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
Darling House, The Rocks
(No paywall)The moment Dr Shane Moran first saw Darling House in 2016 and discovered the significant provenance of the heritage listed Dawes Point property, his vision began forming. Today, that vision has been realised with every magnificent detail captured and brought to life for seven very fortunate residents. But back in 2016 this property, owned by the NSW Land and Housing Corporation, was part of the NSW Government's sell-off of public housing stock in Millers Point. Check out its story at: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darling_House,_Millers_Point]. Check out 'Farewell Darling House' at: [https://millerspointcommunity.com.au/2063-2/]. Check out its sale in 2016 at: [https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-millers+point-121739534].
# NSW, Public and community housing, Heritage listings, Housing market.Three landlords tried kicking her out in one year. Can she last much longer?
Kyle Swenson (No paywall)From United States ... Here now was another stranger at her door telling her to go. A property manager hired by the new landlord, he said. Patricia Mendoza had never seen him before, but she could guess what he was about to say. Legal terms and numbers. Friendly offers and veiled threats. He would be searching, trial and error, for the right combination of words that, like a magic spell, would make her disappear. “Okay,” the property manager said. “You haven’t paid rent since December, right? So December, January, February. Three months.” He explained that the new owner, who had purchased in December, was planning to renovate all four of the units. But Mendoza had heard it before. (Washington Post)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/05/06/eviction-noti…
# International, Eviction, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19.There will be 150,000 new homes in Sydney in four years. More than 200 suburbs will get none of them
Nigel Gladestone The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)More than 150,000 dwellings are forecast to be built across Sydney in the next four years but more than a quarter of the city’s suburbs will be untouched by the development. NSW Department of Planning forecasters estimate between 132,800 and 171,200 new homes will be built in Sydney by 2025, reflecting continued uncertainty due to COVID-19. But no new homes are forecast to be built in 223 Sydney suburbs.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/there-will-be-150-000-new-ho…
# NSW, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market, Planning and development, State Government.Black Summer bushfire survivors who lost houses face years-long waits to rebuild
Melissa Heagney Domain (No paywall)Bushfire survivors in Victoria and NSW are being forced to wait for up to two years to rebuild the homes they lost as the property boom fuels a massive shortfall in builders and building supplies. It’s a problem facing thousands of homeowners in regional areas, after the Black Summer bushfires at the end of 2019 and start of 2020 destroyed 2448 homes in NSW and more than 700 in Victoria.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/black-summer-bushfire-survivors-w…
# NSW, Housing market, Regional NSW.New mural celebrates local connections
Marjorie Lewis-Jones(No paywall)
Annandale-based artist Sharon Billinge has been collaborating with Darlington and Redfern locals to create a vibrant new mural to be completed in early May. ... [It features] three main portraits. Aunty Beryl Van-Oploo who set up the hospitality courses that operated out of Yaama Dhiyann and which specialised in Indigenous culture and cuisine, and who currently works at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence; Dame Marie Bashir former Chancellor of Sydney University and Governor of New South Wales; and students from The Settlement Neighbourhood Centre, which provides a range of programs for children, young people and families. (South Sydney Herald)
https://southsydneyherald.com.au/new-mural-celebrates-local-conn…
# NSW, Local Government, Strong communities.A week in the life of… a supported housing and tenancy support officer
Jess McCabe Inside Housing (Paywall)From the United Kingdom ... Kathleen Hughes works on the frontline at Welsh housing association Adra, supporting people across North Wales. Her neighbourhood services job is split into two roles, working three days a week as a supported housing officer, covering tenants and sheltered sites, and two days as a tenancy support officer, where she supports vulnerable people to stay in their homes
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/insight/a-week-in-the-li…
# International, Public and community housing, Families.Frydenberg promises housing breaks in ‘pandemic budget’
Michelle Grattan The Conversation (No paywall)In measures on housing, [the Federal Government] will increase from $30,000 to $50,000 the maximum amount of voluntary contributions aspiring home buyers can take from the First Home Super Saver Scheme. This scheme allows people to make voluntary contributions to superannuation to save for their first home. At present these contributions are capped at $15,000 a year and $30,000 in total. With the rise in house prices, the current cap on the amount that can be released is a diminishing proportion of the deposit needed. There will also be another 10,000 places added to the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme, which can only be used for new housing. This means-tested measure allows first home buyers to build a new home or buy a newly-built one with a deposit of as little as 5%.
https://theconversation.com/frydenberg-promises-housing-breaks-i…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership.Buyers seek slice of heaven in regional church sales
By Benjamin Preiss and Jackson Graham The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Churches are hot property in regional Victoria where housing prices have boomed. Many with declining or no congregations have been sold and converted into private residences.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/buyers-seek-slice-of-he…
# Australia, Housing market.