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
Investing in new social housing for survivors of domestic violence ‘could boost Australian economy’
Amy Remeikis The Guardian (No paywall)Investment in new social housing for survivors of family and domestic violence in Australia would not only give safety and security to some of those needing it the most, it also makes economic sense, new analysis has found. The pandemic has taken some of the attention away from the issue of domestic and family violence, despite an escalation of abuse during this time and the fact that it is the main reason women and children seek specialist homelessness services. You will find an audio from the ABC on the same report at: [https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/am/social-housing-could-save-millions/13441040]
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jul/12/investing-in-new…
# Research alert, Audio Australia, Domestic violence, Public and community housing, Federal Government, Women.Lawyer wins $55,000 after suing landlords over mould
(Paywall)Criminal defence lawyer Chris Murphy has won more than $55,000 after he took the landlords of his former Sydney rental property to court over mould damage. ... Here's the story. Mr Murphy argued he was not required to pay that rent because the Lewkovitzes had broken the terms of a tenancy agreement by leasing a home that was not fit for living in. Mr Murphy had said he lost 40 pieces of art along with clothing and furniture due to the mould ... His claim also included expenses incurred in dealing with the contamination. ... Judge Hatzistergos said he was satisfied the Lewkovitzes knew about water penetration issues, particularly in relation to mould, from at least 2012 - the year prior to when Mr Murphy moved into the property. But in his ruling Judge Hatzistergos said the Lewkovitzes were entitled to the rent money because Mr Murphy's obligation to pay it remained despite his ability to use the house being affected. (Daily Telegraph)
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=D…
# NSW, Rent, Mould.Rent prices are soaring as Americans flock back to cities
Heather Long (No paywall)Lauren Campos opened the door to her Phoenix apartment last week to find a note stuck in the door frame. Her rent was going up nearly $400 a month, the note said, a 33 percent increase. ... Rents are starting to surge in many parts of the country as the economy reopens and young people return rapidly to cities. On top of the influx of millennials and Gen Z renters coming back after staying with family or friends, people who can work from anywhere are still relocating to lower-cost cities, and the hot home sale market has caused some baby boomers to sell their family homes and rent again now that their kids are grown. Nationwide, rent prices are up 7.5 percent so far this year, three times higher than normal, according to data from Apartments.com. Analysts expect rent prices to keep climbing for the foreseeable future, a major burden for renters and a warning sign that higher inflation could linger far longer than the White House and Federal Reserve keep predicting. (The Washington Post)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/07/09/rent-prices-r…
# International, Rent, Housing market.How a cookbook brought Melbourne's inner-city public housing community together
Jessica Lodge ABC (No paywall)Almost a year on from enduring Australia's strictest lockdown, residents of Melbourne's public housing towers have turned to cooking to help them heal and reconnect their community. Jess Ho from The Guardian also writes about this cookbook. Go to: [https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/jul/13/cooking-is-a-way-for-me-to-share-my-love-recipes-from-melbourne-public-housing-residents]
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-11/vic-how-a-cookbook-brough…
# Australia, Public and community housing, Coronavirus COVID-19.Rental Burdens: Rethinking Affordability Measures
(No paywall)How much of your income should you set aside for rent? With the cost of housing on the rise, researchers are reexamining the 30-percent rule of thumb for measuring rental burden. (Edge, US Department of Housing and Urban Development)
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdredge/pdr_edge_featd_article_09…
# International, Rent, Home ownership, Housing affordability.The most expensive cities to rent in right now
9 News (No paywall)Harbour City knocked off perch for first time in over a decade. Finding the right rental can be tricky and it is set to get even harder, with new data revealing rent in Australian homes have hit an all time high. Today finance expert Effie Zahos said most capitals have seen a spike. Data indicates the biggest were in Canberra and Darwin. (9now)
https://9now.nine.com.au/today/the-most-expensive-cities-to-rent…
# Australia, Rent, Housing market.Here’s Who Will Be Left Behind in the Housing Boom
Ali Wolf The New York Times (No paywall)From the United States ... When Covid-19 first hit, those of us in the real estate industry predicted a collapse of the housing market. In just the first two months of the pandemic, 22.4 million Americans lost their jobs, while gross domestic product fell at the fastest rate in modern history in the second quarter. Instead, what unfolded was a transformation of the housing market, fueled by what I call “migration mania.” For employees in many industries, working remotely during the pandemic effectively has untethered them from their physical offices. Historically, but even more so during the pandemic, those with higher-income jobs are the most likely to work from home, McKinsey & Company found. As a result, many of them have chosen to move from more expensive areas of the country to lower-cost metros.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/13/opinion/covid-housing-phoenix…
# International, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market.Family of six stuck in a tent as Townsville's rental shortages reach crisis point
Sally Rafferty ABC (No paywall)A North Queensland family of six has been forced to live in a tent for almost two months as rental shortages reach crisis point in Townsville. The Kennison family is among a growing number of residents in Townsville finding themselves homeless for the first time. With the rental vacancy rate in the city at 1.2 per cent — largely driven by interstate migration and the return of ex-pats to the community — Townsville is not alone.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-14/rental-shortages-see-fami…
# Australia, Public and community housing, Rent, Families, Homelessness.