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
October 2022 News
Shelter NSW (No paywall)In this month's edition:
Everybody’s Home – let the Federal Government know that ending the housing crisis is urgent and important
People are getting sick because of their rental homes
Large public housing estate renewal proposals failing to stack up – from Coffs Harbour to Riverwood
When the safety net fails – the regional housing crisis in Bega and Tamworth
Aftershock – two and a half years of a pandemic, fire and floods
GCC Six Cities Discussion Paper
International Students Listening Event
Shelter NSW in the news
National Shelter Council meeting - hosted at Yirranma Place
Our submission on the draft South East & Tablelands Regional Plan 2041
Festival of Urbanism - Renovate or Detonate
Gosford – Women’s Community Shelters in the news!
Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan
https://mailchi.mp/shelternsw/shelter-nsw-october-2022-ebulletin…
# NSW, Rent, Affordable housing, Campaigns and law reform, Coronavirus COVID-19, Estate renewal, Federal Government, Health, Local Government, Planning and development, Regional NSW, State Government, Students, Women.Residential Tenancies Amendment (Prohibiting No Grounds Evictions) Bill 2022
(No paywall)Jenny Leong introduces bill to end unfair no grounds evictions in New South Wales. For progress on the Bill, check at: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/bills/Pages/bill-details.aspx?pk=4011 To put this in context, read Riley Krause's article entitled: 'Rent in Orange on the rise as wellas no grounds evictions' in 'Central Western Daily' at: [https://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/story/7942077/orange-residents-are-skipping-meals-to-cope-with-citys-rising-rent-costs/] Here, Verto's CEO, Mr Ron Maxwell, says they have seen a "significant increase" in enquiries related to no grounds evictions in the past three years. ... On top of this, Mr Maxwell said increases in rent was "pricing out" a lot of their clients. "Verto is seeing clients that are skipping meals, missing out on their previous activities, and getting behind in their other financial obligations just to pay rent'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW54-xIa8gQ&ab_channel=JennyLeong
# NSW, Eviction, Rent, No-grounds evictions, State Government.The market has failed to give Australians affordable housing, so don’t expect it to solve the crisis
Hal Pawson, Bill Randolph, Chris Leishman, Nicole Gurran, Peter Mares, Peter Phibbs and Vivienne Milligan The Conversation (No paywall)The federal Labor government has promised to craft a national housing and homelessness plan and to fund new social housing, returning Canberra to a field it all but abandoned for a decade. A new Productivity Commission report is scathing about current arrangements and calls for far-reaching change. Yet some of the report’s key recommendations rest on faulty assumptions and outdated economic thinking. It relies on a misplaced belief that the market will respond to low-income households’ need for affordable housing. Its faith in deregulation as a cure-all is misguided. The experience of recent decades and a wealth of research evidence instead point to the need to increase government investment in public and community housing.
https://theconversation.com/the-market-has-failed-to-give-austra…
# Must read Australia, Public and community housing, Rent, Affordable housing, Federal Government, Home ownership, Homelessness, Housing affordability, Housing market, Planning and development.The Irishman who could shape Australia’s future, to be sure
Peter Hartcher The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Art O’Leary was minding his own business and enjoying his role as a senior civil servant in Ireland’s parliament when the prime minister phoned to offer him a unique job. The self-described middle-aged man with a suit and a comb-over couldn’t have known that he was about to become a social revolutionary. The newly elected government had promised to create a people’s assembly to discuss revising six articles in the country’s constitution – including the one touching the bombshell question of same-sex marriage. ... The attraction [of citizens' assemblies]? This approach removes the political partisanship, entrenched positions and vested-interest lobbying from the deliberative process. It turns out that a well-run citizens’ assembly can not only add to public understanding of an issue but also to public trust in any eventual government action. For another application of citizens' assemblies, see this Tenants' Union of NSW blog at: [https://www.tenants.org.au/blog/citizens-assemblies-and-renting-policy-avenue-fair-rental-reform].
https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-irishman-who-could-shape-aus…
# Australia, Campaigns and law reform, International.The Tories have trampled on renters for too long, and Liz Truss is about to feel their pain
Gaby Hinsliff The Guardian (No paywall)From the United Kingdom ... Rocketing interest rates make this a scary winter for anyone with a mortgage, but arguably even scarier for renters. Rents were already on the rise before this crisis, driven by a shortage of properties as tenants streamed back into big cities post-pandemic. When the pressure group Generation Rent surveyed its supporters, it found 45% of those who had been in their current place for more than a year had been asked to pay more, with cut-throat competition for flats sparking bidding wars and even outbreaks of gazumping. But the big difference between now and Black Wednesday, the last time mortgage rates suddenly rocketed, is that this time renters are more directly exposed. The private rented sector has almost doubled since the early 1990s, as social housing dwindled and an army of amateur landlords, property moguls and assorted hustlers moved in to plug the gap.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/14/tories-ren…
# International, Rent, Housing market.Push to end no grounds evictions in NSW
Phoebe Loomes Canberra Times (No paywall)It could become illegal to evict a tenant from their home without a reason in NSW, in a move that may provide stability to about one million renters. The Greens introduced a bill to the NSW parliament on Thursday which could bring an end to "no grounds evictions", where tenants are forced to leave their home without being given a reason. ... Tenants Union of NSW chief executive Leo Patterson Ross says no grounds evictions continue to undermine renters' ability to maintain a stable home. The advocacy service had been receiving an increasing number of requests from people evicted for no reason, who often had nowhere to go, he told AAP. Renters deserve transparency about why they might be forced to move, he said. You will also find a link to this article at: [https://www.aap.com.au/news/push-to-end-no-grounds-evictions-in-nsw/]
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7940239/push-to-end-no-gr…
# NSW, Eviction, Rent, Housing market, No-grounds evictions, State Government.Liz Truss may ‘betray renters’ and shelve manifesto promise to axe no-fault evictions
Liam Geraghty (No paywall)From the United Kingdom ... Liz Truss’ government has been accused of “betraying renters” over alleged plans to U-turn on the Tory manifesto promise to stop landlords evicting tenants at will. No-fault evictions, or section 21 evictions as they are also known, allow landlords to evict privately-renting tenants with two months’ notice without giving a reason. They are considered a leading driver of homelessness and recent months have brought a marked increase as the halt on evictions during the pandemic came to an end. (The Big Issue) STOP PRESS: Ella Jessel writes: 'Truss confirms "no-fault" evictions for private tenants will be scrapped' in 'Inside Housing' at: [https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/truss-confirms-no-fault-evictions-for-private-tenants-will-be-scrapped-78540] Also, check out the same story on the BBC at: [https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-63024366] and 'National World' at: [https://www.nationalworld.com/news/uk/no-fault-evictions-government-accused-betraying-renters-promised-ban-scrapped-3875387]
https://www.bigissue.com/news/housing/liz-truss-may-betray-rente…
# International, Eviction, Rent, No-grounds evictions.Short-term rental operators ask for national regulation amid housing crisis
Kirsten Webster ABC (No paywall)Short-term rental operators have called for national regulation of their own industry to become part of the solution to Australia's rental crisis. The industry has been blamed for exacerbating the long-term rental housing shortage and the Australian Short Term Accommodation Association (ASTRA) admits it is feeling the "heat". "Absolutely, there is an issue that needs to be addressed," board director Yoav Tourel said. ... Emeritus Professor of Urban Planning Peter Phibbs was encouraged by ASTRA's position on regulation but believed control should stay within state and local jurisdictions. "A state government approach is more helpful for both sides of the problem," he said. "When you do have state legislation you have got to have an ability to moderate the approach depending on the local council circumstances."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-13/short-term-rental-industr…
# Australia, Rent, Federal Government, Housing market, Local Government, Short-term holiday letting, State Government.