A former employee alleges that she was subjected to racial discrimination, instructed to perform unlawful actions, and ultimately fired after reporting these issues to senior management. The complaint was filed by Lakeisha Brandon in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on March 10, 2026, naming Monument Real Estate Services, LLC as the defendant.
According to the filing, Brandon served as Community Manager at The Townhomes at Highcrest from December 2023 until her termination on May 29, 2024. She claims that during her tenure she improved occupancy rates by nearly 25 percent and received a performance award despite managing a short-staffed property with maintenance challenges. Brandon asserts that her direct supervisor treated her differently than non-Black colleagues and issued directives she believed were unlawful.
The complaint details that Brandon reported to Steve Burlingame, who allegedly micromanaged her work more closely than other Community Managers who were not Black. Brandon states that when she asked these peers if they experienced similar oversight from Burlingame, they confirmed they did not. The suit alleges that while non-Black managers received adequate staffing and well-maintained properties, Brandon was offered a demotion instead of support when she raised concerns about safety and staffing shortages.
Brandon further alleges that Burlingame refused to allow tenants at her property to use government-sponsored rental assistance programs—a practice she warned violated Illinois law protecting source-of-income rights for tenants. She also claims she was directed to evict residents who were not legally eligible for eviction under state law or had actually overpaid their rent. Despite raising these issues with various members of Monument’s management team—including an attorney for the company, the regional manager, a corporate manager, and the director of human resources—Brandon says no corrective action was taken.
The complaint describes an incident on May 10, 2024 in which Brandon was threatened by a tenant’s guest. After banning the guest from the property and calling police for assistance, Brandon says she reported the incident but later learned that staff members who witnessed it were threatened with job loss if they testified accurately about what happened. Two weeks after informing Burlingame that she would discuss this incident with human resources, Brandon was terminated. She alleges that Monument cited a false version of events as justification for her dismissal.
In addition to allegations of discriminatory treatment based on race under Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, Brandon asserts retaliation for engaging in protected activity—namely reporting discrimination and refusing to participate in actions she believed violated state housing laws. The suit also includes a claim for retaliatory discharge under Illinois public policy prohibiting housing discrimination and unlawful eviction practices.
Brandon seeks compensatory damages for lost wages and benefits as well as emotional distress resulting from what she describes as malice or reckless indifference by Monument’s management. She is also seeking punitive damages under federal law, pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, attorneys’ fees, costs associated with bringing the case, and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
The plaintiff is represented by attorneys Christopher S. Prater (Florida Bar No. 105488) and Eric Di Giacomo (Oklahoma Bar No. 34400) of Pollard PLLC. The case is identified as Case No. 1:26-cv-02712.
Source: 126cv2712_Lakeisha_Brandon_v_Monument_Real_Estate_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
