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
Eviction ban and grant programme for renters needed as evictions set to hit 350,000 this winter, charity warns
Dominic Brady Inside Housing (Paywall)United Kingdom: Social and private renters need support via a “watertight” eviction ban and a targeted grant programme to prevent 350,000 evictions this winter, with arrears expected to near half a billion pounds in the coming months, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has said.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/eviction-ban-and-grant-prog…
# Must read, Hot topic International, Eviction, Public and community housing.Biden administration will bring new focus on housing — and possibly new funding as well
Ida Moiadad (No paywall)United States: Tackling housing affordability may return as a national priority next year, with President-elect Joe Biden’s plans calling for zoning changes and sizable federal investments — assuming he can get the latter through Congress.
https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/biden-administration-will-bring-…
# International, Coronavirus COVID-19, Affordable housing.Yes, in our backyard: Inner West council chooses housing over heritage
Michael Koziol The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)A derelict church in Marrickville is set to be knocked down for 54 affordable housing units after Inner West councillors defied a recommendation to heritage list the building last week.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/yes-in-our-backyard-inner-we…
# NSW, Affordable housing, Public and community housing.NSW to phase out stamp duty as state announces record deficit
Alexandra Smith The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)NSW State Budget ... Alexandra Smith writes: ‘Treasurer Dominic Perrottet will undertake the state’s biggest tax reform in decades with stamp duty to be phased out to boost the economy as NSW records a historic $16 billion budget deficit. In his fourth budget, handed down on Tuesday, Mr Perrottet said replacing stamp duty with an annual land tax on new property transactions would be a key stimulus measure, injecting as much as $11 billion into the state’s economy over four years. ... NSW’s infrastructure pipeline will grow to $107 billion, which will include a significant $812 million investment in new social housing.’
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nsw-to-phase-out-stamp-duty-…
# Must read, New policy announcement NSW, Public and community housing, Tax.80 to 55: the case for lowering the age for early allocation of social housing in NSW
Robert Mowbray Tenants' Union of NSW (No paywall)Here, the Tenants’ Union of NSW puts the argument for lowering the age for early allocation of social housing in NSW from aged 80 years to 55 years. Older people, especially older women, are struggling in an insecure and unaffordable rental housing market and constantly face the possibility of homelessness which has a severe impact on older people, with premature ageing through earlier onset of health problems.
https://www.tenants.org.au/blog/80-55-case-lowering-age-early-al…
# Must read NSW, Public and community housing, Homelessness, Older people, Women.'It’s a game-changer': Victoria commits $5.3bn to 12,000 social housing homes
AAP The Guardian (No paywall)Experts say package is “massive leap” towards solving homelessness crisis but Greens say more than 100,000 people on waiting list for public housing.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/15/its-a-gam…
# Must read Australia, Public and community housing, Home, Coronavirus COVID-19.Inheritance, not work, has become the main route to middle-class home ownership
Lisa Adkins and Martijn Konings The Guardian (No paywall)In many of the world’s largest and most expensive cities, young people find themselves in a strange predicament. Although their educational credentials and employment prospects put them in the “middle-class” category, many have virtually no chance of ever making it on to the property ladder.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/nov/09/inheritanc…
# Hot topic International, Young people, Home ownership.COVID to halve international student numbers in Australia by mid-2021 – it’s not just unis that will feel their loss
Peter Hurley The Conversation (No paywall)Our research shows the location and density of the reductions in international students vary by city. For instance, an estimated 72,000 fewer international students are living in Sydney because of the pandemic. ... inner-city regions have been the most affected. Areas with large Chinese international student populations, such as Hurstville in Sydney’s south-west and Strathfield in Sydney’s west, also show significant reductions.
https://theconversation.com/covid-to-halve-international-student…
# Hot topic Australia, Students, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market.