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.
Our main email newsletter, Tenant News is sent once every two months. You can subscribe or update your subscription preferences for any of our email newsletters here.
See notes about the Digest and a list of other contributors here. Many thanks to those contributors for sharing links with us.
We love sharing the news and hope you find it informative! We're very happy to deliver it for free, but if you find it valuable, can you help cover the extra costs incurred by making a donation?
Archive
Spain ‘social emergency’ as rents double in a decade
BBC (No paywall)Many European countries are experiencing a housing crisis caused by rising rental costs. Spain is one of those which has been most heavily affected, despite the fact that its economy has been performing well in other areas. Guy Hedgecoe reports from Madrid.
https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0l2zkn3/spain-social-emergency-a…
# Video International, Rent.Spain’s rental market 5 years after the pandemic
David Marrero Idealista (No paywall)It has been five years since the start of the coronavirus pandemic – a crisis that initially seemed poised to transform society and, naturally, the real estate market. The restrictions on movement led to a sharp rise in the supply of long-term rental properties, which doubled within months and peaked in December 2020. At that point, prices began to decline due to the impact of the housing supply law. However, once the state of emergency was lifted, the government's policies did not prioritise increasing supply, despite clear evidence that greater availability helps to stabilise prices.
https://www.idealista.com/en/news/property-for-rent-in-spain/202…
# International, Rent.AMERICAN RENTERS: HOMEOWNERSHIP NO LONGER SYNONYMOUS WITH THE AMERICAN DREAM
PR Newswire (No paywall)ATLANTA - Nearly half (43%) of American renters say renting has enhanced their quality of life compared with owning a home. Among these respondents, affordability (59%), location convenience (51%), and maintenance/support (49%) were the top contributors to quality of life, according to a new survey by Cortland that shares insights from 1,000 adult renters in the U.S. The data indicates a substantial divergence from traditional views of the American Dream, with only 32% of renters seeing homeownership as part of their ideal life trajectory. For those opting out of buying a home, avoiding maintenance and debt are the primary motivators, cited by 45% and 40% of respondents, respectively.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-renters-homeow…
# International, Rent.International students ‘not the culprits’ of rental crisis in Australia, study claims
Frank Chung news.com.au ()International students are not responsible for Australia’s rental crisis and should not be “scapegoated” by politicians and media, a new study claims. Researchers from the University of South Australia have conducted new analysis, thought to be the first of its kind in Australia, which found no relationship between international student numbers and rising rental costs for local residents. The study by Associate Professor Guanglun Michael Mu and Dr Hannah Soong, published in The International Journal of Higher Education Research, looked at data from 76 time points from 2017 to 2023 at the national level and 79 time points from 2017 to 2024 at the capital city level.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/renting/internationa…
# Must read NSW, Rent.Tenants anxious about a surge of no-grounds evictions ahead of NSW rental law changes
Kelly Fuller ABC (No paywall)Rebekah Wills and her partner had lived in their two-bedroom flat above a shop in Corrimal, New South Wales for 11 years when, in January, they were told they would have to move out. "Abruptly kicking out people who, in our case, have been with you over a decade … you know, we are good tenants," Ms Wills said. "It's a whole lot of bloody stress." The NSW government's rental reforms, including an end to "no-grounds" evictions, are set to take effect on May 19, representing the most significant changes to the state's rental laws in over 50 years.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-02/concerns-over-renter-evic…
# Must read, TUNSW in the media NSW, Eviction.The great divide over this north shore council’s housing plan
Frances Howe The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)There was only one item on the agenda at Ku-ring-gai Council’s extraordinary meeting on Monday, yet it was hours before councillors could debate it. For almost three hours, members of the public rotated in front of a lectern to express their opinions on the council’s proposed alternative to the NSW government’s transport-oriented development (TOD) program. The government’s scheme rezoned four areas – Gordon, Killara, Lindfield and Roseville – to help deliver 23,200 homes in six-storey buildings within 400 metres of train stations. The council rejected that scheme and, aiming to protect the area’s heritage and environment, instead put forward plans to allow apartment buildings up to 28 storeys in an 800-metre radius.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-great-divide-over-this-n…
# NSW, .Australian federal budget 2025: Government gives up on one million renters
Sarah Petty realestate.com.au (No paywall)A million tenants have been forgotten in this year’s budget despite rental affordability at its worst level on record. The Australian government has earmarked extra funds for its Commonwealth Rental Assistance (CRA) program in the last two budgets, except for this one. Renters are eligible to CRA who receive pensions, youth and study allowances, JobSeeker payments and some parenting and family benefits. Last year, tenants benefited from a $1.9bn injection into the CRA program announced in the 2024-25 budget, which cut $22 from renter’s fortnightly housing costs.
https://www.realestate.com.au/news/australian-federal-budget-202…
# TUNSW in the media Australia, .Photos reveal shocking reality of housing crisis
Alice Uribe The Sydney Morning Herald (No paywall)Solo tenants receiving government assistance have limited affordable property options, with no increases made for rent support or JobSeeker in this year’s budget. The federal government raised the maximum rate of Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 27 per cent in the previous two budgets, which is over and above inflation, according to Grattan Institute research. This year budget housing initiatives were more focused on homeownership, such as expanded eligibility criteria for the first home buyers’ Help to Buy scheme.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/photos-reveal-shocking-real…
# Must read, TUNSW in the media Australia, .