Real Estate Entities and Investments in Affiliates - Consolidated Real Estate Entities (Details) (USD $)				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Segment [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Segment [Member] Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Dec. 31, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] Residential real estate [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Dec. 31, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] Residential real estate [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] Residential real estate [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] Commercial real estate [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Dec. 31, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] Commercial real estate [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] Commercial real estate [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] WASHINGTON Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Dec. 31, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] WASHINGTON Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] WASHINGTON Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] CALIFORNIA Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Dec. 31, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] CALIFORNIA Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] CALIFORNIA Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] TEXAS Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Dec. 31, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] TEXAS Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] TEXAS Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] OREGON Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Dec. 31, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] OREGON Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] OREGON Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Increase in Financial Support Authorization				$ 0	$ 12,000,000
Authorized Investment Yet to be Contributed				3,200,000
Impairment charges related to Enterprise Improvement Plan						0	0
Number of Projects with Authorization for Increase in Financial or Other Support					3
Real estate held for development and sale	57,367,000	67,037,000	78,725,000					57,367,000	67,037,000	78,725,000	47,986,000	54,610,000	55,433,000	9,381,000	12,427,000	23,292,000	47,547,000	47,600,000	46,184,000	2,587,000	4,006,000	16,335,000	7,233,000	8,859,000	8,859,000	0	6,572,000	7,347,000
Other current assets	20,436,000	35,171,000	34,779,000					2,124,000	4,715,000	3,011,000
Total current assets	915,159,000	909,722,000	922,605,000					59,491,000	71,752,000	81,736,000
Property and equipment, net	439,664,000	447,140,000	464,616,000					0	0	203,000
Total assets								59,491,000	71,752,000	81,939,000
Current maturities of non-recourse debt	16,328,000	23,071,000	16,454,000					16,328,000	22,571,000	15,954,000
Other Liabilities, Current								368,000	1,794,000	2,045,000
Total current liabilities	442,671,000	448,468,000	483,210,000					16,696,000	24,365,000	17,999,000
Long-term non-recourse debt	4,641,000	9,912,000	28,907,000					4,641,000	9,912,000	28,907,000
Other long-term liabilities	47,393,000	49,221,000	46,460,000					0	74,000	313,000
Total liabilities								$ 21,337,000	$ 34,351,000	$ 47,219,000
Number of projects								7	9	12	3	4	5	4	5	7	2	2	2	4	5	8	1	1	1	0	1	1