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
Tiny house highlights homelessness in NSW
The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)A tiny house has been installed in Sydney's Martin place to highlight the issue of homelessness.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/tiny-house-highlights-homelessne…
# Video NSW, Homelessness.Yes, interest rates are low. But that doesn’t mean Australian housing is getting more affordable
Greg Jericho The Guardian (No paywall)While inflation might be incredibly low, the same cannot be said for house prices. And despite record low interest rates, housing remains as unaffordable as ever. .
https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2021/apr/15/yes…
# Australia, Home ownership, Housing affordability, Housing market.Waterloo South planning taken from Council
Geoff Turnbull (No paywall)Minister Stokes and the Department of Planning Industry and Environment (DPIE) are now responsible for determining the future shape of the Waterloo South public housing redevelopment. City of Sydney Council (CoS) and the Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) were unable to reach agreement by the Minister’s deadline. (South Sydney Herald)
https://southsydneyherald.com.au/waterloo-south-planning-taken-f…
# NSW, Public and community housing, Estate renewal, Local Government, State Government.Are new homes in Western Australia about to get a whole lot more energy efficient?
Poppy Johnston The Fifth Estate (No paywall)Maybe with Western Australia finally switching to the latest version of the National Construction Code next month there will be no more homes built with seriously poor energy standards. Maybe not. Here’s what we heard from an architect, the state government, the UDIA WA and a source who prefers to remain anonymous.
https://thefifthestate.com.au/innovation/residential-2/are-new-h…
# Australia, Housing market, Minimum habitability standards.NSW delays rules on Airbnb-style letting after concerns they are being rushed
Mostafa Rachwani The Guardian (No paywall)The New South Wales government’s decision to delay the implementation of new rules governing Airbnb-style letting has been welcomed by accommodation-sharing platforms. The new rules – which include the expansion into regional areas of the 180-day cap on using empty properties for short-term rentals – were due to come into effect on 30 July, but the start date has been pushed back by three months to 1 November. ... The delay comes only days after the planning department announced it would implement the new rules by the end of July.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/apr/14/nsw-delay…
# NSW, Rent, Local Government, Short-term holiday letting, State Government.Six-figure salary needed to afford Sydney mortgage
The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Home buyers now need to be making a six-figure salary to afford the mortgage on an average house or apartment in Sydney's red-hot property market, exclusive data has revealed.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/six-figure-salary-needed-to-affo…
# Video NSW, Home ownership, Housing affordability, Housing market.House prices in WA forecast to increase 15 per cent this year
Tess Ingram The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)House prices in Western Australia are predicted to increase 15 per cent this year after strong demand fuelled greater than expected gains in the three months to March.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/western-australia/house-prices-i…
# Australia, Housing affordability, Housing market.Everything you need to know about putting a tiny house on your property
Jessica Dale Domain (No paywall)There’s something about being holed up in a space smaller than some garden sheds, disconnected from the humdrum of daily life on an isolated property that appeals to plenty of holiday-makers. The tiny house and eco-tourism movement has grown in popularity in recent years, with businesses like Tiny Stays, Unyoked, Kindled and In2thewild appealing to stressed-out city dwellers looking for an escape and those looking to reduce their environmental footprint.
https://www.domain.com.au/living/all-you-need-to-know-about-host…
# Australia, Affordable housing, Housing market.