A ritual of corn and memory
Seven women. Two days. Nearly 500 tamales. How a tamalada preserves tradition and community in Southwest Detroit.
Leer en español: Un ritual de maíz y memoria
Longtime judge recuses herself from contentious Detroit foreclosure case
Wayne County’s process may have been too opaque for a sitting judge.
🫔 Time to taste (and rest)
Learn about tamaladas and the importance of taking breaks in our last newsletter of 2025.
How a suburban police officer upended a Detroit teen’s life
The police officer made one call. It turned a traffic stop into a nightmare.
Detroit is using AI to answer some residents’ phone calls. How’s it going?
The chatbot said it could “sense” our “frustration.” It also laughed when we asked which Coney was better — Lafayette or American.
As the Detroit Pistons sought millions in tax breaks, team insiders gave thousands to Sheffield’s mayoral bid
Pistons exec Arn Tellem and his family donated over $43,000. Last month, he was appointed to Sheffield’s transition team.
Need end-of-year plans? Enjoy lights, markets and a little New Year’s sparkle in Detroit
Have a joyous time in Detroit over the holidays with film festivals, cabaret parties and intention-setting workshops.
Data centers and local power: Get involved in Detroit
Plus, learn how to make a movie trailer, and volunteer for a free food giveaway at Eastern Market.
Detroiters have questions about new zoning proposals. Here’s what’s in them
The city needs more housing to keep up with the number of people moving here. Officials think zoning changes could help.
ICE arrests another Detroit teen as lawmakers, school district push back
The district condemned the arrests after pressure from student activists.
This Detroit teen dreams of attending college. Immigration agents arrested her at gunpoint
Agents were looking for someone else when they arrested two students, both of whom had applied for asylum.
Our latest project
We’re informing Detroiters how to claim millions from Wayne County, which foreclosed on their homes — then auctioned the properties for a profit. Read more →
Wayne County is ‘no help at all’ to Detroiters claiming auction profits
Only about 7% of eligible former homeowners have successfully filed claims, with the deadline just days away.
These former Detroit homeowners stand to get $5.8M, a fraction of what they lost to foreclosure
We helped Detroiters claim tax auction profits, but they won’t be made whole.
This Florida man promises to pay Detroit homeowners’ property taxes. All he wants is your home
Residents say his company, MJ Real Estate Solves, is “sleazy” and exploits desperate Detroiters who are already suffering financially.
Detroiters are reclaiming money from past tax foreclosures. This company wants a cut
“I think they’re taking advantage of people and rushing them to make these quick decisions.”
‘Tangled titles’ could cost these Detroiters thousands
Many former homeowners owed windfalls are deceased — and it’s not clear Wayne County will pay claims filed by their heirs.
Why Detroit is ground zero for ‘predatory governance’
Bernadette Atuahene’s “Plundered” outlines the racist policies behind the city’s foreclosure crisis.
Where to find overnight shelters in Detroit during extreme cold
“Code blue is when the temperature is 20 degrees or lower, and if people sleep outside, they will die.”
Immigration agents arrest two Detroit teens, now held in Texas
“We need all Detroiters to stand up against these kidnappings,” a local youth organizer said.
As ICE targets schools, Detroit students stay home
We dug into attendance data to track the effect of Trump’s immigration policies on students.
Meet Jen Derless, this month’s featured Detroit Documenter
Sharing news and resources are JD’s “love language,” the activist and archivist said — making Documenters a great fit.
Now hiring in Detroit: Director of operations and finance
This role is ideal for a mission-driven, detail-oriented leader with nonprofit experience.
Applications are open for Detroit’s smaller, more expensive water bill assistance program. Only 5,000 will get in
“Detroiters need a program that provides real relief, not one that adds more barriers.”
Detroit Land Bank sets out vision for next 5 years — if it’s still around
Public officials are openly questioning if the Land Bank should continue to exist. A new strategic plan makes a case to save it.
A disabled Detroit veteran sought housing assistance. A program designed to help failed him
Despite Air Force vet’s honorable service, housing support officials say they’ve done all they can do.
What the SNAP freeze means for Detroit grocers
Cuts to a food aid program cause food insecurity — and damage Detroit’s food ecosystem.
Accountability Spotlight
We shine a light on issues where better information alone can’t make a difference and where a lack of accountability causes harm to Detroiters. Read more →
Detroit Housing Commission passed inspections and reduced vacancy. Can it deliver on bigger promises?
“We’re meeting some of the metrics that … represent performance basics, but I’m not satisfied with that,” DHC Director Arthur Jemison said.
What’s next for Detroiters using SNAP or Medicaid
Some changes won’t take effect right away, and advocates are already pushing state leaders to fight back.
Judge blocks RealT from evicting tenants, collecting rent
“There’s no way that interested owners … would not know that their tenants are living in substandard housing.”
Crypto real estate company RealT collected millions from investors for Detroit properties it doesn’t own
RealT investors paid top dollar for 39 eastside homes. More than a year later, the deal still hasn’t closed.
Detroit sues crypto landlord RealT over blight, tenant harm
The lawsuit says many of the company’s properties are “unquestionably harmful” to the health and safety of residents.
A woman reported a crime. Detroit Police reported her to immigration
The incident raises concerns about Detroiters’ safety as the Trump administration moves aggressively to detain and deport large numbers of migrants.
How to Detroit
Where to find free, low-cost computers in Detroit
Detroit parents: Here’s where to get free or low-cost laptops and tech support.
We went looking for the cheapest eggs in Detroit. Here’s what we found
Surveyors were “shocked” by the high quality of some Detroit grocery stores.
How do Detroiters decide where to grocery shop?
In Detroit, food shopping is deeply intertwined with the city’s history of racial oppression.
Disabled in Detroit? Here’s what accommodations you’re entitled to, how to access them
Federal law gives you the right to accommodations in many areas of public life — including your local government.
How the Trump administration uses expedited removal to fast-track deportations without court hearings
Federal agents are using a legal shortcut to deport migrants in as little as a day.
What we’re about
The people who work at and with Outlier Media put service at the center of our work to fill information, accountability and connection gaps in Detroit.
Learn more →