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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See notes about the Digest and a list of other contributors here. Many thanks to those contributors for sharing links with us.
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Archive
We will not rest until the companies behind the Grenfell fire are held to account
Karim Mussilhy The Guardian (No paywall)From the United Kingdom ... ‘The inquiry into that awful night is slowly revealing shocking evidence, and strengthening our pursuit of justice.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/nov/27/companies-…
# International, Public and community housing.New Zealand once led the world on social housing – it should again
Bryce Edwards The Guardian (No paywall)From New Zealand ... A return to a programme of mass state house building could fix the significant problem for those at the bottom of the market.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/28/new-zealand-once-l…
# International, Public and community housing, Affordable housing.Here’s where you can find Australia’s most “affordable and liveable” suburbs
Matt Johnson The New Daily (No paywall)Finding a budget-friendly home close to life’s necessities can be a difficult task for any buyer. But new research has attempted to make it a little easier.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/property/2020/11/26/australia…
# Australia, Affordable housing.HomeBuilder grant and low cash rates boost demand for land lot sales’
Nicole Lindsay The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Land sales in outer Melbourne and Geelong surged towards the end of lockdown, driven by the HomeBuilder grant and record low interest rates.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/homebuilder-grant-and-…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership.Federal Government extends HomeBuilder program for another three months but at a lower rate
Jade Macmillan ABC (No paywall)A Federal Government program offering cash grants for housing construction projects has been extended, but at a lower amount. The HomeBuilder scheme currently provides $25,000 grants to eligible people building a new home or renovating an existing one. It had been due to expire at the end of the year but will be extended to 31 March, 2021, at the lower rate of $15,000.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-29/homebuilder-program-exten…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership.Three-month extension for HomeBuilder scheme’
Colin Brinsden The New Daily (No paywall)The federal government’s HomeBuilder grants program is being extended for three months, which is expected to see a further 15,000 homes approved under the scheme by March next year.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2020/11/29/homebuilder-…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership.HomeBuilder scheme extended, price caps increased for Vic, NSW homes
Bianca Hall The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Industry groups have welcomed the federal government’s announcement it will extend the HomeBuilder program for another three months and raise price caps for homes in Victoria and New South Wales to reflect higher property values in those states.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/homebuilder-scheme-exten…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership.Using super to fix wages growth is as disingenuous as using it to fix the housing market
Greg Jericho The Guardian (No paywall)If the Morrison government wants to improve retirement incomes, it shouldn’t instead seek to destroy superannuation because they hate industry funds.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/commentisfree/2020/nov/29/u…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership.