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
Concerns for Sydney tenants if lockdown continues
Emily Hutchinson (No paywall)As Sydney residents wait to hear whether a two-week lockdown will end on 9 July as planned, tenancy advocates warn an extension could push some renters into financial difficulty.
https://www.realestate.com.au/news/concerns-for-sydney-tenants-i…
# TUNSW in the media NSW, Privacy and access, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19.Landlords who leave homes empty could face 400 per cent council super-tax
Chris Gee (No paywall)From the United Kingdom ... Landlords who leave homes empty for long periods could be hit with a 400 per cent council super-tax. Bury Council has put aside £1m to acquire homes which have stood empty for more than six months and plans to convert them to affordable housing. There are more than 1,000 properties in the borough which have stood empty for more than six months and 500 of those have been vacant for more than two years. (Manchester Evening News)
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-…
# International, Affordable housing, Housing market, Landlords and agents.Families face life on the street as shocking new numbers reveal depth of WA housing crisis
Marta Pascual Juanola The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)While Australia’s individual wealth is rising to record heights off the back of booming residential property prices and low interests rates, the number of West Australians staring into the homelessness abyss has skyrocketed.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/western-australia/families-face-…
# Australia, Eviction, Public and community housing, Coronavirus COVID-19, Health, Homelessness, Housing market, No-grounds evictions.Unfair housing
Today, Explained (No paywall)A housing watchdog says real estate companies often discriminate against low-income tenants who use federal rental assistance. Now it’s suing. (Vox)
https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/VMP5705694065?selected=VMP63390…
# Audio International, Federal Government, Housing market.With housing prices going up and up, anyone in the housing market is absolutely sorted!
First Dog on the Moon The Guardian (No paywall)If you’re not in the housing market you should do what I did and work hard! I had 3 jobs ... 'Meanwhile Jonty there are MPs in parliament who own more than 20 properties ...' [You can check this out at: [https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Members/Register]
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jul/05/with-housi…
# Australia, Federal Government, Housing market, Landlords and agents.Council backs no 180 day cap on short-term rental accommodation in the Bega Valley
Ellouise Bailey+ (No paywall)Earlier this year, the NSW Department of Planning, Environment and Industry announced that short-term rental accommodation (STRA) in Bega Valley Shire would be subject to a 180-day cap from November 2021. ... [At the June 30 Council meeting] Bega Valley Shire Councillors resolved to not to cap short-term rental accommodation in the Valley. They also resolved to write to the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment to advise of their position and advocate for effective measures to address the shortage of permanent rental accommodation across the shire. "Council's resolution aims to balance long term housing needs with short-term or holiday rentals," said Director of Community, Environment and Planning Dr Alice Howe. "The resolution means there will be no limit to how many nights people can rent their properties for short-term accommodation throughout the year, supporting the tourism industry which is critical to our shire."
https://www.begadistrictnews.com.au/story/7323376/council-backs-…
# NSW, Rent, Housing market, Regional NSW, Short-term holiday letting.Retirees flock to reverse mortgages to tap equity in their homes
John Collett The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The number of participants in the federal government’s reverse mortgage scheme has grown more than five-fold in less than two years as more retirees tap the equity tied up in their homes to pay for living expenses.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/planning-and-budgeting/retirees-flo…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership, Older people.'Read my words': mother's plea after Sunshine Coast rental crisis slams the door on her family
36-year-old mother of two children aged 15 and 10 (No paywall)This is an open letter to Sunshine Coast residents. The writer wishes to remain anonymous, but has supplied her name and contacts to Sunshine Coast News. We thought this story deserved to be shared and was best told in her heartfelt words … We had been renting this property for 10 months and our lease was soon to expire when, about eight weeks ago, we were advised that the landlord would be moving in, therefore we would not be able to renew our lease as intended. Common story for most renters at the moment. Am I right? ... I’ve heard stories of landlords using this excuse as a means to get the tenants out ‘without grounds,’ only afterwards the evicted tenants see the home listed at a much higher price. I can only hope that my landlord has a heart and is an honest human being and, if not, I’d rather not know about it. ... Today, for 30 per cent of my income, in this area I would be lucky to score a single room in a share house with a bunch of strangers and be forced to bunk up with my teenage son, my pre-teen daughter — sadly our beloved family pets would be so far out of the picture it’s devastating. ... [The alternative is that I'll be] living in a town where I don’t know anyone, have no family or social support, don’t feel remotely safe, won’t be getting any sleep for all of the above reasons, and have to drive 3 – 4 hours each day costing an additional $150-200 p/w that (I’m fully prepared to spend on rent rather than travel) costs more financially, regardless of the cost to the mental health and safety of me and my children but hey, it beats homelessness and living in tent city. Or does it? (Sunshine Coast News)
https://www.sunshinecoastnews.com.au/2021/07/07/sunshine-coast-r…
# Australia, Rent, Homelessness, Housing market, Landlords and agents, Personal stories, Women.