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
VIDEO: NSW Rental Commissioner says decline in home ownership a 'call to action'
ABC ()NSW Rental Commissioner says the research into showing more renters are giving up on home ownership is a 'call to action' for policy makers.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-12/nsw-rental-commissioner-s…
# Hot topic, Video NSW, .LJ Hooker branch used AI to generate real estate listing with non-existent schools
Catie McLeod The Guardian (No paywall)The principal of a branch of one of Australia’s largest real estate companies has admitted using ChatGPT to generate property listings after a rental home was advertised as being close to two “excellent” schools that didn’t exist. LJ Hooker made the errors in the listing for a four-bedroom home it has advertised for rent in Farley, in the New South Wales Hunter region, which it corrected shortly after being contacted by Guardian Australia on Monday. The original listing, posted on the LJ Hooker website, Domain and realestate.com.au, said one of the property’s “standout features” was its “proximity to excellent educational institutions”.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/nov/11/lj-hooker…
# Must read, Hot topic NSW, Starting a tenancy.3D printed properties get underway in Dubbo
Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) (No paywall)The 3D-print construction of two unique duplexes started in Dubbo today. The walls of the properties are being 3D printed in concrete, a move which is expected to slash traditional construction time from 40 weeks to just 16 weeks. The use of 3D printing is part of a broader strategy by the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) to boost the supply of affordable housing across NSW. Famey Williams, Chief Executive of the AHO, emphasised the significance of this project, “The Dubbo duplexes are an exciting opportunity for us to put innovative construction methods into practice. We know these methods can cut down build time significantly without sacrificing quality, which means more homes will be available sooner.”
https://www.aho.nsw.gov.au/news/3d-printed-properties-get-underw…
# Must read, Hot topic Australia, Aboriginal renters, Public and community housing.Stories from the frontline of Australia’s rental crisis
Liam Heitmann-Ryce-LeMercier The Saturday Paper (Soft Paywall)Thomas is 21. He’s a retail manager from Perth who recently moved to Melbourne for better career opportunities. Crossing the continent, he was struck by the sharp contrast between the rental markets of the two cities. “The rental process in Perth is relatively simple, in terms of documentation and references, making it easier to secure a place when you’re finally selected from an over-saturated pool of applicants,” he says. “I was shocked at how invasive some of the requirements were in Melbourne by comparison. I couldn’t help but wonder how property managers and real estate offices are storing my private information – if they were hacked, cyber criminals would have access to all of my banking information, employment history and personal ID.”
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/economy/2024/11/09/stor…
# Hot topic Australia, Rent.Ending homelessness is possible
Natasha Mitchell ABC (No paywall)It needs strong leadership and good coordination. But most of all, it needs public opinion to rise up and push policy makers to tackle this crisis. Canada can teach us a lesson in how to do that. Homelessness is a systemic housing problem – not caused by mental health issues or drug abuse.
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/bigideas/ending-homelessn…
# Audio Australia, .Study shows Australian renters willing to pay more to secure indefinite leases
Rachel Clayton ABC (No paywall)Chris Little has mastered the art of packing up his life. For the 49-year-old father of two, folding away clothes has become a familiar ritual — not just because of his young daughters but because of the constant moves. "This is the fifth house I've lived in this area in the last 10 years," he said. "It's a pain having to move every 12 months, two years, three years. "I've had three notices given by the landlords that they intend to sell or their children are going to move into the property. And each time I've moved out, [the property] has been rented out again at a large price."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-12/renters-willing-to-pay-mo…
# Must read Australia, Rent.‘Solid start’: Property industry leaders grade Albanese government's housing agenda
Benn Dorrington realestate.com.au (No paywall)The federal government has been under pressure to solve the country’s housing challenges – everything from making home ownership and renting more affordable to helping shelter vulnerable Aussies. Under its housing agenda, the government has committed $32 billion to helping Australians to build, rent and buy, and to reach its target of seeing 1.2 million new homes built. Housing affordability and cost of living will continue to be high on the agenda, with the next federal election less than a year away.
https://www.realestate.com.au/news/solid-start-property-industry…
# Hot topic, TUNSW in the media Australia, .Want to slash social housing waitlists? We should allow tenants to swap homes
Andrea Sharam and Debbie Faulkner The Conversation (No paywall)There are 184,100 people on social housing waiting lists around the country, reflecting the impact of declining homeownership and escalating private rents. However, building new social housing takes a lot of time and money. The Australian government’s $2 billion social housing plan, for example, will deliver only around 4,000 new homes. But even for people with roofs over their heads, it doesn’t necessarily mean they live in the best house for their circumstances. Their homes could be too big, too small, or have yard space they struggle to maintain.
https://theconversation.com/want-to-slash-social-housing-waitlis…
# Must read Australia, Public and community housing, Rent.