SEGMENT REPORTING (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2017 segment	Jan. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2016 USD ($) segment	Apr. 30, 2017 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments | segment	2					5
Segment revenues and net operating income [Abstract]
Real estate revenue		$ 43,254	$ 40,228	$ 127,380	$ 118,707
Real estate expenses		20,035	18,619	60,890	53,570
Net operating income (loss)		23,219	21,609	66,490	65,137
Depreciation/amortization		(18,390)	(10,787)	(60,998)	(33,193)
Impairment of real estate investments				(256)	(54,153)
General and administrative expenses		(3,011)	(4,172)	(10,131)	(11,195)
Interest expense		(9,236)	(8,832)	(25,876)	(26,033)
Loss on extinguishment of debt		(285)	(458)	(818)	(458)
Interest and other income		433	427	916	685
Loss before gain on sale of real estate and other investments and income from discontinued operations		(7,270)	(2,213)	(30,673)	(59,210)
Gain on sale of real estate and other investments		12,387	2,437	17,835	11,292
Income (loss) from continuing operations		5,117	224	(12,838)	(47,918)
Income from discontinued operations		146,811	24,965	164,626	44,803
NET INCOME (LOSS)		151,928	25,189	151,788	(3,115)
Segment Assets [Abstract]
Property owned		1,568,725		1,568,725			$ 1,358,529
Less accumulated depreciation		(304,149)		(304,149)			(255,599)
Total property owned		1,264,576		1,264,576			1,102,930
Mortgage loans receivable		10,329		10,329			0
Assets held for sale and assets of discontinued operations		0		0			283,023
Cash and cash equivalents		22,666	56,999	22,666	56,999	$ 66,698	28,819
Restricted cash		121,337		121,337			27,981
Receivables and other assets		21,664		21,664			13,306
Unimproved land		15,123		15,123			18,455
TOTAL ASSETS		1,455,695		1,455,695			1,474,514
Amounts Not Allocated to Segments [Member]
Segment revenues and net operating income [Abstract]
Real estate revenue		0	0	0	0
Real estate expenses		1,255	1,283	4,204	4,002
Net operating income (loss)		(1,255)	(1,283)	(4,204)	(4,002)
Multi-Family Residential [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment revenues and net operating income [Abstract]
Real estate revenue		41,279	36,171	119,444	107,400
Real estate expenses		18,231	16,336	54,584	46,781
Net operating income (loss)		23,048	19,835	64,860	60,619
Segment Assets [Abstract]
Property owned		1,495,944		1,495,944			1,260,541
Less accumulated depreciation		(285,460)		(285,460)			(232,592)
Total property owned		1,210,484		1,210,484			1,027,949
All Other [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment revenues and net operating income [Abstract]
Real estate revenue		1,975	4,057	7,936	11,307
Real estate expenses		549	1,000	2,102	2,787
Net operating income (loss)		1,426	$ 3,057	5,834	$ 8,520
Segment Assets [Abstract]
Property owned		72,781		72,781			97,988
Less accumulated depreciation		(18,689)		(18,689)			(23,007)
Total property owned		$ 54,092		$ 54,092			$ 74,981