FAIR VALUES OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Assets:
Non-mortgage loans receivable, net	$ 53,724	$ 52,544
Liabilities:
Redeemable OP unitholder interests	171,100	177,200
Government-sponsored pooled loan investments
Assets:
Derivative instruments	55,518	55,049
Carrying Amount
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	103,353	286,707
Secured mortgage loans and other, net	1,339,886	646,972
Non-mortgage loans receivable, net		52,544
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt, gross	11,992,233	11,190,914
Derivative instruments	2,358	2,316
Redeemable OP unitholder interests	171,114	177,177
Carrying Amount \| Government-sponsored pooled loan investments
Assets:
Derivative instruments	55,518	55,049
Carrying Amount \| Derivative instruments
Assets:
Derivative instruments	6,716	3,302
Fair Value
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	103,353	286,707
Secured mortgage loans and other, net	1,359,831	655,981
Non-mortgage loans receivable, net	54,587	53,626
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt, gross	12,234,725	11,369,440
Derivative instruments	2,358	2,316
Redeemable OP unitholder interests	171,114	177,177
Fair Value \| Government-sponsored pooled loan investments
Assets:
Derivative instruments	55,518	55,049
Fair Value \| Derivative instruments
Assets:
Derivative instruments	$ 6,716	$ 3,302

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Amount of investment in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading.

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Fair value portion of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

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The fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

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Derivative instrument obligations meeting the definition of a liability which the entity is a party to and other liabilities not separately disclosed by the entity as of the balance sheet date.

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