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 rental market has failed: alliance
AAP Yahoo News (No paywall)Skyrocketing rents in NSW are a sign the market is failing to deliver affordable options, a group advocating for more social housing says.
Shelter NSW CEO John Engeler says "the rental market has failed".
About a third of NSW people live in rented properties and rents in Greater Sydney have increased by up to 28 per cent in the past year.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw-rental-market-failed-alliance-0251…
# New policy announcement NSW, Public and community housing, Housing affordability.Fairy Meadow single mum fears for the worst as end to affordable rental scheme looms
Grace Crivellaro Illawarra Mercury (Paywall)Single mum Lisa Malone rents in Fairy Meadow. She fears the winding up of the National Rental Affordability Scheme could propel hundreds into homelessness.
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/8009922/we-could-be-le…
# NSW, Public and community housing, Affordable housing, Families, Homelessness.NSW Labor to hold Fairer Renting Roundtable next year
The Greek Herald The Greek Herald (No paywall)NSW Labor will hold a roundtable in January 2023, bringing together the NSW Tenants Union, Real Estate Institute of NSW, Tenancy Advocacy Services, Community Legal Centres, and community organisations to discuss what is needed to make renting fairer and ways to ease cost of living pressures.
Around one third of New South Wales residents live in rented properties – or 944,585 households.
Rent in Greater Sydney is up 28 percent in the last 12 months. More than a third of NSW households spent more than 30 percent of their household income on rent.
https://greekherald.com.au/politics/nsw-labor-to-hold-fairer-ren…
# NSW, Housing market, Landlords and agents, State Government.Single mum, kids face Christmas in the car as SA's rental shortage continues to worsen
Caroline Horn ABC (No paywall)Hard-working cleaner Amie Sherwin lives in Victor Harbor, South Australia, and can afford to pay up to $400 a week in rent.
But she is facing the prospect of spending Christmas in her car with her four-year old son Fletcher and 12-year old daughter Charlotte.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-07/rental-shortage-in-sa-cou…
# Hot topic Australia, Homelessness, Housing affordability, Housing market, Landlords and agents.Regional Australia can play a greater role in easing the nation's housing crisis
George Housakos Canberra Times (No paywall)Australia's housing crisis is not confined to capital cities. In regional areas, housing stress is just as urgent and damaging, hurting individuals and communities, and biting businesses by intensifying a critical shortage of labour and skills.
Resolving it will not be easy, but it is time to dial up the effort and pace. Australia has one of the most urbanised populations in the world, with more than 65 per cent of Australians living in capital cities.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8016647/to-solve-the-hous…
# Australia, Housing affordability, Housing market, Planning and development.Tom Elliott clashes with Tenants Victoria over rental bidding
3AW 3AW (No paywall)Tom Elliott has clashed with Tenants Victoria over rental bidding.
“It’s outlawed for a good reason,” Ben Cording, Lead Lawyer for Community Education, told Tom Elliott.
But Tom says it’s simply market forces at work. A fiery debate ensued.
https://www.3aw.com.au/tom-elliott-clashes-with-tenants-victoria…
# Hot topic, Audio Australia, Rent, Housing market, Landlords and agents.Renters still waiting for bond release after two years
Emily Hutchinson realestate.com.au (No paywall)Many bonds that went into dispute during Covid are still unresolved, leaving some tenants waiting on thousands of dollars.
Kelsie Gaffey is a Melbourne-based tenant and has been waiting for a resolution on her bond for nearly two years after her $1200 was withheld in February 2021.
https://www.realestate.com.au/news/renters-still-waiting-for-bon…
# Australia, Bond.Aussie real estate agent's 'disgusting' Christmas message to tenants
Carly Bass Yahoo News (No paywall)An email to tenants from a Queensland real estate agent has been labelled "tone deaf" and "insensitive" with people lashing out at its "patronising" tone.
A Gold Coast renter posted a screenshot of the email on Reddit this week which outlined the agent's holiday hours and their expectations of tenants over the Christmas period.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/aussie-real-estate-agents-disgusting-c…
# Australia, Rent, Landlords and agents.