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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
Sky-high rents have Mumbai residents living on the edge
news.com.au (No paywall)Among the swanky skyscrapers of India's financial capital Mumbai, hundreds of dangerously dilapidated buildings facing demolition are crowded with families risking their lives rather than braving impossibly high rents. When torrential monsoon rains lash the coastal city each year, some of the decrepit colonial-era buildings come crashing down -- often with a heavy loss of life. "It was like seeing a biscuit that crumbles after you put it in tea," said office worker Vikram Kohli, recalling how he narrowly missed being killed when a four-storey building partially collapsed in July. City authorities had red-flagged the century-old building in the megacity's bustling Grant Road area for repairs three years ago.
https://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/skyhigh-rents-have-mumbai-…
# Hot topic International, Rent, Repairs, Security and safety.71 offenders fined since 2019 for providing illegal short stays in Singapore
Ashley Tham Channel News Asia (No paywall)SINGAPORE: A total of 71 offenders have been fined since 2019 for providing illegal short-term stays in Singapore, authorities said on Wednesday (Jul 3). Of these, 64 were fined for providing such stays in private properties, while the remaining seven were fined for providing short-term rentals of HDB flats, said HDB and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in a joint reply on Wednesday in response to media queries.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/illegal-short-term-sta…
# Hot topic International, Rent.RealPage enabled landlords to collude, inflate rent prices, DOJ complaint claims
CBS News (No paywall)The Department of Justice is alleging RealPage's tech enabled landlords to collude and inflate rent prices. RealPage says the tech is designed to be legally compliant. CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane breaks down the complaint.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/realpage-enabled-landlords-to-coll…
# Video International, Rent.The average American drops $330,000 on rent before becoming a homeowner
Sydney Lake Fortune (Soft Paywall)It’s painful enough to watch your bank account drain each month when rent is due. But what’s even more alarming is taking a look at the cumulative amount you’ve spent on rent over the years. Indeed, the typical American renter can expect to pay more than $333,000 during their time as a renter, including bills or additional expenses, according to a recent study by personal finance technology company Self Financial. The analysis used Zillow data to calculate median monthly rent and utilities by state, RentCafe data for average utility costs, and Insure.com for renters’ insurance estimates, and assumes people start renting at age 22 and buy their first home at 35, based on National Association of Realtors estimates. That breaks down to about $25,000 spent per year, on average, or just slightly more than $2,000 per month.
https://fortune.com/2024/08/26/rent-lifetime-costs-average-homeo…
# Hot topic International, Rent.Once social housing, these are now some of Sydney's most expensive units – at up to $15 million
Alison Rodericks Time Out (No paywall)Each time you travel across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, you see the Sirius building. Nestled in The Rocks and peeking up at the Bridge, "Sirius" has always stood out – thanks to its brutalist-style architecture, unusual repetitive geometric patterns – and the sign, in the window of Unit 74, that loudly proclaimed "One Way! Jesus" to all commuters driving by. It was also a talking point, because it was well-situated public housing – until recently. The apartment block captured the headlines when it was sold in 2019 by the Gladys Berejiklian-led NSW government for $150 million. And while there were promises to reinvest in social housing, the sale of Sirius displaced many long-time residents, most of whom were elderly, underprivileged and had lived in this pocket of Sydney for generations.
https://www.timeout.com/sydney/news/once-social-housing-these-ar…
# Must read, Hot topic NSW, Eviction, Public and community housing.It’s the only place Rod could afford to live in Sydney. He may have to leave
Sue Williams The Sydney Morning Herald (No paywall)When Rod Boynton’s relationship with his partner broke down, his world fell apart. Unable to afford the rent on their home by himself, he ended up sleeping rough for three weeks, on the streets, on park benches and in shop doorways, which also made keeping his storeman and driver job impossible. Finally, beaten but unbroken, he took refuge in a Salvation Army hostel in Surry Hills, where eager to earn his keep, he volunteered to help around the place. “They liked me there and offered me a permanent job but told me I’d have to live elsewhere to take it,” said Boynton, now 63. “So that’s when I was shown this boarding house.”
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/it-s-the-only-place-rod-cou…
# Must read NSW, Boarders and lodgers, Community languages, Eviction, Rent.Sydney’s largest public housing estate is being redeveloped, but not all these homes need to be demolished
Rebecca McLaughlan, Alistair Sisson, Michael Zanardo & Cameron Logan The Conversation (No paywall)The New South Wales government is forging ahead with renewal of the state’s largest public housing estate. Developer Stockland and three community housing providers are contracted to deliver the first stage nearly a decade after it was announced. Some 749 homes are to be demolished and replaced with more than 3,000 new apartments. Following the Minns government’s changes in 2023, Waterloo South will comprise 30% social housing, 20% affordable housing and 50% market-rate housing. Plans for the 1,200-plus homes
https://theconversation.com/sydneys-largest-public-housing-estat…
# Must read NSW, Public and community housing, Rent.Aussie tenant that recently moved spends less rent on a Melbourne house than a Sydney apartment
Sarah Petty realestate.com.au (No paywall)Tenant Lorna Wang is getting more bang for her buck leasing a three-bedroom house in Kew after renting an apartment in Sydney, and the catch is, she’s paying less rent. Ms Wang said there was “really good affordability” in Melbourne compared to other markets. “I think Melbourne hasn’t really had the run that a lot of other capital cities are seeing,” she said. As a rentvestor, or someone who is a property investor but chooses to rent, the 33-year-old said she moved to Victoria for a change of scenery, but has been able to get a lot more for her money in terms of where she’s living.
https://www.realestate.com.au/news/aussie-tenant-that-recently-m…
# Must read NSW, Rent.