MORTGAGES PAYABLE AND CONSTRUCTION DEBT (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2015 USD ($) Loan	Apr. 30, 2014 USD ($)
Aggregate amount of required future principal payments on mortgages payable [Abstract]
Total payments	$ 974,828	$ 997,689
Mortgages Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of loans in default | Loan	1
Non-recourse loan	$ 122,600
Maturity date	Oct. 06, 2016
Interest rate on mortgages payable (in hundredths)	5.93%
Interest rates on mortgages payable range, minimum (in hundredths)	2.43%
Interest rates on mortgages payable range, maximum (in hundredths)	8.25%
Mortgages maturity date range, start	Jun. 01, 2015
Mortgages maturity date range, end	Jul. 01, 2036
Fixed rate mortgages	$ 904,900	977,200
Variable rate mortgages	$ 70,000	$ 20,500
Weighted average interest rate (in hundredths)	5.16%	5.37%
Aggregate amount of required future principal payments on mortgages payable [Abstract]
2016	$ 121,931
2017	202,612
2018	88,071
2019	130,875
2020	79,298
Thereafter	352,041
Total payments	$ 974,828
Construction Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted average interest rate (in hundredths)	3.38%	3.08%
Construction debt	$ 136,200	$ 63,100
Amount available to be drawn under construction loans	$ 102,700