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
Unions help US workers. Could the same model work for tenants?
Nick Romeo The Guardian (No paywall)On a recent Friday night in San Jose, California, a small group of Spanish-speaking renters sat in the clubhouse of their apartment complex wondering whether the room was bugged. “Let them listen,” said a young man, with a dismissive gesture. They were meeting to strategize about forming a tenants’ association to bargain collectively with their large corporate landlord. Along one wall of the room hung large white posters with the names and unit numbers of residents and their yes-or-no response to a survey about their willingness to participate in a rent strike.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/26/tenants-…
# Must read International, Rent.In expensive Taiwan, some young people are giving up on the housing market to join the 'moonlight clan' instead
Kathleen Calderwood, Xin-yun Wu and Fletcher Yeung ABC (No paywall)Every weekend, and often in the evenings after work, newlyweds Chien Yu Liu and Cheng Wei Yu take part in a familiar and increasingly frustrating ritual. They scour the windows of real estate agents and attend property inspection after property inspection in the hope of finding their perfect first home. "The biggest issue we're facing is the housing prices," Mr Yu said. "Typically, finding a house within our budget means it's either quite old or the commute is difficult. "We're hoping to find a place that is close to our workplaces, with good transportation and amenities." But in Taiwan's capital, that's a big ask. According to Global Property Guide, Taipei is one of the least affordable places in the world to buy a home. The house price-to-income ratio rose from 6.4 in 2004 to 15.71 in 2023 — which is higher than Sydney, London and New York.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-28/taipei-real-estate-expens…
# Hot topic International, .Families have 'nowhere to go' as no-fault evictions rise
Katie Barnfield & Lynette Horsburgh BBC (No paywall)A charity claims it has been giving out sleeping bags to help prepare desperate families facing homelessness after being evicted. A manager at the Oasis Centre in Gorton, Manchester, said he had seen a sharp increase in people being evicted by bailiffs after being handed a section 21 notice - also known as a no-fault eviction. Rhys Massey said people were queuing outside the centre before it opens because they had "nowhere to go". Manchester City Council urged anyone anyone at risk of homelessness to get in touch as "early" as possible.
# Must read International, Eviction.Airbnb wants more renters to get in on hosting
Sami Sparber Axios (No paywall)A growing number of apartment buildings nationwide are allowing tenants to bank extra cash by hosting on Airbnb. Why it matters: Rental affordability has plunged in recent years, and those who rent are feeling especially poor about their finances, according to the Axios Vibes survey by The Harris Poll.
Between the lines: Many landlords don't permit short-term rentals, but some big names including Greystar and Sentral have joined Airbnb's apartment platform. Apartments accounted for about 16% of U.S. Airbnb listings in April 2024, per AirDNA, a short-term rental analytics firm. How it works: In 2022, Airbnb launched Airbnb-friendly apartments (AFA), a marketplace to help renters find apartment buildings where they can use their primary residences for part-time hosting.
https://www.axios.com/2024/05/22/airbnb-apartment-rental-income
# Hot topic International, .The London ‘hell’ estate fighting back: murders, fires and broken lifts
Christopher Cherry, Adam Sich Sammy Gecsoyler, Temujin Doran and Katie Lamborn The Guardian (No paywall)VIDEO: Milford Towers is a social housing estate in Lewisham, south London, slated for demolition and described by its residents as 'hell'. The residents accuse the council of ignoring them and deliberately running it into the ground. There are frequent leaks, mould infestations, fires, stabbings and violence – and perpetually broken lifts. The Guardian's Adam Sich and Christopher Cherry spent a day there as residents announced that enough was enough, and united to challenge the council to finally start treating them as people.
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/video/2024/feb/20/the-london-…
# Video International, Eviction, Public and community housing, Repairs, Security and safety.Revealed: how companies made $100m clearing California homeless camps
Brian Barth The Guardian (No paywall)On an October morning, a small army arrived to evict Rudy Ortega from his home in the Crash Zone, an encampment located near the end of the airport runway in San Jose, California, Silicon Valley’s largest city. As jets roared overhead, garbage trucks and police squad cars encircled Ortega’s hand-built shelter. Heavy machinery operators stood by for the signal to bulldoze Ortega’s camp. As the workers closed in, Ortega grew increasingly upset. “They’re going to have to drag me out of here,” he said. The camp, one of the largest in California, was cleared between 2021 and 2023 in part by a private company named Tucker Construction. Public spending on private sweep contractors is soaring across California.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/16/us-homeless-enca…
# Must read International, Discrimination, Eviction.Home prices reach record high of $387,600, putting damper on spring season
Khristopher J. Brooks CBS News (No paywall)The cost of buying a house hit new record highs this month, making homeownership an even more daunting task for the typical American. The median U.S. home sale price — what buyers actually paid for a property — reached $387,600 during the four weeks ending May 19, a 4% increase from a year ago, according to a new report from online real estate brokerage Redfin. The monthly mortgage payment at that price — factoring in the 7.02% U.S. median interest rate for a 30-year mortgage — is now $2,854, Redfin said. Mortgage rates are up slightly from 6.99% last week. The nation's median asking price — what sellers hope their property goes for — reached a record $420,250, a 6.6% rise from a year ago. Redfin drew its data from tracking home sales activity from more than 400 metro areas between April 21 and May 18.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/home-prices-housing-market-mortgage…
# Hot topic International, .A city in South Korea is offering small apartments for $11 a month. Why isn't Australia doing the same?
Hannah Murphy ABC (No paywall)It's a tale of two of the world's least-affordable housing markets. Sydney is home to some of the country's most well-known landmarks, gorgeous beaches and an enviable lifestyle. And if you're looking to buy an apartment in the coveted city, you could be stung about $1 million for the privilege. It's the average price for an apartment in the 2000 postcode, or if you're looking to rent, $700 a week. Meanwhile in Seoul — a bustling South Korean known for its own landmarks, beaches and lifestyle — the average price is about $800 a week. But in a small suburb inside the city, an apartment is going for $11 a month.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-24/a-tale-of-two-housing-mar…
# Hot topic Australia, Public and community housing, Rent.