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
‘Most risky’ certifiers of NSW apartment buildings in watchdog’s sights
Matt O'Sullivan The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Almost a dozen certifiers considered the “most risky” in NSW will be put under intense scrutiny by the state’s construction watchdog as it attempts to instil public confidence in apartment buildings following the Opal and Mascot towers sagas two years ago. Vowing to “shake the tree”, NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler said the regulator had begun audits of 11 of the “most risky certifiers” linked to 59 building projects suffering the most number of defects in Sydney and centres such as Wollongong, Newcastle and Tweed Heads.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/most-risky-certifiers-of-nsw…
# NSW, Housing market, Minimum habitability standards.London golf courses could provide homes for 300,000 people, study says
Patrick Barkham The Guardian (No paywall)London’s golf courses make up an area larger than the borough of Brent and there is enough space on publicly owned courses to house 300,000 people, according to new research. Nearly half of the capital’s 94 active golf courses are owned by London boroughs or other public bodies, such as the Church Commissioners, and yet serve a tiny fraction of the capital’s 9 million residents. ... According to the study, Britain is home to a quarter of all the golf courses in Europe, with one in 20 found in London, despite the capital making up just 0.65% of the UK’s total land area. ... Enfield council is currently consulting over a controversial local plan which includes the release of green belt for 6,000 homes, including at least 3,000 houses around Crews Hill railway station, which currently contains open fields, garden centres – and a golf course.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/aug/26/london-golf-cou…
# International, Housing market, Planning and development.Population growth, regional connectivity, and city planning — international lessons for Australian practice
Nicole Gurran, Ann Forsyth, Michael Darcy, Glen Searle, Caitlin Buckl and Sarah Zou AHURI (No paywall)This study investigated the potential for Australia’s regional areas to attract and sustain population and economic growth, examining international and Australian models for supporting development beyond capital city centres. The project contributes to the wider AHURI Inquiry into population growth, migration and agglomeration and presents Australian and state governments can support these initiatives through strategies to attract and enable firms and public service to locate and remain in second-tier cities. This research employed an evidence review that was conducted on metropolitan and regional governance and planning, to examine how spatial policy, planning and funding interventions can support economic and population growth. This research endorses the international review that highlights opportunities for smaller centres to succeed by specialising on particular economic strengths or locational advantages, provided they are well connected to a larger city and/or regional network. This research also finds potential to better support regional areas through spatial planning and investment strategies, which recognise their unique place-based identity, fostering key specialist areas for growth while preserving and enhancing natural and cultural amenities and high quality of life.
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?pli=1#inbox/WhctKKWxdMZbCnfMMQ…
# Research alert Australia, Planning and development.Big shake-up to state's rental law explained
Effie Zahos 9 News (No paywall)Today finance expert Effie Zahos broke down the new rules around pets in apartments.
https://9now.nine.com.au/today/videos/latest/big-shake-up-to-sta…
# Video NSW, Rent, Strata.What if housing never becomes affordable?
ABC (No paywall)Everyone knows Australian house prices are completely bananas, but understanding why stumps even the experts. So will the current trends continue? And if so, where does that leave renters? Today on The Signal, we ask why our housing market is so weird, and explore one counterintuitive idea about how to improve it. Featured: Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University; Business and Economy Editor, The Conversation; and Co-Presenter, 'The Economists', ABC Radio National
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9…
# Audio Australia, Rent, Housing affordability, Housing market.Sadiq Khan to expand Right to Buy-back fund to house Afghan refugees
Jack Simpson Inside Housing (Paywall)The mayor of London has set out plans to extend his Right to Buy-back fund to secure properties for families resettling in the capital after fleeing Afghanistan. ... Mr Khan also said housing associations should apply for funding for new homes that can be delivered at pace. London, as well as a number of local authorities, have agreed to house those fleeing Afghanistan after the Taliban retook the country two weeks ago. The UK has agreed to take 20,000 refugees as part of a five-year settlement plan, with 5,000 expected to arrive this year.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/sadiq-khan-to-expand-right-…
# International, Public and community housing, Homelessness, International, Local Government, Race and ethnicity.Covid homeless scheme not leading to permanent accommodation, warns charity
Jonathan Blake & Brian Wheeler & Jennifer Scott BBC (No paywall)Fewer than one in four homeless people housed by the government's Everyone In scheme have moved into permanent accommodation, according to figures seen by the BBC. The initiative provided over 37,000 rough sleepers with a place to stay during the pandemic. But housing charity Shelter warned many were still in temporary homes or may even be back on the streets. ... [Freedom of Information requests to every local authority in England] showed more than three quarters of those initially accommodated, around 29,000 people, were in emergency or temporary accommodation, had reconnected with friends or family, or were likely to have returned to the streets. The charity warned the gains from the "watershed" scheme were at risk of being "squandered" if the government - which has pledged to end rough sleeping by the next general election - does not ensure accommodation becomes permanent.
# International, Coronavirus COVID-19, Homelessness, Local Government.Overseas property bargains: Italian country homes selling for $1.50
Hailey Coules Domain (No paywall)If you dream of a more drastic move than a local sea or tree-change and want to call Italy home sweet Rome, this could be the solution for you. According to CNN, historic homes in the town of Maenza are set to hit the market for just one euro. Yep, one euro – that’s about $1.60 Australian. Spend the equivalent of a double-shot latte and buy three. Maenza is located just under an hour and a half from Rome, and it is expected that there will be around 100 houses up for grabs.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/a-slice-of-history-italian-countr…
# Australia, Heritage listings, Housing market, International.