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
Immigrant advocates call for LA County Board of Supervisors to increase rent protections amid immigration crackdown
Julie Sharp CBS News (No paywall)Local immigrant advocates are asking for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to consider housing stability for immigrant community members ahead of Tuesday's meeting, as the board is scheduled to discuss an increase in the county's tenant eviction threshold. The motion under review notes that the county continues to face a "profound housing affordability crisis," with immigrant communities especially hard hit as they face the Trump administration's stepped-up federal immigration enforcement operation.
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/immigrant-advocates-la-c…
# Hot topic International, .‘We got lazy and complacent’: Swedish pensioners explain how abolishing the wealth tax changed their country
Miranda Sheild Johansson The Conversation (No paywall)For much of the 20th century, Sweden enjoyed a justifiable reputation as one of Europe’s most egalitarian countries. Yet over the past two decades, it has transformed into what journalist and author Andreas Cervenka calls a “paradise for the super-rich”. Today, Sweden has one of the world’s highest ratios of dollar billionaires, and is home to numerous “unicorn” startup companies worth at least US$1 billion (£742 million), including the payment platform Klarna and audio streaming service Spotify.
https://theconversation.com/we-got-lazy-and-complacent-swedish-p…
# International, .Temporary accommodation in England is ‘torture’ for neurodivergent children, report finds
Jessica Murray The Guardian (No paywall)Neurodivergent children living in temporary accommodation (TA) in England are subjected to conditions that amount to “torture”, and the harm it causes them is “psychologically excruciating” and a form of “child cruelty”, a report has found. The report by King’s College London through the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for households in temporary accommodation, found that while living in TA was damaging for any child, it had a particularly severe impact on neurodivergent children and those with special education needs and disabilities (Send).
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jan/27/temporary-accomm…
# International, Discrimination.‘Palaces’ for the people in Vienna are not so far fetched, but do Australians have the right values to create similar homes?
Steve Ford The Fifth Estate (No paywall)On my study tour of Europe, examining challenges and solutions for housing the population, it was clear that Vienna is in a class of its own. It didn’t happen overnight. It has taken an enormous strength of character to maintain, and it has had to overcome more challenges than most cities. The results are jaw dropping – a great demonstration of appropriate long term policy settings, investment and adherence to the principle that housing is a right (not a privilege).
https://thefifthestate.com.au/columns/spinifex/palaces-for-the-p…
# International, .'My rent almost doubled, it was a harrowing experience'
Eden McLeod BBC (No paywall)When Chris Cullen's landlord wanted to almost double the rent on his Edinburgh flat last year, the 34-year-old says he faced an extremely depressing situation. "It was a really harrowing experience to think to yourself, 'do I need to actually go home to live with my mum in a two up, two down?'," he told the BBC. In the end, after a long search, Chris and his partner had to move to a place much further out of the city centre, which led to him also changing jobs. "It's just a complete upheaval," he says. "It's like moving to a different city. "Socially it was bad as well. We had loads of friends in the area, we were just part of the community there."
# NSW, Eviction, Rent.Teachers in England driving homeless pupils to school and washing clothes, research shows
Geraldine McKelvie The Guardian (No paywall)Schools are regularly referring homeless children to food banks, driving them to classes and washing their clothes, according to research. A survey conducted by the housing charity Shelter and NASUWT, also known as the Teachers’ Union, asked 11,000 teachers about their experiences of working with children living in temporary accommodation. There are now a record 175,025 children in temporary housing in England, according to the most recent government figures. Many families affected are living in B&Bs, hostels and overcrowded flats.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jan/25/teachers-in-engl…
# International, .Reform UK council chair resigns after ‘illegally renting out unsafe properties’
Neha Gohil The Guardian (No paywall)A Reform UK council chair has resigned after it was found he was illegally running two unsafe rental properties, according to a neighbouring local authority. Edward Harris, the chair of Warwickshire county council, owned two unlicensed houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in Staffordshire that had “multiple serious safety failures”, according to Labour-led Tamworth borough council. In a statement on Thursday announcing his resignation as chair and as a member of Reform UK, Harris said he took “full accountability” for the condition of the homes and “made public my contrition for the situation and willingness to correct everything under my responsibilities as owner of those two properties”.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/29/reform-council-c…
# International, Security and safety.Renoviction but no renovation?
Zuzia Buszewicz Tenants' Union of NSW (No paywall)Being asked to leave a place you have called home is an awful experience. Thankfully, no one renting in NSW has to move out without at least knowing why, because as of 19 May 2025, ‘no grounds’ evictions are unlawful. This means that the landlord must have a valid legal reason to end your tenancy. One of such reasons is a termination for significant renovations or repairs. These have been given the name of 'renovictions' after renters in Canada started experiencing a wave of both legitimate and illegitimate claims.
# Research alert NSW, Eviction, Repairs.