Organization

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Organization

Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. ("ELS"), a Maryland corporation, together with MHC Operating Limited Partnership (the "Operating Partnership") and its other consolidated subsidiaries (the "Subsidiaries"), are referred to herein as "we," "us," and "our." We are a fully integrated owner and operator of lifestyle-oriented properties ("Properties") consisting primarily of manufactured home ("MH") and recreational vehicle ("RV") communities. We provide our customers the opportunity to place manufactured homes, cottages or RVs on our Properties either on a long-term or short-term basis. Our customers may lease individual developed areas ("Sites") or enter into right-to-use contracts, also known as membership subscriptions, which provide them access to specific Properties for limited stays.

Commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 1993, we have elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust ("REIT") for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We believe we have qualified for taxation as a REIT. To maintain our qualification as a REIT, we must meet certain requirements, which are highly technical and complex. If we fail to qualify as a REIT, we could be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates. Additionally, we could remain disqualified as a REIT for four years following the year we first failed to qualify. Even as a REIT, we are subject to certain foreign, state and local taxes on our income and property and U.S. federal income and excise taxes on our undistributed income.

Our Properties are owned primarily by the Operating Partnership and managed internally by affiliates of the Operating Partnership. We are the general partner of the Operating Partnership and own 94.6% as of December 31, 2020. We contributed the proceeds from our various equity offerings, including our initial public offering, to the Operating Partnership. In exchange for these contributions, we received units of common interests in the partnership ("OP Units") equal to the number of shares of common stock issued in such equity offerings. The limited partners of the Operating Partnership (the "Common OP Unitholders") receive an allocation of net income that is based on their respective ownership percentage in the Operating Partnership that is presented on the consolidated financial statements as Non-controlling interests—Common OP Units. As of December 31, 2020, the Non-controlling interests—Common OP Units were 10,479,194, which are exchangeable for an equivalent number of shares of our common stock or, at our option, cash. The issuance of additional shares of common stock or OP Units would change the respective ownership of the Operating Partnership for the Common OP Unitholders.

Since certain activities, if performed by us, may not be qualifying REIT activities under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), we have formed Taxable REIT subsidiaries (each, a "TRS") to engage in such activities. Realty Systems, Inc. ("RSI") is our wholly-owned TRS, which owns several Properties. Additionally, RSI is engaged in the business of purchasing, selling and leasing factory-built homes located in Properties owned and managed by us. RSI also offers home sales brokerage services to our residents who choose to sell their homes as opposed to relocating them when moving from a Property. Subsidiaries of RSI also operates ancillary activities at certain Properties consisting of operations such as golf courses, pro shops, stores and restaurants.