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
One significant voice is absent from Sydney housing debate
Samuel Austin The Sydney Morning Herald (No paywall)As residents, developers and governments argue over how and where to build new housing in Sydney, one important voice is not being heard: the voice of the future resident.
In its current state, the NSW planning system doesn’t give democratic weight to the voice, needs and rights of the future residents. The young adults leaving the nest, interstate soul searchers moving for their next job, or international migrants bravely plunging into unfamiliar territory to better their lives, are scarcely represented when we talk about constructing new townhouses and apartments across the city.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/one-significant-voice-is-abs…
# NSW, Housing affordability, Housing market, Planning and development, State Government.As Western Sydney residents grapple with climate change, they want political action
Declan Kuch, Malini Sur, Stephen Healy, Sukhmani Khorana The Conversation (No paywall)Western Sydney is being developed rapidly, increasing its already high vulnerability to climate change. One day in January 2020, Penrith was the hottest place on Earth. Residents who have endured searing heat, bushfires, heavy rain, floods and huge damage bills in recent years are now a political force.
In addition to being overwhelmed by such events, residents sometimes feel they are not heard. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, essential workers in Western Sydney felt alienated and over-policed, and demanded their predicaments be taken into account. In the recent federal election, local candidates gained traction due to their trusted presence in the community.
https://theconversation.com/as-western-sydney-residents-grapple-…
# Research alert NSW, Climate change, Health, Home, Minimum habitability standards, State Government, Sydney.The NSW Coalition said it 'slashed' the social housing waitlist. Is that correct?
RMIT ABC Fact Check ABC (No paywall)As the Reserve Bank lifts interest rates and the cost of renting climbs, the issue of affordable housing has featured in the NSW election campaign.
New South Wales Treasurer Matt Kean defended the Coalition's record after Labor pointed to official data showing an increase in the number of people waiting for social housing.
"What Labor's not telling you is the waitlist was higher under them," Mr Kean tweeted on January 10. "We've slashed that waitlist and set up a $1.1bn social and affordable housing fund to deliver thousands of new homes."
So, has the Coalition slashed the social housing waiting list since coming to power?
RMIT ABC Fact Check crunches the numbers.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-09/fact-check-nsw-coalition-…
# NSW, Public and community housing, Campaigns and law reform, Homes NSW, State Government.‘We’ve got a housing fix, tax tax tax the rich’: Protesters hold rally condemning housing crisis
Christine Lai City Hub (No paywall)Two hundred people gathered outside of Sydney Town Hall on Friday evening to protest the ongoing housing crisis which has seen skyrocketing rent, rental vacancies at an all-time low and many people facing homelessness.
USyd Education Officer Yasmine Johnson chaired the rally and read a statement on behalf of UNSW Education Officer Cherish Kuehlmann, an activist who was arrested for protesting against the Commonwealth Bank and the Reserve Bank of Australia last week.
Kuehlmann was supposed to host the housing crisis speak out but was unable to attend due to her bail conditions, which mean that she is unable to be within 2km of Town Hall.
https://cityhubsydney.com.au/2023/02/housing-crisis-rally-marche…
# NSW, Campaigns and law reform, State Government, Students.‘Web of lies’: how scammers are taking advantage of Australia’s tight rental market
Cait Kelly The Guardian (No paywall)Like many, Aven was desperately looking for a house.
Last October, the 21-year-old was frantically applying for dozens of rental properties – attending inspections, putting in applications and becoming increasingly stressed by the string of rejections.
When a landlord they had messaged about a previous property got in contact again to say they knew someone looking for a tenant, Aven, who did not want their last name used, jumped at the offer.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/04/web-of-li…
# TUNSW in the media Australia, Housing affordability, Housing market, Landlords and agents, State Government.Living in a basement with no windows. Life in a 12-person share house during Australia's rental crisis
Jennifer Luu SBS (No paywall)When Rachel (not her real name) moved out of home at 19, she didn’t expect her share house to be quite so bad.
Twelve people lived in the house in Sydney’s inner west. It was cramped, dirty and filled with junk.
It originally had only five bedrooms, but four extra bedrooms were later added, including a tiny attic.
“You couldn’t extend your arms fully if you were standing in the room,” Rachel told The Feed.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-feed/article/living-in-a-basemen…
# Must read Australia, Share houses, Homelessness, Housing affordability, Landlords and agents, Minimum habitability standards.As the rental market tightens, young people are facing greater barriers to find share housing
Kate Ashton ABC (No paywall)Aretha was excited to move into their first share house in Melbourne's north-east in January this year.
The 22-year-old university student was looking forward to living with friends, saving money and building a rental history after previously living in student housing.
But only a couple of weeks after moving in, Aretha and their three housemates were notified they would have to vacate their Fairfield share house because the owner wanted to renovate the property.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-03/rental-market-share-house…
# Australia, Share houses, Landlords and agents, Renting culture, Sub-letting, Young people.Unstable housing has held me back all my life – Australia needs a genuine safety net
Mel Powersmith The Guardian (No paywall)I’m 32 years old. I come from a disadvantaged background. I’ve been on youth allowance, newstart (now called jobseeker), and I’m now in receipt of the disability support pension.
On Wednesday I am giving evidence at a Senate inquiry into the government’s housing Australia future fund legislation.
Over my life, I’ve made it from living on youth allowance to living on the minimum wage, which is better than what some people have – but it was hard to get here. My life was merely about survival until I received a payment closer to the Henderson poverty line.
Unstable housing has impeded my progress in life.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/15/unstable-h…
# Must read Australia, Eviction, Campaigns and law reform, Federal Government, Personal stories, Welfare.