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
New York Has a Housing Crisis. So Why Won't Albany Act?
Errol Louis Intelligencer (USA) (No paywall)The rent is already too damn high and will soar even higher if political leaders can’t resolve a stalemate in the state capital that has slowed the creation of affordable housing in New York to a crawl.
Governor Hochul has laid out an ambitious plan to build 800,000 units of housing statewide over the next decade; Mayor Adams has a similar “moon-shot” goal of building 500,000 units in the city during those same years. But both proposals face imminent danger of failure.
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/06/new-york-has-a-housing-c…
# Hot topic International, Rent, Campaigns and law reform, International.Renting? Learn to be your own best housing advocate
Andee Tagle NPR (USA) (No paywall)Does your landlord have to fix that? Should you be worried about that clause in your lease? If you're one of the 35% of Americans renting your home, there's a lot you should know to protect yourself best. We'll discuss rental red flags, learn how to speak the language of landlords and how to decode a lease.
https://www.npr.org/2023/06/02/1179885681/renting-learn-to-be-yo…
# Audio International, Rent, Housing market, International.The economic case for affordable housing
Gerald Koessl Social Europe (No paywall)Providing affordable housing is not only doing the right thing. There is an economic spinoff for everyone.
Much applied economic analysis and policy-making in recent decades has been based on the belief that under (perfect) market conditions unregulated markets lead to the best economic outcomes, in terms of the allocation of products and services to society at large. Developments in the housing market—and in particular the crisis of affordability—have however placed a big question-mark against this assumption.
The impacts of the housing crisis are no longer felt only by those households struggling with its cost but also by the economy as a whole. As a recent report from the European Commission explains, inflated house prices and rents can lead to a misallocation of resources, away from productive (job-creating) investments towards unproductive assets.
https://www.socialeurope.eu/the-economic-case-for-affordable-hou…
# Hot topic International, Affordable housing, Housing affordability, International.‘The market never lies’: real estate industry calls for NSW to drop proposed ban on secret rent bidding
Tamsin Rose The Guardian (No paywall)A New South Wales government plan to make renting fairer and more transparent has been panned by real estate agents, who told a parliamentary inquiry that the reforms would cause conflict between applicants and property managers while driving up rents.
The industry professionals appeared before a parliamentary committee set up to examine the government’s plan to ban “secret” rent bidding, echoing concerns of rental advocates that the scheme would create rental auctions.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jun/02/real-esta…
# Must read, Hot topic, TUNSW in the media NSW, Rent, Campaigns and law reform, State Government.'Fair' Rental Market Leaves NSW Tenents Out Of Pocket
10 News Channel 10 (No paywall)The NSW government has been warned its efforts to create a fairer rental market could leave tenants paying more.
# Hot topic, Video NSW, Rent, Housing affordability, State Government.Controversial rule around rent bidding ditched by Minns government
Eli Green news.com.au (No paywall)More From Real Estate
Gobsmacking property stat says everything
Gobsmacking property stat says everything
Renters rely on family help as vacancies dwindle
Renters rely on family help as vacancies dwindle
Backyard reveals Aussie renter’s nightmare
Backyard reveals Aussie renter’s nightmare
The Minns government has backflipped on a controversial decision on rent bidding that advocacy organisation said would worsen the housing crisis.
The NSW government has announced it will “press pause” on a proposed law that would have forced agents to notify all applicants if someone offers above the advertised rent.
The proposal was met with opposition by advocacy groups who argued it would “legitimise” rent bidding and lead to “unintended consequences” in a rental market that is already stretched thin.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/renting/controversia…
# Hot topic NSW, Rent, Campaigns and law reform, State Government.Proposal to ban secret rental bidding comes under fire
Samantha Lock Yahoo News (No paywall)Tenant advocates and real estate agents have criticised NSW laws designed to help tenants amid warnings that bans on secret rent bidding will drive prices higher.
The proposed legislation would close loopholes that allow landlords and real agents to covertly solicit bids on rental properties and take offers without informing other prospective tenants.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/proposal-ban-secret-rental-bidding-052…
# Hot topic NSW, Rent, Campaigns and law reform, State Government.‘Partial privatisation’: Waterloo South public housing tenants say NSW Labor misled residents
Jordyn Beazley The Guardian (No paywall)After the Minns government won the New South Wales election, Norrie May-Welby finally invested in a mod con to her home that would seem humdrum to most: she bought new fly screens.
This, she thought, was the end of seven years spent waiting for the day she would be relocated from her home at Waterloo South public housing estate.
But now, May-Welby is one of more than 3,000 residents awaiting answers after a string of conflicting Labor messages has left them confused about the future of the estate.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jun/03/sydney-wa…
# Hot topic NSW, Public and community housing, Personal stories, State Government.