Real Estate Entities and Investments in Affiliates - Investments in Affiliates (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Investments in affiliates	$ 30,972,000	$ 31,071,000	$ 28,893,000
Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Assets	160,588,000	157,771,000	153,652,000
Equity Method Investments Summarized Financial Information Net Assets	88,138,000	82,511,000	80,546,000
Cost Method Investments	2,752,000	2,752,000	6,400,000
Investments in affiliates	30,972,000	31,071,000	28,893,000
Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] \| Other Affiliates [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments	28,220,000	28,319,000	22,493,000
Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] \| Equity Method Investments in Non Real Estate Affiliate [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments	11,495,000	11,841,000	10,346,000
Real Estate Segment [Member] \| Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] \| Real Estate Entities [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Number of projects	7	9	11
Real Estate Segment [Member] \| Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] \| Residential real estate [Member] \| Real Estate Entities [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Number of projects	3	4	5
Real Estate Segment [Member] \| Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] \| Commercial real estate [Member] \| Real Estate Entities [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Number of projects	4	5	6
Real Estate Segment [Member] \| Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] \| TEXAS \| Real Estate Entities [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Number of projects	1	1	1
Real Estate Segment [Member] \| Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] \| CALIFORNIA \| Real Estate Entities [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Number of projects	4	5	7
Real Estate Segment [Member] \| Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] \| OREGON \| Real Estate Entities [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Number of projects	0	1	1
Real Estate Segment [Member] \| Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] \| WASHINGTON \| Real Estate Entities [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Number of projects	2	2	2
Real Estate Segment [Member] \| Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] \| Equity Method investments in Real Estate Affiliates [Member] \| Real Estate Entities [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments	16,725,000	16,478,000	12,147,000
Number of projects	5	5	5
Real Estate Segment [Member] \| Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] \| Residential real estate [Member] \| Equity Method investments in Real Estate Affiliates [Member] \| Real Estate Entities [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments	11,977,000	11,903,000	8,989,000
Number of projects	2	2	2
Real Estate Segment [Member] \| Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] \| Commercial real estate [Member] \| Equity Method investments in Real Estate Affiliates [Member] \| Real Estate Entities [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments	4,748,000	4,575,000	3,158,000
Number of projects	3	3	3
Real Estate Segment [Member] \| Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] \| TEXAS \| Equity Method investments in Real Estate Affiliates [Member] \| Real Estate Entities [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments	16,725,000	16,478,000	12,147,000
Number of projects	5	5	5
Real Estate Segment [Member] \| Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] \| Minimum [Member] \| Real Estate Entities [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Real Estate Development Projects Range of Total Assets	3,000,000
Real Estate Segment [Member] \| Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| Real Estate Entities [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Real Estate Development Projects Range of Total Assets	$ 48,900,000

Real Estate Entities and Investments in Affiliates - Investments in Affiliates (Details) (USD $)

Mar. 31, 2012

Dec. 31, 2011

Mar. 31, 2011

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Investments in affiliates

$ 30,972,000

$ 31,071,000

$ 28,893,000

Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Assets

160,588,000

157,771,000

153,652,000

Equity Method Investments Summarized Financial Information Net Assets

88,138,000

82,511,000

80,546,000

Cost Method Investments

2,752,000

6,400,000

Investments in affiliates

30,972,000

31,071,000

28,893,000

Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Other Affiliates [Member]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Equity Method Investments

28,220,000

28,319,000

22,493,000

Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Equity Method Investments in Non Real Estate Affiliate [Member]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Equity Method Investments

11,495,000

11,841,000

10,346,000

Real Estate Segment [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Real Estate Entities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Number of projects

Real Estate Segment [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Residential real estate [Member] | Real Estate Entities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Number of projects

Real Estate Segment [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | Commercial real estate [Member] | Real Estate Entities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Number of projects

Real Estate Segment [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | TEXAS | Real Estate Entities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Number of projects

Real Estate Segment [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | CALIFORNIA | Real Estate Entities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Number of projects

Real Estate Segment [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | OREGON | Real Estate Entities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Number of projects

Real Estate Segment [Member] | Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] | WASHINGTON | Real Estate Entities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Number of projects

Real Estate Segment [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Equity Method investments in Real Estate Affiliates [Member] | Real Estate Entities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Equity Method Investments

16,725,000

16,478,000

12,147,000

Number of projects

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Equity Method Investments

11,977,000

11,903,000

8,989,000

Number of projects

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Equity Method Investments

4,748,000

4,575,000

3,158,000

Number of projects

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Equity Method Investments

16,725,000

16,478,000

12,147,000

Number of projects

Real Estate Segment [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Real Estate Entities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Real Estate Development Projects Range of Total Assets

3,000,000

Real Estate Segment [Member] | Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Real Estate Entities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Real Estate Development Projects Range of Total Assets

$ 48,900,000

- Definition

This item represents the aggregate carrying amount of all cost-method investments as reported on or included in the balance sheet. The original cost of the investments may differ from the aggregate carrying amount disclosed due to various adjustments such as: (i) dividends received in excess of earnings after the date of investment that are considered a return of investment and therefore recorded as reductions to cost of the investment, or (ii) a series of operating losses of an investee or other factors which may indicate that a decrease in value of the investment has occurred which is other than temporary and accordingly such decrease in value has been recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12)

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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 325

-SubTopic 20

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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 18

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 325

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Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)

-Number 03-1

-Paragraph 22

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)

-Number FAS115-1/124-1

-Paragraph 18

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

- Definition

The amount of assets reported by an equity method investment of the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(g))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 18

-Paragraph 20

-Subparagraph d

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph bb

-Article 1

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 159

-Paragraph 18

-Subparagraph f

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 4

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-Paragraph g

-Subparagraph 1, 2

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

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-Publisher FASB

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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957238&loc=d3e14064-108612

+ Details