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
Housing stress set to rise by more than 40 per cent in NSW: report
Anna Patty The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The economic fallout from the coronavirus is expected to result in a 19 per cent increase in homelessness in NSW next year, according to new analysis which also predicts the number of families facing housing stress will rise by more than 40 per cent. Nationally, homelessness is expected to rise by nine per cent, with a 24 per cent increase in the number of families facing housing stress. NSW is set to be hardest hit because … ‘ Read her article entitled: ‘Housing stress set to rise by more than 40 per cent in NSW: report
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/housing-stress-set-to-rise-b…
# Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market.The State of the Nation's Housing
National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) (No paywall)This 2020 report has been prepared by NHFIC’s newly-formed research team with modelling input from SGS Economics & Planning and Macroplan. The report delivers on NHFIC’s mandate of monitoring housing demand, supply and affordability, while also identifying potential gaps between housing demand and supply. It is NHFIC’s first report into the State of the Nation’s Housing and was developed in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders across industry, government and academia.
https://www.nhfic.gov.au/research/thematics/state-of-the-nations…
# Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing affordability, Housing market.Cheaper housing in Australia under threat from return to pre-Covid migration levels – report
Paul Karp The Guardian (No paywall)A temporary improvement in housing affordability could evaporate if Covid-19 vaccines allow resumption of normal migration levels, Australia’s peak housing body has warned. In its first major report, released on Tuesday, the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) has projected new housing supply will exceed demand for two years before a demand rebound in 2023.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/15/cheaper-h…
# Australia, Affordable housing, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market.JobSeeker changes: Australia’s homeless rate to surge after cuts
Daily Telegraph (Paywall)Australia’s homeless rate will surge by 9 per cent next year when cuts to the JobSeeker payment’s coronavirus supplement heap more misery on those living below the poverty line, a new report predicts
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/homeless-rate-to-spi…
# Australia, Homelessness.City of Melbourne commits to affordable housing plan
Judy Skatssoon (No paywall)City of Melbourne has committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing as part of a ten year strategy. Under the proposed Affordable Housing Strategy 2030, which was endorsed by Council on Tuesday, up to 25 per cent of all future residential development on land owned by the City of Melbourne would be dedicated to affordable housing.
https://www.governmentnews.com.au/city-of-melbourne-commits-to-a…
# Australia, Affordable housing, Housing market.Rents could ease as housing supply outstrips demand until 2023
Shane Wright The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The coronavirus pandemic and its impact on population growth will cut demand for new homes across the country by 268,000, hitting the job-heavy construction sector in Sydney and Melbourne before slowly recovering from 2023. … [The] National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation predicts downward pressure on rents in some high-demand areas but cautions this could be short-lived with a return to declining affordability if builders aren't able to match supply.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/rents-could-ease-as-hous…
# Australia, Rent, Housing affordability, Housing market.‘“Leaning and unstable” Mascot Towers poses “genuine safety risk to public”, letter claims
Tim Swanson (No paywall)Sydney's trouble-plagued Mascot Towers are "leaning" and remain so unstable, businesses in the building will no longer be accessible from Friday, a legal letter has revealed. Such is the risk to public safety, the owners of shops and restaurants on the building's ground floor have been told an exclusion zone will be set up around some areas next week.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-14/mascot-towers-leaning-and…
# NSW, Housing market, Minimum habitability standards.‘“Everyone’s a winner”: PICA Group secures Australian-first strata solar electricity deal
Roxanne Fitzgerald The Fifth Estate (No paywall)An electricity deal struck for both the good of the planet and thousands of residential tenants has been labelled a win-win by academics. One of Australia’s largest property and strata services organisations PICA Group recently secured what it claims is an industry-first solar energy deal …
https://www.thefifthestate.com.au/innovation/residential-2/every…
# NSW, Rent, Utilities water energy internet.