Last week's Census data showed that the number of renting households in NSW has increased by almost 18% since 2016. Over two million people now rent in the NSW private rental market. The proportion of renters has also increased – we now make up nearly a third of all households in NSW.
Unfortunately, while our overall numbers have increased, Census data also confirmed that the number of households in public or community housing in NSW continues to drop – the number fell by more than 1,500. This is not because of reduced need. The waiting list is many years long – we just don’t have the homes required. Meanwhile, one million homes were unoccupied on census night (ABC).
Census data also demostrated that housing stress is growing. The number of households in NSW paying more than 30% of income on rent has increased by over 21,000 to 335,404 in 2021 - though that may not be the best way to measure housing stress!
Despite our growing numbers, those of us who rent our homes are still often left out of the conversation about how to fix our housing system. Governments need to listen to renters – about our experiences renting and our concerns. But also about what is needed to fix the problems.
Read more analysis of the Census data on our blog, This Renting Life: Census 2021: Renters are the fastest growing tenure in Australia.
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A new national housing agenda?
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s well-publicised journey from public housing to The Lodge is indeed worthy of celebration. But we also know that his story is much less likely today, given the decline of public and community housing. And what he is able to deliver remains to be seen. On our blog we give a rundown of the new Ministers responsible for housing and other portfolios relating to renting. We also foreshadow what we should expect from them, providing a brief overview of the commitments made by Labor in relation to housing in the lead up to the election.
One reason for hope is the promise of a National Housing and Homelessness Plan. The creation of a strategy gives the incoming government the ability to really grapple with the problems facing renters across the country, and the potential to meaningfully address them.
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Climate disruption continues to hit renters
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As wild weather ravages the Sydney region, renters in the Northern Rivers continue to suffer the aftermath of the floods in March, with more than 3,000 people still waiting to receive the rental support payment (SMH) because the support scheme required them to produce documents which had been destroyed by floodwaters. In Lismore, over 1,000 people remain in emergency accommodation (ABC).
We were pleased to receive additional funding from NSW Fair Trading and the Commonwealth Attorney-General to help support renters in the 58 LGAs who are facing the ongoing impact of flooding, from lost or damaged belongings, rent disputes or property damage.
Climate disruption will continue to mean more floods, heatwaves, droughts, and outbreaks of viruses and bacteria. It won't wait until 2050 or even 2030 – it's here now and is impacting our lives. We need to act now.
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Our homes are a major factor in ensuring a healthy and comfortable life. In Australia our houses tend not to provide sufficient protection against the heat, cold, or wild weather. Renters face added impediments to healthy homes: landlords don't have to meet minimum building standards, and renters don't have the security of tenure needed to seek effective repairs. This also means renters are hit harder by soaring energy prices:
A new survey being conducted by researchers at the University of Sydney is seeking the views of Australian households – whether owner or renter, house, apartment, boarding house, or caravan – about using solar energy to meet your electricity needs. The survey is online and takes about 10 minutes.
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Disappointing NSW budget fails to invest in public and community housing
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"While home buyers have plenty of measures to celebrate in this year's budget, there's less support for renters."
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It was very disappointing that the NSW State Budget overlooked years of advocacy from the community sector for greater investment in Affordable Housing and social housing, committing to only 320 dwellings per year instead of the call for a minimum of 5,000 per year. In the last 30 years there has been a 42% reduction in the number of households allocated social housing. Last year the number of social housing units rose by less than 1%, while waiting lists and rental stress exploded:
As long-time advocates of a broad-based land tax we were disappointed to see the potential reforms in that area watered down and lose any scope to encourage a fairer housing system.
Together with five other community organisations, the Tenants' Union of NSW published a joint media release responding to the NSW Budget:
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"This Budget offers a range of new initiatives geared towards prospective home-owners, but the NSW Government seems to have forgotten about the third of their population who are renters." – Caitlin McDowell, CHIA.
"It is frankly disgraceful that in NSW we have around 50,000 households on the social housing waiting list and waiting times of up to 10 years and this Budget doesn’t make a dent in that.” – Joanna Quilty, NCOSS.
"Right now, renters are struggling in the face of soaring rents, high energy bills, and the costs that come with the persistent insecurity of renting your home in NSW. There are hundreds of thousands of renting households who are crying out for support from their government. Lack of investment in public and community housing has a flow-through impact on those in the private rental market.” – Leo Patterson Ross, Tenants’ Union.
"With domestic violence the lead cause of housing and homelessness for women and children, we expect more action from our state government to invest in solutions.” – Elise Phillips, Domestic Violence NSW."
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Time to end blanket pet bans
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As the rental crisis continues, more tenants are being forced to choose between their beloved pets and a home (ABC). Pet refuges are inundated with pet surrenders by distraught renters – particularly in States where tenancy law is pet-unfriendly.
Renting laws have recently become more pet-friendly in VIC, QLD, the ACT, and the UK. But in NSW, tenancy law still allows for blanket 'no pets' clauses, so landlords can continue to refuse pets for any reason, or no reason at all.
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In a new blog article, The case to end blanket pet bans for renters in NSW, Riley Brooke (Tenants' Union Policy and Campaigns Officer) looks at why tenancy law needs to change and the direction other states and territories are moving in to make their laws more pet-friendly. Riley also considers ways that pets and renting could be better regulated.
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Hidden experiences of homelessness
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UNSEEN is a multimedia project sharing the hidden experiences of women's homelessness and housing insecurity.
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Some women experiencing homelessness sleep rough. Many others remain unseen, hidden from view through fear of stigmatisation. For some, a car is the only safe place. Others find accommodation in caravan parks or resort to short-term holiday letting, hotels or tents. Older, single women and women fleeing domestic violence are the fastest-growing cohort at risk of homelessness.The UNSEEN art project explores their experiences.
The Standing Committee on Social Issues of the NSW Legislative Council is currently running an Enquiry into homelessness amongst older people aged over 55. The common theme of submissions is that the housing crisis is the biggest driver of older people falling into homelessness, followed by family violence and mental illness (SMH).
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The Tenants' Union has made a submission to the Enquiry, and Robert Mowbray (Tenants' Union Advocacy Officer – Older Renters) has published a short blog article which includes two stories from older renters and summarises our submission and nine recommendations for addressing the growing problem.
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Tenancy law for non-lawyers
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This upcoming workshop, intended for community sector workers, will provide an understanding of the Residential Tenancies Act and strategies to work with clients impacted by the Act. It is put on by CCWT (Centre for Community Welfare Training) and presented by Grant Arbuthnot (Tenants' Union Principal Solicitor) and Patrycja Arvidssen (Tenants' Union Learning and Development Coordinator). Wednesday 3 August, 9:30am-4:30pm, $200.
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Help the Tenants' Union continue our work for tenants...
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