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
Aged care: federal budget promises $17.7bn to overhaul Australia’s scandal-plagued system
Sarah Martin The Guardian (No paywall)A $17.7bn package to reform the scandal-plagued aged care system aims to clear the home care waiting list within two years, mandate minimum care time in residential aged care homes, and boost the aged care workforce.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/11/aged-care…
# Australia, Federal Government, Housing market, Older people.Treasury says slower population growth to ease prices as homebuilder and first-home buyer aid fires up market
Jessica Sier The Guardian (No paywall)Extensions to the homebuilder program and subsidies for first home buyers announced in Tuesday’s budget will tip more money into Australia’s already red hot property market. But the government says slowing population growth and the wind down of government subsidised construction activity will help cool things down in the longer term.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/12/budget-20…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership, Housing affordability, Housing market.Single mum living with her 10 kids in mould-ridden council house due to shortage of homes
Catherine Mackinlay and Matthew Dresch (No paywall)A single mum says she has been forced to live in a freezing, mould-ridden home with her 10 children after her local council told her she could not be re-housed. Lisa Clarke, from Blackpool, cannot move out of the property because the local authority says it has a shortage of large council houses. (Mirror)
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/single-mum-10-cant-leave-2…
# International, Public and community housing, Repairs, Health, Housing market, Mould, Personal stories.Federal budget 2021: Help for first-home owners welcome, but missed chance to do more
Elizabeth Redman Domain (No paywall)Help with reaching home ownership is always welcome, but the last two budgets have proved a missed opportunity to do more. ... But if this budget and the previous one — delivered as the second coronavirus wave was subsiding — are not the time for a big boost to spending on social housing, then when?
https://www.domain.com.au/news/federal-budget-2021-help-for-firs…
# Australia, Public and community housing, Affordable housing, Federal Government, Home ownership, Homelessness.Billions flow into struggling aged care homes awaiting major law reforms
Rachel Clun The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)A complete overhaul of Australia’s troubled aged care system will be delivered within two years as the federal government responded to the aged care royal commission by immediately pumping billions of dollars into struggling providers. Under sweeping changes to be introduced by the government, people will be able to choose aged care homes based on star ratings, there will be mandatory minimum minutes for care workers and nurses to spend with residents each day, and the workforce will be ramped up to meet growing demand.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/billions-flow-into-strug…
# Australia, Federal Government, Health, Housing market, Older people.HomeBuilder and New Home Guarantee extended, 2 per cent deposit Family Home Guarantee introduced in 2021-22 federal budget
Kelsie Iorio ABC (No paywall)The 2021-22 Federal Budget commits to "supporting construction jobs and home ownership" and the budget details multiple grants and schemes aimed at "helping more Australians realise their goal of home ownership", but each of those measures comes with strict eligibility criteria and significant, long-term financial commitments.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-12/federal-budget-housing-af…
# Australia, Affordable housing, Federal Government, Home ownership.Tiny homes idea for Byron Bay rail corridor to address housing crisis
Bruce MacKenzie ABC (No paywall)Byron Shire Council is exploring the possibility of putting hundreds of temporary tiny homes in the shire's rail corridor. The Housing for Locals project is part of a strategy proposed by Acting Mayor Michael Lyon.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-11/byron-rail-housing-plan-t…
# NSW, Affordable housing, Housing affordability, Housing market, Regional NSW, State Government, Women.What measures can be used to keep rents in check?
(No paywall)Rents are rising in all major European cities. Politicians are trying to counteract this in order to keep housing affordable. Which regulations are promising? (International Union of Tenants News) This article is in German.
https://www.iut.nu/news-events/what-measures-can-be-used-to-keep…
# Must read International, Rent, Housing affordability, Housing market, International.