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.
Our main email newsletter, Tenant News is sent once every two months. You can subscribe or update your subscription preferences for any of our email newsletters here.
See notes about the Digest and a list of other contributors here. Many thanks to those contributors for sharing links with us.
We love sharing the news and hope you find it informative! We're very happy to deliver it for free, but if you find it valuable, can you help cover the extra costs incurred by making a donation?
Archive
Electrify 2515 plan to subsidise renewable energy, EV car lease in Illawarra suburb
Nick McLaren, Melinda James, and Jessica Clifford ABC (No paywall)Low carbon emission enthusiasts have launched a scheme to create a fully electrified community, located in the northern Illawarra south of Sydney. A call has gone out for homes in the postcode 2515 — covering Thirroul, Austinmer, Coledale, Wombarra Scarborough and Clifton — to sign up and potentially receive financial subsidies to convert to solar panels and install a battery, electric cooking, heating, hot water and lease an electric car.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-03/plans-to-electrify-illawa…
# NSW, Utilities electricity water gas, Climate change, Regional NSW.Landlords need to move with the times - their tenants have had to
Ian Bushnell (No paywall)It’s time for the property industry to accept that the rental landscape has irrevocably changed, partly due to the policies it has championed and benefited from for the past 25 years. It is no coincidence that the rate of home ownership has fallen and continues to slide in this country at the same time tax settings favouring property investors and the sourcing of income from rents have become set in stone. The industry argues that negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts are vital to the provision of rental properties, but this has led to a whole new class of investors who had the capacity to bid up prices which, together with government first-home buyer grants, have led to Australia having one of the most expensive housing markets on the planet. [Read on] (Riotact)
https://the-riotact.com/landlords-need-to-move-with-the-times-th…
# Australia, Rent, Federal Government, Housing market, Landlords and agents, Tax.South Australia's public housing shortage worsens, as number of people on waiting list reaches 17,000
Candice Prosser and Rebecca Opie ABC (No paywall)Work has began on the first stages of the South Australian government's plan to build 400 new public houses as advocates say the housing shortage is worsening by the day. There are 17,000 people on the waiting list for public housing in South Australia, with nearly 4,000 of those in category one, deemed in urgent need of shelter. The state government has budgeted $177 million on its plan to build 400 new public houses across metropolitan Adelaide and regional South Australia.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-31/south-australian-public-h…
# Australia, Public and community housing, State Government.Banks are winding back mortgage amounts as interest rates continue to rise
Emilia Terzon ABC (No paywall)Property prices may be dropping but that doesn't mean that wannabe home owners are suddenly celebrating. Lenders are simultaneously winding back how much people can borrow for mortgages as they factor in higher interest rate repayments and cost of living pressures.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-02/rba-cash-rate-interest-ba…
# Australia, Home ownership, Housing market.RBA increases to interest rates mean home buyers who bought at the peak are facing rapidly rising mortgage repayments
Lily Thomson ABC (No paywall)While some Australians may rejoice at the idea of a drop in house prices, interest rate rises mean home owners face the prospect of their asset dropping in value at the same time their mortgage repayments steadily increase. And those who bought recently, at the peak of the market, are more likely to have the most left to pay off on their loans, meaning interest rate rises will cause them the most pain.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-02/rba-rate-rise-puts-pressu…
# Australia, Home ownership, Housing market.Why buyers are dropping out of the running before auction day
Kate Burke Domain (No paywall)Rapidly rising interest rates, reduced borrowing power and a fear of overpaying are shaking the confidence of home buyers and prompting more house hunters to delay purchases. Industry figures say they are seeing more buyers bow out of the market amid signs of further price falls while others are pulling out of auctions at the last minute because of changes to their financing.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/why-buyers-are-dropping-out…
# Australia, Home ownership, Housing market.My living room is shaking and the noise is driving me up the wall – yes, developers have moved in next door
Arwa Mahdawi The Guardian (No paywall)I was feeling smug about fleeing New York for more space in Philadelphia – until I found out about their construction laws. ... A little sleuthing revealed that the house [next door] was owned by a property developer (he describes himself online as a “maverick”) who had a permit to turn it into apartments. That meant demolishing the interior of the original house and adding a three-storey addition in the back garden. Nice for him, I suppose. Not so nice for my toddler’s nap schedule or, since I work from home, my sanity. I mentioned these concerns when the developer showed up at our door a few weeks ago to tell us that demolition was about to start. “Ah, it won’t be so bad,” he said. “This project is bringing up the neighbourhood!” He then hopped in his car and fled the neighbourhood.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/02/living-roo…
# International, Landlords and agents, Planning and development.'I'm poor but it doesn't mean I deserve to be cold,' Berkeley woman says
Loise Negline Illawarra Mercury (Paywall)Aeryn Brown has been living in a Housing NSW unit, in Berkeley, for more than a decade but says it’s not insulated and she is freezing. “I wear socks and have to wrap myself up in a blanket to stay warm. “I sleep in a hoodie, under a quilt, with three extra blankets so I don’t freeze to death,” she said.
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/7839605/im-poor-but-it…
# NSW, Public and community housing, Minimum habitability standards, Regional NSW.