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
‘Fixing the aged care crisis’ won’t be easy, with just 5% of nursing homes above next year’s mandatory staffing targets
Nicole Sutton and Nelson Ma The Conversation (No paywall)In his election victory speech, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to “fix the crisis in aged care”. One of the biggest challenges facing incoming aged care ministers Mark Butler and Anika Wells is addressing widespread staffing shortages. But our latest research shows a mammoth effort will be needed to increase staffing across the sector. Only a fraction of aged care homes currently have staffing levels above new minimum ratios that will be mandatory from October next year.
https://theconversation.com/fixing-the-aged-care-crisis-wont-be-…
# Australia, Housing market, Older people.Social Housing Regulation Bill: landlords to be subject to ‘Ofsted-style’ inspections under new law
Jack Simpson Inside Housing (Paywall)From the United Kingdom ... Underperforming social landlords could face ‘Ofsted-style’ inspections under a raft of new laws brought in under the much-anticipated Social Housing Regulation Bill. Under the new bill, which will be published today, the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) will be given stronger powers to regularly inspect landlords on things such as health and safety and repairs performance. ... If the RSH finds that the standard of the home is putting tenants lives at risk, it will be able to order emergency repairs, with landlords footing the bill. Unlimited fines will be levied at housing associations and councils that are found to be persistently under performing, while the government will set about on a programme of naming and shaming the worst culprits.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/social-housing-regulation-b…
# International, Public and community housing, Repairs.VERTO tenancy advocate awarded for industry excellence
(No paywall)Albury’s Rebecca Bryant has scooped the pool at the Tenants’ Union TAAS (Tenancy Advice and Advocacy Service) Conference Awards held in Katoomba this month. Ms Bryant received the People’s Choice and Smooth Operator Awards for her outstanding work as a Tenancy Advocate for not-for-profit training and employment services provider, VERTO.
https://www.verto.org.au/news/815-verto-tenancy-advocate-awarded…
# NSW, Tenants Advice and Advocacy Services.Noosa workers staying in hostels as tourists return to Sunshine Coast
Owen Jacques ABC (No paywall)Tourism industry workers in Noosa are sharing eight-bed rooms in hostels, as restaurants, cafes and hotels in the resort town fill with visitors. Sarah Brown, 20, moved to the east coast from Western Australia and has been staying at the Nomads Noosa backpackers for two months while working a cafe job on popular Hastings Street. She shares her room with seven other women, and hangs up towels around her bunk bed for privacy. Ms Brown enjoys her work and the town, and would be willing to move into a share house with others from the hostel if it were an option. "There's nothing," she said, referring to the availability of rental properties. "Everything's either too far away or too expensive.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-07/backpacker-noosa-accommod…
# Australia, Boarders and lodgers, Rent, Housing market, Work, employment.‘Mortgage prison‘: Home owners facing budget squeeze as interest rates rise
Matthew Elmas The New Daily (No paywall)Australians are being hit with a double whammy of rising interest rates and falling property prices, with new data revealing even those who pay their mortgage bills on time could see their equity shrink by 2023.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/property/2022/06/06/interest-…
# Australia, Housing market.Flying fixes: can drones help solve the repairs crisis in social housing?
John Wimperis Inside Housing (Paywall)Yorkshire Housing recently took part in a pilot scheme to carry out repairs inspections using drones. John Wimperis speaks to the landlord about what it learned from the project, and what the technology could mean for the sector
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/home/home/flying-fixes-can-drone…
# International, Public and community housing, Repairs.Cabinet intervening in free market to keep rents affordable for middle class
(No paywall)From the Netherlands ... The Cabinet plans to interfere in part of the free market to keep rents affordable for people with a mid-level income, Minister Hugo de Jonge for Housing announced on Thursday. The government will also encourage the construction of more affordable housing. According to De Jonge, middle-class tenants often fall between the cracks, and people with low incomes spend so much on housing costs that they can't get by. That has to change.
https://nltimes.nl/2022/05/19/cabinet-intervening-free-market-ke…
# International, Affordable housing, Federal Government.‘Flawed vision’: Master plan for Sydney’s homes, jobs and transport slammed
Michael Koziol The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The master plan underpinning Sydney’s growth for the coming decades undermines Parramatta’s potential, fails to combat the intense heat of outer western Sydney and places too much emphasis on motorways, two planning experts say. The academics also sow doubt about the utility of the Western Sydney Airport, warning air traffic trends are working against it and the economic activity associated with the aerotropolis is probably “exaggerated”.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/flawed-vision-master-plan-fo…
# NSW, Planning and development, Sydney.