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
Home builders nervous about $25,000 hit as government deadline looms
Tom Lowrey ABC (No paywall)Nervous home builders are urging the federal government to tweak rules around its HomeBuilder scheme and spare them a $25,000 hit to their finances. Many who applied for the $25,000 HomeBuilder grant are fearful they will not be able to start work within the six-month construction deadline and will forfeit the grant. The HomeBuilder scheme closed for applications on Wednesday, and under its rules, work has to commence on a project within six months of contracts being signed.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-15/homebuilders-nervous-abou…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership.Fixed mortgage rates are at record lows, so is it time to consider fixing your home loan? We asked the experts
Michael Janda ABC (No paywall)Fixed home loan rates have never been cheaper in this country, but could they go even lower or is this as cheap as a mortgage will ever get?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-14/fixed-interest-rates-are-…
# Australia, Home ownership, Housing market.It’s Time for #RentControlsNow!
(No paywall)From New Zealand ... Rents are out of control, and they have been for some time. We’re calling on the government to make changes to the way rent prices are set for a fairer Aotearoa. (Renters United)
https://www.rentersunited.org.nz/rentcontrolsnow/?link_id=3&can_…
# International, Rent, Campaigns and law reform.Two states divided by opposite attitudes to tenants
Jimmy Thomson (Paywall)This is a good time for Victorian tenants. Not only are rents dropping by as much as 15 per cent, they no longer have the threat of “no reason” evictions hanging over them. Efforts to similarly protect NSW renters, however, have been characterised as “dumping on landlords” by the state government. (The Australian Financial Review)
https://www.afr.com/wealth/personal-finance/two-states-divided-b…
# Australia, Eviction, Coronavirus COVID-19, Landlords and agents, No-grounds evictions, Short-term holiday letting.Details of new evictions mediation service revealed
Dominic Brady Inside Housing (Paywall)From the United Kingdom ... The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government yesterday published guidance linked to its housing possession mediation pilot introduced in February 2021. The pilot, which aims to sustain tenancies and manage court capacity after the nationwide eviction ban comes to an end in England, is free to use for landlords and tenants. Before housing possession cases are taken to court, tenants and landlords will have the chance to reach an agreement at a review stage. If an agreement is not reached, the case is deemed suitable for mediation and will be looked at by the Society of Mediators within 10 days of referral. If both parties cannot agree to a solution at mediation, the case will continue to a full hearing. But if mediation is a success the parties involved will sign an agreement, which will be put in front of a judge for approval. Either party can apply to the court to enforce the agreement if it is broken by the other party.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/details-of-new-evictions-me…
# Hot topic International, Eviction, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19.New book tells story of Redfern as epicentre of Aboriginal activism
Rachel Knowles (No paywall)'Redfern: Aboriginal Activism in the 1970s' [https://www.newsouthbooks.com.au/books/redfern/] is the untold story of First Nations resistance, resilience and self-determination born just a stone’s throw away from Sydney CBD. The 1970s in Redfern saw the establishment of many of the familiar Aboriginal organisations known today; it saw the movement of Aboriginal families to the state capital and holds the roots of the Aboriginal activism seen in the streets today. Activist, academic and founder of the Aboriginal Legal Service, an organisation referenced in the book, Professor Gary Foley noted the importance of the story told in Redfern: Aboriginal Activism in the 1970s. “It’s an important and timely book. The issues that triggered the outburst of creative political dissent in Redfern in the 1970s are still with us today,” he said. (National Indigenous Times) [Includes a section entitled 'Claim to Urban Land: Aboriginal Housing Company', pp. 164 - 177, with reference to the 'Aboriginal Housing Company.']
https://nit.com.au/new-book-tells-story-of-redfern-as-epicentre-…
# History NSW, Aboriginal renters, Public and community housing.Shelter NSW April 2021 News
(No paywall)Check out the latest housing news from Shelter NSW:
Waterloo Estate Proposal takes a new turn
Shelter NSW's response to the 'Design and Place SEPP' (Explanation of Intended Effect)
Renting in NSW – the perfect storm of unemployment, reduced income support and accrued rental debts
Sign the 'Everybody's Home' petition
Shelter NSW welcomes reform to boarding house planning laws
Save the date - next members meeting
Social Housing win in Glebe
Politics in the Pub
https://mailchi.mp/shelternsw/shelter-nsw-april-ebulletin?e=91e8…
# NSW, Campaigns and law reform.Vital signs: to fix Australia’s housing affordability crisis, negative gearing must go
Richard Holden The Conversation (No paywall)House prices are back in the news, and out of control. ... Sadly, there is little new about the fact that Australia – and the largest capital cities in particular – have a serious housing affordability problem. It has been that way for at least a decade. ... Perhaps most importantly, both sides of politics need to revisit Australia’s almost unique and certainly odd system of allowing interest payments on rental properties to be offset against a person’s taxable income – that is, “negative gearing”.
https://theconversation.com/vital-signs-to-fix-australias-housin…
# Hot topic Australia, Federal Government, Housing affordability, Housing market, Tax.