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
Lack of homes fuels farm worker shortage
Liv Casben Illawarra Mercury (Paywall)It’s milking time at Rob Miller’s farm on the south coast of NSW, but a shortage of staff means fewer cows are making the slow walk to the dairy. The area surrounding his Milton farm includes a string of coastal towns that have gone through a property boom since the COVID-19 pandemic heralded a once-in-a-lifetime exodus to the regions. “One of the biggest issues that we face in a really nice place, rents have gone up … and therefore if you’re looking for staff to work in your business you can’t find them,” Mr Miller tells AAP.
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/7840409/lack-of-homes-…
# NSW, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing affordability, Regional NSW, Work, employment.Australia’s Rental Prices Have Gone Up By More Than 70 Percent In Some Suburbs
Lavender Baj (No paywall)As if the cost of living wasn’t already bad enough amid rising inflation, landlords across the country have hiked up the rent to record-breaking levels. You know, because we cannot have anything good this year. ... The report comes amid calls for fixed caps on rental hikes, with the executive director for rental advocacy group Better Renting Joel Dignam telling 3AW’s Neil Mitchell that caps could ensure people actually have a place to live. ... According to NSW Tenants’ Union CEO Leo Patterson Ross, we would need to see a significant increase in vacant rentals for the situation to get much better for tenants. (Junke)
# TUNSW in the media Australia, Rent, Housing market.Landlords evicting tenants for Airbnb and holiday lets, report finds
Robyn Vinter The Guardian (No paywall)From the United Kingdom ... Landlords are evicting tenants and switching to Airbnbs and holiday lets because the money is better and they “do not have to worry about bad tenants”. Research has found a boom in rental properties being used for short-term lets, caused by a rise in domestic holidays and increased regulations for long-term landlords.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jul/31/landlords-evi…
# International, Rent, Housing market, Short-term holiday letting.Residents of flood-affected Goodna to be initial priority for buy-back scheme, Reconstruction Authority says they will not be rushed
Laura Lavelle ABC (No paywall)The owner of flood-ravaged properties south-west of Brisbane says he remains in an "awkward position" as he waits to hear whether his houses will be bought back by the government. Flood-affected home owners in eastern parts of Goodna are being given "initial priority" for voluntary home buy-backs, with 31 owners having confirmed their interest so far. More than five months after the February flood disaster, authorities say 4,259 people across the state have registered their interest to have their homes raised, rebuilt or voluntarily bought back under the $741 million Resilient Homes Fund. It includes 443 home owners for voluntary buy-back, with 70 per cent of them living in Ipswich and Brisbane. Eighteen home owners have been identified in the first tranche of the Brisbane buy-back scheme. The state government said Goodna east has been given "initial priority" because of the extent of the disaster impact and flood risk, with valuations in Ipswich to start in mid-August.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-01/qld-flood-disaster-report…
# Australia, Housing market, State Government.Electrify 2515 plan to subsidise renewable energy, EV car lease in Illawarra suburb
Nick McLaren, Melinda James, and Jessica Clifford ABC (No paywall)Low carbon emission enthusiasts have launched a scheme to create a fully electrified community, located in the northern Illawarra south of Sydney. A call has gone out for homes in the postcode 2515 — covering Thirroul, Austinmer, Coledale, Wombarra Scarborough and Clifton — to sign up and potentially receive financial subsidies to convert to solar panels and install a battery, electric cooking, heating, hot water and lease an electric car.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-03/plans-to-electrify-illawa…
# NSW, Utilities water energy internet, Climate change, Regional NSW.Landlords need to move with the times - their tenants have had to
Ian Bushnell (No paywall)It’s time for the property industry to accept that the rental landscape has irrevocably changed, partly due to the policies it has championed and benefited from for the past 25 years. It is no coincidence that the rate of home ownership has fallen and continues to slide in this country at the same time tax settings favouring property investors and the sourcing of income from rents have become set in stone. The industry argues that negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts are vital to the provision of rental properties, but this has led to a whole new class of investors who had the capacity to bid up prices which, together with government first-home buyer grants, have led to Australia having one of the most expensive housing markets on the planet. [Read on] (Riotact)
https://the-riotact.com/landlords-need-to-move-with-the-times-th…
# Australia, Rent, Federal Government, Housing market, Landlords and agents, Tax.South Australia's public housing shortage worsens, as number of people on waiting list reaches 17,000
Candice Prosser and Rebecca Opie ABC (No paywall)Work has began on the first stages of the South Australian government's plan to build 400 new public houses as advocates say the housing shortage is worsening by the day. There are 17,000 people on the waiting list for public housing in South Australia, with nearly 4,000 of those in category one, deemed in urgent need of shelter. The state government has budgeted $177 million on its plan to build 400 new public houses across metropolitan Adelaide and regional South Australia.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-31/south-australian-public-h…
# Australia, Public and community housing, State Government.Banks are winding back mortgage amounts as interest rates continue to rise
Emilia Terzon ABC (No paywall)Property prices may be dropping but that doesn't mean that wannabe home owners are suddenly celebrating. Lenders are simultaneously winding back how much people can borrow for mortgages as they factor in higher interest rate repayments and cost of living pressures.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-02/rba-cash-rate-interest-ba…
# Australia, Home ownership, Housing market.