MORTGAGES, NOTES AND LOANS PAYABLE (Schedule of Debt by Property) (Details)															1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Oct. 24, 2017	Oct. 19, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 13, 2017 USD ($) item	Aug. 11, 2017 USD ($)	Jul. 14, 2017 USD ($)	Jul. 13, 2017	May 31, 2017 USD ($)	Apr. 27, 2017 USD ($)	Apr. 06, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 16, 2017 USD ($)	Feb. 23, 2017 USD ($) Option	Jan. 19, 2017 USD ($)	Nov. 25, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2016 item	Jul. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) item	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 27, 2017 USD ($) ft²	Jun. 12, 2017 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2016 item
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Unamortized bond issuance costs																		$ (5,779,000)	$ (7,089,000)
Deferred Financing Costs																		(11,934,000)	(13,743,000)
Total mortgages, notes and loans payable																		$ 2,690,747,000	2,993,448,000
Repayments of debt																			$ 1,130,337,000	$ 62,996,000
Weighted average interest rate (as a percent)																		4.71%	4.64%
Net cash proceeds received from issuance																			$ 1,433,437,000	422,661,000
Wall Street Journal Prime
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Variable rate basis			Wall Street Journal Prime
Other Corporate Financing Arrangements
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.00%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		$ 15,948,000	$ 15,224,000
Other Corporate Financing Arrangements | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																			$ 15,200,000
Senior Notes 6.875 Percent Due 2021
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			6.88%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		750,000,000
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued											$ 750,000,000
Fixed interest rate (as a percent)											6.875%								6.875%
Senior Notes 6.875 Percent Due 2021 | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																			$ 1,000,000,000
5.375% senior notes due March 15, 2025
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			5.38%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																			$ 1,000,000,000
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued											$ 800,000,000											$ 200,000,000
Fixed interest rate (as a percent)											5.375%
Redemption price percentage at which Notes can be redeemed											105.375%
Downtown Summerlin | LIBOR
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Variable rate basis						LIBOR	LIBOR
Interest rate margin (as a percent)						2.15%	2.25%
Downtown Summerlin | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																			275,900,000
Woodlands Properties
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Land, buildings and equipment and developments in progress pledged as collateral																			3,500,000,000
m.flats/TEN.M | Construction Loan Payable [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Number of extension options | item																							3
Master Planned Communities
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		255,438,000	$ 244,379,000
Master Planned Communities | The Woodlands Master Credit Facility
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Facility Amount																	$ 200,000,000
Variable rate basis																			One-month LIBOR
Interest rate margin (as a percent)																	2.75%
Number of extension options | item															2
Option to extend, term															1 year	1 year
Master Planned Communities | Term Loan [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Facility Amount																	$ 100,000,000
Master Planned Communities | Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Facility Amount									$ 180,000,000								$ 100,000,000
Maximum additional borrowing amount									$ 30,000,000
Extension period at borrower's option									1 year
Master Planned Communities | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | One Month LIBOR
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Variable rate basis									one
Interest rate margin (as a percent)									2.75%
Master Planned Communities | Bridgeland | Bridgeland Credit Facility
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			4.60%
Facility Amount																			$ 65,000,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		65,000,000	65,000,000
Master Planned Communities | Summerlin | Special Improvement District bonds
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
New SIDs issued																			0
Bond obligation																			$ 9,900,000
Master Planned Communities | Summerlin South | S124 [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			5.95%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		123,000	$ 104,000
Master Planned Communities | Summerlin South | S128 [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			7.30%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		440,000	$ 390,000
Master Planned Communities | Summerlin South | S132 [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			6.00%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		1,268,000	$ 1,082,000
Master Planned Communities | Summerlin South | S151 [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			6.00%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		4,159,000	$ 3,964,000
Master Planned Communities | Summerlin South | S128C [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			6.05%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		4,600,000	$ 4,467,000
Master Planned Communities | Summerlin South | S159
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			6.00%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		2,389,000	$ 2,353,000
Master Planned Communities | Summerlin West | S812
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			6.00%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		$ 27,459,000	$ 17,019,000
Master Planned Communities | Woodlands Properties | The Woodlands Master Credit Facility
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Option to extend, term																		1 year
Outstanding principal balance of debt that is swapped to fixed rate through maturity																$ 175,000,000
Maximum facility amount at second extension option																				$ 25,000,000
Master Planned Communities | The Woodlands Master | The Woodlands Master Credit Facility
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.98%
Facility Amount																			$ 180,000,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		$ 150,000,000	150,000,000
Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		1,526,227,000	$ 1,547,474,000
Operating Assets | One Month LIBOR
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			1.23%
Variable rate basis																			one-month LIBOR
Operating Assets | Other
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		235,000
Operating Assets | Capital Lease Obligations [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.60%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		1,000
Operating Assets | Downtown Summerlin
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.38%
Facility Amount				$ 275,900,000															$ 275,885,000
Outstanding balance				$ 311,800,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		302,981,000	$ 275,883,000
Repayments of debt						$ 30,000,000
Operating Assets | Downtown Summerlin | One Month LIBOR
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Variable rate basis				one-month LIBOR
Interest rate margin (as a percent)				2.15%
Operating Assets | Downtown Summerlin | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Maximum percent recourse																			35.00%
Maximum percentage recourse upon achievement of conditions																			10.00%
Debt service coverage ratio to be achieved for reduction in maximum recourse																			1.15
Debt service coverage ratio to be achieved for further reduction in maximum recourse																			1.25
Minimum average tenant sales per net rentable square foot to be achieved for further reduction in maximum recourse																			$ 500.00
Occupancy percentage																			90.00%
Decrease in exposure of outstanding principal (as a percent)																			15.00%
Recourse on loan (as a percent)																			35.00%
Operating Assets | Downtown Summerlin | S128 [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			6.05%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		3,350,000	$ 2,887,000
Operating Assets | Downtown Summerlin | Downtown Summerlin Credit Facility [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Number of extension options | item				1
Option to extend, term				1 year
Operating Assets | 1701 Lake Robbins
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			5.81%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		4,600,000
Repayments of debt										$ 4,600,000
Operating Assets | 1725-35 Hughes Landing Boulevard
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			2.88%
Facility Amount																			$ 143,000,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		105,647,000	$ 115,999,000
Operating Assets | 70 Columbia Corporate Center
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.23%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		20,000,000	$ 20,000,000
Immediate advance on loan after modification of agreement																					$ 20,000,000
Area of real estate property acquired (in square foot) | ft²																					170,741
Operating Assets | The Westin at the woodlands
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.88%
Facility Amount																			$ 57,946,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		58,077,000	$ 57,946,000
Operating Assets | 110 N Wacker Drive
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			5.21%
Outstanding balance																			$ 19,900,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		22,704,000	$ 19,870,000
Fixed interest rate per swap (as a percent)																			5.21%
Operating Assets | 110 N Wacker Drive | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																			$ 19,900,000
Operating Assets | Outlet Collection at Riverwalk
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.98%
Facility Amount																			$ 54,325,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		55,778,000	54,325,000
Option to extend, term		1 year
Operating Assets | Outlet Collection at Riverwalk | Construction Loan Payable [Member] | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																			$ 27,200,000
Recourse on loan (as a percent)																			50.00%
Operating Assets | Three Hughes Landing
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.58%
Facility Amount																			$ 65,455,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		35,053,000	$ 43,661,000
Operating Assets | Lakeland Village Center
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.58%
Facility Amount																			$ 14,000,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		9,979,000	$ 11,292,000
Operating Assets | Embassy Suites at Hughes Landing
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.73%
Facility Amount																			$ 37,100,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		29,461,000	$ 31,245,000
Operating Assets | Resort and Conference Center
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			4.48%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		70,000,000	$ 67,000,000
Operating Assets | One Merriweather
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.38%
Facility Amount																			$ 49,900,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		23,588,000	$ 41,271,000
Operating Assets | HHC 242 Self Storage Facility
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.83%
Facility Amount																			$ 6,658,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		3,708,000	$ 6,137,000
Operating Assets | 10-60 Columbia Corporate Center
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.20%
Outstanding balance																			$ 40,000,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		80,000,000	$ 80,000,000
Fixed interest rate per swap (as a percent)																			3.41%
Operating Assets | Waterway Square 2025
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			4.79%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		13,886,000	$ 13,708,000
Operating Assets | Millennium Waterway Apartments
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.75%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		55,584,000	$ 55,344,000
Operating Assets | Ward Village
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.69%
Outstanding balance																			$ 119,400,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		238,718,000	$ 238,718,000
Fixed interest rate per swap (as a percent)																			3.64%
Operating Assets | New Trails 9303 [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			4.88%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		12,378,000	$ 12,098,000
Operating Assets | Waterway 4 [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			4.88%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		36,249,000	$ 35,431,000
Operating Assets | 3831 Technology Forest
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			4.50%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		22,383,000	$ 22,088,000
Operating Assets | Kewalo Basin Harbor
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.98%
Facility Amount																			$ 11,562,000
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued					$ 11,600,000
Operating Assets | Kewalo Basin Harbor | One Month LIBOR
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Variable rate basis					one-month LIBOR
Interest rate margin (as a percent)					2.75%
Operating Assets | Millennium Six Pines Apartments
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.39%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		42,500,000	$ 42,500,000
Operating Assets | Waterway Square 3 [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.94%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		51,590,000	$ 50,647,000
Operating Assets | One Lakes Edge
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			4.50%
Facility Amount														$ 73,500,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross														71,900,000				68,874,000	$ 69,440,000
Repayments of debt														$ 3,000,000
Operating Assets | One Lakes Edge | One Month LIBOR
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Variable rate basis														One-month LIBOR
Interest rate margin (as a percent)														3.50%
Operating Assets | One Lakes Edge | Fannie Mae
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued												$ 69,400,000
Number of extension options | Option												2
Option to extend, term												1 year
Fixed interest rate (as a percent)												4.50%
Interest Period												4 years
Amortization Period												30 years
Operating Assets | One Hughes Landing [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			4.30%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		52,000,000	$ 52,000,000
Operating Assets | Two Hughes Landing [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			4.20%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		48,000,000	$ 48,000,000
Operating Assets | Hughes Landing Retail [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.50%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		35,000,000	$ 35,000,000
Operating Assets | Columbia Regional Building [Member]
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)													4.48%						4.48%
Facility Amount													$ 23,000,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		22,188,000	$ 25,000,000
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued													$ 25,000,000
Interest Period													2 years
Amortization Period													30 years
Operating Assets | 100 Fellowship Drive
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Facility Amount								$ 51,400,000
Operating Assets | 100 Fellowship Drive | One Month LIBOR
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Variable rate basis								one
Interest rate margin (as a percent)								1.50%
Operating Assets | HHC 2978 Self-Storage Facility
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.83%
Facility Amount																			$ 6,368,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		1,715,000	$ 5,521,000
Operating Assets | One Mall North
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.48%
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																			$ 14,463,000
Operating Assets | 10-60 Columbia and One mall north Building
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																					$ 94,500,000
Operating Assets | One mall north Building,10-60 and 70 Columbia corporate Center
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Facility Amount																					$ 114,500,000
Number of notes in master facility | item																			3
Number of master facilities | item																			1
Land, buildings and equipment and developments in progress pledged as collateral																			$ 114,500,000
Strategic Developments
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		160,847,000	$ 207,203,000
Strategic Developments | Summerlin
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued			$ 64,600,000
Strategic Developments | Summerlin | Wall Street Journal Prime
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate margin (as a percent)			0.40%
Strategic Developments | Waiea And Anaha Condominiums
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			7.98%
Facility Amount																			$ 410,000,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																		$ 160,847,000	$ 195,269,000
Repayments of debt	$ 195,300,000
Strategic Developments | Ke Kilohana
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			4.48%
Facility Amount																			$ 142,656,000
Strategic Developments | Two Merriweather
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			3.73%
Facility Amount																			$ 33,156,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																			$ 11,932,000
Strategic Developments | Ae'o
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			5.23%
Facility Amount																			$ 230,000,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																			$ 1,000
Strategic Developments | 100 Fellowship Drive
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate (as a percent)																			2.73%
Facility Amount																			$ 51,426,000
Mortgages, notes, and loans payable, gross																			$ 1,000