Real Estate Entities and Investments in Affiliates - Investments in Affiliates (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Cost-method Investments, Other than Temporary Impairment	$ 2,800,000
Investments in affiliates	30,257,000	31,071,000	33,435,000
Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Assets	156,992,000	157,771,000	157,054,000
Equity Method Investments Summarized Financial Information Net Assets	85,162,000	82,511,000	80,306,000
Cost Method Investments	0	2,752,000	6,450,000
Investments in affiliates	30,257,000	31,071,000	33,435,000
Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] \| Other Affiliates [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments	30,257,000	28,319,000	26,985,000
Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] \| Equity Method Investments in Non Real Estate Affiliate [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments	11,384,000	11,841,000	11,129,000
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	12
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	7
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	8
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	18,873,000	16,478,000	15,856,000
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	12,805,000	11,903,000	11,511,000
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	6,068,000	4,575,000	4,345,000
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	18,873,000	16,478,000	15,856,000
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	2,700,000
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	$ 45,800,000

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

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Dec. 31, 2011

Sep. 30, 2011

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Cost-method Investments, Other than Temporary Impairment

$ 2,800,000

Investments in affiliates

30,257,000

31,071,000

33,435,000

Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Assets

156,992,000

157,771,000

157,054,000

Equity Method Investments Summarized Financial Information Net Assets

85,162,000

82,511,000

80,306,000

Cost Method Investments

2,752,000

6,450,000

Investments in affiliates

30,257,000

31,071,000

33,435,000

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

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Equity Method Investments

30,257,000

28,319,000

26,985,000

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

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Equity Method Investments

11,384,000

11,841,000

11,129,000

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

18,873,000

16,478,000

15,856,000

Number of projects

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Equity Method Investments

12,805,000

11,903,000

11,511,000

Number of projects

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Equity Method Investments

6,068,000

4,575,000

4,345,000

Number of projects

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]

Equity Method Investments

18,873,000

16,478,000

15,856,000

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

2,700,000

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

$ 45,800,000

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 325

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

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-Paragraph 1

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-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.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 325

-SubTopic 20

-Section 35

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6383889&loc=d3e40346-111594

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)

-Number 03-1

-Paragraph 22

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-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

This item represents an other than temporary decline in value that has been recognized against an investment accounted for under the cost method of accounting. The excess of the carrying amount over the fair value of the investment represents the amount of the write down which is or was reflected in earnings. The written down value is a new cost basis with the adjusted value of the investment becoming its new carrying value. Evidence of a loss in value might include, but would not necessarily be limited to, absence of an ability to recover the carrying amount of the investment or inability of the investee to sustain an earnings capacity which would justify the carrying amount of the investment.

+ References+ 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 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 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

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Reference 3: 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

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph bb

-Article 1

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-Publisher FASB

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 159

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-Publisher SEC

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph w

-Article 1

+ Details