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
Pandemic sparks rush to purchase regional property ‘sight unseen’
Emily Chantiri The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)As tens of thousands of people desert our capital cities in a coronavirus pandemic-induced exodus, a new trend is emerging in the scramble to beat fast-growing regional property prices – buying a house sight unseen. Country real estate agents are reporting a higher number of property listings being snapped up by couples who are enduring lockdowns, preventing them from travelling for a viewing.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/borrowing/pandemic-sparks-rush-to-p…
# Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market, Regional NSW.Time and cost of building a house blows out due to construction boom
Tawar Razaghi Domain (No paywall)The time it takes to build a house is blowing out due to the country’s ongoing construction boom, with reports some builders are increasing the build price to avoid making a loss, and devastated home owners walking away from contracts altogether.
The country has seen a mammoth construction boom since the pandemic hit with government incentives such as the federal HomeBuilder scheme and other state-based new build grants boosting activity. While it has substantially increased business for builders across the country, the huge take-up in new house construction has left home owners with delayed building times and higher than expected costs. Builders who signed up home owners months ago for house and land packages are now facing unforeseen supply shortages and increased material costs, leaving them with longer build times and a blowout in prices.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/time-cost-of-building-a-house-blo…
# Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Federal Government, Housing market.Refinancing with cash back could be worth it. Here’s how the maths stack up
Matthew Elmas The New Daily (No paywall)Home owners could save more than a thousand dollars over two years by refinancing to a loan that offers a cash sweetener.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/dollars-and-sense/2021/08/17/…
# Australia, Home ownership.The tale of Alan and Annie: living in affordable housing and retiring from paid work
Robert Mowbray Tenants' Union of NSW (No paywall)‘What happens to an affordable housing tenant when they retire?’ The Tenants' Union of NSW isn't sure of the answer to this question. So, Robert Mowbray - the Tenants' Union's Older Renters Policy Officer - went to do a bit of digging.
https://www.tenants.org.au/blog/tale-alan-and-annie-living-affor…
# NSW, Eviction, Rent, Affordable housing, Housing affordability, Older people, Transfers and relocations.August 2021 News
Shelter NSW (No paywall)Check out the latest housing news from Shelter NSW:
Shelter NSW welcomes two new Policy Officers!
Planning submissions - Housing SEPP, Macquarie Park, Elizabeth Street Redfern, Blackwattle Bay
Parliamentary Inquiries - addressing homelessness and infrastructure contributions
Shelter’s Regional Plan up and running - research project launched and Hunter region conference
Shelter NSW August Members Meeting and Special General Meeting
https://mailchi.mp/shelternsw/shelter-nsw-august-2021-ebulletin?…
# NSW, Campaigns and law reform.The mysterious benefactor who is changing lives for the homeless
Julie Power The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Who was the late Dr Dianne Houghton? Not much is known about the reclusive general practitioner other than she lived frugally, loved dogs, and worked with those in need in developing countries and in Sydney during the AIDS epidemic. Following a multimillion bequest, income from Dr Houghton’s estate will support a unique general practice near Sydney’s Central Station specialising in the health needs of the homeless, regardless of where they live or immigration and Medicare status.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-mysterious-benefactor-wh…
# Must read NSW, Public and community housing, Health, Homelessness.Boasting about budget expenditure numbers does not make for a housing policy
Vivienne Milligan Pearls and Irritations (No paywall)The Federal Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Michael Sukkar, is fond of quoting large numbers when quizzed on what his government is doing to address Australia’s enduring housing crisis. So, we hear for instance that annual Federal spending on housing and homelessness programs has reached over $8b and that his government is exceeding Labor’s spend on social housing and homelessness support. Such numbers and claims deserve closer scrutiny. What comprises the $8b and how far does it go in addressing the need? What have been the differences between recent Coalition and Labor Government policies in this area? [Read on]
https://johnmenadue.com/boasting-about-budget-expenditure-number…
# Australia, Public and community housing, Affordable housing, Federal Government, Homelessness.How ‘unelected faceless men and women’ keep approving NSW developments
Andrew Taylor The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Local planning panels were created to stamp out corruption, but councillors from across the political spectrum say they favour developers and undermine democratic accountability.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-unelected-faceless-men-and-w…
# NSW, Planning and development, State Government.