An East Lake Management lawsuit search turns up a mix of matters: a $24 million lead-poisoning verdict in Cook County where East Lake was a co-defendant but was cleared by the jury, older Chicago cases over an eviction and a tenant class action, and years of tenant complaints at buildings the company manages. The through-line is that East Lake, one of Chicago’s largest affordable-housing managers, is frequently named alongside property owners like the Chicago Housing Authority, but has largely avoided direct liability in court.
The Rogers Park Lead Paint Case
In January 2022, Shanna Jordan and Morgan Collins sued on behalf of their children, Jah’mir Collins and Amiah McGee-Collins, alleging severe lead poisoning at a CHA-owned unit at 7715 North Marshfield Avenue.1Fox 32 Chicago. Chicago Children Lead Poisoning CHA Housing Verdict The CHA had owned the building since 1979, and the plaintiffs argued the agency knew of lead-based paint hazards there since at least 1992 while giving tenants disclosures claiming no knowledge of the problem.2Rapoport Law. Jordan v. Chicago Housing Authority Case Summary
East Lake Management managed the property from 2019 to 2022, following The Habitat Company, which managed it from 2016 to 2019. Both companies were named as defendants along with the CHA.3CBS News Chicago. CHA Lawsuit Verdict Lead Paint Poisoning Children
After a six-week trial, a Cook County jury on January 15, 2025, returned a unanimous verdict of $24,141,000 against the CHA, awarding $20.6 million to Amiah McGee-Collins and $3.5 million to Jah’mir Collins.1Fox 32 Chicago. Chicago Children Lead Poisoning CHA Housing Verdict The jury found that neither East Lake Management nor Habitat was liable, placing responsibility on the CHA as the property owner.4Chicago Tribune. CHA Lead Paint Trial Verdict Lead plaintiffs’ attorney Matthew Sims of Rapoport Weisberg Sims & VanOverloop argued the CHA had failed “on almost every single level” and never disclosed that other children had previously been poisoned in the same unit. Environmental Design International, which had conducted a 2017 inspection confirming lead at the property, settled in 2024 for $150,000 combined.3CBS News Chicago. CHA Lawsuit Verdict Lead Paint Poisoning Children
As of January 2025, the CHA said only that it was “adhering to the advice of legal counsel,” and it was not clear whether the agency had appealed.5Chicago Housing Authority. Chicago Housing Authority Statement on Jordan/Collins Case
Earlier Court Cases Involving East Lake
East Lake Management & Development Corp. v. Irvin (1990)
East Lake tried to evict tenant Loudell Irvin from a Section 8 apartment at 4048 South Lake Park Avenue in Chicago, citing lease violations that included property damage and disturbing neighbors. After serving a termination notice in August 1987, the company kept receiving HUD Housing Assistance Payments for the unit. The trial court ruled that accepting those federal payments amounted to accepting rent, which waived the termination notice, and the appellate court considered that ruling in the reported 1990 decision.6vLex. East Lake Management and Development Corp. v. Irvin, 551 N.E.2d 272
Hale v. East Lake and the Nutmeg Insurance Ruling
A class action, Hale v. East Lake Management & Development Corp., alleged that East Lake violated the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance at 7000 South Shore Drive by failing to pay interest on security deposits, failing to give proper notice during management transfers, and failing to maintain habitable conditions. The case settled for $439,625.
Nutmeg Insurance Company then asked a federal court to declare that its professional liability policy did not cover the settlement. In November 2006, a judge in the Northern District of Illinois ruled the policy’s definition of “Damages” was ambiguous and had to be read in East Lake’s favor, ordering Nutmeg to pay $408,000 of the settlement.7GovInfo. Nutmeg Insurance Co. v. East Lake Management, Case No. 05 C 1328
Tenant Complaints and Organizing at East Lake Properties
Beyond the courtroom, East Lake has faced sustained tenant criticism across its affordable housing portfolio. Residents formed the East Lake Tenants Union to press for better conditions and to demand that the city and federal government stop contracting with the company.8Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago Housing Tenants Buildings East Lake Management Security Crime
At an October 2022 rally outside Chicago City Hall, tenants at Germano Millgate Apartments on South Burley Avenue reported pest infestations and a five-month wait for bathroom repairs after water damage. Residents of the Washington Park SRO at 5000 South Indiana Avenue cited a lack of building-entry security and maintenance backlogs, and tenants across properties accused East Lake’s security guards of failing to patrol or call police during violent incidents nearby.8Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago Housing Tenants Buildings East Lake Management Security Crime
The Washington Park SRO
The 63-unit SRO at 5000 South Indiana Avenue became a focus of tenant organizing. South Side Weekly documented violations of the Illinois peephole installation act for failing to install view devices on unit doors, and residents lacked independent access to the building, having to wait for staff to open doors. Organizers described that setup as both a fire hazard and a code violation.9South Side Weekly. Tenant Union Demands Change at Washington Park SRO Other complaints included noise from an on-site gym inaccessible to tenants, a restrictive overnight guest policy, and the discontinuation of social services and amenities originally part of the building’s offerings.10Hyde Park Herald. East Lake Tenants Union Organizer Showtime Shanna on the Work for Safe Housing
The building had received $874,378 in low-income housing tax credits from the City of Chicago in 2006, intended to leverage $9.2 million in equity for the property.9South Side Weekly. Tenant Union Demands Change at Washington Park SRO East Lake has said in response that it “takes the safety, comfort, and well-being of our residents very seriously” and that “our residents are our number one priority.”8Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago Housing Tenants Buildings East Lake Management Security Crime
Archer Courts Petition
A Change.org petition titled “Why is HUD still doing business with Eastlake Mgmt?” gathered 290 signatures from residents of Archer Courts Apartments in Chicago. Signers alleged fake repairs, lack of heat in parts of the building, holes in walls, plumbing failures, and pest problems, and accused the company of overcharging for security services through a subcontractor.11Change.org. Why Is HUD Still Doing Business With Eastlake Mgmt A petition is not a lawsuit, and the file does not report any court filing tied to it.
Who East Lake Management Is
East Lake Management was founded by Elzie Higginbottom and is headquartered at 2850 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago.12East Lake Management. Contact The company says it manages more than 10,000 residential units and over 30 commercial properties, operating across the Chicago area and in Missouri, Indiana, and other parts of Illinois.13East Lake Management. About Much of that residential work is done under contracts with the CHA, which uses private firms to manage roughly 13,000 public housing units.14WTTW News. Chicago Housing Authority Leaseholders Accuse Management Companies of Retaliation In February 2025, the CHA issued a new request for proposals covering its entire portfolio across 19 packages of family, scattered-site, senior, and tax-credit housing; the solicitation did not name incumbent firms or say which companies retained or lost contracts.15Chicago Housing Authority. RFP Event No. 3270 Professional Property Management Services