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
Government given warning that raising Section 106 threshold could ‘devastate’ affordable housing supply
Tim Clark Inside Housing (Paywall)From the United Kingdom ... PlaceShapers, which represents more than 100 housing associations across the country, is concerned that the government is considering increasing the threshold for exempting developments from contributing to affordable homes under Section 106 contributions from 10 to 50 homes. Small sites are considered essential to providing affordable homes, and Placeshapers said it has anecdotal evidence of developers already withdrawing submitted plans and resubmitting them as smaller schemes to avoid paying Section 106 contributions.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/government-warned-that…
# International, Affordable housing, Landlords and agents.From homeowners to housemates: Queensland’s hidden population changes
Stuart Layt The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Young adults and those around retirement age are less likely to be the head of their household than people their age six years ago, according to an analysis of Queensland population trends. Ahead of Thursday’s state housing summit, University of Queensland researchers have revealed a landmark shift in the composition of households in certain areas. In the time between the 2016 census and the 2021 census, which were used as the data source for the analysis, young adults and those aged 60-plus became more likely to be living with others and less likely to “lead” their own home.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/queensland/from-homeowners-to-ho…
# Australia, Share houses, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market, Older people, Young people.If a house scored 9 out of 10 for flood risk, would you buy it?
Kate Burke Domain (No paywall)Home buyers steer clear of properties at extreme flood risk when informed of the threat, altering their property search and bidding for lower risk homes, an international study has found. More buyers are factoring climate-change risks into their property decisions, but making risk data more accessible could more quickly shift buyer behaviour, experts say, and encourage upgrades to properties.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/if-a-house-scored-9-out-of-…
# Australia, Housing market, International.Council says it was not warned of land resumption for Bruce Highway when it approved new estate
Elizabeth Cramsie ABC (No paywall)A Queensland council says it was not warned homes in a new housing development could be resumed for Bruce Highway upgrades, when plans were assessed by the state government two years ago. Homeowners in the new Aspire development in Griffin, north of Brisbane, this week got an email from the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) saying planning had "identified a future land requirement". "We intend to proceed with protected planning over the full property," the notice said. All home lots in the development have been purchased and many residents only moved in within the past three months, while other houses are at varying stages of completion. Also, read the same journalist's article entitled: 'Queensland homeowners told land needed for Bruce Highway upgrade hours after getting keys to Griffin house' on the ABC at: [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-19/qld-home-owners-angry-bruce-highway-update-land-resumption/101549992].
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-20/qld-moreton-bay-council-u…
# Australia, Home ownership, Personal stories, Planning and development.Keating gives Perrottet’s stamp duty reform thumbs up
Lucy Cormack and Alexandra Smith The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Premier Dominic Perrottet’s political mentor Paul Keating says stamp duty should be replaced with a property tax to make it easier for people to move homes despite NSW Labor’s refusal to back an overhaul of the tax scheme. The former Labor prime minister said the state government’s policy to give first home buyers the option of paying an annual tax instead of stamp duty was a positive step to help young people attain homeownership.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/keating-gives-perrottet-s-st…
# NSW, Home ownership, Housing affordability, State Government, Tax.Barangaroo: From the Hungry Mile to Australia’s most expensive neighbourhood
Lucy Macken Domain (No paywall)Long before Barangaroo drew the designer eye of some of the world’s top architects and the glittering towers they built lured the uber-rich from around the world, the foreshore was better known for the Hungry Mile, a barren roadway named after the queues of workers who sought work on the docklands during the Great Depression. There were few residents, but in neighbouring Millers Point there were an estimated 300 public housing properties to house Sydney’s neediest citizenry. Not any more. A selloff of public housing by the state government means that generations of working-class locals no longer live in the historic sandstone terraces. But the money being splashed around in Millers Point – $5 million for a rundown terrace, up to $10 million for a double-fronted one with views – is a fraction of that at Barangaroo. There, Crown’s distinctive One Barangaroo tower – designed by international architectural firm WilkinsonEyre – dominates the skyline, and Lendlease’s trio of towers, designed by acclaimed architect Renzo Piano and known collectively as One Sydney Harbour, is fast taking shape. The tallest of Lendlease’s buildings, known as Residences One, is not due for completion until early next year, but it already claims Australia’s most expensive residential sale of $140 million. [Read on] Also, read Michael Koziol's article entitled: 'Old enemies cop it sweet in Keating and Perrottet’s architecture double act' in 'The Sydney Morning Herald' at: [https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/old-enemies-cop-it-sweet-in-perrottet-and-keating-s-architecture-double-act-20221020-p5brdi.html]. Read Margot Saville's opinion piece entitled: 'Barangaroo stole our skyline and belittled the Opera House' in 'The Sydney Morning Herald' at: [https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/barangaroo-stole-our-skyline-and-belittled-the-opera-house-20221018-p5bqs7.html] You will find a link to 15 stories under the heading: 'The verdict on Barangaroo' at: [https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/barangaroo-ten-years-on-20221013-p5bpfy.html].
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/barangaroo-from-the-hungry-…
# NSW, Public and community housing, Heritage listings, Housing market, Planning and development, Sydney.Calls for Queensland to end 25-year locked-in property management contracts amid rising body corporate costs
Audrey Courty ABC (No paywall)Rising tensions between Queensland homeowners and property managers over locked-in management rights contracts lasting up to 25 years will be raised at the state government's housing summit today amid concerns of rising body corporate fees.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-20/qld-housing-summit-body-c…
# Australia, Strata, Landlords and agents.Perth rental crisis: Families’ heartbreaking pleas as they face possibility of being homeless
(Paywall)FIFO workers are among Perth’s new army of homeless. Katherine Houareau, who works as a truck driver at a mine site in Leinster, is scrambling to find a new rental home for herself and her two kids. (The West Australian)
https://thewest.com.au/features/the-sunday-times-long-reads/pert…
# Australia, Rent, Homelessness.