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
Tired of Greedy Landlords, Students Are Setting Up Housing Co-ops
Eloise Barry (No paywall)From the United Kingdom ... Students have long faced sky-high rents and poor-quality housing. Since the start of the pandemic many students’ problems have gotten even worse, with a record number of young people losing their jobs, thousands forced to isolate in substandard university halls, and almost £1bn spent on accommodation they haven’t even been able to access. Consequently, the past year has seen students nationwide coordinate the largest wave of rent strikes in recent history. But a growing number are now going one step further: breaking away from the private rented sector altogether and setting up their own housing co-operatives. (Novara Media)
https://novaramedia.com/2021/03/12/tired-of-greedy-landlords-stu…
# Hot topic International, Public and community housing, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Landlords and agents, Students.Developer of Sydney’s ‘worst’ tower ordered to fix faults
Matt O'Sullivan The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The developer of a 16-storey apartment tower in western Sydney, which has been singled out by NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler as one of the worst he has inspected, has been handed orders forcing it to fix serious defects.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/developer-of-sydney-s-worst-…
# NSW, Housing market, Minimum habitability standards.Warnings over proposed overhaul of responsible mortgage lending
John Collett The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Record high mortgage lending to owner-occupiers, surging property prices and lenders offering low deposit mortgages could make for a perfect storm if the government’s attempt to repeal responsible lending obligations is successful, critics warn. They say loosening responsible lending obligations would add fuel to the already hot property market and increase indebtedness, leaving home owners struggling to meet repayments if interest rates were to rise.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/borrowing/warnings-over-proposed-ov…
# Australia, Affordable housing, Federal Government, Home ownership.Welfare advocates concerned 'perfect storm' brewing in Tasmania as rental demand outstrips supply
Alexandra Humphries ABC (No paywall)For 10 months, Paul Richardson has been hunting for an affordable rental property near Launceston, without any luck. After three years in his St Leonards home, Mr Richardson is facing a rent increase of almost 18 per cent, taking his weekly payments from $340 to $400 a week — an amount he cannot cover. After three years in his St Leonards home, Mr Richardson is facing a rent increase of almost 18 per cent, taking his weekly payments from $340 to $400 a week — an amount he cannot cover.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-15/affordable-rental-demand-…
# Hot topic Australia, Rent, Affordable housing, Coronavirus COVID-19, State Government.Sydney property market recovery soars to record new high
Ellen Lutton Domain (Paywall)Sydney’s property market has made a stunning comeback from its lowest point less than two years ago, with new data revealing home values haven’t just recovered, they’ve blown any previous records out of the water.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/sydney-property-market-recovery-s…
# NSW, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market.The coming end of the eviction moratorium in NSW is sparking concerns that low-income renters could be forced into homelessness.
Mostafa Rachwani and Nino Bucci The Guardian (No paywall)The looming end of the NSW government’s Covid-19 eviction moratorium could force low-income renters into homelessness if they are not offered more financial support, a group of 40 organisations has warned. (16:13pm)
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2021/mar/05/aust…
# Hot topic Australia, Eviction, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19.Fears of a debt disaster as property market runs hot and changes to safe lending laws loom
Nassim Khadem ABC (No paywall)The federal government is looking to wind back safe lending laws, saying there are other adequate protections for consumers. ... But Katherine Temple from the Consumer Action Law Centre ... said axing safe lending laws during a pandemic was risky and would fuel an already overheating housing market.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-13/fears-of-a-debt-disaster-…
# Hot topic Australia, Affordable housing, Federal Government, Home ownership.Super chair warns using retirement funds for housing is ‘destructive’
Jennifer Duke The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The chairman of Australia’s biggest retirement fund has criticised Coalition backbenchers for opposing an increase to the superannuation guarantee. AustralianSuper chairman Don Russell said a faction of about a dozen Liberal and National MPs and senators fighting the superannuation guarantee rise from 9.5 per cent to 12 per cent was “puzzling” considering the Coalition had historically valued lighthanded government regulation and individual choice.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/super-chair-warns-using-…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership, Housing affordability, Housing market.