A bruising leadership brawl at the Dearborn Realtist Board, the Chicago chapter of the nation’s oldest Black real estate trade association, has largely shut the group down, freezing its bank accounts and a $700,000 city grant. Interim president Cecelia Marlow is asking a Cook County judge for emergency relief after a hotly disputed February election produced dueling claims to control the organization. In the meantime, key Dearborn programs that promote Black homeownership and handle neighborhood receivership work are stuck in neutral.
According to The Real Deal, Marlow’s court filing traces the turmoil to a Feb. 12 vote that she labels a "coordinated hostile takeover" by 18 uncertified and ineligible members. The complaint names National Association of Real Estate Brokers chair Lydia Pope, Chicago Association of REALTORS® president Lutalo McGee and Tiffany Gaji as defendants.
The lawsuit alleges that after the disputed election, Dearborn’s accounts at BMO Bank and JPMorgan Chase were frozen, its Constant Contact marketing account was suspended and its digital operations ground to a halt. Marlow is asking the court to void the election and restore her control over Dearborn’s financial and digital assets. The filing also says the Chicago Department of Housing has demanded the return of roughly $700,000 in community receivership grant funds within 10 business days.
The Dearborn Realtist Board is the Chicago arm of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, the Realtist movement founded in 1947 as a Black alternative to mainstream Realtor organizations. For decades it has served as a hub for training, community receivership work and outreach in support of Black homeownership. The National Association of Real Estate Brokers lists Dearborn as one of its local boards and provides its contact information and organizational history.
Who's Named And Why
Marlow’s complaint argues that the contested February election improperly installed a rival slate led by Tiffany Gaji, then says that faction moved quickly to claim control of Dearborn’s digital access and financial accounts. The filing also accuses one defendant of leaning on the prestige of a Chicago Police role while pressuring banks, vendors and partners to recognize the dissident leadership.
The suit asks the Cook County Circuit Court to declare the election void and to return exclusive control of Dearborn’s funds and communications to Marlow. A hearing is pending before Judge Joel Chupack, according to court papers cited in local reporting.
Why This Matters
This is not just a clubhouse fight over titles. Dearborn has been a key conduit for city and nonprofit initiatives that send funding and technical support into Black neighborhoods, particularly through community receivership and related work. When the board is paralyzed, that pipeline of help gets kinked.
The Chicago Association of REALTORS has previously listed Dearborn as an industry partner and has promoted its events and panels, a reminder that the current rift could ripple into joint projects and city-backed programs tied to receivership and neighborhood rehab. For members and neighborhood groups that depend on Dearborn to coordinate training and manage grant work, the shutdown of normal operations creates immediate, real-world headaches.
Legal Implications
If the court grants the temporary relief Marlow is seeking, control of the board’s accounts and digital platforms could swing back to her side relatively quickly. If the request is denied, the rival leadership could keep operating while the city continues pressing for the return of the grant funds.
The clash also complicates the Community Receiver Program and similar troubled-building efforts that Dearborn has supported. Those initiatives pair public funding with specialized training to bring problem properties back online, and they rely on a stable nonprofit partner to handle city dollars and get projects over the finish line. Local reporting on community receivership has underscored how much these programs depend on organizational continuity and credibility with both residents and funders.
For now, real estate insiders and community organizations are refreshing the Cook County docket and waiting. The next court move will decide not only who sits at the top of Dearborn, but also how several public-private housing efforts proceed in neighborhoods that have leaned on the group for years.
