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
Renters face financial strife while stuck in NSW due to border closure
Rachael Dexter The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Sleeping in the car is looming as the only option for stranded Victorians who have spent thousands on emergency accommodation in NSW on top of the rent for homes they can't get to because of the border closure. ... Consumer Affairs Victoria said some renters trapped in NSW may be able to negotiate rental relief under Victoria's emergency COVID-19 laws.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/renters-face-financial-…
# Australia, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19.How President-Elect Joe Biden Proposes To Change Housing Policies
Natalie Campsi (No paywall)From the United States ... Housing was not a major talking point in the 2020 election, but President-elect Joe Biden devised a blueprint to tackle major housing issues nonetheless. The sweeping $640 billion, 10-year plan addresses everything from affordable housing to anti-discrimination policies. Some commentators have called it a “comprehensive plan” for housing, while others say Biden is throwing big money at real problems without offering practical solutions.Housing was not a major talking point in the 2020 election, but President-elect Joe Biden devised a blueprint to tackle major housing issues nonetheless. The sweeping $640 billion, 10-year plan addresses everything from affordable housing to anti-discrimination policies. Some commentators have called it a “comprehensive plan” for housing, while others say Biden is throwing big money at real problems without offering practical solutions. (Forbes)
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/mortgages/biden-housing-policies/
# International, Discrimination, Affordable housing.Rental vacancy rates hit zero in Australian coastal towns as they hit COVID capacity
Emilia Terzon ABC (No paywall)The pandemic has brought on a property boom for surf towns as cashed-up city dwellers make a sea change. But while that is great for homeowners selling at high prices, it has created a nightmare for some renters. Data supplied to ABC News by CoreLogic shows just how slim the availability of rental homes has become in several key coastal regions, including Byron Bay, Newcastle and the Gold Coast. Demand has risen so far beyond supply that there is almost nothing sitting empty for potential renters.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-08/surf-coast-rentals-at-zer…
# Australia, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market.Eviction ban ‘under review’, prime minister says
Dominic Brady Inside Housing (Paywall)From the United Kingdom ... The government is keeping a ban on evictions “under review” as the Christmas truce on repossessions is due to end next week, the prime minister has said. ... Mr Johnson’s review of an eviction ban comes after campaigners and housing bodies recently urged the government to reinstate introduce a full ban for renters in England again, arguing that it is “too dangerous” to evict people from their homes.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/eviction-ban-under-rev…
# Hot topic International, Eviction, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19.New Zealand's housing market soars, with record prices for second month in a row
Elle Hunt The Guardian (No paywall)New Zealand’s housing bubble shows no sign of bursting, with record prices recorded for the second month in a row. The property research firm CoreLogic’s house price index shows that the average house price hit $788,967 in December, reflecting an increase of 2.6%. Growth for the final quarter of 2020 was 6.1% – the highest recorded since the 6.6% in the three months to February 2004.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/07/new-zealands-housi…
# International, Housing market.Australia’s property market defied pandemic predictions. This is how it’s tipped to fare in 2021
Matt Johnson The New Daily (No paywall)If 2020 taught property pundits anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. Australia’s first lockdown encouraged analysts to forecast a double-digit dip in the housing market. But as we know, those predictions failed to transpire and prices ... So, what does the future hold for a market that defied expectations?
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/property/2021/01/09/australia…
# Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market.Young and old to benefit from new childcare centre at Merbein aged care home
Kellie Hollingworth ABC (No paywall)Fred Garsed has eight great-grandchildren, but soon the 92-year-old will have 72 adopted great-grandchildren. A childcare centre has just been built at his aged care home in Merbein, near Mildura in north-west Victoria, as part of a new program designed to improve the wellbeing of aged care residents, offer new experiences to children and benefit the wider community.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-10/aged-care-home-opens-chil…
# Australia, Health, Older people.Khan calls for eviction ban as rogue landlord reports soar
Dominic Brady Inside Housing (Paywall)Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has urged the government to reinstate its eviction ban to protect renters during lockdown after figures show a sharp increase in reports of rogue landlords during the coronavirus pandemic. City Hall said one in five reports through its ‘report a rogue landlord or agent’ online tool were in relation to an unfair eviction between March and December last year – it received more than 1,400 complaints.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/khan-calls-for-evictio…
# Hot topic International, Eviction, Coronavirus COVID-19, Landlords and agents.