Housing News Digest
Housing News Digest
The Tenants' Union Housing News Digest compiles our pick of items from all the latest tenancy and housing media, sent once per week, on Thursdays.
Below is the Digest archive from November 2020 onwards. From time to time you will find additional items in the archive that did not make it into the weekly Digest email. Earlier archives are here, where you can also find additional digests by other organisations.
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Archive
Can current rates of housing development be sustained?
Andrew Hedge (No paywall)Based on what we know of population change in the next few years, demand for dwellings is likely to slow considerably. However, many fringe areas of Australia are seeing significant sales and construction of residential lots. ... One of the key demographic drivers of growth in these areas in recent years has been overseas migrants. We’ve seen the short-term impacts. In the short term, the demand for dwellings driven by overseas migration shows up in the inner cities. We’ve already seen a significant increase in the vacancy rate in inner-city areas. [Read on ...] (.id insight, Apriol 2021)
https://blog.id.com.au/2021/population-forecasting/can-current-r…
# Australia, Rent, Housing market.‘Last kick of the can’: Property market reckoning coming
Shane Wright The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)he Reserve Bank’s charter requires it to work towards the economic prosperity and welfare of all Australians, but for most people that can be narrowed down to one issue – house prices. ... Commonwealth Bank’s head of Australian economics, Gareth Aird, says ... “Every time the central bank cuts interest rates, a person walks into a bank and asks for a bigger loan to pay for a house. It happens again and again,” he says. “You get to that point where you can’t keep doing that when you have interest rates at zero. We’ve now had the last of the kicks of the can down the road.”
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/last-kick-of-the-can-pro…
# Hot topic Australia, Home ownership, Housing affordability, Housing market.How to reduce the effects of natural disasters rather than just clean up after them
Sue Williams Domain (Paywall)Natural disasters are not new in this sunburnt country, our land of drought and flooding rains. The difference between now and 1906 when Dorothea Mackellar wrote My Country is that these days the disasters are more regular, have more ferocity and, with climate change, the outlook is even more dire. ... We’ve become extraordinarily good at mopping up after floods, bushfires, cyclones, storm surges and being smashed by hailstones. But, the bad news is that we’ve paid little attention to mitigating devastation.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/how-can-we-precent-rather-than-ju…
# Australia, Housing market.COVID-19 Research Hub
AHURI (No paywall)AHURI's COVID-19 Research Hub is the home for the latest research, policy analysis and news on housing, homelessness and urban responses to COVID-19. Check it out.
https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/covid-19?utm_source=website&ut…
# Research alert Australia, Public and community housing, Rent, Affordable housing, Coronavirus COVID-19, Home ownership, Homelessness, Planning and development.Commercial tenants and landlords at a ‘stalemate’ after rent relief measures end
Allison Worrall (Paywall)There is an air of uncertainty as commercial landlords and tenants enter into lease agreements and negotiations as stimulus measures and rental relief efforts introduced last year are wound up across the country. ... Rental relief agreements between landlords and tenants have now ended in all states except Queensland, where the relief period was extended to April 30. The changes coincide with the end of the federal government’s JobKeeper payments to COVID-affected businesses, raising concerns it could spell a wave of distressed selling.
https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/news/commercial-tenants-…
# Australia, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19.Fresh calls for HomeBuilder extension as industry reports record growth
EUan Black The New Daily (No paywall)The Morrison government is under pressure from Labor to extend the final HomeBuilder deadline after new data showed the construction industry is growing at its fastest pace since before the global financial crisis.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/property/2021/04/07/homebuild…
# Australia, Federal Government, Housing market.Trade and product shortages amid homebuilder grant-induced building boom 'a perfect storm', industry experts say
Rachel McGhee ABC (No paywall)Australia's building sector is bearing the brunt of a "perfect storm" of events, with near-record new home approvals putting intense pressure on supply chains and sparking construction delays.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-07/qld-tradie-shortage-amid-…
# Australia, Federal Government, Housing market.What tenancy protections are available for renters after the moratorium ends?
(No paywall)As Australia transitions out of the COVID-19 emergency period and moratoriums come to an end, several measures remain to support tenants and landlords. We’ve rounded up the key changes and financial support measures for each state and territory to help you navigate this period. (rent.com.au)
# Must read Australia, Eviction, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19.