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
Minns government weighs up Landcom shake-up to build more homes
Michael Koziol and Deborah Snow The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The NSW government is considering a shake-up of state-owned corporation Landcom to focus on building homes instead of selling off land to developers, as planners narrow down a list of Sydney sites for a housing density blitz.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/minns-government-weighs-up-l…
# NSW, Public and community housing, Affordable housing, DCJ Housing, State Government, Sydney.The Sydney council planning to turn parking lots into housing
Julie Power The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Sydney’s Inner West Council wants to turn council-owned parking lots into affordable housing. The council has a shortlist of 10 parking lots that would rent “well below” market rates. Mayor Darcy Byrne says the area was “at the epicentre” of the rental crisis. Parking expert Dr Liz Taylor said there was a global trend to use “lazy land” like car parks in inner-city areas to address housing shortages. A single open-air car park providing 200 spots for cars has the potential to become 600 apartments across 10 storeys, according to an urban planner.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-sydney-council-planning-…
# NSW, Rent, Housing affordability, Housing market, Local Government, Sydney.NSW regulator to carry out review of embedded power networks pricing
Peter Hannam The Guardian (No paywall)The utilities regulator in New South Wales will begin a review into the pricing of private energy networks and also whether new hot and chilled water services should be banned.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/15/nsw-elect…
# Hot topic NSW, Land lease communities, Strata, Utilities electricity water gas, Campaigns and law reform, Embedded networks.Reason to avoid certain rentals revealed in warning to tenants
Brooke Rolfe news.com.au (No paywall)Hopeful tenants have been told to stay away from this seemingly idyllic rental for one sinister reason. The property’s advertisement on Facebook Marketplace, complete with professional photos and a legitimate summary of features, has all been revealed to be a sham.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/reason-to-avoid-cert…
# Hot topic NSW, Applying to rent, Housing market, Landlords and agents, Personal data and privacy.National cabinet sets new housing target and touts 'better deal for renters'
ABC News ABC (No paywall)The prime minister has touted a "better deal for renters" and a blueprint to boost housing supply following a meeting with state and territory leaders in Brisbane this afternoon. National cabinet has set a target for new homes built over five years from July 2024. States and territories will move towards limiting rent increases to once per year and requiring reasonable grounds for eviction. The Greens have slammed the rental measures, describing them as "smoke and mirrors".
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-16/anthony-albanese-speaks-a…
# Must read, New policy announcement Australia, Eviction, Public and community housing, Rent, Affordable housing, Campaigns and law reform, Federal Government, Housing affordability, Housing market, Minimum habitability standards, No-grounds evictions, Strong communities.Illawarra organisations join submission to rental crisis inquiry
Natalie Croxon Illawarra Mercury (Paywall)Illawarra organisations have joined others from across the country in calling for governments to implement a range of reforms to improve the worsening situation facing renters in Australia, with one expert describing it as "truly desperate" for her clients.
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/8298376/truly-desperat…
# Hot topic NSW, Eviction, Public and community housing, Rent, Affordable housing, Home, Homelessness, Housing affordability, Housing market, Local Government, Older people, Regional NSW, Strong communities, Students, Young people.National cabinet meets to discuss housing problems, with government's key policy stuck in the Senate
Evelyn Manfield ABC (No paywall)Boosting housing supply and reforming planning and zoning laws will be high on the agenda when national cabinet meets in Brisbane today, as the prime minister and state and territory leaders try to tackle Australia's housing problem.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-16/national-cabinet-meets-on…
# Hot topic Australia, Rent, Federal Government, Housing market.‘It’s soul-destroying’: how people on a housing wait list of 175,000 describe their years of waiting
Alan Morris The Conversation (No paywall)Nationally, about 175,000 households are on the social housing waiting list. An individual usually has to be in “greatest need” to get on the list. Even then, being listed does not mean you will be given the keys to a home any time soon.
https://theconversation.com/its-soul-destroying-how-people-on-a-…
# Must read, Research alert Australia, Domestic violence, Public and community housing, Security and safety, Applying to rent, DCJ Housing, Disability, Homelessness, Personal stories, Renting culture, Strong communities, Women.