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
Year of investor sell-off benefits homebuyers but shrinks Victorian rental stock by 24,000
Geraden Cann ABC (No paywall)Victoria lost over 24,000 rentals during 2024 — or 3.6 per cent of the state's entire rental stock — as an investor sell-off gained pace. The number of active rental bonds (a proxy for the number of rental properties in a market) fell from 674,462 in December 2023 to 649,978 in December 2024. While investors put the sell-off down to unfriendly policy and tax settings from the Victorian government, the market shift has proven a boon for homebuyers.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-13/rental-bonds-victoria-inv…
# Hot topic Australia, Rent.Why this grand building on Sydney’s busiest street is derelict
Christopher Harris The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)It was a cheerful day in 1967 at Sydney University’s newly opened International House when the Herald visited. In its enormous atrium, students milled around under a dramatic chandelier. A lift servicing eight floors provided access to students’ rooms, which were “compact, comfortable and bright”. Almost 60 years later, the building on the corner of City Road and Cleveland Street, Chippendale, is abandoned, water pools on the floor and mould is growing on the walls, recent visitors escorted onto the property say. Chain wire fencing surrounds the perimeter.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/why-this-grand-building-on-s…
# NSW, .NT public housing changes "disproportionately and overwhelmingly” target Aboriginal people
Dechlan Brennan National Indigenous Times (No paywall)The NT's peak Aboriginal housing body and the opposition have criticised planned public housing reforms by the CLP government, arguing they will "disproportionately and overwhelmingly" target Aboriginal people. This week the government announced its plan to recoup $39 million in rent arrears from public housing tenants as well as fast-track evictions for people who engage in antisocial behaviour. In Parliament on Thursday, Housing Minister Steve Edgington said the CLP government would introduce several reforms to make tenants accountable. "Antisocial behaviour and unpaid rent won't be tolerated," he said. "The time for excuses and rolling out the red carpet for repeat offenders is over." The government says there are 1,422 tenancies across the full urban NT public housing portfolio, which have accumulated debts of over $10,000; the highest debt is $40,000.
https://nit.com.au/21-03-2025/16938/nt-public-housing-changes-di…
# Must read, Research alert Australia, Aboriginal renters, Discrimination, Public and community housing, Rent.Crunch time for Airbnb, short-term rentals
Sophie Foster realestate.com.au (No paywall)A two-year ban policed by the tax office is set to hit Airbnb and the short-term rental market hard, an industry operator warns. The ban which began on April 1 this year and runs through to March 31, 2027 is overseen partly by the Australian Taxation Office, with all foreign property buyers now unable to buy established dwellings in Australia “with limited exceptions”. The ATO said “this includes temporary residents purchasing an established dwelling for use as a principal place of residence” which covers the likes of international students and contract workers, but operators fear the fallout will hit the holiday market hardest.
https://www.realestate.com.au/news/crunch-time-for-airbnb-shortt…
# Hot topic Australia, .Renting has never been harder in Australia, especially in this state
Veronica Lenard SBS (No paywall)Chantel Le Cross lives alone, earns $116,230 a year before tax, and doesn’t think their income affords them a lot of choice in today's rental market. "Living alone has always been more expensive and it's always been kind of a privilege that I could even afford it," they said. "But doing it now is so much harder in terms of both financially affording it, but even just actually finding places." Research suggests they are not alone.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/renting-has-never-been-harde…
# Hot topic Australia, Rent.AUDIO: Queensland councils crackdown on homeless camps
ABC (No paywall)Residents of tent cities across Queensland have been evicted with the aid of police and excavators as councils look to crackdown on homeless camps. The cities of Brisbane, Moreton Bay and the Gold Coast have denied that last week's evictions were a co-ordinated effort by the councils. It comes at a time when rent and house prices continue to soar in the state with critically low vacancy rates and lengthy waits for public housing.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-12/naus_homelessevictionsrnb…
# Video Australia, .Unlawful renting of short-term lets on the rise
Noah Vickers BBC (No paywall)The government has been urged to take action after research found more than half of London's short-term holiday let properties are being rented out unlawfully. A report by Central London Forward, a partnership of inner city boroughs, revealed more than 50% of the 117,000 short-term lets listed across the capital in 2024 were booked for more than 90 days a year, in breach of regulations. Westminster City Council leader Adam Hug said: "This concentration has a profound effect on our local communities." A government spokesman said: "We will introduce a short-term let registration scheme to reap the benefits of a thriving tourist economy while protecting the spirit of our communities."
# Hot topic International, Rent.More than 200,000 children in short-term housing in England by 2029, analysis shows
Kiran Stacey The Guardian (No paywall)More than 200,000 children will be living in short-term emergency accommodation in England to keep them off the streets by the end of this parliament, according to projections by the housing charity Shelter. The analysis shows that 206,000 children will be living in temporary accommodation by 2029 – a 26% increase over five years – while the cost to the taxpayer is set to rise by 71% to £3.9bn a year.
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/apr/29/shelter-forecasts-r…
# International, Rent.