Mike English
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mocomikee.bsky.social
Mike English
@mocomikee.bsky.social
1.7K followers 1.2K following 4.3K posts
Downtown Silver Spring Maryland resident and housing advocate. Trans Rights. Liberal. YIMBY. Supply, Stability, Subsidy. Autistic and it’s fine, views my own. he/him
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mocomikee.bsky.social
Hey gang, is it taxation without representation when your elected representatives paid by your tax dollars vote on policies while representing you?
Nextdoor comment reading “Mike BS. Increasing density to city levels without the votes of the taxpayers is equivalent to taxation without representation. I'm sick and tired of being told it's "my" problem that I object to the direction MoCo is moving. It's in direct conflict to the master plan we worked so hard on to preserve the quality of life here...right up until the desires of outsiders, developers and California Social Democrats suddenly counted more than the property owners. It's MY tax dollars being wasted on anti-environmental projects for the benefit of others who "want" to live here but haven't contributed. I'm a Democratic but I will never vote for this mess we call a county council. They need to go!” My reply “Nikki without unpacking the rest of that, elected representatives taking action after being elected to represent county residents is not, in fact, "equivalent to taxation without representation", and a lot of people who voted for them are happy with these actions too.”
November 27, 2025 at 1:34 AM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Void sitting, screechy baby edition
November 26, 2025 at 10:33 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Silver Spring (and metal), it’s good!

And I only heard one quickly corrected extra “s” added to where I live which once again proves power metal is the best genre
Seven Kingdoms playing at the Fillmore in downtown Silver Spring Enserifum playing at the Fillmore in downtown Silver Spring and also a fucking Viking on bass My favorite band, Blind Guardian, who played about 50% songs about Lord of the Rings, as is standard, and did a meandering and rambling bit before every other song, as is also standard. More Blind Guardian
November 25, 2025 at 1:58 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Well this one just about checks every alarmist dog whistling box huh?
A Nextdoor post noting, while assuming all sirens are police sirens I guess, and that everything call east of them is heading to Silver Spring, and with enough dog whistles that every dog on my block just went nuts, the following: “In the past two years or so there has been a huge increase in the number of police sirens going down 410 toward Silver Spring. It's almost daily and sometimes more than once daily/ nightly. A once peaceful community is now sounding like the middle of New York City. What gives? Is Silver Spring booming with criminals? Is this going to migrate into Chevy Chase and Bethesda once the purple line is open? All those people who think development is progress would be well to redefine what progress is. Increased safety is progress. Increased people? Not so much.”
November 24, 2025 at 2:16 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
I love this freaking cat and if my friend asks if you’ve seen her no you haven’t
November 20, 2025 at 11:49 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Great panel with some great housing people, so thanks to Senator Will Smith, Secretary Jake Day, Tom Coale, and Matt Hill for the excellent housing affordability and tenant protection panel, and Silver Branch for hosting.

Now let’s pass good cause and preempt more local zoning please and thank you
Left to right Matt Hill of the Public Justice Center (and in full disclosure another member of Renters United Maryland like I am) Maryland Secretary of Housing and Community affairs Jake Day, and Tom Coale of the Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition and a lobbying firm who’s name scores me at the moment, who were on the panel, and (my) Maryland State Senator Will Smith, who serves as chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee (JPR) which hears a lot of housing bills, who served as host
November 19, 2025 at 11:53 AM
mocomikee.bsky.social
I am going to steal my friend’s cat
November 14, 2025 at 1:56 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Soon!
Construction progress of a park opening up near me compete with a fence and gravel and porta potties and a backhoe in the distance Some pipes for…drainage or something, fuck if I know I can barely unclog a toilet, also dirt and a shipping Container A wider shot of the park construction and also there will be a dog run and I will spend too much time silently wishing to pet the dogs and pretending I’m interested in talking to the people attached to them and also the backbone is still there Just can’t get this description quality with AI can you folks?
November 13, 2025 at 10:19 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Oh god
A public notice for a hearing about a good and needed housing development that I’m sure everyone will be calm about like they were last time *sobs gently*
November 13, 2025 at 10:04 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Update
Same pibble napping between my legs
November 5, 2025 at 6:51 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Midweek dooooooooooooooooog
November 5, 2025 at 6:31 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Okay recently it was that high but according to Redfin recent sales have dipped it into the upper 700’s but still a hell of a graph
A graph showing the median detached house price versus the last three years, recently approaching 900k and now down to $765k, but low volumes of sales the last few years mean these fluctuate a lot
November 4, 2025 at 1:51 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Average detached single family home price in Montgomery County officially over a million dollars now, more than double the average of all other types of housing lumped together, in case you’re wondering why people like me are pushing for other housing options in more places. Link in next post
A table showing the following data Home Sales Indicators HOME TYPE METRIC Q2 2024 Q1 2025 % CHANGE All Homes Average Sold Price $ 799,486 $ 823,916 3.1% Median Sold Price $ 650,000 $ 650,000 0.0% Average Sold Price to Original Listing Price Ratio 102.5% 99.8% -2.7% Units Sold 2,893 2,837 -1.9% Active Listings 1,037 1,771 70.8% Attached Homes (Condos, Duplexes, Townhomes) Attached Average Sold Price $ 463,444 $ 483,092 4.2% Attached Units Sold 1,269 1,249 -1.6% Detached Homes Detached Average Sold Price $ 1,062,267 $ 1,092,698 2.9% Detached Units Sold 1,623 1,587 -2.2% BrightMLS Multi-Family Update Q2 2024 Q2 2025 CHANGE SINCE Q2 2024 Multi-Family Rentals Effective Gross Rent per Unit $2,130 $2,150 0.9% Vacancy 6.3% 7.3% 1.0% CoStar data compiled by MCEDC. Multi-family rent rose by 0.9% YOY, with the vacancy rate at 7.3%, 1.0% above Q2 2025.
November 4, 2025 at 1:33 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
My “hallway” (a like 3 foot strip between two closets) light burnt out and I had no idea they made lightbulbs that were this fucking adorable. Just look at this ‘lil guy
Just a smol bean, a little fluorescent friend doin’ him a shine (it’s a tiny tiny tiny fluorescent(?) tube light you guys it’s like the size of my finger I can’t even with this)
October 31, 2025 at 2:28 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Also heard through the grapevine that the person behind me muttered something about “how much is he getting paid?” when I was speaking, which, whatever, I’ll add it to the shill jar I put a quarter in every time it happens, but it shows how they dismiss things they don’t like
The jar I add a quarter to when people call me a “developer shill” or otherwise suggest I am on the take, and which only goes back a year or two so really should be like 4 times bigger (currently at $4.75)
October 31, 2025 at 12:44 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
The matching t-shirts that said something along the lines of “save Colesville’s charm, say no to townhomes” were worn by a crowd almost entirely made up of old white people, as expected at a 2:30 pm hearing on a Thursday.

This group doesn’t have the sanction of the community it thinks it does
Partial shot of a pretty old white crowd, where I may have been the youngest person despite being 41 and on high blood pressure medication. Partial shot of a pretty old white crowd, where I may have been the youngest person despite being 41 and on high blood pressure medication.
October 31, 2025 at 12:38 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
It’s handy when people make your point for you in social media comments
Comments on Nextdoor reading “Another garbage article. Have you thought about moving back to Connecticut?” And “we can only hope”
October 23, 2025 at 12:41 AM
mocomikee.bsky.social
*chef’s kiss*
A Nextdoor comment reading “Once again it does affect you since you not been in this country not very long and live in an apartment.”
October 22, 2025 at 1:23 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Hrmm, touché
Me posting a link to the article with very similar language on Nextdoor, reading “ I wrote a piece focused on the harm done in Montgomery County and elsewhere by something that sounds kinda innocent at first, deferring to long time residents over all others when it comes to housing. When we demand that people who have been here decades get the most say, we are doomed to be unresponsive to changing needs, and to not truly welcome people to our community.” A comment reading “Poorly written article. Author should have used an editor.” My reply reading “the piece had an editor and I'm happy with how it turned out. Sorry you did not enjoy it.”
October 21, 2025 at 8:46 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Update
Same like 60 pound dog laying on my lap for pats
October 19, 2025 at 10:27 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Gonna be an adorable night
October 19, 2025 at 10:12 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
A disenchanted looking man in a hard hat giving a thumbs up from the Futurama “Ya gotta do what ya gotta do” poster
October 10, 2025 at 1:07 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Also a kitty (sound)
October 9, 2025 at 2:38 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Silver Spring, it’s good!
View of DTSS from the place I’m cat sitting, aquatic center in foreground
October 9, 2025 at 1:12 PM
mocomikee.bsky.social
Always nice to escape the hustle and bustle of big city Downtown Silver Spring and hit up the zoo in the suburbs.
Cleveland/Woodley Park area outside the national zoo, with some tall buildings (for DC) National zoo entrance Some meerkats standing on a box I have questions about (which reads “mob boss” with an angry meerkat and flames) I think they are hierarchical and it’s probably something boring like that but hey Sleepy, sleepy lion
October 7, 2025 at 2:47 PM