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
‘Why are we living in such conditions?’: Crown Heights tenants on why they’re striking
Ben Verde (No paywall)From New York ... For Doila George, a resident of 1392 Sterling Place, the final straw came in March when her window jammed, making it unable to close — and adding yet another opening to her dilapidated apartment, which features holes in her kitchen ceiling that send floods of rainwater splashing onto the floor. For months, she tried to get in touch with her building’s management company to get the problems in her apartment fixed, but received no responses and no repairs. In July, she decided she’d had enough. When she mailed her rent for the month, she included with it a letter informing the management company that it would be the last rent she would be paying until her repairs were made. She is yet to receive a response. (Brooklyn Paper)
https://www.brooklynpaper.com/crown-heights-tenants-strike-nov-2…
# International, Rent, Repairs, Campaigns and law reform, Housing market, Landlords and agents.How to sell your strata on sustainability: ‘Think of all the things people might object to’
Sally Dillon The Guardian (No paywall)With the federal government dragging its feet on legislating to reduce carbon emissions, many Australians are decreasing their individual carbon footprints, changing their lifestyles and even their homes to become more sustainable. Installing solar panels, solar hot water systems and rain tanks is relatively straightforward on detached houses, but the increasing number of apartment dwellers is posing new challenges for sustainable living.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/18/how-to-se…
# Australia, Strata, Utilities electricity water gas, Climate change, Housing market, Minimum habitability standards.The same places keep appearing in most-disadvantaged lists. COVID means it could be getting worse
Norman Hermant and Josie Taylor ABC (No paywall)[Community worker and local Foodbank, volunteer] Chandelle Wilson has spent her life in Western Sydney. She now lives in Blackett, an area that repeatedly ranks as one of the most disadvantaged in New South Wales. She believes many people in the community have struggled for so long they've given up long-term thinking. ""[They're] literally limping along in survival mode." ... [and] COVID has likely deepened inequality ...
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-18/disadvantage-in-australia…
# NSW, Public and community housing, Coronavirus COVID-19, Families.Algorithms at the auction: US startups use tech to shake up house buying
James Titcomb The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)For some American homeowners, one number is the most important indicator of wealth in their life: the Zestimate. An approximation of their house’s value from the property website Zillow, based on public records and a computer algorithm, it is a real-time assessment of people’s most valuable asset - and checked religiously by potential sellers.
https://amp.smh.com.au/business/companies/algorithms-at-the-auct…
# International, Housing market.Sydney couple in $500,000 battle over leaking Surry Hills penthouse
Sue Williams Domain (No paywall)A Sydney couple battling constant destructive leaks in their apartment has spent more than $500,000 at a NSW government tribunal to force their building’s committee to fix the defects but, despite winning every case, they’re still living with the misery. And even though a NSW Fair Trading inspector drew up an extensive catalogue of the faults with their home that need to be repaired by the owners corporation, they’re being told their only option is to return yet again to the tribunal in the hope that it can enforce compliance with its orders.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/sue-williams-strata-disaster-stor…
# NSW, Repairs, Strata, Tribunal NCAT.The work from home revolution has helped trigger a migration to the regions. Now, locals say they have nowhere to live.
John Buckley (No paywall)Pandemic-induced uptake of hybrid and remote work has seen “knowledge workers” migrate to the regions in droves, pricing locals out of the market both as renters and buyers. Experts say it isn’t just the rate of homelessness that’s alarming, but that it has become more prevalent among middle income earners. (Business Insider Australia)
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/regional-migration-leaves-pus…
# Australia, Rent, Homelessness, Housing market, Regional NSW.Thermal mix: a modest Canberra renovation holds and traps the sun
Lisa Green The Guardian (No paywall)Using 80% less energy than average, an unassuming suburban home is winning architecture prizes for its imaginative revamp ... “A good home can’t just be about energy efficiency. It has to feel and look like a joyful home,” insists Edwards. Her team’s process is holistic, beginning with a focus on passive solar features and draught-proofing, ditching gas for all-electric appliances, improving function and liveability by rearranging and improving the floor plan, then addressing water storage and landscaping.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/17/thermal-m…
# Australia, Utilities electricity water gas, Home, Housing market.What to do if you have a dispute with your landlord
Sue Williams Domain (No paywall)A landlord who kept delaying releasing a bond, knowing his tenant was having to move overseas for work and couldn’t hang around to demand it. Another who kept calling by at odd moments on the pretext of checking his property – completely ignoring the permitted inspection appointments. And a third who, when asked to fix the damp patches in his apartment, accused his renter of causing them and took money from his bond when he moved out. Then painted over them ready for the next resident. ... If tenants are unable to resolve their issue via the property manager or landlord, there’s a huge amount of free advice on the websites of tenants’ bodies the Tenants Union of NSW and Tenants Victoria. “Tenants Victoria’s website is a handy practical resource to find information about your rights as a renter,” says Farah Farouque, its director of community engagement. “Don’t be shy. If you do have a problem regarding your rented home, it’s important to let the agent or landlord know your concern and try to resolve it as quickly as possible. Always remember renters have rights ..."
https://www.domain.com.au/advice/what-to-do-if-you-have-a-disput…
# TUNSW in the media Australia, Rent, Landlords and agents.