Michael Friedrich
@mfriedrichnyc.bsky.social
writing about the politics of cities and housing for The Baffler, The New Republic, & others https://linktr.ee/mfriedrichnyc
Real this lovely essay on Krasznahorkai by @luriethereal.bsky.social
October 10, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Real this lovely essay on Krasznahorkai by @luriethereal.bsky.social
Imagine real estate-backed securities, but on the blockchain and totally unregulated. What could go wrong?
October 10, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Imagine real estate-backed securities, but on the blockchain and totally unregulated. What could go wrong?
The new rent debt strike relies on a strategy that @debtcollective.bsky.social pioneered with student debtors. A small group refused to pay back loans to institutions that defrauded them, creating a "moral shock" that drove a national movement and won billions in relief.
October 6, 2025 at 4:22 PM
The new rent debt strike relies on a strategy that @debtcollective.bsky.social pioneered with student debtors. A small group refused to pay back loans to institutions that defrauded them, creating a "moral shock" that drove a national movement and won billions in relief.
I wrote about “Born in Flames,” a new history of 1970s arson-for-profit, financialization of housing, and the consequences for tenants, for @thebaffler.com.
August 23, 2025 at 6:24 PM
I wrote about “Born in Flames,” a new history of 1970s arson-for-profit, financialization of housing, and the consequences for tenants, for @thebaffler.com.
The High Line is mostly a walking path but it has some of these narrow benchlets along the way, one small stretch of lawn, and a set of wooden bleachers. Also has a kind of theater seating setup that overlooks 10th Ave.
August 20, 2025 at 4:10 PM
The High Line is mostly a walking path but it has some of these narrow benchlets along the way, one small stretch of lawn, and a set of wooden bleachers. Also has a kind of theater seating setup that overlooks 10th Ave.
Without a wealthy donor base, most of the city’s 1,700 parks make do with a shrinking public budget, often leaving them worn down and piled with trash.
August 20, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Without a wealthy donor base, most of the city’s 1,700 parks make do with a shrinking public budget, often leaving them worn down and piled with trash.
The Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation struck a deal to lease a portion of its land to private builders, who used it for luxury condos and a postindustrial food hall.
Instead of taxes, developers pay directly to the corporation, and the revenue is double the park's $15 million operating cost.
Instead of taxes, developers pay directly to the corporation, and the revenue is double the park's $15 million operating cost.
August 20, 2025 at 3:59 PM
The Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation struck a deal to lease a portion of its land to private builders, who used it for luxury condos and a postindustrial food hall.
Instead of taxes, developers pay directly to the corporation, and the revenue is double the park's $15 million operating cost.
Instead of taxes, developers pay directly to the corporation, and the revenue is double the park's $15 million operating cost.
Friends of the High Line maintains a network of surveillance cameras. And its tiny terraces are crammed with concession vendors, fitness “activations,” and CowParade-level public art.
August 20, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Friends of the High Line maintains a network of surveillance cameras. And its tiny terraces are crammed with concession vendors, fitness “activations,” and CowParade-level public art.
The Madison Sq Park Conservancy draws visitors with its Shake Shack kiosk, and the Battery Conservancy installed the fairly charmless $16 million SeaGlass Carousel.
August 20, 2025 at 3:52 PM
The Madison Sq Park Conservancy draws visitors with its Shake Shack kiosk, and the Battery Conservancy installed the fairly charmless $16 million SeaGlass Carousel.
The Bryant Park Corporation pushed out “undesirables” and filled the space with rent-a-cops and crappy attractions like the Bank of America Winter Village.
August 20, 2025 at 2:37 PM
The Bryant Park Corporation pushed out “undesirables” and filled the space with rent-a-cops and crappy attractions like the Bank of America Winter Village.
Friends of the High Line has raised millions from Hollywood celebrities and condo developers to fund the prissy elevated park’s $20 million in annual operating expenses.
August 20, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Friends of the High Line has raised millions from Hollywood celebrities and condo developers to fund the prissy elevated park’s $20 million in annual operating expenses.
With conservancies at the helm, democracy in parks has eroded.
The Central Park Conservancy has made the park into a plutocracy with a $400m endowment, run largely by a board of corporate CEOs. Massive tax-deductible donations guarantee that it serves as a pristine backyard for the 1%.
The Central Park Conservancy has made the park into a plutocracy with a $400m endowment, run largely by a board of corporate CEOs. Massive tax-deductible donations guarantee that it serves as a pristine backyard for the 1%.
August 20, 2025 at 2:21 PM
With conservancies at the helm, democracy in parks has eroded.
The Central Park Conservancy has made the park into a plutocracy with a $400m endowment, run largely by a board of corporate CEOs. Massive tax-deductible donations guarantee that it serves as a pristine backyard for the 1%.
The Central Park Conservancy has made the park into a plutocracy with a $400m endowment, run largely by a board of corporate CEOs. Massive tax-deductible donations guarantee that it serves as a pristine backyard for the 1%.
Conservancies started in the 70s, when NYC was nearly bankrupt and spaces like Central Park were badly run down.
Well-connected citizens formed nonprofit groups to save parks in high-income zip codes through donations from the rich.
Well-connected citizens formed nonprofit groups to save parks in high-income zip codes through donations from the rich.
August 20, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Conservancies started in the 70s, when NYC was nearly bankrupt and spaces like Central Park were badly run down.
Well-connected citizens formed nonprofit groups to save parks in high-income zip codes through donations from the rich.
Well-connected citizens formed nonprofit groups to save parks in high-income zip codes through donations from the rich.
Horrifying details of evictions in NYC:
Marshals evicted over 7,500 tenants on days when it was hotter than 90 degrees since 2017.
A large share happened in “heat islands,” the areas of the city most vulnerable to extreme temperatures.
Marshals evicted over 7,500 tenants on days when it was hotter than 90 degrees since 2017.
A large share happened in “heat islands,” the areas of the city most vulnerable to extreme temperatures.
August 18, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Horrifying details of evictions in NYC:
Marshals evicted over 7,500 tenants on days when it was hotter than 90 degrees since 2017.
A large share happened in “heat islands,” the areas of the city most vulnerable to extreme temperatures.
Marshals evicted over 7,500 tenants on days when it was hotter than 90 degrees since 2017.
A large share happened in “heat islands,” the areas of the city most vulnerable to extreme temperatures.
Sometimes these guys just come out and tell you that they are little goblins
August 11, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Sometimes these guys just come out and tell you that they are little goblins
I went long for @nyreviewofarch.bsky.social about inequality in public space, the Bank of America Winter Village-ization of the urban commons, and why we should stop relying on an undertaxed donor class to fund our parks. nyra.nyc/articles/cen...
August 5, 2025 at 12:24 PM
I went long for @nyreviewofarch.bsky.social about inequality in public space, the Bank of America Winter Village-ization of the urban commons, and why we should stop relying on an undertaxed donor class to fund our parks. nyra.nyc/articles/cen...
Read the article here. I wanted to spell out its jaw-dropping findings, hear from tenants who have dealt with these landlords, and cover the way @latenantsunion.bsky.social and @debtcollective.bsky.social are using the data to fight back. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
May 16, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Read the article here. I wanted to spell out its jaw-dropping findings, hear from tenants who have dealt with these landlords, and cover the way @latenantsunion.bsky.social and @debtcollective.bsky.social are using the data to fight back. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
A stunning thing this piece reveals is the emergence of "employment shelters" in New York City, homeless facilities specifically for people who work jobs, often full-time, but can't afford a place to live www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/n...
April 10, 2025 at 4:40 PM
A stunning thing this piece reveals is the emergence of "employment shelters" in New York City, homeless facilities specifically for people who work jobs, often full-time, but can't afford a place to live www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/n...
Ezra Klein groupies turn out in abundance for a night of hot wonk action. San Franciscans swarmed the Sydney Goldstein Theater Wednesday to thirst after the podcast host and hear about how deregulation will save us all.
March 29, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Ezra Klein groupies turn out in abundance for a night of hot wonk action. San Franciscans swarmed the Sydney Goldstein Theater Wednesday to thirst after the podcast host and hear about how deregulation will save us all.
Poetry is everywhere for those with eyes to see
March 7, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Poetry is everywhere for those with eyes to see
Damn, looks like the free-market economists are going to need to up their anti-rent control propaganda game
February 28, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Damn, looks like the free-market economists are going to need to up their anti-rent control propaganda game
Trump's conservative movement pushed for a rapid pandemic reopening that put the poor at risk and handed record profits and billions in tax breaks to corporations.
February 18, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Trump's conservative movement pushed for a rapid pandemic reopening that put the poor at risk and handed record profits and billions in tax breaks to corporations.