ADVICE OVER THE HOLIDAY PERIOD
Tenants Advice & Advocacy Services have limited availability over the holiday period. The Tenants' Union will operate a Tenancy Advice Hotline from Wednesday 18/12/2024 until Wednesday 8/1/2025 (excluding weekends and public holidays). The hours of operation are 10am-1pm and 2-5pm.
Get advice on: (02) 8117 3750 or 1800 251 101
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
Tasmania 2022 budget reveals growing debt, cost of living concessions and millions for digital health services
Alexandra Humphries ABC (No paywall)[The Tasmanian government is] committing to what it calls the "most comprehensive and ambitious affordable housing strategy in Tasmania's history". That strategy sees $538 million being invested into social and affordable housing and homelessness initiatives over four years – more than $200 million of that next year alone. The government has promised to build 10,000 new homes over the next decade. It's ambitious – the budget papers show just 1,254 homes have been built under the Affordable Housing Strategy since 2015.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-26/tasmania-budget-2022-debt…
# Australia, Public and community housing, Affordable housing, State Government.The case to end blanket pet bans for renters in NSW
Riley Brooke Tenants' Union of NSW (No paywall)NSW tenancy law still allows for blanket ‘no pets’ clauses, so landlords can continue to refuse requests to get a pet for any reason, or no reason at all. In late 2020 NSW saw changes to strata regulation that had implications for owner-occupiers, and a small proportion of renters, in strata properties. However, as we outline here, these changes do not remove the barriers from the vast majority of renting households wishing to get a pet.
https://www.tenants.org.au/blog/case-end-blanket-pet-bans-renter…
# NSW, Rent, No-grounds evictions, Pets, State Government.This significant WA Government remote housing commitment has flown under the radar
Zak Kirkup (No paywall)How would you feel if you were one of 17 people living in a three bedroom home? Well for Aboriginal people in Australia, overcrowded housing like that isn’t rare, it’s the norm. Between 18-23 per cent of Indigenous people live in a home crammed full of people, while it’s less than five per cent of those who are non-Indigenous. It’s a difficult problem to solve and one that government’s have struggled with, effectively since colonisation. ... one of the most significant commitments in the 2022 WA State Budget has been delivered via the Housing Minister John Carey. In a move that isn’t designed to secure votes in marginal seats and didn’t rate much of a media mention, Mr Carey and the WA Government set aside $350 million to invest in housing, water and power for remote Aboriginal communities. The decision reflects, I believe, a deep and abiding respect that we’re seeing across Parliament and community for the role Indigenous people have in our country. No longer are Aboriginal Australians being asked to change and being shoe-horned into the way of life of those who colonised them. (National Indigenous Times)
https://www.nit.com.au/this-significant-wa-government-remote-hou…
# Australia, Families, Federal Government, Housing market, Race and ethnicity, State Government.What Anthony Albanese's win means for struggling renters
Emily Hutchinson (No paywall)Anthony Albanese has wasted no time launching into his new job as the 31st Prime Minister of Australia, with a raft of reforms to come - including on housing. But what can renters expect amid intense competition, a drastically short supply of available homes, and skyrocketing costs? ... with a worsening rental crisis, industry experts believe much more needs to be done to help tenants facing hardship. ... "The most exciting thing about the ALP housing policy is the promise of a National Housing Strategy, and the return of the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council," Tenants Union of New South Wales chief executive officer Leo Patterson Ross said. "The creation of a strategy gives the incoming government the ability to really grapple with the problems facing renters across the country, and the potential to meaningfully address them. There are many aspects to this, but the point is you can't fix a problem if you don't have a plan." (realestate.com.au)
https://www.realestate.com.au/news/what-anthony-albaneses-win-me…
# TUNSW in the media NSW, Rent, Federal Government, Housing market.Australia’s social housing system is critically stressed. Many eligible applicants simply give up
Hal Pawson The Conversation (No paywall)Plenty was said in the election campaign about the very real challenges faced by first home buyers and by homeowners already mortgaged to the hilt. But little comment focused on the cost-of-living predicament faced by low income renters. Our new report, released today, reveals a social housing system critically stressed, with demand rapidly outpacing supply. Many eligible applicants in need simply give up on ever being allocated a spot. Probably far more, knowing their faint hope of a tenancy offer, never even apply. You will find the full report at: [https://cityfutures.ada.unsw.edu.au/documents/685/Waithood_paper.pdf] Read the original version of Hal Pawson's article at: [https://blogs.unsw.edu.au/cityfutures/blog/2022/05/unravelling-the-paradox-of-social-housing-demand/]
https://theconversation.com/australias-social-housing-system-is-…
# Australia, Public and community housing, Rent, Federal Government, State Government.How many property's do investors own?
Michael Yardney (No paywall)According the ATO there are just over 2 million property investors in Australia. ... A new study has revealed the average number of investment properties currently held by Australian property investors. The 2018 Property Investor Sentiment Survey was conducted as a collaboration of Michael Yardney’s Michael Yardney’s Property Update, Your Investment Property magazine and onthehouse.com.au. 88% of respondents already own an investment property and 45% owned 3 or more properties. In fact 5% say they own 10 or more properties.
https://www.yourinvestmentpropertymag.com.au/news/how-many-prope…
# Australia, Rent, Housing market, Landlords and agents.What Is ‘Good Cause Eviction,’ and What Does It Mean for Renters?
Ronda Kaysen The New York Times (Paywall)New York renters are feeling the squeeze, with rents in Manhattan up 32 percent in April from the same time a year ago, according to a report, and housing courts busy as evictions resume after a pandemic moratorium. Some renters are wondering: Is there any relief? Tenant advocates say yes, pointing to a bill introduced last year in the New York State Legislature called Prohibition of Eviction Without Good Cause. But what is “good cause eviction,” and what would it mean for renters and landlords if the bill, as it stands now, becomes law?
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/21/realestate/good-cause-evictio…
# International, Eviction, No-grounds evictions.Tenants by Vicky Spratt review – empty rooms and empty promises
Lynsey Hanley The Guardian (No paywall)Book of the day ... This astute analysis examines the toxic lottery of Britain’s housing crisis and the devastating outcomes of having no fixed abode. ... It is impossible to read this book without becoming almost incapacitated with rage. The difference between being securely and insecurely housed is effectively the difference between life and death.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/may/24/tenants-by-vicky-s…
# Must read International, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Home ownership, Homelessness.