It’s summer in Detroit, which means it’s festival season. Music festivals, food festivals, come-meet-new-people festivals ... all are coming to the city as the days get long and the nights stay warm. Need help unscrambling the abundance of things to do this summer? We’ve got your back.

Do you have something to do this evening?! Consider joining us at Detroit Documenters Orientation to get trained (and paid!) to cover public meetings. Or, if you’re busy, check out a public comment workshop, learn more about your landlord or register for our ONLINE orientation on Saturday.

Detroit updated its rental ordinance to bring more landlords to bring more landlords into compliance. A year and a half later, just 4% more properties are legally allowed to operate a rental. outliermedia.org/detroit-rent...

In 2024, the city updated its rental ordinance to make compliance easier for landlords. Back then, 10% of Detroit rentals had a certificate of compliance. Today, 14% have one. Why? Landlords say it’s because compliance is still difficult to achieve. The latest from @amondry.bsky.social:

We’re training and paying residents to monitor their local government. Attend next week’s orientation to become a Detroit Documenter. Plus, apply to work at BridgeDetroit, learn how to make public comment or take a workshop to track where that rent money goes. Tap in!

When someone owes you money — and they’re responsible for calculating the amount — you’d want to check their work. Right? Well, Wayne County didn’t show its work to residents who say they’re being underpaid their tax foreclosure profits. The latest from @kobylevin.bsky.social:

Detroit movie buffs, let’s see if you actually deserve the title. 🍿 No Googling. Senate Theater trivia thread below. Comment your score. 1. What year did the Senate Theater open? A) 1955 B) 1963 C) 1926 D) 1941

What’s a free bus worth to Detroit students if it requires a 30-minute wait? The Sheffield administration is promising changes to long waits and poorly timed routes as students struggle to get to and from school on time. The latest from @kobylevin.bsky.social:

Looking to give back this month? Help clean up our city! This week, volunteer for Motor City Makeover, Belle Isle kayak cleanups, Ecorse Creek cleanups, or Rouge Park Appreciation Day. And don’t forget to register for Documenters orientation — in person on May 27 and online on May 30!

Sharing this again! Come with a team or come alone and we'll set you up with a team. It's always a really cool event and this one is at one of my favorite Detroit venues - the Senate Theater!

This couple thought they knew what they were getting into when they bought an Indian Village home in 2024. They expected repairs. They didn’t expect a $45K tax bill. That kind of sticker shock is becoming more common in Detroit’s housing market. The latest from @amondry.bsky.social:

A $45k property tax bill is bonkers - definitely not going to help more people transition to homeownership. Great reporting as usual by @amondry.bsky.social and @outliermedia.org outliermedia.org/detroit-high...

Detroit has an office for immigrants. Advocates say it needs to do more michiganadvance.com/2026/05/05/d... From @outliermedia.org

Breathe easy, Detroit. 🫁 Get ready for Air Quality Awareness Week with conversations on health impacts and a DIY air filter workshop. Then, learn how you can earn money by documenting public meetings at our orientations (with in-person and online options)! Got plans?

Critics say underinvestment has plagued the city's immigrant affairs office, which was created a decade ago. As nonprofits struggle to keep up with escalating deportation threats, advocates are calling for more investment in the office. outliermedia.org/detroit-immi...

@outliermedia.org is reporting on DTE electric rate hikes and shutoffs. If you’ve experienced difficulty with affordability, billing or shutoff and would be willing to talk to a reporter, please reach out to me at [email protected] or text Detroit to 67485*.

Historic preservation circles have been screaming this for years. Sure, some buildings have to go. But spend a chunk of the demolition budget on repairing buildings, and Detroit will become a more affordable city with neighborhoods whose historic integrity is intact. Great reporting from Outlier!

In her first months in office, Mayor Mary Sheffield reupped promises to address Detroit's home repair crisis. But meeting the need will take hundreds of millions of dollars. One place she could look for inspiration? Her predecessor’s approach to demolition. The latest from @kobylevin.bsky.social

Touch some grass — literally. 🌳 Detroit is full of Earth Day events, clothing swaps, a community baby shower and *lots* of summer jobs.

Call it a social spring reset. ✨ ☀️ Dance it out, sit with some poetry, catch a film or get your hands a little dirty. From dance floors and derby tracks to poetry readings and seed packing, the city is full with things to do. Find your rhythm, your people and maybe a new favorite spot this week.

Show up for the planet this month ahead of Earth Day! 🌎 Plant some trees, pack some seeds, and show the planet some love. Or, donate clothes, recycle electronics at the zoo and share food. Whatever your Earth Day flavor, a few small acts can create a big impact! 💚

Movie lovers, get your popcorn ready. 🍿 This weekend, we have several film showings across the city, ranging from documentaries to short films to an adaptation of a classic novel. For non-movie lovers, enjoy author talks, a robot-forward art exhibit and a clothing swap. Got plans?

Happy Local News Day to not only us, but some of our great local partners in Detroit. (Check comments) *We* think you should give us all a follow, but who are we to tell you what to do 😉

Take a free downtown Detroit walking tour, join a grant writing workshop, or pack marigold seeds just in time for spring (hopefully?). Plus, join a river poetry contest, get bikes fixed at a repair cafe, and so much more!

Detroit officials have spent the past month presenting how they want to spend more than $1.55 billion of the city’s money. How well do you know the budget? Take our quiz to find out; bragging rights to the best score in the comments ⬇️

Surreal moment: Rashida Tlaib brought up my reporting on RealT in a congressional hearing on tokenization! "The only reason we know about RealT is not because of our oversight work in Congress, but ... from local reporting in our city by a nonprofit news organization called @outliermedia.org"

Mayor Mary Sheffield plans to spend $6.5 million on home repair. But it doesn’t come close to what’s needed, leaving many Detroiters living in unsafe conditions. Here’s what you need to know, from @brianarice.bsky.social:

Detroiters are caught in a home repair catch-22: In order to get loans they need to fix up their homes, they need homeowners insurance. But in order to get homeowners insurance, they need to fix up their homes. outliermedia.org/home-insuran...

Teaching Xillennials Gen Z slang? It’s giving ... generational knowledge. Does @ieditnred.bsky.social know Gen Z slang? We'll let you be the judge of that!

Are you an undergraduate or graduate student at a college or university in Michigan? Outlier is looking for its next summer intern! Come work in our newsroom to assist with TXT OUTLIER, our text message service that delivers critical information to Detroiters. Interested? Apply by April 1:

‘The model no longer works:’ Crypto landlord’s Detroit enterprise is crumbling (via our partner @outliermedia.org) url-media.com/the-model-no...

We're continuing our Sunshine Week round-up by encouraging you to use your voice! It's your right! Giving public comment is easy, and local government officials can make better decisions when they hear from members of the public. Here's one of our guides on what to know:

Did you know public bodies are required to abide by certain rules so you — the public! — know what they're up to? It's true! For the second day of Sunshine Week, check out our guide on Michigan's Open Meetings Act so you can properly engage with your local government:

What companies are polluting your neighborhood? How many Detroit households had water shut-offs? Which police departments are cooperating with ICE? Find these facts and more using FOIA. This Sunshine Week, join our free Thursday workshop on obtaining public records, or find ways to get involved:

Livonia police have done more than most Michigan departments to show how law enforcement can aid Trump’s inhumane immigration crackdown. Since 2021, its police reported 65 immigration arrests, second-highest in state. After public blowback, those arrests fell to zero. From @kobylevin.bsky.social:

Is the end near for RealT? Here are the facts: It stopped weekly payouts to investors. It owes millions of dollars in unpaid taxes, bills and tickets. And many of its Detroit properties could be pushed into tax foreclosure. So what happens now? @amondry.bsky.social's latest:

Then attend our workshop for expert one-on-one help with your own FOIA request! Sign up here: outliermedia.org/listings/eve...

It’s Sunshine Week, Detroit! For this celebration of government transparency, we want to shine a light on the Freedom of Information Act. You never know what you could learn from public records until you “FOIA and find out!” Learn how to access the public records you have the right to read:

ℹ️ FOIA, the freedom of information act, is such an inherent part of a toolbox 🧰 used to find out more 🔎 about our government. 🤔 If you want to know more 🔦 about what to do when you file one, read this intro guide I wrote @outliermedia.org: outliermedia.org/what-is-foia...

Need help with home repair in Detroit? Here’s how to preapply for the city’s latest grant program from @kobylevin.bsky.social. There’s a lot of need in Detroit ... so we’re expecting a waitlist. But you miss every shot you don’t take, so good luck!

Want to learn screen printing with a local “genius,” coach Detroit’s next chess grandmaster or land a new teaching job? We’ve got listings for jobs, internships and even a new emergency fund for Wayne State students. Get involved!!

Mayor Mary Sheffield has many new initiatives in her first budget: an office for older Detroiters, another one for youth and education affairs, and a department focused on human and homelessness service. A breakdown from @brianarice.bsky.social:

Behind on property taxes from 2023? You have until March 31 to pay — or sign up for a payment plan — to avoid foreclosure. Here’s what homeowners need to know, from @amondry.bsky.social.

How active is ICE in Detroit? Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) became the highest-funded law enforcement agency in the U.S. How does this impact Detroiters? At Outlier Media, we’re investigating Donate to support paywall-free reporting: tinyurl.com/3hpvpz9s www.youtube.com/shorts/5K_Jm...

Need a good interview to power through this rainy Thursday? 🎧 Listen to civic life reporter @brianarice.bsky.social talk about our reporting series, Beyond Repair, which explores Detroit’s home repair crisis on @wdet.bsky.social:

What do a property speculator, a scrapyard operator and a former Packard Plant owner have in common? They have tax debt on Detroit properties that should have put them in foreclosure. We pressed Wayne County Treasurer Eric Sabree on how he decides who avoids foreclosure. No answers.

Dasha Crawley is a “creative caregiver” who has found a natural connection between her heart for empowering women and girls and civic involvement through Documenters. Now, she documents public meetings to learn more about Detroit and offer more insight into the work she loves. Meet Dasha!

Reporters Koby Levin (@kobylevin.bsky.social) and Briana Rice (@brianarice.bsky.social) discussed our reporting series, Beyond Repair, documenting Detroit's home repair crisis on @wxyzdetroit.bsky.social today! Check it out 💛 🤍: www.youtube.com/watch?v=27cw...

Tell Mayor Mary Sheffield what’s on your mind. Build “Blow the Whistle on ICE” kits with college students or train to be an immigration court watcher. Plus, get your 36th District court fees waived — for a limited time only! Detroit’s giving you opportunities to show up. Will you? 👀

At the close of 2025, rapper Detroit Diamond’s life had completely changed. She went from becoming a “Rhythm + Flow” finalist to selling out El Club. As corporations tighten their grip on Detroit’s club scene, independent venues like El Club bring an intimacy that’s important for local artists.