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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See notes about the Digest and a list of other contributors here. Many thanks to those contributors for sharing links with us.
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Archive
The families 'stuck' in England's overcrowded social homes
(No paywall)Families are trapped in overcrowded social housing because they cannot afford to privately rent a bigger one, ITV News Correspondent Daniel Hewitt reports.
https://www.itv.com/news/2021-07-27/i-dont-know-why-theyre-doing…
# Video International, Public and community housing, Coronavirus COVID-19, Families, Housing affordability, Minimum habitability standards.‘I don’t want realism. I want magic’: behind the fantasy fueling our real estate voyeurism
Andrew Toland The Conversation (No paywall)Despite all the disruptions of the pandemic, property prices in Australian cities have continued their rise and housing affordability has become even more out of reach. But our current pandemic era seems to be witnessing an intensification of the escape into fantasy. Why do we exhibit an insatiable appetite for property voyeurism and fantasy at a time when young people, especially, are less and less likely to be able to afford housing at all?
https://theconversation.com/i-dont-want-realism-i-want-magic-beh…
# Australia, Housing market, Landlords and agents.Developers could help ease the housing crisis using vacant buildings and land, summit hears
Nicolas Perpitch ABC (No paywall)Former aged care homes, vacant buildings and unused church and government land should be transformed into affordable and social housing to address Western Australia's acute housing shortage, a conference has been told. The Housing Solutions Summit, convened by Shelter WA in Perth, brought together frontline service workers, the private sector and peak sector groups to propose ways to provide homes for those most at risk. Several called for the McGowan government to use some of its predicted $5 billion budget surplus to end the housing shortage. Foundation Housing chief executive Chris Smith said $1.5 billion from the surplus would deliver 3,500 new properties. ... But with no guarantee that will happen, the private sector is stepping up with other solutions.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-29/harnessing-the-private-se…
# Australia, Public and community housing, Affordable housing, Housing market.Sydney, Melbourne home prices tipped to rise more than 20 per cent
Jennifer Duke The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)One of the nation’s biggest banks is tipping Sydney and Melbourne property prices to rise more than 20 per cent by the end of next year while warning first-time buyers are reaching their financial limits.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/sydney-melbourne-home-pr…
# Australia, Home ownership, Housing affordability, Housing market.Anthony Albanese doubles his money on Marrickville house thanks to $2.35m buyer
Lucy Macken Domain (No paywall)Labor leader Anthony Albanese enjoyed his own uptick in news from the housing market on Tuesday less than 24 hours after the party officially dumped its negative gearing policy when he and former NSW deputy premier Carmel Tebbutt sold their Marrickville investment property for $2.35 million.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/anthony-albanese-doubles-his-mone…
# NSW, Rent, Landlords and agents, Tax.Inner-city Sydney losing its shine for home-buyers
Sue Williams Domain (No paywall)Inner-city Sydney is losing its shine for home-buyers, with the premium people are prepared to pay to live close to the city falling steadily over the past century – and forecast to fall even more steeply in the next three to five years. New research conducted by the University of Technology Sydney found that Sydneysiders were now less prepared to pay extra to live closer to the CBD than at any other time in recent history.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/inner-city-sydney-is-losing-its-s…
# Research alert NSW, Home ownership, Housing market.Canberra Low Carbon Housing Challenge to demonstrate how sustainable and passive house designs can create a zero emissions city
Kate Christian ABC (No paywall)A group of architects have launched a competition to demonstrate how Canberra's residential boom can be leveraged to help the city meet its ambitious carbon neutral deadline.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-29/surge-in-sustainable-and-…
# Australia, Utilities water energy internet, Climate change, Housing market, Minimum habitability standards.Feel like your friends are leaving you behind? You're not the only one
Meg Watson ABC (No paywall)The pandemic has been hitting young Australians hard, but for some people it's felt like a beating. ... There are always weird divides between friends in their late 20s and early 30s: couples vs singles, renters vs buyers, people who can afford the nice restaurant vs those who can't. But, with the pandemic tangibly increasing economic inequality, many people feel these divides are wider than ever.
https://www.abc.net.au/everyday/feel-like-your-friends-are-leavi…
# Australia, Health, Housing market, Young people.