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
Unfair housing
Today, Explained (No paywall)A housing watchdog says real estate companies often discriminate against low-income tenants who use federal rental assistance. Now it’s suing. (Vox)
https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/VMP5705694065?selected=VMP63390…
# Audio International, Federal Government, Housing market.With housing prices going up and up, anyone in the housing market is absolutely sorted!
First Dog on the Moon The Guardian (No paywall)If you’re not in the housing market you should do what I did and work hard! I had 3 jobs ... 'Meanwhile Jonty there are MPs in parliament who own more than 20 properties ...' [You can check this out at: [https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Members/Register]
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jul/05/with-housi…
# Australia, Federal Government, Housing market, Landlords and agents.Council backs no 180 day cap on short-term rental accommodation in the Bega Valley
Ellouise Bailey+ (No paywall)Earlier this year, the NSW Department of Planning, Environment and Industry announced that short-term rental accommodation (STRA) in Bega Valley Shire would be subject to a 180-day cap from November 2021. ... [At the June 30 Council meeting] Bega Valley Shire Councillors resolved to not to cap short-term rental accommodation in the Valley. They also resolved to write to the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment to advise of their position and advocate for effective measures to address the shortage of permanent rental accommodation across the shire. "Council's resolution aims to balance long term housing needs with short-term or holiday rentals," said Director of Community, Environment and Planning Dr Alice Howe. "The resolution means there will be no limit to how many nights people can rent their properties for short-term accommodation throughout the year, supporting the tourism industry which is critical to our shire."
https://www.begadistrictnews.com.au/story/7323376/council-backs-…
# NSW, Rent, Housing market, Regional NSW, Short-term holiday letting.Retirees flock to reverse mortgages to tap equity in their homes
John Collett The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The number of participants in the federal government’s reverse mortgage scheme has grown more than five-fold in less than two years as more retirees tap the equity tied up in their homes to pay for living expenses.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/planning-and-budgeting/retirees-flo…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership, Older people.'Read my words': mother's plea after Sunshine Coast rental crisis slams the door on her family
36-year-old mother of two children aged 15 and 10 (No paywall)This is an open letter to Sunshine Coast residents. The writer wishes to remain anonymous, but has supplied her name and contacts to Sunshine Coast News. We thought this story deserved to be shared and was best told in her heartfelt words … We had been renting this property for 10 months and our lease was soon to expire when, about eight weeks ago, we were advised that the landlord would be moving in, therefore we would not be able to renew our lease as intended. Common story for most renters at the moment. Am I right? ... I’ve heard stories of landlords using this excuse as a means to get the tenants out ‘without grounds,’ only afterwards the evicted tenants see the home listed at a much higher price. I can only hope that my landlord has a heart and is an honest human being and, if not, I’d rather not know about it. ... Today, for 30 per cent of my income, in this area I would be lucky to score a single room in a share house with a bunch of strangers and be forced to bunk up with my teenage son, my pre-teen daughter — sadly our beloved family pets would be so far out of the picture it’s devastating. ... [The alternative is that I'll be] living in a town where I don’t know anyone, have no family or social support, don’t feel remotely safe, won’t be getting any sleep for all of the above reasons, and have to drive 3 – 4 hours each day costing an additional $150-200 p/w that (I’m fully prepared to spend on rent rather than travel) costs more financially, regardless of the cost to the mental health and safety of me and my children but hey, it beats homelessness and living in tent city. Or does it? (Sunshine Coast News)
https://www.sunshinecoastnews.com.au/2021/07/07/sunshine-coast-r…
# Australia, Rent, Homelessness, Housing market, Landlords and agents, Personal stories, Women.‘Six chickens somehow turned into 60!’ Meet the families trying to live the Good Life in the pandemic
Emine Sanr The Guardian (No paywall)Many people yearn to grow their own food and live a simpler life – but, when coronavirus hit, some decided it was now or never. Have their dreams of burgeoning veg patches and frolicking livestock come true?
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/jul/01/six-chicken…
# International, Coronavirus COVID-19, Home.Rugged-up Canadian expat complains about the 'freezing' winter in Australia after moving from the third coldest city in the WORLD
Cindy Tran (No paywall)A Canadian expat has complained about the freezing weather in Australia after moving Down Under from the 'third coldest city in the world'. Isabelle Mae has been living on the South Coast of New South Wales since the beginning of 2020 after relocating from Winnipeg, the capital city of the province of Manitoba. According to AccuWeather, Winnipeg is one of the world's coldest cities. The city has experienced some of the most 'bone-chilling' conditions imaginable, with temperatures dropping as low as minus 47°C (minus 54°F). ... I moved from the third coldest city in the world in the middle of Canada to Australia. Why is it so cold? We're so cold,' she said. 'Okay, it's 10°C but the houses are not well insulated here.' (Daily Mail)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9738959/Canadian-Isab…
# NSW, International, Minimum habitability standards, Regional NSW.How protecting Wellington’s character homes is leaving tenants out in the cold
Ashok Jacob (No paywall)From New Zealand ... Despite being mostly damp and unstable, Wellington’s character homes have long been fiercely protected. But as tenants advocate Ashok Jacob argues, their loudest proponents aren’t the ones that need protecting the most. ... I’m glad that the council recently voted for radical change to our city’s housing-scape, rather than bending the knee to property owners and those with vested interests. Of course, there is still a fight ahead to ensure that new housing is accessible, affordable and of good quality, but we were always going to have to fight for that. For now, I’m glad that the misguided fears of the propertied are no longer stunting our city’s progress.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/05-07-2021/how-protecting-welli…
# International, Rent, Planning and development.