MORTGAGES, NOTES AND LOANS PAYABLE, NET (Narrative) (Details)																											12 Months Ended
	Jan. 07, 2020 USD ($)	Nov. 19, 2019 USD ($)	Oct. 24, 2019 USD ($)	Oct. 17, 2019 USD ($) extention_option	Oct. 16, 2019	Aug. 06, 2019 USD ($)	Aug. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 27, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 20, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 06, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 05, 2019 USD ($)	May 23, 2019 USD ($)	May 22, 2019 USD ($)	May 17, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 12, 2019 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 17, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 11, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 21, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 18, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 11, 2018 USD ($)	Jul. 20, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 13, 2018 USD ($)	Mar. 26, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 25, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 19, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) bond	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 05, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 13, 2019 USD ($)	Aug. 02, 2019 USD ($)	Apr. 09, 2019 USD ($)	Jul. 27, 2018 USD ($)
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Weighted average interest rate																											4.75%	5.06%
Recourse percentage																											100.00%
Carrying amount																											$ 4,138,618,000	$ 1,000,000,000
Repayment of debt																											386,489,000	838,462,000	$ 1,350,226,000
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt																											(4,851,000)		46,410,000
Naming rights and marketing agreement, term																						20 years
Special Improvement District bond transfers associated with land sales																											22,423,000	10,937,000	$ 13,898,000
Unamortized bond issuance costs																											5,249,000	6,096,000
Fair value derivative liabilities																											$ 40,135,000	16,517,000
Prime Rate
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate margin (as a percent)																											(4.75%)
Senior Notes
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Recourse percentage																											100.00%
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											5.375%
$700 Million Loan Maturity September 2023
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																				$ 700,000,000.0
Option to increase borrowing capacity																				$ 50,000,000.0
Debt instrument covered, percent																			100.00%
Fixed interest rate																			4.61%
Recourse Debt | Senior Notes
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 1,000,000,000.0
Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued							$ 64,600,000					$ 512,600,000
Construction Loans | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate margin (as a percent)																				(1.65%)
Construction Loans | Prime Rate
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate margin (as a percent)							(0.40%)
Term Loan | $700 Million Loan Maturity September 2023
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																			$ 615,000,000.0	$ 615,000,000.0
Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											2,249,631,000	1,698,947,000
Strategic Developments revenues
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											303,703,000	147,524,000
Master Planned Communities
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 235,284,000	226,608,000
The Woodlands Towers at The Waterway | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Recourse percentage																											100.00%
Carrying amount																												0
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											3.68%
The Woodlands Towers at The Waterway | Operating Assets | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 336,570,000
The Woodlands Warehouse | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Recourse percentage																											100.00%
Carrying amount																												0
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											3.68%
The Woodlands Warehouse | Operating Assets | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 7,230,000
Downtown Summerlin
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Recourse percentage																											35.00%
Downtown Summerlin | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 259,179,000	266,755,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											3.88%
Downtown Summerlin | Operating Assets | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 90,700,000
250 Water Street | Mortgages
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued		$ 100,000,000.0
Extinguishment of debt, discount		$ 4,900,000
Interest rate, stated (as a percent)		3.50%
250 Water Street | Seaport District
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Recourse percentage																											35.00%
Facility amount																											$ 100,000,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											5.23%
250 Water Street | Seaport District | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 35,000,000.0
Outlet Collection at Riverwalk | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 30,615,000	47,552,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											4.23%
Outlet Collection at Riverwalk | Operating Assets | Recourse Debt | Construction Loan Payable
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Recourse percentage																											50.00%
Carrying amount																											$ 15,300,000
110 North Wacker
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Repayment of debt																										$ 18,900,000
Fair value derivative liabilities																										$ 300,000
110 North Wacker | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued												558,900,000
Variable interest entity, consolidated, joint venture debt, guarantee amount												100,600,000	$ 92,300,000
Variable interest entity, consolidated, joint venture debt, increase (decrease) guarantee amount												$ 46,300,000
110 North Wacker | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Recourse percentage																											18.00%
110 North Wacker | Operating Assets | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 33,200,000
110 North Wacker | Strategic Developments revenues
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											184,300,000	50,000,000
Facility amount																											$ 558,900,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											4.73%
Tanager Apartments | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																								$ 44,100,000
Interest rate margin (as a percent)																								(2.25%)
Tanager Apartments | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Recourse percentage																											25.00%
Carrying amount																											$ 29,165,000	$ 0
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											3.98%
Tanager Apartments | Operating Assets | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 7,300,000
Lakeside Row | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																																			$ 34,200,000
Interest rate margin (as a percent)																												(2.25%)
Lakeside Row | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Recourse percentage																											25.00%
Carrying amount																											$ 23,958,000	$ 0
Facility amount																											$ 34,231,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											3.98%
Lakeside Row | Operating Assets | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 6,000,000.0
Juniper Apartments | Strategic Developments revenues
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Recourse percentage																											25.00%
Carrying amount																											$ 34,610,000	0
Facility amount																											$ 85,657,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											4.48%
Juniper Apartments | Strategic Developments revenues | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 8,700,000
‘A‘ali‘i | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued										$ 293,700,000
Interest rate margin (as a percent)										(3.10%)
‘A‘ali‘i | Strategic Developments revenues
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Recourse percentage																											25.00%
Carrying amount																											$ 30,717,000	0
Facility amount																											$ 293,700,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											4.83%
‘A‘ali‘i | Strategic Developments revenues | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 7,700,000
6100 Merriweather | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																					$ 89,800,000
Interest rate margin (as a percent)																					(2.75%)
6100 Merriweather | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Recourse percentage																											25.00%
Carrying amount																											$ 36,418,000	0
Facility amount																											$ 89,844,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											4.48%
6100 Merriweather | Operating Assets | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 9,100,000
Woodlands Properties
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Pledged assets, not separately reported																											6,900,000,000
Creekside Park West | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued															$ 18,000,000.0
Interest rate margin (as a percent)															(2.25%)
Creekside Park West | Mortgages
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																																$ 37,700,000
Interest rate, stated (as a percent)																																3.52%
Creekside Park West | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											8,505,000	0
Facility amount																											$ 18,000,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											3.98%
The Woodlands Towers At The Waterway And The Woodlands Warehouse | Term Loan
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																														$ 343,800,000
The Woodlands Towers At The Waterway And The Woodlands Warehouse | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Facility amount																											$ 343,800,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																														1.95%
Three Hughes Landing | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											59,822,000	55,759,000
Facility amount																											$ 61,200,000				$ 61,200,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											4.33%				2.60%
Outlet Collection at Riverwalk | Mortgages
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued			$ 47,900,000
Long-term line of credit			30,900,000
Repayment of debt			$ 15,000,000.0
Outlet Collection at Riverwalk | Mortgages | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate margin (as a percent)			(2.50%)
Aristocrat | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued							$ 31,100,000																										$ 38,300,000
Interest rate, stated (as a percent)							3.67%
Aristocrat | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 38,055,000	21,296,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											3.67%
Two Summerlin | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued							$ 33,500,000
Interest rate, stated (as a percent)							4.25%
Two Summerlin | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 33,183,000	14,431,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											4.25%
HHC 242 Self-Storage
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Long-term line of credit																																		$ 5,500,000
HHC 242 Self-Storage | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 5,499,000	6,604,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											4.33%
HHC 2978 Self-Storage
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Long-term line of credit																																		$ 5,400,000
HHC 2978 Self-Storage | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 5,395,000	6,042,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											4.33%
Ae'o | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																												174,000,000.0
The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center | Mortgages
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate margin (as a percent)																(2.50%)
Extension option, term																1 year
The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																$ 62,500,000												62,500,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											4.23%
Lakefront North | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																	$ 51,800,000
Extension option, term																	1 year
Lakefront North | Construction Loans | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate margin (as a percent)																	(2.00%)
Lakefront North | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 32,731,000	21,120,000
Facility amount																											$ 51,821,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											3.73%
Mortgaged Properties
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Repayment of debt																											$ 608,700,000
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt																											700,000
Unamortized bond issuance costs																											8,600,000
Merriweather District | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																					$ 85,700,000
Summerlin Ballpark | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																						$ 51,200,000
Interest rate margin (as a percent)																						(4.92%)
Lakeland Village Center
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Repayment of debt																							$ 11,800,000
Lake Woodlands Crossing Retail | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Recourse percentage																									15.00%
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																									$ 15,500,000
Interest rate margin (as a percent)																									(1.80%)
Maximum recourse percentage, upon achievement of conditions																									50.00%
Percentage cf occupancy of real estate property																									90.00%
Lake Woodlands Crossing Retail | Operating Assets
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											12,163,000	9,539,000
Facility amount																											$ 15,523,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											3.53%
The Woodlands | Line of Credit
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount				$ 250,000,000.0
Interest rate margin (as a percent)				(2.50%)	(2.87%)
Number of extension options | extention_option				2
Extension option, term				1 year
Bridgeland | Master Planned Communities | Bridgeland Credit Facility
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 107,500,000	65,000,000
Facility amount																											$ 250,000,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											4.23%
Repayments of Lines of Credit				$ 215,000,000.0
Summerlin | Special Improvement District bonds
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate, stated (as a percent)																											4.00%
Number of bonds | bond																											1
Secured Debt																											$ 32,000,000.0	0
Special Improvement District bond transfers associated with land sales																											22,300,000	10,900,000
Millennium Phase III Apartments | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued						$ 30,700,000
Interest rate margin (as a percent)						(1.75%)
Millennium Phase III Apartments | Strategic Developments revenues
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											1,000	0
Facility amount																											$ 30,700,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											3.48%
8770 New Trails | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued								$ 35,500,000
Interest rate, stated (as a percent)								4.89%
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)								4.89%
Interest rate margin (as a percent)								(2.45%)
8770 New Trails | Strategic Developments revenues
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 15,124,000	0
Facility amount																											$ 35,487,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											4.89%
Ke Kilohana | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Long-term line of credit											$ 121,700,000
Repayment of debt											$ 142,700,000
Ke Kilohana | Strategic Developments revenues
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 0	96,757,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											5.75%
Two Lakes Edge | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																		$ 74,000,000.0
Extension option, term																		1 year
Two Lakes Edge | Construction Loans | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate margin (as a percent)																		(2.15%)
Two Lakes Edge | Strategic Developments revenues
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 38,214,000	$ 0
Facility amount																											$ 74,035,000
Interest rate, effective (as a percent)																											3.88%
Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | $700 Million Loan Maturity September 2023
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued																				$ 85,000,000.0
Woodlands Land Development Company | 100 Fellowship Drive, Lakefront North, Three Hughes Landing, The Woodlands Resort And Conference Center And Lake Woodlands Crossing | Operating Assets | Recourse Debt
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Carrying amount																											$ 35,700,000
Seaport District | Term Loan
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued									$ 250,000,000.0
Interest rate, stated (as a percent)									6.10%
Seaport District | Term Loan | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate margin (as a percent)									(4.10%)
Debt Instrument, LIBOR Cap									2.30%
Debt Instrument, LIBOR Floor									0.00%
Mr. C Seaport
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued														$ 41,000,000.0
Mr. C Seaport | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Interest rate margin (as a percent)														(4.50%)
Naming Rights And Marketing Agreement
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Revenue																						$ 4,000,000.0
Subsequent Event | Creekside Park West | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Extension option, term	1 year
Subsequent Event | Creekside Park West | Construction Loans
Mortgages, notes and loans payable
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued	$ 43,400,000
Interest rate, stated (as a percent)	1.75%