CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2017	Apr. 30, 2016	Apr. 30, 2015
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income	$ 30,525	$ 76,602	$ 28,684
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	56,525	50,978	43,762
Depreciation and amortization from discontinued operations	87	14,477	28,316
Gain on sale of real estate, land, other investments and discontinued operations	(74,847)	(33,423)	(6,093)
Loss (gain) on extinguishment of debt and discontinued operations	1,041	(35,552)
Gain on bargain purchase		(3,424)
Share-based compensation expense	6	2,256	2,215
Impairment of real estate investments	57,028	5,983	6,105
Bad debt expense	499	651	967
Write off prepaid development costs	3,161
Changes in other assets and liabilities:
Receivable arising from straight-lining of rents	(662)	(437)	(64)
Accounts receivable	930	1,815	4,058
Prepaid and other assets	(244)	762	(150)
Tax, insurance and other escrow	(123)	1,463	1,445
Deferred charges and leasing costs	(2,430)	(1,366)	(2,300)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	2,434	(14,292)	7,234
Net cash provided by operating activities	73,930	66,493	114,179
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from real estate deposits	1,370	5,203	1,168
Payments for real estate deposits	(25,029)	(2,714)	(3,512)
Decrease in other investments	50	279
Decrease in lender holdbacks for improvements	2,665	4,347	10,738
Increase in lender holdbacks for improvements	(903)	(1,136)	(1,204)
Proceeds from sale of discontinued operations	237,135	365,845
Proceeds from sale of real estate and other investments	47,354	40,306	73,835
Insurance proceeds received	88	1,320	2,678
Payments for acquisitions of real estate assets		(121,821)	(38,704)
Payments for development and re-development of real estate assets	(18,274)	(122,801)	(189,091)
Payments for improvements of real estate assets	(42,193)	(28,976)	(21,327)
Payments for improvements of real estate assets from discontinued operations		(5,600)	(10,988)
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities	202,263	134,252	(176,407)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from mortgages payable	84,150	143,574	90,749
Principal payments on mortgages payable	(295,136)	(234,885)	(127,622)
Proceeds from revolving lines of credit	246,000	82,000	55,000
Principal payments on revolving lines of credit	(206,450)	(125,000)	(17,000)
Proceeds from construction debt	19,341	94,142	93,643
Principal payments on construction debt	(49,080)	(24,754)	(12,685)
Proceeds from sale of common shares under distribution reinvestment and share purchase program		1,493	48,701
Additions to notes receivable from noncontrolling partner – consolidated real estate entities	(9,211)
Proceeds from noncontrolling partner - consolidated real estate entities	9,749	1,120	2,284
Payments for acquisition of noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities	(4,938)
Repurchase of common shares	(4,501)	(35,000)
Repurchase of Preferred shares	(28,752)
Repurchase of partnership units	(966)
Distributions paid to common shareholders	(55,907)	(60,063)	(45,728)
Distributions paid to preferred shareholders	(10,744)	(11,514)	(11,514)
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests - Unitholders of the Operating Partnership	(7,453)	(7,101)	(7,971)
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities	(174)	(7,029)	(3,926)
Net cash (used) provided by financing activities	(314,072)	(183,017)	63,931
NET (DECREASE) INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(37,879)	17,728	1,703
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR	66,698	48,970	47,267
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF YEAR	28,819	66,698	48,970
SUPPLEMENTARY SCHEDULE OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Distribution reinvestment plan - shares issued		3,997	15,519
Operating partnership distribution reinvestment plan - shares issued		130	636
Operating partnership units converted to shares	875	1,477	41,264
Real estate assets acquired through the issuance of operating partnership units		18,226	800
Real estate assets acquired through the issuance of operating partnership units			12,169
(Decrease) increase to accounts payable included within real estate investments	(1,851)	(10,420)	5,116
Real estate assets contributed by noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities			6,624
Conversion to equity of notes receivable from noncontrolling interests – consolidated real estate entities	9,846
Construction debt reclassified to mortgages payable	10,549	123,553
Decrease in real estate assets in connection with transfer of real estate assets in settlement of debt		87,213
Decrease in debt in connection with transfer of real estate assets in settlement of debt		122,610
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized of $298 and $3,367, respectively	$ 34,432	$ 39,668	$ 51,283