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
Rent freeze rejected, some tenants protections for fire victims advanced by LA City Council committee
Marissa Wenzke CBS News (No paywall)A Los Angeles City Council committee rejected a proposed one-year rent freeze but approved moving forward with some tenants' protections for residents who lost their homes or jobs in the recent wildfires. The motion for those rental protections will head to the full city council for a vote after being approved by the council's Housing and Homelessness Committee on Wednesday. It includes a prohibition on certain evictions, such as for non-payment of rent, for those affected by the fires — safeguards which require residents to provide documentation proving they experienced economic hardship. The initial proposal had mandated that tenants self-attest under perjury that they were affected by the wildfires.
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/rent-freeze-rejected-som…
# Hot topic International, Disasters.The Guardian view on new housing: Labour must not let builders dictate terms
The Guardian (No paywall)The greatly increased difficulty for young adults of either buying a home or finding a long-term, affordable tenancy is both a generational and socioeconomic injustice, and a serious political problem. Sir Keir Starmer’s government knows this and hopes its commitment to build 1.5m new homes will shore up support among voters. Making people more secure, so that disappointment and grievance do not make them easy targets for rightwing populists, is a vital task for social democratic parties everywhere. In the UK, where accommodation costs are 44% higher than the western European average, and younger people are disproportionately trapped in low-quality homes, policies to support those in housing need are a pressing priority.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/16/the-guardi…
# Hot topic International, Rent.Europe’s rents are on the rise: Who’s hardest hit?
Kata Moravecz European Data Journalism (No paywall)Rising rents across major European cities are creating a housing crisis, disproportionately affecting low-income earners and those in unstable employment. Contributing factors include tourism, migration, low housing supply, and gentrification. Our investigation, led by EUrologus, highlights the need for policy changes to address these issues and ensure affordable housing for all.
https://www.europeandatajournalism.eu/cp_data_news/europes-rents…
# Must read, Research alert International, Rent.Airbnb is “drastically transforming neighbourhoods” in Athens: Here’s how Greece wants to clamp down
Derek Gatopoulos Euro News (No paywall)Hotel owners have complained that holiday rentals now outnumber hotel rooms. Lawmakers in Greece are debating tough new rules for holiday rentals in a bid to crackdown on overtourism. Under the proposed changes renovated warehouses, underground spaces and former industrial properties will be removed from rental websites like Airbnb. “Basements will no longer be allowed for use. Rental spaces must serve as primary residential use areas, with natural light, ventilation and air conditioning,” Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni told state-run television ahead of the debate.
https://www.euronews.com/travel/2025/01/13/airbnb-is-drastically…
# Hot topic International, .Airbnb criticises Spain’s new rental rules: Data shows crackdowns on owners don’t stem overtourism
Joanna Bailey Euro News (No paywall)Amsterdam brought in new rules for Airbnb hosts in 2022 and the results are revealing. Short-term rental booking platform Airbnb has hit back at Spanish restrictions on rental properties, stressing that they will have severe repercussions for both income and jobs. Citing research undertaken by Oxford Economics in late 2024, Airbnb warns of 400,000 jobs being put at risk by the regulations, alongside almost €30 billion of income. The Spanish government implemented new regulations on short-term rentals on 2 January. Any property owner wishing to rent out their house is now required to be registered in a national database and obtain a permit before they can list their property on booking platforms.
https://www.euronews.com/travel/2025/01/22/airbnb-criticises-spa…
# Hot topic International, Rent.U.S. rents on the rise in 2025
CBS News (No paywall)In January the typical asking price for rent in the United States was close to $2,000 up 0.2% from December and 3.5% from a year ago, according to Zillow. Ronda Kaysen, real estate reporter for the New York Times, joined CBS News to talk about the rising price of rent.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/us-rents-on-the-rise-in-2025/?intc…
# Video International, Rent.Calls for $2 billion cash boost to Centrelink rent assistance as pensioners go without meals: 'To get worse'
Stewart Perrie Yahoo News (No paywall)Significant concerns have been raised about the number of retired Australians struggling in their twilight years as they rent. The Grattan Institute has found two in three older renters - like pensioner Debra Basham - are living in poverty, with the crisis "set to get worse" if the issue isn't addressed. The 67-year-old has missed meals as she doesn't have enough money to cover her bills and feels in a constant state of "struggle". The Grattan Institute has called for another increase to Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA), which last went up in September.
https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/calls-for-2-billion-cash-boost…
# Hot topic, TUNSW in the media Australia, Rent.Hidden victims of council’s 87pc rates hike
Stephen Nicholls realestate.com.au (No paywall)Tenants in North Sydney may face a rent hike and some older home owners “feeling the pinch” forced to sell because of an 87 per cent rise in council rates. A range of experts have “joined the outrage” following North Sydney Council’s decision at a fiery meeting Monday night to increase rates over two years, largely to fund a cost blowout on redeveloping the heritage-listed North Sydney Olympic Pool. Many said the council rate hike would affect property investors the most, encouraging some to sell and others to try to make renters pay for it.
https://www.realestate.com.au/news/north-sydney-rate-hike-tenant…
# TUNSW in the media NSW, Rent.