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
NSW lawyers weigh in on ending no-grounds evictions
Grace Ormsby RPM (No paywall)Voicing their thoughts ahead of last week’s NSW election, the state’s law society has stated that protections for vulnerable tenants must go one step further.
Prior to the election win by Chris Minns and the Labor Party, the Law Society of NSW welcomed the commitments by parties to end “no-grounds” evictions from residential properties.
Cassandra Banks, the Law Society of NSW president, said there are good reasons to review the existing right of a landlord to end a lease at any time for no reason with 90 days’ notice and 30 days’ notice, to prevent evictions on unreasonable grounds, particularly in relation to groups that are vulnerable to discrimination.
https://www.realestatebusiness.com.au/property-management/25427-…
# Hot topic NSW, Rent, Housing market, No-grounds evictions.Nation’s rental system is broken for tenants and landlords
Shane Wright The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)ustralia’s housing rental system has broken down, with new research showing landlords would be better off putting money into superannuation while tenants face some of the worst conditions in the developed world.
Analysis released on Thursday by financial and property services companies LongView and PEXA shows 60 per cent of landlords are receiving lower returns on their properties compared to an ordinary balanced super fund.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nation-s-rental-system-i…
# Must read, Hot topic, Research alert Australia, Rent, Housing affordability, Housing market.Women majority of newly homeless, as ABS census data shows problem getting worse
Stephanie Convery The Guardian (No paywall)The number of people experiencing homelessness in Australia has grown 5.2% in five years, with women making up the vast majority of the newly homeless and more than a third of all homeless people aged under 25, new data has revealed.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday released its latest homelessness estimates based on the census on 10 August 2021.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/22/women-maj…
# Must read, Hot topic, Research alert Australia, Rent, Homelessness, Women.Homelessness is surging in Australia. There are fears it could get worse
Deborah Groarke SBS (No paywall)New data shows a sharp increase in the number of people without a home, with women and children, as well as Indigenous Australians, bearing the brunt of the housing crisis.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows homelessness is surging.
New figures show nearly 123,000 people were without a home on Census night 2021 - around 6,000 more than at the previous count in 2016.
It represents a 5.2 per cent lift in homelessness over five years.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/homelessness-is-surging-in-a…
# Must read, Hot topic, Research alert Australia, Rent, Homelessness, Housing affordability.Elderly, chronically ill residents prepare to sleep in their cars as NRAS ends
Meg Bolton ABC (No paywall)The National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) saved Shirley Sagar from homelessness three years ago.
Now, as the federal government program comes to an end, she's facing a nightmarish case of deja vu.
Last week, at least 17 residents of Nambour unit complex Petrie Villas were given a notice to leave by June.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-24/national-rental-affordabi…
# Hot topic Australia, Rent, Housing affordability, Personal stories.Rental hikes limited to once a year to head off housing crisis, Queensland Premier announces
ABC News ABC (No paywall)Rent hikes will be limited to once a year rather than every six months, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told parliament today ahead of a housing crisis round table.
Dozens of housing groups will be hosted at parliament today to discuss ways to increase supply with rental affordability top of the agenda.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-28/queensland-rental-cap-ann…
# Hot topic, New policy announcement Australia, Rent, Housing affordability, State Government.Yes, the 1.5 million Australians getting rent assistance need an increase, but more public housing is the lasting fix for the crisis
Liam Davies, Alistair Sisson, David Kelly and Priya Kunjan The Conversation (No paywall)Australia is in the grip of a housing crisis, with low-income households hit hardest by rising rents and falling vacancy rates.
Social housing tenants were insulated from the 10.2% jump in advertised private rental prices in 2022. However, the proportion of people in social housing (an umbrella term covering public and community housing) fell by a fifth, from 4.6% to 3.7%, over the past decade. The Productivity Commission reports social housing waiting lists grew by over 17% in just three years, from 148,520 in 2019 to 174,624 in 2022.
https://theconversation.com/yes-the-1-5-million-australians-gett…
# Hot topic Australia, Affordable housing, Federal Government, Planning and development.Housing Future Fund for 30,000 homes yet to win enough support as Greens hold out over concerns it may fail to work
Jake Evans ABC (No paywall)The government's election commitment to fund 30,000 social and affordable homes over the next five years is at risk of defeat, as the Greens continue threats to vote against it unless the government significantly steps up funding.
If the bill cannot win enough support to pass the Senate, it would be the first major defeat for the government, which made the housing fund a key pillar of the party's federal election campaign.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-27/housing-future-fund-faces…
# Hot topic Australia, Affordable housing, Federal Government, Planning and development.