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
Global shortages, HomeBuilder demand causing building delays and price rises
Matthew Doran ABC (No paywall)A sharp increase in global demand for building products during the COVID-19 pandemic has caused price rises and delays on Australian construction sites and is prompting calls for changes to the federal government's HomeBuilder scheme.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-25/building-delays-homebuild…
# Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Federal Government, Housing market.Who’s who of East Melbourne object to luxury apartments
Simon Johanson The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Low-profile developer Harold Handelsman is joining the rush to build luxury boutique apartments in leafy East Melbourne, overcoming a who’s who list of objectors on the way.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/who-s-who-of-east-melb…
# Australia, Planning and development.Construction industry scrambles for tradies, materials amid HomeBuilder boom
Noel Towell The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The popularity of the federal government’s HomeBuilder stimulus program is causing headaches for Victorian builders, who say they are struggling to hire tradies and get hold of key construction materials.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/construction-industr…
# Australia, Federal Government, Housing market.The things you never told me ....
Giles Peaker (No paywall)This was a claim in negligent misstatement brought by Ms J. ... The brief facts – in 2014 Ms J was looking into a mutual exchange with the tenant of a ground floor flat in Finsbury Park. This was one of two flats in a Victorian terrace, both tenanted and for which L&Q were the landlord. An L&Q housing officer, Ms James took on providing assistance for the exchange, including preparation of legal documents. [Ms J.] asked Ms James to provide her with some background on the property and asked: “…if there were any complaints or Anti-Social Behaviour on the system? Ms. James said: “There is nothing that I can see on the system.” ... However, Ms J, who is black, faced racist abuse and threats from the upstairs neighbours from the start of the tenancy ... It transpired that L&Q did indeed have information about ASB relating to the flat on their system. A previous tenant of the flat (not the one exchanging), a black man with learning difficulties, had also suffered racist abuse. ... Total damages of £31,000. (Nearly Legal: Housing Law News and Comment)
https://nearlylegal.co.uk/2020/12/the-things-you-never-told-me/?…
# Legal significance International, Rent, Landlords and agents, Neighbours.Shelter NSW March 2021 e-Bulletin
(No paywall)During March, we have stretched ourselves across the micro and macro of the housing system – from thinking about social housing as critical, national infrastructure; and the plans for the future Western Sydney Airport; right through to supporting residents, tenants and allies in communities like Glebe. Of course our concern for tenants in the private rental markets continues to rise. The next few weeks will see the end of Commonwealth Covid19 income support and we fear, a great risk of increased evictions and homelessness.
https://mailchi.mp/shelternsw/shelter-nsw-march-2021-ebulletin?e…
# Must read NSW, Campaigns and law reform.Why Landlords Target Mothers for Eviction
Bryce Covert (No paywall)Mothers are being evicted far more frequently than other Americans. This is the hidden story of America's looming housing crisis. (The New Republic) ... [Patricia] Mendoza is one of the 10 million Americans currently at risk of eviction. More often than not, they are mothers. Having children is the single greatest predictor of whether someone will face eviction. It can be difficult to make rent and support a family, especially for women of color, who on average are paid less than white women, and single mothers living on one paycheck.
https://newrepublic.com/article/161578/landlords-target-mothers-…
# Hot topic International, Eviction, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Women.The land battle being compared to The Castle
Nat Wallace 9 News (Paywall)Lawyers are likening the plight of a bunch of small-town battling retirees to that of Darryl Kerrigan in the iconic Australian film The Castle. The residents of the Coolah Caravan Park, five hours north west of Sydney, say they are facing homelessness after "accidentally" finding out the land they thought they owned had been sold from under their feet. It has prompted a showdown in the Supreme Court, which will cost them most of their life savings. (ACA) You will find a summary of their plight in Outasite Issue 6 on p15: '... home owners were shocked to discover their company title scheme had been changed back into a land lease community without their knowledge. The home owners were presented with residential site agreements and a large site fee increase and told they could either agree or leave.' Viewed at: [https://www.tenants.org.au/thenoticeboard/news/shifting-sands] You will find more on Shelter NSW's website at: [https://shelternsw.org.au/news_items/coolah-home-base-webinar/]
https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/aussie-small-town-reti…
# Video NSW, Land lease communities, Home ownership, Regional NSW.Homelessness in U.S. Rose for 4th Straight Year, Report Says
Glenn Thrush The New York Times (No paywall)Homelessness in the United States rose for the fourth straight year, with about 580,000 people living on the streets or in temporary shelter at the start of 2020, according to an annual nationwide survey that was completed before the pandemic. But the report, which was released on Thursday, almost certainly underestimates the spread, depth and urgency of the crisis, and not by a little, federal officials warned. ... [Further] Despite federal and state efforts to halt evictions, advocacy groups have reported an increase in the number of families facing eviction and foreclosure, or economic insecurity dire enough to endanger their housing. You may wish to check out Biden’s presidential platform on housing at: [https://joebiden.com/housing/#]
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/18/us/politics/homelessness-coro…
# Hot topic International, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Homelessness.