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.
Our main email newsletter, Tenant News is sent once every two months. You can subscribe or update your subscription preferences for any of our email newsletters here.
See notes about the Digest and a list of other contributors here. Many thanks to those contributors for sharing links with us.
We love sharing the news and hope you find it informative! We're very happy to deliver it for free, but if you find it valuable, can you help cover the extra costs incurred by making a donation?
Archive
New South Wales government announces $780 million shared-equity scheme to address housing affordability
Heath Parkes-Hupton ABC (No paywall)Frontline workers, single parents and older single people will be eligible for a shared-equity scheme to assist in buying a home under a NSW government plan. The state government has committed $780.4 million to the program, which closely resembles a policy brought to the federal election by the Albanese government. It would see the state government contribute up to 40 per cent of equity for a new home, or 30 per cent for an existing property. Teachers, nurses, police officers, single parents and single people aged 50 years and over would be eligible for the shared-equity scheme. ... Initially, the government will help in the purchase of 3,000 homes per year, but Mr Perrottet said that could be expanded if the program was successful. Also, read Tom Rabe's article entitled: 'NSW to trial shared equity scheme to help nurses, teachers buy homes in 'The Sydney Morning Herald' at: [https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw-to-trial-shared-equity-scheme-to-help-nurses-teachers-buy-homes-20220619-p5auva.html]. Read Phoebe Loomes's article entitled: 'NSW to introduce ‘shared equity’ scheme to boost home ownership' in 'The New Daily' at: [https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/state/nsw/2022/06/19/nsw-housing-shared-equity/]. Read Christopher Knaus's article entitled: 'New South Wales to trial $780m shared equity scheme for first homebuyers' in 'The Guardian' at: ['https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jun/19/new-south-wales-to-trial-780m-shared-equity-scheme-for-first-homebuyers] This last article provides the most thorough critique of the proposal's limitation.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-19/nsw-government-shared-equ…
# NSW, Home ownership, Housing affordability, State Government.If you’re renting, chances are your home is cold. With power prices soaring, here’s what you can do to keep warm
Cynthia Faye Isley, Emma Baker, Lyrian Daniel and Trivess Moor The Conversation (No paywall)If you’re feeling the cold this winter, you’re not alone. About a quarter of all Australians have trouble keeping their homes warm enough in winter. That figure is likely to soar this year, due to poor quality housing and the rapidly escalating energy crisis. Renters are particularly at risk, but our research has shown many home owners are in the same boat as well. We’ve collected data over the last few years on how many Australians have cold homes, find it difficult to stay warm, and can’t afford their heating bills. ... Low income renters face real threats from energy poverty this year. While we need systemic change to improve the outlook for Australia’s renters, there are low-cost DIY ways to improve how your house retains heat this winter.
https://theconversation.com/if-youre-renting-chances-are-your-ho…
# Research alert Australia, Rent, Utilities water energy internet, Health, Home ownership, Minimum habitability standards.Switching to renewable energy: the rebates and incentives on offer to Australian households
Caitlin Cassidy The Guardian (No paywall)Power shortages are threatening the east coast as energy prices soar and demand is high due to an extended winter cold snap. The electricity uncertainty and increasing bills may prompt consumers to consider their options and accelerate the uptake of renewable energy. That’s something state and federal governments are trying to encourage with a number of rebates and incentives available. So here’s what’s on offer for those who want to adopt the latest technology while bringing down your power bill. ... Unfortunately, limited options are available for renters to decarbonise and drive down power bills via renewables.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jun/16/switching…
# Australia, Rent, Utilities water energy internet, Climate change, Federal Government, State Government.How climate change is turning remote Indigenous houses into dangerous hot boxes
Simon Quilty and Norman Frank Jupurrurta The Conversation (No paywall)In remote Indigenous communities that are already very hot and socioeconomically disadvantaged, climate change is driving inequities even further. Our new research, published in the MJA, shows how higher temperatures in remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory will drive inequities in housing, energy and health. Read Timna Jacks's article entitled: 'Heat, shoddy homes and unreliable power leave people weak in remote NT' in 'The Sydney Morning Herald' at: [https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/heat-shoddy-homes-and-unreliable-power-leave-people-weak-in-remote-nt-20220616-p5aucz.html]
https://theconversation.com/how-climate-change-is-turning-remote…
# Australia, Aboriginal renters, Utilities water energy internet, Climate change, Health, Minimum habitability standards, Race and ethnicity.Economic uncertainty, rising rates and falling house prices, but no time for austerity: Treasurer
Matt Wade and Alexandra Smith The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)[NSW Treasurer Matt Kean] warned of a likely decline in house prices as the Reserve Bank lifts interest rates to keep inflation in check. “So much of the community’s wealth is tied up in the values of Sydney’s property market, and NSW’s property market ... However, Kean insisted that, despite ongoing financial pressures facing NSW, he would deliver a “reform budget” with a focus on women and the cost of living, particularly housing affordability. ... The budget will also include Premier Dominic Perrottet’s long-touted reforms to stamp duty, which will see the option of opting into a broad-based land tax, most likely limited to first-home buyers.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/economic-uncertainty-rising-…
# NSW, Home ownership, Housing affordability, Tax.The ACT government’s public housing overhaul is seeing hundreds of relocations, but Jenny Field is saying no
Tahlia Roy ABC (No paywall)Jenny Field has developed a deep familiarity with every inch of her home over 40 years. he Canberra widow has managed to remain independent despite being blind and aged in her 90s. She said she can feel her way around her home and garden because her much-loved surroundings have become almost an extension of herself. "Home means everything. I'm very familiar with the house and my front garden area," Jenny said. But the Canberra widow said her O'Connor haven was being threatened after she received an ACT government relocation notice.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-18/blind-woman-faces-relocat…
# Australia, Public and community housing, Estate renewal, Older people, Women.Cost of living explorer: see how prices for goods and services have changed in Australian cities
Nick Evershed The Guardian (No paywall)The skyrocketing prices of vegetables and petrol have made headlines over the past few months, with rising prices driving big increases in the cost of living in Australia. However, these aren’t the only goods and services where there have been large price increases. And despite the overall large rise in inflation, there are some things which are now cheaper than they used to be. ... We’ve brought together all the data that goes into Australia’s headline inflation figures, broken down into the most detailed goods and services categories available. This uses the most recent figures , which are for the March 2022 quarter. You can check out 'Rents', 'Electricity' and more across Australia and Sydney here.
https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/ng-interactive/2022/ju…
# Australia, Rent, Utilities water energy internet.Keen to retrofit your home to lower its carbon footprint and save energy? Consider these 3 things
Nimish Biloria The Conversation (No paywall)If you’re anything like me, you’re increasingly working from home, one that was built before energy efficiency measures were introduced in Australia. With temperatures along the east coast plunging and power bills skyrocketing, heating (and cooling) our homes is an energy intensive, expensive affair. Almost 8 million homes across Australia lack sufficient insulation, use sub-par heating and cooling equipment, or are badly designed. Indeed, these 8 million pre-energy rated homes account for 18% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. And research finds 26% of Australians across all housing types can’t stay warm at least half of the time during winter. Retrofitting this housing stock to be more energy efficient is essential to successfully meet Australia’s target of cutting emissions 43% by 2030, while finding comfort in our future of intensifying climate extremes.
https://theconversation.com/keen-to-retrofit-your-home-to-lower-…
# Australia, Utilities water energy internet, Climate change, Minimum habitability standards.