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
Suburbs where property prices are lower than a year ago
John Collett The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Apartment prices in pockets of Sydney and Melbourne are significantly lower than a year ago, creating new opportunities for first-home buyers to get a foot on the property ladder.
The federal government has also provided a boost for first-timers, confirming to this masthead that it would make a further 10,000 places available in its highly popular First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (FHLDS) from July 1.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/borrowing/suburbs-where-property-pr…
# NSW, Federal Government, Home ownership, Housing market.Hemp houses low-impact, fireproof, termite-proof and cost-effective, says couple
Tom Edwards ABC (No paywall)From Western Australia ... When Alexia Jankowski and her partner Ben Whitaker decided to build a low-impact house in the hills, they turned to hemp — and say they hope one day their "very alternative building product" will be seen as mainstream.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-09/couple-say-hemp-house-fir…
# Australia, Utilities electricity water gas.Blacklist proposed for NSW’s ‘lousy landlords’
Ellen Lutton Domain (Paywall)Landlords who refuse to carry out necessary repairs, enter their tenants’ homes without notice or generally behave abominably could risk being named and shamed by the NSW government if a new campaign to hold them to account succeeds.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/blacklist-proposed-for-nsws-lousy…
# TUNSW in the media NSW, Privacy and access, Tenant databases.Housing crisis
(No paywall)The housing shortage has reached crisis point on the coast with demand far out-stripping supply. (Prime 7)
# Video NSW, Housing market, Regional NSW.We Don’t Just Need More Houses, We Need Real Homes
Hayley Stone (No paywall)It’s a poor indictment on our housing industry when PDCN members tell me that in the last 20 years they have never had a home that completely suits their access needs. When they tell me that they spend weeks trying to find rentals that tick at least some of the boxes, or that there are parts of their homes they literally cannot use; when they tell me that they miss out on dinner parties with relatives because they can’t get into their homes or can’t use the bathroom at a friend’s house. (PDCN)
https://www.pdcnsw.org.au/article/we-dont-need-more-houses-we-ne…
# Must read NSW, Rent, Disability, Housing market.How China’s Belt and Road Initiative is changing cities – and threatening communities
Ella Apostolopoulou The Conversation (No paywall)The projects of the New Silk Road have caused problems for vulnerable communities in these cities. In Athens and London, Chinese investment has led to rising rents which tends to undermine the security of local people in their homes. ... In London, ABP’s development is aimed at wealthy investors rather than local residents – the Royal Albert Dock is located in Newham, a deprived borough of East London. ... In Colombo, the Port City is based on a type of urban regeneration that targets corporate investors and aggravates the displacement of low-income residents and multi-ethnic communities.
https://theconversation.com/how-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-…
# International, Housing affordability, International, Planning and development.How cities can unlock the potential of laneway housing
Shelagh McCartney and others The Conversation (No paywall)From Canada ... Cities across North America are experiencing a housing affordability crisis. Key workers such as teachers, nurses and social workers are being forced out of large cities because they can’t pay rent.
https://theconversation.com/how-cities-can-unlock-the-potential-…
# International, Affordable housing, Planning and development.What does it cost to move rental properties?
William Jolly (No paywall)2021 looks set to be a renter’s market, depending on your circumstances. Rental affordability is apparently the best it’s been in 13 years for some, and vacancy rates in capital cities have seen massive spikes, mostly caused by the economic fallout of that virus thing. ... But the true costs of moving might shock you. ... Moving to a new rental property can cost hundreds of dollars, even more if you don’t end up getting your bond back. (Savings.com.au)
https://www.savings.com.au/home-loans/buying-first-home/what-doe…
# TUNSW in the media Australia, Bond, Rent, Affordable housing.