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
Record number of mortgages discharged and registered in NSW in 2021
Tawar Razaghi Domain (No paywall)The number of people discharging their mortgage in NSW has hit an all-time high as locked-down homeowners use their savings to pay off their mortgages, refinance their home loans to a cheaper deal or trade in their homes, new figures reveal.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/record-number-of-mortgages-discha…
# NSW, Home ownership, Housing market.How Canberra's COVID-19 lockdown is impacting the capital's property market
Isaac Nowroozi ABC (No paywall)Cracking into Canberra's property market was already a struggle, but the current lockdown has made buying a home even more difficult. From yesterday, lockdown restrictions relaxed for real estate companies, who are now allowed to have one person attend a property to conduct inspections, film or take photographs to help progress a sale.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-29/act-how-covid-19-is-affec…
# Australia, Privacy and access, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market, Landlords and agents.Experts say public housing the key element to stop ex-prisoners re-offending
Norman Hermant ABC (No paywall)It happens about 65,000 times a year in Australia: A prisoner is discharged from jail or prison. When they're released, fewer than half expect to head to a home or an apartment of their own. About a third of offenders enter prison after being homeless. For others, the prospects of finding and affording a rental as an ex-prisoner are slim. ... A new report has found there's a simple way to give ex-prisoners ... a better chance to stay out of jail: public housing. Check the report at: [https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/361/_nocache?utm_source=ZohoCampaigns&utm_campaign=AHURI%20News_%20Martin%20358_%2019.08.2021&utm_medium=email]
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-23/public-housing-key-elemen…
# Research alert Australia, Public and community housing, Health, Housing market.Outasite: Land Lease Communities Magazine Issue 7 July 2021
Tenants' Union of NSW (No paywall)This issue includes the following articles:
Light at the end of the tunnel?
Review overview
Reckless retaliation?
Community by definition
Damage, loss and abandonment
Unstable ground
Local government complications
An independent voice
Interference with sale of home
Age restriction rule allowed
Retirement upheaval update
Contempt
David vs Goliath
Palm Lake Resort appeal dismissed
https://files.thenoticeboard.org.au/outasite/2021-Outasite-7-fin…
# NSW, Land lease communities, Campaigns and law reform.Rent controls to be introduced after deal between politicians
Graham Norwood (No paywall)From Scotland ... Rent controls are to be introduced into part of the UK as a result of a deal between two political parties. The Scottish National Party fell just short of an overall majority in the last elections to the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, with 64 MSPs; so now it has entered into a pact with the Green Party, which was seven MSPs and which will give the combined forces a easy majority on major issues. In a document outlining issues with the support of both parties, published over the weekend, it says an objective of the Scottish Government will be to “implement an effective national system of rent controls, enhance tenants’ rights” as well as delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032". (Letting Agent Today) You may wish to check out the report dated June 2018 from Shelter Scotland at: [https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/policy_library/rent_regulation_review]
https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2021/8/rent-co…
# International, Eviction, Rent.TQ News August 2021
(No paywall)Get all the latest news from Queensland ... [Penny Carr, CEO Tenants Queensland writes:] 'Well what an eventful time it has been since the last Tenants Queensland Member Newsletter! The Queensland State Government has officially recommenced the rental reforms process, but there are a number of issues with their draft legislation, not the least being their proposal to allow unfair evictions to continue. Even though there are some good reforms around issues such as keeping of pets and domestic& family violence provisions, the changes don't go far enough. You can read more about this [in the newsletter] and find out how to help us improve the conditions for Queensland renters. (Tenants Queensland) For previous newsletters, go to: [https://tenantsqld.org.au/about-tuq/tenants-queensland-annual-report/]
https://tenantsqld.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Member-News…
# Australia, Rent, Campaigns and law reform.A missed opportunity: Big Housing Build leaves Broadmeadows behind
Joseph Haweil The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Mention Broadmeadows and the immediate response of most interlocutors can easily be predicted. Often fear, sometimes disdain, but always pity. These responses reflect the pervading stigma that continues to associate this battler community with its most frequent media characterisation, focusing on sky-high levels of unemployment, family violence, crime and endemic generational disadvantage. These responses belie the truth about Broadmeadows. That it is in fact home to a proud and resilient community of welcoming families, friends and neighbours who look out for each other and work hard to build a better future. While there is no concealing the significant challenges facing Broadmeadows, history has proven that the suburb has consistently been placed in the “too-hard basket” and completely forgotten – much like the suburb’s largest social housing site, Banksia Gardens. Home to one of the state’s most vulnerable communities, Banksia Gardens is a stark example of how successive governments – from both sides of the political divide – have walked away from and forgotten about social housing in Broadmeadows. ... With most of Broadmeadows’ social housing being constructed between 1950 and 1969, the houses across the suburb, and particularly at Banksia Gardens, fall well short of the liveability that the residents rightly want and deserve. Too many homes are in some instances, literally falling apart. ... The redevelopment of Broadmeadows’ social housing must be a key Big Housing Build funding priority; not merely an afterthought. I take the Premier at his word when he says the Big Housing Build program will change lives. It’s time for the Victorian government to see the immense opportunity that the people of Broadmeadows see, right the wrongs of the past and change lives where the need is greatest.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/a-missed-opportunity-bi…
# Australia, Public and community housing, Repairs, Estate renewal, Minimum habitability standards, State Government.Australia's fertility rate is at a record low. This expert says it's a disaster waiting to happen
Anna Kelsey-Sugg and Skye Docherty for Saturday Extra ABC (No paywall)[ANU demographer Liz Allen says] 'It's very unlikely Australia will ever see a baby boom again, let alone now during a health and economic crisis like COVID-19." Australia's not alone. It's following a global trend, with other countries including the UK and US, Italy, Japan and South Korea that are also experiencing significant fertility decline. ... A low fertility rate isn't a problem "in its own right", Dr Allen says. However, combined with an aging population, it equates to "economic uncertainty", posing the question as to how Australia can remain economically strong with fewer people to contribute to "government coffers". ... "You feel insecure in your employment, you're not sure what the world's going to look like in five years' time, you don't know whether you're going to be able to afford to buy a property [or] will be in expensive short-term rental accommodation." Concerns such as these take a toll.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-24/fertility-rates-in-austra…
# Australia, Rent, Affordable housing, Families, Health, Young people.