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Aaron Mondry

@amondry.bsky.social

280 followers 220 following 76 posts

Senior Reporter with @outliermedia.org. I cover housing, development and real estate in Detroit. https://outliermedia.org/

outliermedia.org

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Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · Nov 21

Here's where you can find all the stories in our series, The Speculators of Detroit. So far, we've got pieces on Dennis Kefallinos, how speculators hide their identities and its impact on Detroit neighborhoods. You'll find all future articles here, too.
outliermedia.org/detroit-spec...

Property speculation in Detroit: Know the speculators

Outlier Media is taking an in-depth look at property speculation and its effects on Detroit.

outliermedia.org

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Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · 20h

I really want someone to put together a map of Detroit's Art Deco apartment buildings. There's gotta be a couple dozen of these beauties across town.

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Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · 2d

Several big takeaways from a recent hearing in the city's lawsuit against RealT:
- Tenants risk eviction if they don't get on escrow accounts soon
- RealT has a $2M unpaid water bill
- The parties reached a settlement over a previously unreported lawsuit
outliermedia.org/realt-tenant...

RealT tenants ordered to put rent into escrow or face eviction

A judge ordered RealT tenants in Detroit to put rent into court-ordered escrow accounts or risk eviction.

outliermedia.org

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Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · 7d

What you see when you go to HUD's website.

Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · 21d

First the county took people's homes. Now it declines to provide them the most basic assistance to receive a tiny portion of the equity they're entitled to.

outliermedia.org/wayne-county...

Wayne County ‘no help at all’ to Detroiters claiming auction profits

Former homeowners face a daunting process to reclaim foreclosure auction profits and say Treasurer Eric Sabree’s office has done little to help.

outliermedia.org

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Reposted by Aaron Mondry

Daily Detroit @dailydetroit.bsky.social · 27d

"There have been just 1,100 housing units built this year, according to a city database — far short of the 2,700 units needed to keep up with population growth, according to a City Planning Commission report. Just 44 of the units built this year were unsubsidized. In 2024, that number was 598."

Detroit developers warn of looming rental market meltdown

Developers warn that multifamily apartment buildings are on the brink of widespread bank foreclosures and Detroit’s rental market is at risk.

outliermedia.org

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Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · 28d

I spoke to a bunch of developers for this story and they all told me the same thing: The Detroit rental market is in trouble. We've already seen a bunch of bank foreclosures in the last year, and they say we're likely to see a lot more.

outliermedia.org/detroit-rent...

Detroit developers warn of looming rental market meltdown

Developers warn that multifamily apartment buildings are on the brink of widespread bank foreclosures and Detroit’s rental market is at risk.

outliermedia.org

Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · 29d

A truck route ordinance in Detroit has stalled for years. Meanwhile, 18-wheelers rumble past parks and schools.

outliermedia.org/truck-traffi...

Truck traffic in Southwest Detroit fuels health and safety concerns

A truck route ordinance has stalled for years. Meanwhile, kids in Southwest Detroit have to dodge traffic just to play at the park.

outliermedia.org

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Reposted by Aaron Mondry

Paul Bassett Davies @thewritertype.bsky.social · Nov 20

Eventually you have to accept that no matter how many different notebooks you buy, they won’t make you a better writer. For that, you need to spend a lot of money on the right pen.

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Reposted by Aaron Mondry

Outlier Media @outliermedia.org · Aug 28

Earlier this year, crypto real estate company RealT got more than $100,000 in digital tokens for a home on Detroit’s eastside. Now, somebody else is selling it.

It’s one of five cases where properties RealT “sold” to investors were subsequently listed on the traditional real estate market.

RealT homes are being sold by other companies. What do investors own?

Properties RealT “sold” to investors were listed on the traditional real estate market — raising questions about what RealT investors actually bought.

outliermedia.org

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Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · Aug 28

Latest article on RealT dropped this morning. The company pitches investors on real estate ownership on chain. But other companies are currently marketing these properties and mortgages encumber some of the worst buildings in its portfolio.

outliermedia.org/realt-detroi...

RealT homes are being sold by other companies. What do investors own?

Properties RealT “sold” to investors were listed on the traditional real estate market — raising questions about what RealT investors actually bought.

outliermedia.org

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Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · Aug 13

More on the case:
outliermedia.org/realt-detroi...

RealT: Judge blocks crypto company from evictions, collecting rent

The City of Detroit won an early victory in its nuisance abatement lawsuit against blockchain real estate company RealT.

outliermedia.org

Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · Aug 13

The judge in the city's case against RealT has issued a preliminary injunction extending the previous order for another 60 days, saying the company still cannot evict tenants or collect rent. The next hearing is currently scheduled for October.

Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · Aug 13

I spent many months reporting on the numerous issues at the Detroit Housing Commission in 2023-2024. When Arthur Jemison took over as director, the agency was in crisis. But in less than a year, the DHC has already made notable progress.
outliermedia.org/detroit-hous...

Detroit Housing Commission boasts improvements, turnaround

The Detroit Housing Commission has cleared backlogs and passed inspections in just the past year.

outliermedia.org

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Reposted by Aaron Mondry

Jack Bailey @jack-bailey.co.uk · Aug 7

Didn’t want to believe this was true. It’s true.

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Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · Aug 7

From this article:

This huge downtown Detroit property has new owner, new vision

The new owner of the Executive Office Plaza 1200 Sixth St. has a vision for the huge property to convert it to residential and hotel uses.

www.crainsdetroit.com

Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · Aug 7

Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · Aug 6

Wayne County, why is there no discount?!?!

Reposted by Aaron Mondry

Outlier Media @outliermedia.org · Aug 6

Detroit will have its first Black mayor in more than a decade.

Former City Council President Mary Sheffield and pastor Solomon Kinloch will face off in the general election Nov. 4.

Here’s what you should know about their stances on housing, safety and more: outliermedia.org/mary-sheffie...

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Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · Aug 1

Two children were injured in a drive-by shooting on Arcola Street this week. The home was tokenized by RealT in 2023. Neighbors say the family were squatting in the home at the time of the shooting.
www.detroitnews.com/story/news/l...

Detroit drive-by shooting injured 2 sleeping children, police say

The incident was reported around 6:20 a.m. on Thursday in the 7100 block of Arcola Avenue.

www.detroitnews.com

Reposted by Aaron Mondry

Alex Selby-Boothroyd @alexselbyb.bsky.social · Jul 31

Quality chart title

Chart from The Economist showing UAE's tomato imports by origin. The share that come from Iran has increased from less than 5% ten years ago to more than 80% in 2024

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Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · Jul 31

Outlier has put out an amazingly comprehensive voter guide for the primary in Detroit that answers a ton of commonly asked questions.

Check it out!

Outlier Media @outliermedia.org · Jul 24

Hey Detroit — got questions about the primary election on Aug. 5?

Who’s running for what?
Where can I vote early?
Can I still get an absentee ballot?

Our easy-to-use, nonpartisan voter guide has you covered: outliermedia.org/democracy/

Democracy and Elections in Detroit · Outlier Media

Detroit democracy news, local government reporting and election updates to increase transparency and accountability for Detroiters.

outliermedia.org

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Reposted by Aaron Mondry

Outlier Media @outliermedia.org · Jul 24

Democracy and Elections in Detroit · Outlier Media

Detroit democracy news, local government reporting and election updates to increase transparency and accountability for Detroiters.

outliermedia.org

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Reposted by Aaron Mondry

Dave Weigel @daveweigel.bsky.social · Jul 29

Gonna sound like sponcon (for myself, I guess) but this was one of the reasons I bought the Semafor pitch when they hired me. We split up the News and the Takes pieces of stories. I was sick of the "lemme sneak this take into the hard news and quote someone I agree with first" stuff.

Tom Scocca @tomscocca.bsky.social · Jul 29

One fascinating thing about the most self-serious newspaper in America with its staff of the winning journalistic meritocrats is that it routinely, institutionally publishes completely made-up bullshit speculation about pure abstractions, based on zero reporting, written as if it were plain facts

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Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · Jul 29

Context: outliermedia.org/realt-detroi...

RealT: Judge blocks crypto company from evictions, collecting rent

The City of Detroit won an early victory in its nuisance abatement lawsuit against blockchain real estate company RealT.

outliermedia.org

Aaron Mondry @amondry.bsky.social · Jul 29

The court was set to hear arguments related to the TRO against RealT, but the judge said they'll stick to the Aug. 5 date. She sounded extremely annoyed with RealT attorneys. "You can mess with me, but not my staff," about trying to get the hearing date changed.