Tenants of a South Shore property formerly managed by CKO Real Estate are speaking out about ongoing issues concerning water shutoffs and other issues at the building.
Building Permit and Inspection Records from the city, dated for Dec. 19, 2024, show the property at 6750 S. Merrill Ave. was in violation of not supplying adequate hot water of at least 120 degrees, with details listed as “no hot water in bathroom or kitchen.”
In an emailed statement to The TRiiBE, the Department of Buildings wrote that it “has an active case with the Department of Administrative Hearings regarding the plumbing violations cited on 12-9-2024, with the next court date scheduled for 2-9-2026.”
Multiple residents have shared their experiences living at the Merrill Avenue property. For nearly three years, Shanikqwa Peterson has lived in her apartment, where she says water shutoffs have been a regular occurrence for her.
“The main issue is the water; the water gets shut off, or the pipes bust every winter,” Peterson said. “In 2023, when I first moved in, the pipes had busted and I had no water for about a week. In 2024, pipes bust again and that was [for] about four to five days. And last year, well, last month in December, the pipes had bust again.”
Peterson questioned why this continues to happen: “Why does the pipe keep busting every year? Is it because you [the owners] don’t want to pay the money to replace the pipes or [is] the management doing something wrong?”
Peterson’s worries mirror what other tenants at the property detailed during a press conference outside of the building on Dec. 19, six days before Christmas.
Shanah Hampton, who has lived in the building since March 2020, said she also has experienced disturbances in water service at the building year after year.
“This year, it lasted for four days and the longest we’ve had to endure this in the past has been a week and a half,” Hampton said during the press conference in December. “This is unacceptable. These conditions were so unsanitary. I have kids that need to wash their hands. When this happens, I can’t even cook. We can’t flush the toilet. I have to spend money on cases of water or motel rooms to shower, on gas to drive my kids back and forth to my grandma’s place to shower.”
Peterson and Hampton are members of the South Shore Tenants’ Union, which represents residents of properties formerly owned by CKO Real Estate. The Merrill Avenue property, which is now overseen by property management company Halsted Taylor, was previously part of the portfolio of the now-shuttered CKO. The management company owned several properties in the South Shore community, which tenants said were left in despair when it dissolved last February.
The city filed a lawsuit against the owners of a courtyard building on South Paxton Avenue and other buildings formerly managed by CKO last April, stating that the buildings failed to comply with multiple municipal codes. The Merrill Avenue property has no case pending in housing court, according to the city’s law department.
Halsted Taylor did not respond to a request for comment. An email from the management company dated Dec. 17, 2025, which was shared with The TRiiBE, stated that the water pipes were frozen and that handymen were working to thaw them out. The email also said “there is a possibility that some pipes could burst due to pressure” and they would “respond as quickly as possible if issues arise.”
The property is owned by Lauren Lampert and Shai Wolkowicki, who took over 30 properties formerly owned by CKO, according to Southside Together.
Tenants say that the water issues are just one of the major issues occurring at the property, with other problems including loss of heat, unsanitary conditions and a gas leak that residents say they had to address themselves.
“This neglect goes beyond water. When I first moved in, there was a gas leak, a life-threatening situation that management ignored until we took it upon ourselves to call People’s Gas, who found multiple leaks,” Ashanti Dorival, resident of the Merrill property, said during the press conference.”Requests about hallway cleaning, garbage removal and broken locks on the front and back doors were also ignored. When tenants reach out, management does not respond unless we repeatedly call from different numbers. This is unacceptable, especially during emergencies.”
According to Dorival, the owners of the building tried to raise their rent with only a five-day notice, but due to the protections of the recently passed Jackson Park Housing Pilot, tenants were able to secure a 120-day notice.
“I joined the union to fight for tenants on the South Side to live with dignity and respect. The water is back on today, but it should have never been off to begin with,” Dorival said. “I should not live in fear of turning on my faucet and getting no running water. There are children and animals in this building. We are human beings, and we deserve a safe, stable and livable home.”
Officials with the Department of Buildings encouraged residents to put in a request through the city’s 311 service number. Tenants say they have continued to put in requests about the water issues, but they are told it could take 14 to 29 days for the city to address them. After calling 311, according to one resident, management tends to do a “band-aid repair” before the city can hold them to account and the cycle of damage continues.
According to Sahar Punjwani, an organizer with Southside Together, it is unclear what happens after the 311 requests are filed.
Names have been updated and spelled correctly.
