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
Billionaire wants to build windowless college dorm that is basically a ‘prison’
Gino Spocchia (No paywall)An architect has reportedly resigned from a billionaire-backed student halls project because its rooms are windowless, and are “unsupportable from my perspective as an architect, a parent, and a human being”. Charles Munger, the wealthy donor-turned “amateur architect”, is reportedly behind the proposed development of Munger Hall, which will house students from The University of California in Santa Barbara. (Independent)
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/warren-buffet-…
# International, Rent, Sub-letting.Concern proposed planning law change to increase number of trees in Canberra could drive up house prices
Antoinette Radford and Elizabeth Byrne ABC (No paywall)Canberra could soon double down on its reputation as the bush capital under proposed changes to planning laws, which would result in more trees being planted in newer suburbs. The potential changes to the planning laws would compel new residential developments to have at least 20 per cent tree canopy coverage. The ACT government hopes that additional tree coverage will cool the city, and set the territory firmly on track to reaching its goal of 30 per cent tree canopy coverage. ACT Environment Minister and Greens MLA Rebecca Vassarotti said the proposed changes would ensure green space and cooler temperatures for some of Canberra's newer suburbs.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-30/proposed-tree-canopy-law-…
# Australia, Climate change, Housing market, Planning and development.Climate change now
Ben Deacon and Kate Doyle ABC (No paywall)Gerald’s house has a white roof — it reflects sunlight, which helps to keep his home cooler during the sweltering summers. “When it’s 40 degrees outside and 20 degrees in the home, the roof sits at 22 degrees,” Gerald says. But he’s not stopped there, installing the highest insulation possible in the roof and walls, double-glazed windows, solar hot water and solar panels. It gives him an eight-star home energy rating, well above the required six stars for a new build. Altogether, Gerald says, these additions cost him about 10 per cent more than the base price. Choosing white roof tiles over the dark alternatives cost him nothing. Zero dollars. “I basically don’t pay any electricity bills. I actually get money from my provider,” Gerald says. He says he has no idea why so many of his neighbours haven’t also installed white roofs.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-30/climate-change-now-austra…
# NSW, Climate change, Housing market, Minimum habitability standards.Property Matters
NSW Fair Trading (No paywall)Face mask rules in strata ... Masks are still mandatory in all indoor common areas of residential premises in the Greater Sydney area including Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Shellharbour and Wollongong. Rules for renovations, repairs, maintenance, cleaning and construction ... For renovations, repairs, maintenance and cleaning at home, follow the rules for visitors to a home. Workers are authorised to visit homes whether or not they or the household are fully vaccinated. [And lots more ...]
https://comms.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/link/id/zzzz617b8e0b9f62f78…
# NSW, Eviction, Rent, Repairs, Strata, Coronavirus COVID-19, Health, Landlords and agents, Short-term holiday letting.Unregistered holiday rentals to be de-listed from booking websites in new code of conduct
Ainslie Drewitt-Smith ABC (No paywall)Holiday rental properties in New South Wales will be de-listed from booking websites including Airbnb and Stayz if providers fail to register with the Department of Planning by Monday. The registration is part of a new code of conduct being introduced by the state government to regulate the industry in a bid to guard against negligent hosts and disruptive guests. he chair of the Australian Short Term Rental Association said, as of Thursday, there were around 50,000 properties across the state still to be registered with the department. "Those properties won't be eligible to be promoted and take any further bookings until they're actually registered with the Department of Planning," Rob Jeffress said.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-29/holiday-rental-property-r…
# NSW, Short-term holiday letting.‘This may save lives’: Ditching dark roofs drops mercury by up to 10 degrees
Angus Thompson The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Ditching dark roofing across Sydney will lower the city’s summer ambient temperatures by up to 2.4 degrees, according to University of NSW research commissioned by the federal government. A switch to cool-roofing options as simple as a coat of white paint could also drive down indoor temperatures in uninsulated homes in western Sydney by an average of 4 degrees, and 10 degrees during heatwaves, making them potentially life-saving measures. ... The NSW government has already mandated lighter-coloured roofs in Sydney’s south-west growth area to dial back the heat island effect, with Planning Minister Rob Stokes saying Australia’s obsession with dark roofing was leading to “astronomical electricity bills”.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/this-may-save-lives-ditching-dar…
# Australia, Health, Minimum habitability standards, Planning and development, State Government.Pingelly pioneers virtual aged care to keep older residents in their homes
Eliza Borrello ABC (No paywall)With a population of 800 the small town of Pingelly, about 160 kilometres southeast of Perth, is too small for a nursing home so the community has pioneered "virtual aged care" to help seniors stay in their homes longer with the help of volunteers.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-29/close-knit-town-pingelly-…
# Australia, Housing market, Older people.Biden announces revamped $1.75 trillion social spending plan
BBC (No paywall)US President Joe Biden unveiled a revamped $1.75tn (£1.27tn) spending plan on Thursday, calling it a historic investment in the country's future. ... What's in the proposed new spending plan? [It includes] $150bn to build one million affordable housing units.
# International, Affordable housing, Housing market.