BORROWINGS, SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES AND BROKERED DEPOSITS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Apr. 28, 2014	Jan. 28, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Borrowings, subordinated debentures and brokered deposits
Borrowings	$ 5,748,000			$ 113,726,000
Carrying value of securities pledged	291,900,000
Net subordinated debentures	132,790,000			132,645,000
Brokered Deposits
Amount of customer deposits that were participated with other FDIC-insured financial institutions through the CDARS program as a means to provide FDIC deposit insurance coverage for the full amount of the entity's customer deposits	48,000,000			49,400,000
FHLB secured lines of credit
Borrowings, subordinated debentures and brokered deposits
FHLB advances				106,600,000
Fixed interest rates (as a percent)				0.06%
Number of FHLB programs	2
Number of FHLB programs collateralized by loans	1
Carrying value of securities pledged	10,700,000
Remaining borrowing capacity	1,300,000,000
Non-recourse notes
Borrowings, subordinated debentures and brokered deposits
Non-recourse debt	5,748,000			7,126,000
Fixed interest rates (as a percent)	6.18%			6.30%
Weighted average remaining maturity of non-recourse debt	2 years 2 months 12 days
Subordinated debentures
Borrowings, subordinated debentures and brokered deposits
Net subordinated debentures	132,790,000			132,645,000
Gross subordinated debentures	135,055,000			135,055,000
Unamortized discount	(2,265,000)			(2,410,000)
Number of months for which cumulative and among other requirements net earnings are not sufficient for dividend payments due for those periods, requiring prior notification to FRB	12 months
Trust V
Borrowings, subordinated debentures and brokered deposits
Gross subordinated debentures	10,310,000			10,310,000
Current Rate (as a percent)		3.33%	3.34%
Rate Index	3 month LIBOR
Spread on variable rate (as a percent)	3.10%
Trust VI
Borrowings, subordinated debentures and brokered deposits
Gross subordinated debentures	10,310,000			10,310,000
Current Rate (as a percent)		3.28%	3.29%
Rate Index	3 month LIBOR
Spread on variable rate (as a percent)	3.05%
Trust CII
Borrowings, subordinated debentures and brokered deposits
Gross subordinated debentures	5,155,000			5,155,000
Current Rate (as a percent)		3.18%	3.19%
Rate Index	3 month LIBOR
Spread on variable rate (as a percent)	2.95%
Trust VII
Borrowings, subordinated debentures and brokered deposits
Gross subordinated debentures	61,856,000			61,856,000
Current Rate (as a percent)		2.97%	2.99%
Rate Index	3 month LIBOR
Spread on variable rate (as a percent)	2.75%
Trust CIII
Borrowings, subordinated debentures and brokered deposits
Gross subordinated debentures	20,619,000			20,619,000
Current Rate (as a percent)		1.92%	1.93%
Rate Index	3 month LIBOR
Spread on variable rate (as a percent)	1.69%
FCAL | Trust FCCI
Borrowings, subordinated debentures and brokered deposits
Gross subordinated debentures	16,495,000			16,495,000
Current Rate (as a percent)		1.83%	1.84%
Rate Index	3 month LIBOR
Spread on variable rate (as a percent)	1.60%
FCAL | Trust FCBI
Borrowings, subordinated debentures and brokered deposits
Gross subordinated debentures	10,310,000			10,310,000
Current Rate (as a percent)		1.78%	1.79%
Rate Index	3 month LIBOR
Spread on variable rate (as a percent)	1.55%
Bank | Federal Reserve Bank FRBSF
Borrowings, subordinated debentures and brokered deposits
Borrowing capacity	580,700,000
Construction and commercial loans pledged as collateral	722,800,000
Amount outstanding under line of credit	0			0
Bank | Unsecured lines of credit
Borrowings, subordinated debentures and brokered deposits
Borrowing capacity	80,000,000
Un-used commitment fees	0.00%
Amount outstanding under line of credit	$ 0			$ 0