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
Nearly half of all Aussies renting in share houses are at least 40 years old
Nicholas Finch realestate.com.au (No paywall)The typical Aussie living in a share house is not a student in their early 20s – but a worker well into their 40s, according to new national data. Research by share house management app Homerun found 44 per cent of all Australians living in a share house are 40 years or older, the largest of the recorded age groups. Meanwhile, only 16 per cent are 25 and under, despite being the face of the share house lifestyle.
https://www.realestate.com.au/news/nearly-half-of-all-aussies-re…
# Hot topic Australia, Share houses.The Spanish image of the small and financially vulnerable landlord is a myth
Uppsala University (No paywall)Rent regulation is a recurring issue in the Spanish housing debate. Since 2023, Spanish regions have been able to introduce rent regulation in areas where the housing market is particularly pressured. In these areas, rents for new tenancies can be subject to restrictions, while rent increases during ongoing tenancies are also regulated. A common argument against rent regulation is that it hits small and economically vulnerable landlords particularly hard.
https://www.uu.se/en/department/housing-and-urban-research/news/…
# International, Rent.Predatory financial firms are ruining housing. Here’s how tenants around the world are fighting back
Leilani Farha The Star (Paywall)“If the rent keeps going [up] I cannot afford to live here. And I mean, there is [nothing] cheaper in the city; I’m a senior and I have nowhere else to go.” Beverly Henry is a tenant in York South Weston who — to save her home — was willing to take on Dream Unlimited, a multinational landlord with $28 billion in assets across Canada, the U.S., and Europe. She participated with other tenants in her building in a 16-month rent strike, risking her tenancy. In 2024, they won. It was a historic victory, defeating steep rent hikes and the threat of being forced out of their community.
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/predatory-financial…
# International, .Europe worse than North America for race discrimination in renting
Christopher Richards The Brussels Times (No paywall)Renters are 16% more likely to experience race and ethnicity discrimination in Europe than in North America, according to new research published this week from the VUB and UGent. The results are based on an analysis of field tests from over half a million rental applications. The difference comes down to the higher levels of racial diversity in US cities, which means a larger share of both landlords and tenants are likely to be non-white compared to Europe. Additionally, protective legislation has been in place longer in the US, Professor Pieter-Paul Verhaeghe, one of the researchers from the VUB, told The Brussels Times.
https://www.brusselstimes.com/2306647/europe-worse-than-north-am…
# International, Discrimination.Disabled man 'devastated' after no-fault eviction
BBC (No paywall)A disabled man and his carer say they fear becoming homeless after being served a no-fault eviction notice just weeks before a government ban on the practice came into force. Roger Parker and his friend Susie Bell have lived in their house in Highworth, near Swindon, for the past eight years but were issued with a Section 21 eviction notice in March after the landlord decided to sell the property. Section 21 evictions - when a landlord does not have to provide a reason for their actions - were outlawed under the new Renters' Rights Act on 1 May.
# International, Eviction, Rent.The Corporate Takeover of Canada’s Apartments Is Worse than You Think
Leilani Farha The Walrus (No paywall)Driving around Herongate in Ottawa, I saw the usual signs of a low-income neighbourhood: social housing, worn apartment buildings, modest townhomes. I parked at the plain, low-rise community centre and followed the handwritten “Tenants Meeting →” signs on the cinder-block walls, carried along by lively chatter that led me to a room full of people. Residents had gathered because they were being evicted from their homes. One hundred and five families were at risk—more than 500 people.
https://thewalrus.ca/the-corporate-takeover-of-canadas-apartment…
# International, Public and community housing, Rent.San Francisco mayor declares rent emergency as housing costs soar amid AI boom
Uwa Ede-Osifo The Guardian (No paywall)San Francisco’s mayor, Daniel Lurie, declared a rent emergency on Thursday, proposing reforms aimed at curbing evictions and preventing rent spikes as the city grapples with soaring apartment prices. The Bay Area city, home to a large number of high-earning tech workers, has long been one of the most expensive housing and rental markets in the country. The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco is currently $4,495, according to Zumper, a rental listings site. In comparison, the national median for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,900.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/10/san-francisco-ma…
# International, Eviction, Rent.Why is the EU tightening rules on short-term rentals?
Deborah O'Donoghue Travel Tomorrow (No paywall)The European Commission wants to create a common framework for housing measures across the EU, including guidance on when regional and local authorities may restrict short-term rentals. The proposal follows a series of local crackdowns on holiday lets, introduced as popular destinations struggle with housing shortages and rising prices. The Commission’s aim is to make the rules for short-term rentals more consistent across the bloc and reduce legal uncertainty. Cities including Barcelona, Paris and Venice have already taken their own steps to limit the effects of platforms such as Airbnb on local housing markets. Those measures range from tighter quality standards and pauses on new licences to outright bans, leaving a patchwork of rules that has prompted legal challenges.
https://traveltomorrow.com/why-is-the-eu-tightening-rules-on-sho…
# International, .