Real Estate Entities and Investments in Affiliates - Consolidated Real Estate Entities (Details) (USD $)				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 Real Estate Segment [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Sep. 30, 2012 Real Estate Segment [Member] Subsidiaries [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Subsidiaries [Member]	Sep. 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	Sep. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Sep. 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	Sep. 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	Sep. 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	Sep. 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	Sep. 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	Sep. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] WASHINGTON Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Sep. 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	Sep. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] CALIFORNIA Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Sep. 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	Sep. 30, 2011 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Consolidated [Member] TEXAS Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] project	Sep. 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	Sep. 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				3,100,000
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	57,964,000	67,037,000	79,173,000					57,964,000	67,037,000	79,173,000	48,527,000	54,610,000	55,672,000	9,437,000	12,427,000	23,501,000	48,122,000	47,600,000	47,109,000	2,609,000	4,006,000	16,382,000	7,233,000	8,859,000	8,859,000	0	6,572,000	6,823,000
Other current assets	13,974,000	35,171,000	29,526,000					1,946,000	4,715,000	2,801,000
Total current assets	1,019,908,000	909,722,000	990,994,000
Property and equipment, net	432,293,000	447,140,000	453,822,000
Total assets								59,910,000	71,752,000	81,974,000
Current maturities of non-recourse debt	16,712,000	23,071,000	16,690,000					16,712,000	22,571,000	16,190,000
Other Liabilities, Current								404,000	1,794,000	1,901,000
Total current liabilities	493,261,000	448,468,000	516,770,000					17,116,000	24,365,000	18,091,000
Long-term non-recourse debt	4,375,000	9,912,000	27,755,000					4,375,000	9,912,000	27,755,000
Other long-term liabilities	47,913,000	49,221,000	46,985,000					0	74,000	278,000
Total liabilities								$ 21,491,000	$ 34,351,000	$ 46,124,000
Number of projects								7	9	12	3	4	5	4	5	7	2	2	2	4	5	8	1	1	1	0	1	1