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
BEIS opens bidding for first wave of Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund
Nathaniel Barker Inside Housing (Paywall)From the United Kingdom ... The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has estimated that this round of funding will see up to 38,000 social homes receive energy-efficiency upgrades such as insulation or new doors, windows and heating systems. Tenants whose homes have works funded through the scheme will also save around £170 a year on energy bills, the department added. You can read the BEIS media release at: [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/warmer-greener-and-cheaper-homes-as-government-opens-a-triple-win-upgrade-for-social-housing]
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/beis-opens-bidding-for…
# International, Public and community housing, Utilities water energy internet, Climate change, Federal Government, Housing market.Why housing evictions must be suspended to defend us against coronavirus
Sophia Maalsen, Chris Martin, Dallas Rogers and Emma Power The Conversation (No paywall)Here's a story from last year that we're running again ... The COVID-19 pandemic is a double crisis affecting public health and the economy. And both aspects are playing out in our housing system – in our homes. More and more of us are being directed to stay home, to work from home, or to socially isolate at home. Our homes are the “first line of defence against the COVID-19 outbreak”, as the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Housing puts it. But, depending on how our housing system responds, it could make the double crisis worse.
https://theconversation.com/why-housing-evictions-must-be-suspen…
# Hot topic NSW, Eviction, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Federal Government, Health, International, State Government.What if housing never becomes affordable?
ABC (No paywall)Everyone knows Australian house prices are completely bananas, but understanding why stumps even the experts. o will the current trends continue? And if so, where does that leave renters? Today on The Signal, we ask why our housing market is so weird, and explore one counterintuitive idea about how to improve it. (ABC The Signal)
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/the-signal/australian-hous…
# Audio Australia, Rent, Home ownership, Housing affordability, Housing market.Airbnb to help house up to 20,000 Afghan refugees
Alex Hern The Guardian (No paywall)From the United States ... Airbnb will help house up to 20,000 Afghan refugees, the company has announced, as part of its Airbnb.org charitable arm. The company will coordinate with Airbnb hosts who want to offer their homes to refugees for free, or at a discounted rate, with the charitable organisation picking up the rest of the bill, as well as any other operational expenditures. Same story on the BBC at: [https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58315378]
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/aug/24/airbnb-help-h…
# International, Race and ethnicity, Short-term holiday letting.Wilcannia families struggling to isolate in overcrowded housing
Keira Jenkins SBS (No paywall)Families in Wilcannia living in overcrowded homes are struggling to isolate, while the peak health body for Aboriginal people is demanding the Federal government fix remote housing. ... Barkindji man Ronnie Murray is trying to protect his community. His family is among many in Wilcannia trying to follow the health advice and isolate to stop the spread of COVID-19. But with 10 people in his house, the overcrowding is making it almost impossible. (NITV The Point)
https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2021/08/24/wilcannia-familie…
# NSW, Aboriginal renters, Coronavirus COVID-19, Federal Government, Housing market.Climate change: Consumer 'confusion' threatens net zero homes plan
Matt McGrath BBC (No paywall)From the United Kingdom ... Government plans to decarbonise homes are too complicated and confusing, according to a coalition of consumer and industry groups. They've written to the prime minister to say that current schemes to adapt homes go wrong far too often. The open letter, from Citizens Advice and others, calls for more financial support for making changes. Otherwise, they argue, efforts to curb emissions from millions of homes in the UK will be at risk.
# International, Public and community housing, Utilities water energy internet, Climate change, Housing market.‘Draughty and inefficient’ homes are worse for climate than cars
Liam Geraghty (No paywall)Homes are bigger polluters than cars, ministers have been warned in a plea to boost England’s climate change fight by retrofitting social homes. Homes produce 58.5 million tonnes of CO2 every year, the National Housing Federation (NHF) has calculated, equivalent to the output of 28 million cars – more than the 27 million currently on the country’s roads. The figures show it is crucial to start making homes more efficient, said Kate Henderson, NHF chief executive. (The Big Issue)
https://www.bigissue.com/latest/homes-pollute-more-than-cars-and…
# International, Public and community housing, Utilities water energy internet, Climate change, Housing market.‘Blistering temperatures’: Dark roofing banned on Sydney’s urban fringe
Angus Thompson The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Dark roofing will be banned in Sydney’s south-west growth area in an attempt by the NSW government to dial back the heat island effect while providing sorely needed new homes. Lighter coloured roofs will be a mandatory part of the planning controls for the Wilton area, busting the march of Colorbond Ironstone that has long been synonymous with Australian urban sprawl. Residential lots must also be big enough for a tree in every backyard under a new set of rules applauded by urban-heat scientists as a step towards addressing rising temperatures following the grim picture painted by the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/blistering-temperatures-dark…
# Hot topic NSW, Climate change, Housing market, Minimum habitability standards, State Government.