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
Renters feel little relief after rate cut
Nick Grimm ABC (No paywall)
As she delivered the nation's first interest rate cut in more than years, the Reserve Bank governor was making it clear that Australians shouldn't necessarily expect another one, anytime soon. Michelle Bullock wants to remind households that the pain of the cost-of-living crisis isn't over yet. That's especially true for renters and anyone else struggling to stay ahead of prices and other costs that continue to rise, despite inflation easing.
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/worldtoday/renters-feel-l…
# TUNSW in the media, Audio Australia, .Barcelona counters the effects of over-tourism – Municipality buys apartment block to prevent eviction of tenants
Proto Thema (No paywall)The municipality of Barcelona will buy an apartment building known as “Casa Orsola” to prevent the eviction of many tenants living in it, including a teacher whose threatened eviction has become a symbol of Spain’s housing crisis and months of movements against hypertourism. Josep Torrent, 49, who has lived in the same apartment in this condo for more than 20 years, was among the tenants who were told their contracts would not be renewed after the investment firm Lioness Investments bought the Art Nouveau Casa Orsola building in 2020. The company planned to start letting the apartments for short-term
https://en.protothema.gr/2025/02/07/barcelona-counters-the-effec…
# Hot topic International, Eviction.Rent freeze rejected, some tenants protections for fire victims advanced by LA City Council committee
Marissa Wenzke CBS News (No paywall)A Los Angeles City Council committee rejected a proposed one-year rent freeze but approved moving forward with some tenants' protections for residents who lost their homes or jobs in the recent wildfires. The motion for those rental protections will head to the full city council for a vote after being approved by the council's Housing and Homelessness Committee on Wednesday. It includes a prohibition on certain evictions, such as for non-payment of rent, for those affected by the fires — safeguards which require residents to provide documentation proving they experienced economic hardship. The initial proposal had mandated that tenants self-attest under perjury that they were affected by the wildfires.
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/rent-freeze-rejected-som…
# Hot topic International, Disasters.The Guardian view on new housing: Labour must not let builders dictate terms
The Guardian (No paywall)The greatly increased difficulty for young adults of either buying a home or finding a long-term, affordable tenancy is both a generational and socioeconomic injustice, and a serious political problem. Sir Keir Starmer’s government knows this and hopes its commitment to build 1.5m new homes will shore up support among voters. Making people more secure, so that disappointment and grievance do not make them easy targets for rightwing populists, is a vital task for social democratic parties everywhere. In the UK, where accommodation costs are 44% higher than the western European average, and younger people are disproportionately trapped in low-quality homes, policies to support those in housing need are a pressing priority.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/16/the-guardi…
# Hot topic International, Rent.Europe’s rents are on the rise: Who’s hardest hit?
Kata Moravecz European Data Journalism (No paywall)Rising rents across major European cities are creating a housing crisis, disproportionately affecting low-income earners and those in unstable employment. Contributing factors include tourism, migration, low housing supply, and gentrification. Our investigation, led by EUrologus, highlights the need for policy changes to address these issues and ensure affordable housing for all.
https://www.europeandatajournalism.eu/cp_data_news/europes-rents…
# Must read, Research alert International, Rent.Airbnb is “drastically transforming neighbourhoods” in Athens: Here’s how Greece wants to clamp down
Derek Gatopoulos Euro News (No paywall)Hotel owners have complained that holiday rentals now outnumber hotel rooms. Lawmakers in Greece are debating tough new rules for holiday rentals in a bid to crackdown on overtourism. Under the proposed changes renovated warehouses, underground spaces and former industrial properties will be removed from rental websites like Airbnb. “Basements will no longer be allowed for use. Rental spaces must serve as primary residential use areas, with natural light, ventilation and air conditioning,” Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni told state-run television ahead of the debate.
https://www.euronews.com/travel/2025/01/13/airbnb-is-drastically…
# Hot topic International, .Airbnb criticises Spain’s new rental rules: Data shows crackdowns on owners don’t stem overtourism
Joanna Bailey Euro News (No paywall)Amsterdam brought in new rules for Airbnb hosts in 2022 and the results are revealing. Short-term rental booking platform Airbnb has hit back at Spanish restrictions on rental properties, stressing that they will have severe repercussions for both income and jobs. Citing research undertaken by Oxford Economics in late 2024, Airbnb warns of 400,000 jobs being put at risk by the regulations, alongside almost €30 billion of income. The Spanish government implemented new regulations on short-term rentals on 2 January. Any property owner wishing to rent out their house is now required to be registered in a national database and obtain a permit before they can list their property on booking platforms.
https://www.euronews.com/travel/2025/01/22/airbnb-criticises-spa…
# Hot topic International, Rent.U.S. rents on the rise in 2025
CBS News (No paywall)In January the typical asking price for rent in the United States was close to $2,000 up 0.2% from December and 3.5% from a year ago, according to Zillow. Ronda Kaysen, real estate reporter for the New York Times, joined CBS News to talk about the rising price of rent.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/us-rents-on-the-rise-in-2025/?intc…
# Video International, Rent.