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
Government announces thousands more home care packages for older Australians
Jane Norman ABC (No paywall)An extra 10,000 older Australians will receive taxpayer support to stay in their homes for longer, as part of a $1 billion investment in this week's budget update. The Federal Government will use the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) to reduce the waitlist for in-home care, which was one of the key recommendations in the aged care royal commission's interim report.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-15/government-more-in-home-c…
# New policy announcement Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Federal Government, Older people, Welfare.Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute
Urban regulation and diverse housing supply: An Investigative Panel AHURI (No paywall)Here, researchers examines the barriers and challenges within the housing system for delivering housing supply that is more diverse in terms of size and built form; tenure; development model; and affordability level. They found that diverse housing supply is required in both type and tenure. In Sydney, Melbourne and Perth there is a perceived need for more diversity in dwelling types and sizes, particularly in lower-density suburban areas characterised by detached houses. The report also finds that land-use zoning laws can have a significant impact on whether diverse housing types, such as medium-density housing are permitted in residential areas, or whether they are financially viable to develop but they are not the only factors challenging the delivery of diverse housing supply.
https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/349?utm_source=w…
# Research alert Australia, Housing market.Sydney's Darling Point records highest median home value for 2020 amid luxury homes market recovery
Nassim Khadem ABC (No paywall)Several of Sydney's eastern suburbs recorded the highest median housing values, according to CoreLogic data, which says Australia's $7.2 trillion residential real estate market has proved "remarkably resilient" despite the nation's largest economic downturn since the 1930's.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-17/corelogic-national-house-…
# Australia, Housing market.Housing stress set to rise by more than 40 per cent in NSW: report
Anna Patty The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The economic fallout from the coronavirus is expected to result in a 19 per cent increase in homelessness in NSW next year, according to new analysis which also predicts the number of families facing housing stress will rise by more than 40 per cent. Nationally, homelessness is expected to rise by nine per cent, with a 24 per cent increase in the number of families facing housing stress. NSW is set to be hardest hit because … ‘ Read her article entitled: ‘Housing stress set to rise by more than 40 per cent in NSW: report
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/housing-stress-set-to-rise-b…
# Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market.The State of the Nation's Housing
National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) (No paywall)This 2020 report has been prepared by NHFIC’s newly-formed research team with modelling input from SGS Economics & Planning and Macroplan. The report delivers on NHFIC’s mandate of monitoring housing demand, supply and affordability, while also identifying potential gaps between housing demand and supply. It is NHFIC’s first report into the State of the Nation’s Housing and was developed in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders across industry, government and academia.
https://www.nhfic.gov.au/research/thematics/state-of-the-nations…
# Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing affordability, Housing market.Cheaper housing in Australia under threat from return to pre-Covid migration levels – report
Paul Karp The Guardian (No paywall)A temporary improvement in housing affordability could evaporate if Covid-19 vaccines allow resumption of normal migration levels, Australia’s peak housing body has warned. In its first major report, released on Tuesday, the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) has projected new housing supply will exceed demand for two years before a demand rebound in 2023.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/15/cheaper-h…
# Australia, Affordable housing, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market.JobSeeker changes: Australia’s homeless rate to surge after cuts
Daily Telegraph (Paywall)Australia’s homeless rate will surge by 9 per cent next year when cuts to the JobSeeker payment’s coronavirus supplement heap more misery on those living below the poverty line, a new report predicts
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/homeless-rate-to-spi…
# Australia, Homelessness.City of Melbourne commits to affordable housing plan
Judy Skatssoon (No paywall)City of Melbourne has committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing as part of a ten year strategy. Under the proposed Affordable Housing Strategy 2030, which was endorsed by Council on Tuesday, up to 25 per cent of all future residential development on land owned by the City of Melbourne would be dedicated to affordable housing.
https://www.governmentnews.com.au/city-of-melbourne-commits-to-a…
# Australia, Affordable housing, Housing market.