Consolidated Statement of Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) Twinbrook Metro Station	Limited Partner	Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Total Saul Centers, Inc.	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) Twinbrook Metro Station	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Limited Partner	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Partnership Units in Escrow	Partnership Units in Escrow Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) Twinbrook Metro Station	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Noncontrolling Interests	Noncontrolling Interests Limited Partner
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 427,533					$ 364,325					$ 185,000	$ 235	$ 420,625	$ 0		$ (241,535)			$ 63,208
Issuance of shares of common stock:
Issuance of shares pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	2,840		$ 575			2,840		$ 0				1	2,839							$ 575
Issuance of shares due to exercise of employee stock options and issuance of directors’ deferred shares	323					323							323
Restricted Units Released Pursuant to First Escrow Release		$ 79,300					$ 79,300								$ 79,300
Net income	12,795					10,262										10,262			2,533
Distributions payable preferred stock:
Preferred stock distributions				$ (1,148)	$ (1,650)				$ (1,148)	$ (1,650)							$ (1,148)	$ (1,650)
Distributions payable, common stock and partnership units	(16,706)					(12,488)										(12,488)			(4,218)
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2021	503,862					441,764					185,000	236	423,787	79,300		(246,559)			62,098
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2021	530,487					405,049					185,000	238	436,609	39,650		(256,448)			125,438
Issuance of shares of common stock:
Issuance of shares pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	2,949		$ 653			2,949		$ 0				1	2,948							$ 653
Issuance of shares due to exercise of employee stock options and issuance of directors’ deferred shares	594					594							594
Net income	17,491					13,365										13,365			4,126
Distributions payable preferred stock:
Preferred stock distributions				$ (1,148)	$ (1,650)				$ (1,148)	$ (1,650)							$ (1,148)	$ (1,650)
Distributions payable, common stock and partnership units	(18,917)					(13,625)										(13,625)			(5,292)
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2022	$ 530,459					$ 405,534					$ 185,000	$ 239	$ 440,151	$ 39,650		$ (259,506)			$ 124,925