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
Interest rates not the right 'tool' to address runaway house prices, Reserve Bank says
Gareth Hutchens ABC (No paywall)The Reserve Bank has said property price rises can exacerbate inequality, and it is "certainly an issue" that needs to be considered at the moment. But monetary policy is not the appropriate tool to address the problem, because it is designed to encourage employment and inflation, it said. It means the RBA will not be tempted to lift interest rates to try to cool Australia's runaway property prices, regardless of community concerns about unaffordable housing.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-06/guy-debelle-rba-monetary-…
# Australia, Housing affordability, Human rights.Time to get your strata housing in order Victoria
Poppy Johnston The Fifth Estate (No paywall)Why is it so hard to get some help for better sustainability in apartments? Here are some of the hurdles from a Victorian point of view and why it’s time for change.
https://thefifthestate.com.au/innovation/residential-2/time-to-g…
# Australia, Strata, Utilities electricity water gas, Housing market.On the never ending saga of affordable housing
The Fifth Estate (No paywall)The NSW government has taken aim at housing affordability in a new 20-year strategy, pinning its hopes to the private sector while social housing takes a back seat ... this week the NSW government released its Housing Strategy 2041, hoping to map a path away from the state’s housing woes with a broadly encompassing 20-year plan. [But, ... read on]
https://thefifthestate.com.au/columns/news-from-the-front-desk/o…
# NSW, Aboriginal renters, Public and community housing, Rent, Affordable housing, Disability, Estate renewal, Housing affordability, Housing market, Older people, State Government.A week in the life of… a supported housing and tenancy support officer
Jess McCabe Inside Housing (Paywall)From the United Kingdom ... Kathleen Hughes works on the frontline at Welsh housing association Adra, supporting people across North Wales. Her neighbourhood services job is split into two roles, working three days a week as a supported housing officer, covering tenants and sheltered sites, and two days as a tenancy support officer, where she supports vulnerable people to stay in their homes
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/insight/a-week-in-the-li…
# International, Public and community housing, Families.Buyers seek slice of heaven in regional church sales
By Benjamin Preiss and Jackson Graham The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Churches are hot property in regional Victoria where housing prices have boomed. Many with declining or no congregations have been sold and converted into private residences.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/buyers-seek-slice-of-he…
# Australia, Housing market.Frydenberg promises housing breaks in ‘pandemic budget’
Michelle Grattan The Conversation (No paywall)In measures on housing, [the Federal Government] will increase from $30,000 to $50,000 the maximum amount of voluntary contributions aspiring home buyers can take from the First Home Super Saver Scheme. This scheme allows people to make voluntary contributions to superannuation to save for their first home. At present these contributions are capped at $15,000 a year and $30,000 in total. With the rise in house prices, the current cap on the amount that can be released is a diminishing proportion of the deposit needed. There will also be another 10,000 places added to the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme, which can only be used for new housing. This means-tested measure allows first home buyers to build a new home or buy a newly-built one with a deposit of as little as 5%.
https://theconversation.com/frydenberg-promises-housing-breaks-i…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership.Liberals face real test on aged care this budget
Ged Kearney The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)On Tuesday the Liberals will hand down their eighth federal budget. Already we are hearing the usual noises about how they will ‘fix’ aged care. They’ll throw some money at it, based on years of underspending to make it look ‘big’. Photo ops will follow. But I’m convinced the Liberals have no idea how to actually fix aged care.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/liberals-face-real-test-on-aged-…
# Australia, Federal Government, Housing market, Older people.Booming property market stokes household debt concerns
Colin Kruger and Clancy Yeates The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)A ferocious boom in housing that is overwhelming banks and mortgage brokers is stoking fresh concerns about consumer debt levels, amid signs some buyers are becoming more cautious about overpaying for properties.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/booming-property-marke…
# Australia, Housing market.