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
Kincumber Nautical Village residents take owner to tribunal over site fee increases
Keira Proust ABC (No paywall)Alan Thiele, 72, says he cannot afford to turn on the heater this winter due to the rising cost of living and "unfair" site fee increases at the residential park he lives in.
The pensioner lives in Kincumber Nautical Village on the New South Wales' Central Coast and said the extra costs have forced him to cut back on essentials.
The owner of the village has increased fees for people living on a "notice method" by nearly $53 a fortnight, which homeowners are now fighting in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-19/kincumber-nautical-villag…
# Hot topic NSW, Land lease communities, Older people, Personal stories.Housing crisis could worsen as city slickers flock to regional NSW
Tileah Dobson City Hub (No paywall)City dwellers are continuing to flock to regional NSW amid the rising cost of living. However, many regional areas do not have the infrastructure to support this migration and local residents are suffering the consequences.
Dr Laura Crommelin, Senior Lecturer in City Planning at the School of Built Environment, UNSW ARTS, Design & Architecture, has said, “some who are priced out of the city housing markets may be able to afford a more spacious, standalone dwelling in a regional area.”
“Those regional areas within striking distance of the city are increasingly popular with those who still might commute once or twice a week to the city for work, but spend most of their time living by the coast.”
https://cityhubsydney.com.au/2023/06/housing-crisis-could-worsen…
# Hot topic, TUNSW in the media NSW, Housing affordability, Housing market, Regional NSW.Covered in graffiti, these buildings all look the same. A Sydney council wants them heritage listed
Michael Koziol The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The Inner West Council is proposing a heritage frenzy that would protect 15 electricity substations and create nine new “heritage conservation areas” that limit change or development in large parts of the district.
Poles and wires company Ausgrid planned to delist 10 substations from its own heritage register, prompting the council to launch a review and determine that those – plus another five – should be given protection.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/covered-in-graffiti-these-bu…
# Hot topic, New policy announcement NSW, Heritage listings, Local Government, Planning and development.The rental crisis with Leo Patterson Ross, CEO, Tenants Union Of NSW
Radio Skid Row Radio Skid Row (No paywall)Leo Patterson Ross, the CEO of the Tenants Union of NSW, discusses the current rental crisis.
https://soundcloud.com/radio-skid-row/the-rental-crisis-with-leo…
# Hot topic, TUNSW in the media, Audio NSW, Rent, Campaigns and law reform, Housing affordability.Greens and Coalition put Labor’s housing fund in a deep freeze sparking threats of double dissolution election
Paul Karp and Amy Remeikis The Guardian (No paywall)The $10bn Housing Australia future fund will not pass parliament this week, after the Greens and Coalition teamed up in the Senate to delay the bill until October, prompting warnings of a double dissolution election.
The impasse prompted a blunt crossbench message that the Greens were “hurting people” while Labor’s Dan Farrell called the Greens and Coalition “the axis of evil”.
A Greens motion proposing to delay the bill until 16 October to “allow time for national cabinet to progress reforms to strengthen renters’ rights” was voted up 37 votes to 23 about noon on Monday. A bid by Labor to vote on the bill on Tuesday was defeated.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jun/19/labor-hou…
# Must read, Hot topic Australia, Campaigns and law reform, Federal Government, Housing affordability.Housing minister will not rule out dumping $10 billion housing fund in favour of easier option
Stephanie Borys ABC (No paywall)A key election commitment to set up the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) is in doubt, after the housing minister would not outline the government's next steps.
The Greens and Coalition on Monday joined forces to delay a vote on the $10-billion fund until October.
However a vote in October is no longer certain, after Housing Minister Julie Collins would not say if the government would bring the legislation back for debate later this year.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-20/housing-minister-could-du…
# Hot topic, New policy announcement Australia, Campaigns and law reform, Federal Government, Planning and development.Australian PM pledges $1.4 billion for affordable homes
Reuters staff Reuters (No paywall)Australia's centre-left Labor government said on Saturday it would commit A$2 billion ($1.4 billion) to deliver thousands of new affordable homes nationwide, as the country grapples with soaring living costs.
Prime Minster Anthony Albanese said the funds - to be used by 30 June 2025 - would be delivered to state and territory governments within two weeks, with the aim of boosting public housing supply for Australians on waiting lists.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australian-pm-pledges…
# Hot topic, New policy announcement Australia, Public and community housing, Affordable housing, Federal Government.Victoria to consider rent caps and taxes on Airbnb owners to ease rental crisis
Benita Kolovos The Guardian (No paywall)The Victorian government will consider introducing rent caps and new taxes on owners of Airbnbs and vacant properties to help ease pressure on renters, under a deal struck with the Greens in exchange for their support for the state budget.
Before the last sitting of state parliament before the winter break, the Greens will announce their support for the budget, which includes tax increases for big business, property investors and private schools to pay off the state’s Covid-19 borrowings.
In exchange, a taskforce led by deputy premier Jacinta Allan, which is currently examining measures to boost housing supply, will consider renter safeguards the Greens have been campaigning for.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jun/20/victoria-…
# Hot topic, New policy announcement Australia, Rent, Campaigns and law reform, State Government.