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
It’s almost time: what will Brexit mean for the UK social housing sector?
Inside Housing (Paywall)After more than four years of political strife and economic uncertainty, the clock is ticking down the final seconds to the UK’s departure from the EU single market. Check out this story ...
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/its-almost-time-what-wil…
# International, Public and community housing.U.S. Renters Could Owe $70 Billion
Kriston Capps (No paywall)From the United States ... By January, when the federal eviction moratorium expires, 11.4 million households in the U.S. might be more than three months behind in their rent, or $6,000 each. (Bloomberg)
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-10/u-s-household…
# Hot topic International, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19.Australia wants international students to study here, but abandoned them during the Covid crisis
Diana Olmos The Guardian (No paywall)Education may be a major export industry, but we are not cash cows. Students and temporary visa holders still need support during this unprecedented event
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/14/australia-…
# Hot topic Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Students.Extra $1 billion for aged care but budget still faces record debt and deficit
Shane Wright The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)An extra $1 billion will be injected into the aged care system by the Morrison government as part of its mid-year budget update with high iron ore prices boosting revenue and spending pressures reduced as the economy bounces back from the coronavirus recession.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/extra-1-billion-for-aged…
# New policy announcement Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Federal Government, Older people, Welfare.Yes, older Australians need more home-care funding. But these dribs and drabs only make a dent in the waiting list.
Stephen Duckett and Anika Stobart The Conversation (No paywall)Aged care in Australia is underfunded. As a consequence, many older Australians don’t have the support they need. Today’s federal government announcement of A$850 million for an additional 10,000 home care packages goes some way to addressing the long waiting list of people who need support at home. But it’s not enough.
https://theconversation.com/yes-older-australians-need-more-home…
# New policy announcement Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Federal Government, Older people, Welfare.Government announces thousands more home care packages for older Australians
Jane Norman ABC (No paywall)An extra 10,000 older Australians will receive taxpayer support to stay in their homes for longer, as part of a $1 billion investment in this week's budget update. The Federal Government will use the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) to reduce the waitlist for in-home care, which was one of the key recommendations in the aged care royal commission's interim report.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-15/government-more-in-home-c…
# New policy announcement Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Federal Government, Older people, Welfare.Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute
Urban regulation and diverse housing supply: An Investigative Panel AHURI (No paywall)Here, researchers examines the barriers and challenges within the housing system for delivering housing supply that is more diverse in terms of size and built form; tenure; development model; and affordability level. They found that diverse housing supply is required in both type and tenure. In Sydney, Melbourne and Perth there is a perceived need for more diversity in dwelling types and sizes, particularly in lower-density suburban areas characterised by detached houses. The report also finds that land-use zoning laws can have a significant impact on whether diverse housing types, such as medium-density housing are permitted in residential areas, or whether they are financially viable to develop but they are not the only factors challenging the delivery of diverse housing supply.
https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/349?utm_source=w…
# Research alert Australia, Housing market.Sydney's Darling Point records highest median home value for 2020 amid luxury homes market recovery
Nassim Khadem ABC (No paywall)Several of Sydney's eastern suburbs recorded the highest median housing values, according to CoreLogic data, which says Australia's $7.2 trillion residential real estate market has proved "remarkably resilient" despite the nation's largest economic downturn since the 1930's.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-17/corelogic-national-house-…
# Australia, Housing market.