COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	9 Months Ended
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	Sep. 30, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES In the normal course of business, from time to time, the Company is involved in legal proceedings relating to the ownership and operations of its properties. In addition, on June 14, 2018, the Company was served with a petition involving approximately 500 individuals or entities who claim that their properties, located in the Timarron Park neighborhood of The Woodlands, were damaged by flood waters that resulted from the unprecedented rainfall that occurred throughout Harris County and surrounding areas during Hurricane Harvey in August 2017. The complaint was filed in State Court in Harris County of the State of Texas. In general, the plaintiffs allege negligence in the development of Timarron Park and violations of Texas’ Deceptive Trade Practices Act and name as defendants The Howard Hughes Corporation, The Woodlands Land Development Company and two unaffiliated parties involved in the planning and engineering of Timarron Park. The plaintiffs are seeking restitution for damages to their property and diminution of their property values. The Company intends to vigorously defend the matter as it believes that these claims are without merit and that it has substantial legal and factual defenses to the claims and allegations contained in the complaint. Based upon the present status of this matter, the Company does not believe it is probable that a loss will be incurred. Accordingly, the Company has not recorded a charge as a result of this action. In management’s opinion, the liabilities, if any, that may ultimately result from normal course of business legal actions, and The Woodlands legal proceeding discussed above, are not expected to have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity. The Company purchased its 250 Water Street property in the Seaport District in June 2018. The site is currently used as a parking lot while the Company evaluates redevelopment plans. The Company engaged a third-party specialist to perform a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (“ESA”) of the property, and the ESA identified, among other findings, the existence of mercury levels above regulatory criteria. The site does not require remediation until the Company begins redevelopment activities. The normal operations of the parking lot do not require the property to be remediated, and the Company has not started any redevelopment activities as of September 30, 2019. As a result, the potential remediation has no financial impact as of September 30, 2019, and for the three and nine months then ended. As of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company had outstanding letters of credit totaling $15.4 million and $15.3 million, respectively, and surety bonds totaling $206.4 million and $101.2 million, respectively. These letters of credit and bonds were issued primarily in connection with insurance requirements, special real estate assessments and construction obligations. The Company leases land or buildings at certain properties from third parties. As discussed in Note 2 - Accounting Policies and Pronouncements, the Company adopted the New Leases Standard on the Adoption Date and recorded right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. See Note 2 - Accounting Policies and Pronouncements for further discussion. Prior to the adoption of the New Leases Standard, rental payments were expensed as incurred and, to the extent applicable, straight-lined over the term of the lease. Contractual rental expense, including participation rent, was $2.5 million and $2.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and $6.7 million and $7.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The amortization of above and below‑market ground leases and straight‑line rents included in the contractual rent amount was not significant. Guarantee Agreements The Company entered into guarantee agreements as part of certain development projects. In conjunction with the execution of the ground lease for the Seaport District NYC, the Company executed a completion guarantee for the redevelopment of Seaport District NYC - Pier 17 and Seaport District NYC - Tin Building. The Company satisfied its completion guarantee for Pier 17 in the second quarter of 2019. As part of the funding agreement for the Downtown Columbia Redevelopment District TIF bonds, one of the Company's wholly-owned subsidiaries agreed to complete certain defined public improvements and to indemnify Howard County, Maryland for certain matters. The Company has guaranteed these obligations, with a limit of $1.0 million, expiring on October 31, 2020. To the extent that increases in taxes do not cover debt service payments on the TIF bonds, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary is obligated to pay special taxes. As part of the Company's development permits with the Hawaii Community Development Authority for the condominium towers at Ward Village, the Company entered into a guarantee whereby it is required to reserve 20% of the residential units for local residents who meet certain maximum income and net worth requirements. This guarantee, which is triggered once the necessary permits are granted and construction commences, was satisfied for the Company's four open condominium towers, Waiea, Anaha, Ae‘o and Ke Kilohana, with the opening of Ke Kilohana, which provided 375 reserved housing units, in the fourth quarter of 2016. The reserved units for the Company's ‘A‘ali‘i tower are included in the tower, and the units for Kō'ula will either be built off site or fulfilled by paying a cash-in-lieu fee. The Company evaluates the likelihood of future performance under these guarantees and did not record an obligation as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018.