Aaron Mondry

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...

Beyond Repair: Detroit home repair crisis Beyond Repair examines what it would take to address Detroit’s home repair needs — and what the city loses if nothing changes.

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

I Am The God Of Your Children. I Am The Final Parent. Hi, friends! Today, I’d like to talk to the grown-ups. I know it’s not easy raising children. Looking after little ones is a lot of work, and sometimes you just need a moment to breathe. So you plop y...

Too real.

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

Home repair: Detroiters need urgent help fixing their houses These longtime Detroiters have held onto family homes in Islandview for decades. Will they get help with home repair before it’s too late?

This is part two in @outliermedia.org's series on home repair. Read part one here:

outliermedia.org/home-repair-...

Home repair programs lacking in Detroit with estimated $1B need Available funding doesn’t come close to meeting Detroit repair needs, and no city-run programs are accepting applications.

“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-...

Home repair programs lacking in Detroit with estimated $1B need Available funding doesn’t come close to meeting Detroit repair needs, and no city-run programs are accepting applications.

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:

Image inviting attendants to the NICAR 2026 conference to participate in Juan Pablo Garnham's panel

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

What we know about Detroit police calls to CPB at traffic stops Detroit police officers coordinated with Border Patrol more often than the department acknowledged.

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...

☑️ Fact-checking Eric Sabree We’re fact-checking the Wayne County Treasurer about his claims of repaying nearly $4 million to eligible Detroiters.

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

outliermedia.org/newsletter/f...

Detroit Housing Commission sells off homes for residents to buy The Detroit Housing Commission is selling its single-family homes to tenants. Will they qualify?

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:

Detroit Housing Commission sells off homes for residents to buy The Detroit Housing Commission is selling its single-family homes to tenants. Will they qualify?

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...

Detroit Land Bank: Veteran continues fighting for home For more than a year, Perry Columbus has been in a dispute with the Detroit Land Bank over his home.

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...

Detroit Land Bank: Veteran continues fighting for home For more than a year, Perry Columbus has been in a dispute with the Detroit Land Bank over his home.

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:

RealT: Detroit requests receiver to oversee crypto landlord The City of Detroit has requested a court-appointed receiver to oversee RealT’s portfolio.

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:

RealT: Detroit requests receiver to oversee crypto landlord The City of Detroit has requested a court-appointed receiver to oversee RealT’s portfolio.

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...

Palmer Park apartments in Detroit face uncertain future Some Palmer Park apartment buildings’ future in Detroit are uncertain after Phoenix-based landlord Urban Communities stopped paying its bills.

“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

Palmer Park apartments in Detroit face uncertain future Some Palmer Park apartment buildings’ future in Detroit are uncertain after Phoenix-based landlord Urban Communities stopped paying its bills.

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.

Amen

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!!!

Palmer Park apartments in Detroit face uncertain future Some Palmer Park apartment buildings’ future in Detroit are uncertain after Phoenix-based landlord Urban Communities stopped paying its bills.

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-...

Judge Sheila Gibson recuses herself from Detroit foreclosure case Sheila Gibson recused herself from Wayne County’s foreclosure claim case, another twist in a process that has kept Detroiters waiting.

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’s new AI chatbot is here to answer residents’ phone calls Detroit’s AI chatbot, Emily, answers residents’ phone calls. Here’s how it’s going.

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 zoning proposals: What they are and what to know A new batch of proposals that would update Detroit zoning laws have caused some confusion. Here’s what to know.

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...

Detroit zoning proposals: What they are and what to know A new batch of proposals that would update Detroit zoning laws have caused some confusion. Here’s what to know.

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...

Detroit Police officials overseeing gunshot sensors don’t know their locations — and say that’s fine • Michigan Advance When gunfire rips through some Detroit neighborhoods, ShotSpotter hears it first — but where exactly that signal comes from is a secret kept even from police. Critics of Detroit’s gunshot detection sy...

Excuse me what?

michiganadvance.com/2025/12/15/d...

Michigan no-fault law, insurance rates: What the numbers say Michigan officials claimed a new report shows the 2019 no-fault law lowered car insurance rates — but that’s not true.

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...

ICE concerns put Detroit students on edge As ICE targets schools in immigration raids, Detroit students are staying home, according to attendance data.

Full article in @outliermedia.org:

outliermedia.org/ice-schools-...

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.

November 2025 Community Meeting - The 375 Project November 2025 Community Meeting

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...