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
Col James Student Housing for quarantine trial
Lyn Turnbull (No paywall)Scape built and operates the Col James Student Housing building adjacent to the railway line under a long-term lease from the Aboriginal Housing Company which paid for construction of the Aboriginal housing. In May, Scape took a proposal to the NSW treasurer to use its new building to quarantine overseas students. On September 23 Scape was awarded the contract to run a trial starting in December 2021. The building accommodates about 500 students in single rooms with individually contained air-conditioning. Students, who will arrive in groups of 250 for their 14 days in quarantine, must be fully vaccinated with one of the four Australian approved vaccines – AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. The buses they arrive in will pull into the building’s delivery area to avoid external contact with local residents. (South Sydney Herald)
https://southsydneyherald.com.au/col-james-student-housing-for-q…
# NSW, Coronavirus COVID-19, Students.Population growth and mobility in Australia: implications for housing and urban development policies
Amity James, Steven Rowley, Amanda Davies, Rachel Ong ViforJ and Ranjodh Singh AHURI (No paywall)This research tracks Australia’s population growth over the period 2006–16 to examine how actual growth differed from projected growth. It also examined key drivers of population mobility in Australia to inform future urban development policy responses to demands on infrastructure and housing.
# Research alert Australia, Housing market, Planning and development.What the return of international students to NSW means for the student accommodation sector
Alison Worrall (No paywall)A pilot program to allow small batches of fully-vaccinated international students to return to NSW to finish their studies has sparked hope for the crippled student accommodation sector. It comes amid growing concerns that thousands of foreign students are becoming impatient with Australian border closures and opting to study in the UK, US and Canada. After months of discussions between universities, purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) providers, health authorities and government officials, the latest announcement is seen as a light at the end of the tunnel for the sector, which was worth roughly $40 billion to the Australian economy in 2019. Industry players now hope other states will follow the NSW government’s lead and allow students to complete quarantine in student accommodation buildings.
https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/news/what-the-return-of-…
# NSW, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market, Students.Government accused of turning its back on elderly victims of collapsed housing scheme
Michael Atkin ABC (No paywall)The federal government is being accused of turning its back on elderly victims of a failed housing scheme that has left them with heavy financial losses and has seen one couple evicted. ... The Perth-based company Sterling First marketed its housing brand, Sterling New Life, as the "smart way to retire" and enlisted former star cricketer Mitchell Johnson to front its advertising campaign. Before its collapse, the Sterling New Life product involved people paying large, up-front sums — usually hundreds of thousands of dollars — to secure long-term leases over properties for up to 40 years. Elderly customers across the country signed up in droves, paying in total more than $18.5 million.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-07/government-accused-of-tur…
# Australia, Eviction, Rent, Housing market, Older people.Feeding the soul: Everybody needs good neighbours, especially in lockdown
Petra Stock and Ashleigh McMillan The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)It’s a green and white art deco cupboard just sitting in a nook on a suburban footpath – but it has become a nexus for community connection. ... The cupboard is now stocked with hand sanitiser, baked goods and home-grown delights donated by locals “with incredible fresh herbs, citruses, potted plants, seedlings, jams, all sorts of good things”, Mrs White said. People stroll by to contribute or take something, she said, they chat to neighbours and then pop back again the next day to see what’s new and what’s changed.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/feeding-the-soul-everyb…
# Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Neighbours.Home buyer caught in $100,000 bank scam hits out at ‘dismissive’ NAB
Charlotte Grieve The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Sanjay Joseph had just bought a property in Sydney’s North Kellyville when he received an email from what appeared to be his conveyancer asking him to transfer almost $100,000 to complete the purchase. The email was branded with the correct company’s details and showed the exact amount owed, so Mr Joseph thought nothing of it and transferred the money immediately.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/home-buyer-c…
# NSW, Home ownership, Housing market.There's no denying the data: Rent control works
Cea Weaver (No paywall)From the United States ... After decades on the defensive, the pro-rent control tenant movement is scoring significant wins despite having to battle constant misinformation from landlords, as recently published on this site. Washington, Oregon, and California have each expanded rent control measures in recent years; tenant organizations in Minnesota and Illinois are running impressive campaigns for rent control. In 2019, New York expanded its rent control system for the first time in decades and closed major landlord-friendly loopholes that were causing the system to disappear by attrition. Rent control is enjoying this moment in the sun for a simple reason: It works! (The Hill)
https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/573841-theres-no-denying-the…
# International, Rent, Housing market.Covid: Wales' police helped evict people illegally, charity says
BBC (No paywall)Police forces across Wales have been "assisting illegal evictions" during the pandemic, according to Shelter Cymru. The housing charity told a Senedd committee it had seen it happen in all four police force areas. The Welsh government's ban on evictions during Covid-19 came to an end in June, but was replaced by a six-month notice period for tenants.
# International, Eviction, Coronavirus COVID-19.