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
‘Arbitrary metrics’: Government and developers face off over green space
Angus Thompson The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Green space has emerged as a key battleground between the NSW government and property developers over reforms to boost the design standards of apartment blocks as the industry fights for larger buildings and fewer trees.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/arbitrary-metrics-government…
# NSW, Planning and development, State Government.Retiree home ownership is about to plummet. Soon little more than half will own where they live
Brendan Coates and Tony Chen The Conversation (No paywall)This article was published two years ago, but it is worth revisiting ... Australia’s retirement incomes system has been built on the assumption that most retirees would own their home outright. But new Grattan Institute modelling shows the share of over 65s who own their home will fall from 76% today to 57% by 2056 – and it’s likely that less than half of low-income retirees will own their homes in future, down from more than 70% today. ... Our 2018 report Money in Retirement showed that while Australia’s retirement income system is working well for the vast majority of retirees, it’s at risk of failing those who rent. They are more than twice as likely as homeowners to suffer financial stress ...
https://theconversation.com/retiree-home-ownership-is-about-to-p…
# Australia, Rent, Home ownership, Older people.Labour conference backs pledge to build 150,000 social homes per year
Lucie Heath Inside Housing (Paywall)From the United Kingdom ... Labour conference delegates have voted in favour of a housing motion that included the pledges to enshrine the right to housing in law and to build 150,000 social homes per year. ... Shadow housing secretary Lucy Powell appeared open to the idea in her speech to the conference yesterday, stating that “housing as a human right” would be “at the heart of our new settlement”. While the UK has an obligation under international law to ensure citizens enjoy a human right to housing, yesterday’s motion said enshrining this right in domestic law “would help to eradicate homelessness, and could avert housing problems for people in all tenures”.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/labour-conference-back…
# International, Public and community housing, Homelessness, Human rights.Activists and attorneys: Landlords cannot refuse ERAP funding
Susan Arbetter (No paywall)From New York ... Lawmakers returned to Albany in August for an extraordinary session of the state Legislature to extend New York's eviction moratorium to Jan. 15. Lawmakers also included a provision that allowed landlords to contest hardship claims by tenant in court. It was a necessary fix in order to comply with a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that said part of New York's eviction moratorium was unconstitutional. To fix the issue, tenants now must document the financial strain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic instead of just signing a declaration. But according to Cea Weaver, campaign coordinator at Housing Justice for All, if a landlord ultimately refuses to accept emergency rental assistance program (ERAP) money for qualified tenants, it’s considered a form of housing discrimination. (State of Politics) You can check out the current state of play with rent moratoriums around the world at: [https://bit.ly/3qwHS2Q]
https://nystateofpolitics.com/state-of-politics/new-york/politic…
# Hot topic International, Eviction, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Landlords and agents, State Government.'Ballistic' property market creates hurdles for independent disability housing sector
Dominic Cansdale ABC (No paywall)Queensland's competitive housing market has added further pressure to the disability accommodation sector, as providers look to address a "new century" of support that emphasises independent living. Endeavour Foundation has committed $45 million over four years towards building accessible housing — the largest investment in its 70-year history.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-29/ballistic-market-creates-…
# Australia, Public and community housing, Disability, Housing market.Vale Jack Carnegie: a champion of the inner-city environment
Hall Greenland (No paywall)Jack Carnegie, who died earlier this month, was a champion of the inner city environment. He will be forever immortalised as the leader of the campaign which led to Green Bans Park in Erskineville. His role in that battle is recognised with a plaque at the entrance to the park. Another successful battle was the preservation of the public housing in Erskineville when it was threatened with a private/public makeover.
https://cityhubsydney.com.au/2021/09/vale-jack-carnegie-a-champi…
# NSW, Public and community housing, Climate change, Heritage listings, Personal stories, Planning and development.House prices in tourist hotspots increasingly out of reach for young and low paid
(No paywall)From the United Kingdom ... Rising house prices and private rents mean that some workers are at risk of being priced out of living in rural and coastal areas, contributing to skill shortages in the tourism and hospitality industries that their local economies rely on. (Office of National Statistics)
https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/articles…
# Research alert International, Rent, Housing affordability, Housing market, Work, employment, Young people.Power to the People
Mark Mordue (No paywall)“The inner west is the boarding house capital of Australia.” So says Liz Yeo, CEO of Newtown Neighbourhood Centre. She’s down in Marrickville to pick up hampers from our Food Relief Hub. Soon enough a conversation between Yeo and Addi Road CEO Rosanna Barbero sparks ideas for a national campaign against inequality – and with it, a demand for a basic living wage. Yeo believes that “this is the moment for local action”. ... Food relief. Eviction moratoriums. Cancelling the debt on rental arrears during the pandemic. Restructuring our society with a basic living wage and greatly expanded, quality social housing. Addison Road Community Organisation and Newtown Neighbourhood Centre are talking. So are many others. (Addi Road)
# NSW, Public and community housing, Rent, Campaigns and law reform, Coronavirus COVID-19, Families, Health.