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

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:

In Michigan, property tax increases are capped until a home changes owners. Once it sells, taxes can jump sharply. The city’s rising home values are making those tax jumps far more expensive. Some new homebuyers are getting tax bills for $10K -- or more. outliermedia.org/detroit-high...

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...

I'll be hosting a Michigan movie-themed trivia next month! Questions will be about movie made by or starring Michiganders or set or filmed in Michigan. Join us at the Senate Theater on May 19! @outliermedia.org outliermedia.org/listings/eve...

Big news in city's lawsuit against RealT: The two sides have agreed for a third-party to take over control of the crypto real estate company's extensive Detroit portfolio until at least the end of October. outliermedia.org/realt-detroi...

@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*.

Have you or someone you know struggled to buy or sell a home because the transaction would cause the property taxes to skyrocket? I want to talk to you. Send me a message here or [email protected].

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:

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"

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...

BREAKING: Detroit filed a petition to withhold all RealT properties that are subject to tax foreclosure. The judge over seeing its lawsuit granted it. More than 300 RealT properties were at risk of foreclosure for 2023 tax debt.

1/ Today, we overwhelmingly voted to authorize a STRIKE as we fight for a fair contract with @propublica.org.

As a public university, U of M is exempt from local zoning requirements — meaning the project does not require township approval. planetdetroit.org/2026/03/univ...

Got a question about home repair in Detroit? @kobylevin.bsky.social, @brianarice.bsky.social and I will be doing an AMA in the r/Detroit subreddit today at 2pm. Ask a question, chat with us. Hope to see you there! www.reddit.com/r/Detroit/co...

This is a jaw-dropping story of how big money financializes our economy at the working class’s expense. But it’s also a story of resistance. @amondry.bsky.social’s reporting for nonprofit @outliermedia.org on RealT sparked the city of Detroit’s lawsuit—and drew him the ire of the company’s CEO ⬇️

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:

In 2019, two Canadian brothers blew into Detroit with an irresistible pitch: For $50, almost anyone could become a property owner. When houses decayed and the city intervened, the blame games began. www.wired.com/story/crypto...

Things are not looking great for RealT, the crypto real estate company facing a lawsuit from Detroit. Among its many problems, more than 300 properties could get foreclosed at the end of March and its property management company has just a skeleton crew. outliermedia.org/realt-crypto...

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.

Back from #NICAR26 feeling energized! Thanks to @ire.org for having the @evictionlab.bsky.social back. And big shoutout to @outliermedia.org’s @amondry.bsky.social for sharing his experience in Detroit. Want the slides or tipsheet? Reply below, and I’ll send them.

What do a property speculator, scrapyard operator and former owner of the Packard Plant have in common? They all have tax debt going back years on multiple Detroit properties that should have put them in foreclosure. But it didn't, and the county isn't saying why. outliermedia.org/detroit-wayn...

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...

Then, check out the series 😉: outliermedia.org/beyond-repair/

Too real. theonion.com/i-am-the-god...

“We want to believe that this can be solved in a year or two,” said Heather Zygmontowicz, the city’s senior housing advisor. “But the fact of the matter is that this is a crisis that was created over decades.” outliermedia.org/home-repair-...

There are no city-run home repair programs accepting applications. But thousands of Detroiters can't afford essential home repairs. The problem is so widespread that the total cost across the city likely exceeds $1 billion. Where will the money come from? The latest from @amondry.bsky.social:

Are you coming to the #NICAR26 conference? Join @amondry.bsky.social and me for a conversation about how to report on housing and homelessness challenges! More info here: schedules.ire.org/nicar-2026/#... @ire.org

Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison suspended two officers for coordinating with Border Patrol in violation of department policy. He said he “intends to terminate them." Our public records request showed two more instances of officers calling immigration agents, with @kobylevin.bsky.social:

Just now discovering that the entire Curbed archive when it was at Vox is now gone, only now available via the wayback machine. What a shame. www.archpaper.com/2026/02/curb...

This fact-check by @kobylevin.bsky.social in the intro of Outlier's morning newsletter of treasurer Eric Sabree is 🔥. outliermedia.org/newsletter/f...

The Detroit Housing Commission is selling its 197 single-family homes and giving residents priority to buy them, with philanthropic funds to support the first 10 home purchases. But it’s unlikely every tenant who wants to buy their home will qualify, even with assistance. From @amondry.bsky.social:

DHC is offering tenants a unique opportunity: Become an owner of one of the 195 homes in its portfolio. It's also offering current residents grants for at least 20% of the purchase price. It's a once-in-a-lifetime deal for many tenants — if they can qualify. outliermedia.org/detroit-hous...

Perry Columbus, an Iraq War veteran, thought he’d won an important victory in his dispute with the Detroit Land Bank Authority last year. It was instead only a reprieve. “This situation has been as stressful as when I was in Iraq,” Columbus said. outliermedia.org/detroit-land...

All Perry Columbus has sought since coming home from the Iraq War is peace. He hasn’t quite gotten it yet. The Detroit Land Bank is headed back to court trying to reclaim his home — one he’s spent more than $30,000 fixing up. The latest from @amondry.bsky.social:

BREAKING: Detroit has asked the judge in its lawsuit against RealT to appoint a receiver to manage its large portfolio. The request could be decided on as soon as this Friday. If approved, the receiver could undertake repairs and demolitions at RealT’s expense. 👀 @amondry.bsky.social's latest:

BREAKING: Detroit has asked a judge to appoint a receiver to oversee RealT's large and troubled portfolio -- a potentially major development in the nuisance abatement lawsuit against the crypto landlord. outliermedia.org/realt-detroi...

“Each individual apartment building is historically, architecturally significant in its own way… But the district as a whole also benefits from the density and the continuity of the neighborhood.”  outliermedia.org/palmer-park-... By @outliermedia.org’s @amondry.bsky.social

Arizona-based Urban Communities began buying multifamily buildings in the neighborhood near Detroit’s northern border in 2020. Today, all 21 of the buildings are either in receivership, foreclosed or highly distressed. Many are in dire physical condition.

IMO, Palmer Park could be one of the best and trendiest neighborhoods in the ENTIRE Midwest if redeveloped properly. The city needs to do everything possible to promote the proper development of the district. There's nothing else like it in Metro Detroit. Detroit needs density. PALMER PARK HAS IT!!!

Starting in 2020, an Arizona-based company bought 21 Palmer Park apartment buildings. Today, they're all foreclosed, highly distressed and unable to sell at rock-bottom prices. Huge blow to the historic neighborhood. outliermedia.org/palmer-park-...

Hundreds of Detroiters are waiting to get money Wayne County owed them after foreclosing on their homes. But the treasurer's office is dragging its feet and seemingly making it as difficult as possible. outliermedia.org/sheila-gibso...

Detroit is now using AI "voice agents" (aka bots) to answer calls sent to district managers. And they apparently also have "emotional intelligence." outliermedia.org/detroit-ai-c...

Detroit needs more housing to keep up with the number of people moving here. City leaders think zoning changes could help. Some residents and community groups say the proposals raise red flags. Here’s what’s in the proposed changes. outliermedia.org/detroit-zoni...

Curious about all the zoning changes being proposed in Detroit? So are lots of residents, community groups and even city councilmembers! Here's our explainer of what's in all the proposals: outliermedia.org/detroit-zoni...

Excuse me what? michiganadvance.com/2025/12/15/d...

Michigan officials insist 2019 auto no-fault law lowered car insurance rates. It didn’t. "When you have to make adjustments based on assumptions to prove your points, you might not have a good point." outliermedia.org/no-fault-mic...

I love this at the bottom of @kobylevin.bsky.social story. Such a great bit of transparency to help develop trust in the reporter's work.

The presentation, project boards & livestream from MDOT's I-375 November community meeting are now online. Rendering shows the boulevard replacing the freeway with the I-75 interchange remaining as is for now. 375detroit.org/november-202...

Journalist challenge: Use “Machine Learning” when you mean machine learning and “LLM” when you mean LLM. Ditch “AI” as a catch-all term, it’s not useful for readers and it helps companies trying to confuse the public by obscuring the roles played by different technologies. 🧪