COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES AND LIQUIDITY	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES AND LIQUIDITY	NOTE 12. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES AND LIQUIDITY Liquidity. Management believes that TCI will generate excess cash from property operations in 2019; such excess, however, will not be sufficient to discharge all of TCI’s obligations as they become due. Management intends to sell land and income-producing real estate, refinance real estate and obtain additional borrowings primarily secured by real estate to meet its liquidity requirements. Partnership Buyouts. TCI is the limited partner in various partnerships related to the construction of residential properties. As permitted in the respective partnership agreements, TCI intends to purchase the interests of the general and any other limited partners in these partnerships subsequent to the completion of these projects. The amounts paid to buy out the non-affiliated partners are limited to development fees earned by the non-affiliated partners and are outlined in the respective partnership agreements. Litigation. The ownership of property and provision of services to the public as tenants entails an inherent risk of liability. Although the Company and its subsidiaries are involved in various items of litigation incidental to and in the ordinary course of its business, in the opinion of management, the outcome of such litigation will not have a material adverse impact upon the Company’s financial condition, results of operation or liquidity. Guarantees. The Company is the primary guarantor on a $39.1 million mezzanine loan between UHF and a lender. In addition, ARI and an officer of the Company are limited recourse guarantors of the loan. As of March 31, 2019 UHF was in compliance with the covenants to the loan agreement. Dynex Capital, Inc. On July 20, 2015, the 68th Judicial District Court in Dallas County, Texas issued its Final Judgment in Cause No. DC-03-00675, styled Basic Capital Management, Inc., American Realty Trust, Inc., Transcontinental Realty Investors, Inc., Continental Poydras Corp., Continental Common, Inc. and Continental Baronne, Inc. v. Dynex Commercial, Inc. The case, which was litigated for more than a decade, had its origin with Dynex Commercial making loans to Continental Poydras Corp., Continental Common, Inc. and Continental Baronne, Inc. (subsidiaries of Continental Mortgage & Equity Trust (“CMET”), an entity which merged into TCI in 1999 after the original suit was filed). Under the original loan commitment, $160 million in loans were to be made to the entities. The loans were conditioned on the execution of a commitment between Dynex Commercial and Basic Capital Management, Inc. (“Basic”). An original trial in 2004, which also included Dynex Capital, Inc. as a defendant, resulted in a jury awarding damages in favor of Basic for “lost opportunity,” as well as damages in favor of ART and in favor of TCI and its subsidiaries for “increased costs” and “lost opportunity.” The original Trial Court judge ignored the jury’s findings, however, and entered a “Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict” (“JNOV”) in favor of the Dynex entities (the judge held the Plaintiffs were not entitled to any damages from the Dynex entities). After numerous appeals by all parties, Dynex Capital, Inc. was ultimately dismissed from the case and the remaining claims against Dynex Commercial were remanded to the Trial Court for a new judgment consistent with the jury’s findings. The Court entered the new Final Judgment against Dynex Commercial, Inc. on July 20, 2015. The Final Judgment entered against Dynex Commercial, Inc. on July 20, 2015 awarded Basic $0.256 million in damages, plus pre-judgment interest of $0.192 million for a total amount of $0.448 million. The Judgment awarded ART $14.2 million in damages, plus pre-judgment interest of $10.6 million for a total amount of $24.8 million. The Judgment awarded TCI $11.1 million, plus pre-judgment interest of $8.4 million for a total amount of $19.5 million. The Judgment also awarded Basic, ART, and TCI post-judgment interest at the rate of 5% per annum from April 25, 2014 until the date their respective damages are paid. Lastly, the Judgement awarded Basic, ART, and TCI $1.6 million collectively in attorneys’ fees from Dynex Commercial, Inc. The Company is working with counsel to identify assets and collect on the Final Judgement against Dynex Commercial, Inc., as well as pursue additional claims, if any, against Dynex Capital, Inc. Berger Litigation On February 4, 2019, an individual claiming to be a stockholder holding 7,900 shares of Common Stock of Income Opportunity Realty Investors, Inc. (“IOR”) filed a Complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, individually and allegedly derivatively on behalf of IOR, against Transcontinental Realty Investors, Inc. (“TCI”), American Realty Investors, Inc. (“ARL”), (TCI is a shareholder of IOR, ARL is a shareholder of TCI) Pillar Income Asset Management, Inc. (“Pillar”), ( collectively the “Companies”), certain officers and directors of the Companies (“Additional Parties”) and two other individuals. The Complaint filed alleges that the sale and/or exchange of certain tangible and intangible property between the Companies and IOR during the last ten years of business operations constitutes a breach of fiduciary duty by the one or more of Companies, the Additional Defendants and/or the directors of IOR. The case alleges other related claims. The Plaintiff seeks certification as a representative of IOR and all of its shareholders, unspecified damages, a return to IOR of various funds and an award of costs, expenses, disbursements (including Plaintiff’s attorneys’ fees) and prejudgment and post-judgment interest. The named Defendants intend to vigorously defend the action, deny all of the allegations of the Complaint, and believe the allegations to be wholly without any merit.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES AND LIQUIDITY

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES AND LIQUIDITY

NOTE 12. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES AND LIQUIDITY

Liquidity. Management believes that TCI will generate excess cash from property operations in 2019; such excess, however, will not be sufficient to discharge all of TCI’s obligations as they become due. Management intends to sell land and income-producing real estate, refinance real estate and obtain additional borrowings primarily secured by real estate to meet its liquidity requirements.

Partnership Buyouts. TCI is the limited partner in various partnerships related to the construction of residential properties. As permitted in the respective partnership agreements, TCI intends to purchase the interests of the general and any other limited partners in these partnerships subsequent to the completion of these projects. The amounts paid to buy out the non-affiliated partners are limited to development fees earned by the non-affiliated partners and are outlined in the respective partnership agreements.

Litigation. The ownership of property and provision of services to the public as tenants entails an inherent risk of liability. Although the Company and its subsidiaries are involved in various items of litigation incidental to and in the ordinary course of its business, in the opinion of management, the outcome of such litigation will not have a material adverse impact upon the Company’s financial condition, results of operation or liquidity.

Guarantees. The Company is the primary guarantor on a $39.1 million mezzanine loan between UHF and a lender. In addition, ARI and an officer of the Company are limited recourse guarantors of the loan. As of March 31, 2019 UHF was in compliance with the covenants to the loan agreement.

Dynex Capital, Inc.

On July 20, 2015, the 68th Judicial District Court in Dallas County, Texas issued its Final Judgment in Cause No. DC-03-00675, styled Basic Capital Management, Inc., American Realty Trust, Inc., Transcontinental Realty Investors, Inc., Continental Poydras Corp., Continental Common, Inc. and Continental Baronne, Inc. v. Dynex Commercial, Inc. The case, which was litigated for more than a decade, had its origin with Dynex Commercial making loans to Continental Poydras Corp., Continental Common, Inc. and Continental Baronne, Inc. (subsidiaries of Continental Mortgage & Equity Trust (“CMET”), an entity which merged into TCI in 1999 after the original suit was filed). Under the original loan commitment, $160 million in loans were to be made to the entities. The loans were conditioned on the execution of a commitment between Dynex Commercial and Basic Capital Management, Inc. (“Basic”).

An original trial in 2004, which also included Dynex Capital, Inc. as a defendant, resulted in a jury awarding damages in favor of Basic for “lost opportunity,” as well as damages in favor of ART and in favor of TCI and its subsidiaries for “increased costs” and “lost opportunity.” The original Trial Court judge ignored the jury’s findings, however, and entered a “Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict” (“JNOV”) in favor of the Dynex entities (the judge held the Plaintiffs were not entitled to any damages from the Dynex entities). After numerous appeals by all parties, Dynex Capital, Inc. was ultimately dismissed from the case and the remaining claims against Dynex Commercial were remanded to the Trial Court for a new judgment consistent with the jury’s findings. The Court entered the new Final Judgment against Dynex Commercial, Inc. on July 20, 2015.

The Final Judgment entered against Dynex Commercial, Inc. on July 20, 2015 awarded Basic $0.256 million in damages, plus pre-judgment interest of $0.192 million for a total amount of $0.448 million. The Judgment awarded ART $14.2 million in damages, plus pre-judgment interest of $10.6 million for a total amount of $24.8 million. The Judgment awarded TCI $11.1 million, plus pre-judgment interest of $8.4 million for a total amount of $19.5 million. The Judgment also awarded Basic, ART, and TCI post-judgment interest at the rate of 5% per annum from April 25, 2014 until the date their respective damages are paid. Lastly, the Judgement awarded Basic, ART, and TCI $1.6 million collectively in attorneys’ fees from Dynex Commercial, Inc.

The Company is working with counsel to identify assets and collect on the Final Judgement against Dynex Commercial, Inc., as well as pursue additional claims, if any, against Dynex Capital, Inc.

Berger Litigation

On February 4, 2019, an individual claiming to be a stockholder holding 7,900 shares of Common Stock of Income Opportunity Realty Investors, Inc. (“IOR”) filed a Complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, individually and allegedly derivatively on behalf of IOR, against Transcontinental Realty Investors, Inc. (“TCI”), American Realty Investors, Inc. (“ARL”), (TCI is a shareholder of IOR, ARL is a shareholder of TCI) Pillar Income Asset Management, Inc. (“Pillar”), ( collectively the “Companies”), certain officers and directors of the Companies (“Additional Parties”) and two other individuals. The Complaint filed alleges that the sale and/or exchange of certain tangible and intangible property between the Companies and IOR during the last ten years of business operations constitutes a breach of fiduciary duty by the one or more of Companies, the Additional Defendants and/or the directors of IOR. The case alleges other related claims. The Plaintiff seeks certification as a representative of IOR and all of its shareholders, unspecified damages, a return to IOR of various funds and an award of costs, expenses, disbursements (including Plaintiff’s attorneys’ fees) and prejudgment and post-judgment interest. The named Defendants intend to vigorously defend the action, deny all of the allegations of the Complaint, and believe the allegations to be wholly without any merit.