at January 1, 2020		Balance at December 31, 2020
(amounts in thousands)
Annual membership subscriptions	Other assets, net	$	2,394	$	(1,361)	$	1,033	$	1,857
Membership upgrades	Notes receivable, net	$	25,236	$	(2,514)	$	22,722	$	25,427