

BLUE MOUNTAINS: APR/MAY 30/51 RENTALS FOR TENANTS / 1,165 ACTIVE AIRBNBs
SQM Research is “an investment research house which specialises in providing accurate research and data to financial institutions”. Their published figures for April and May 2022 show residential vacancy rates in the Blue Mountains region at 30 and 51 homes respectively. The ‘Asking Weekly Rent – All Houses’ was $539-550. AirDNA, a “leading provider of data and analytics for the $140 billion short-term rental industry”, has 1,165 ‘active rentals’ for the Blue Mountains – ‘A


WHERE HAVE ALL MILLERS POINT’S RESIDENTS GONE?
In December 2014, Anthony Albanese wrote: “As someone who grew up in public housing in Camperdown, I understand the importance of a secure home and a strong community that looks after each other. In the late 1970’s, Sydney City Council tried to sell our council house. As my mother said at the time, the council treated us with no respect. It was as though we did not matter. We cared for our house as if were our own, renovating and painting it at our own expense. Months of tens


BEGA COUNCILLORS OPT FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS OVER RESIDENTS
Bega Valley Shire councillors have voted to adopt their ‘Affordable Housing Strategy’, while dismissing a proposed limit to short-term rentals. Bega District News’ Ellouise Bailey reports that the idea of prohibiting short-term rental accommodation in residential R2 zones “did not make sense, given many STRA properties would not be considered “affordable” to lower and middle income tenants anyway”. Lisa Nimmo, who manages 150 STRA properties in the Shire, spoke against prohi


DATA SHOWS: ‘WE HAVE MORE AIRBNB LISTINGS THAN HOMES FOR RENT’
A month ago we wrote of 135 NSW property agents who had 258 homes in total advertised for renters; they also had 42,532 holiday rentals advertised. At the time, the lack of response from Media was, well, deafening. This same message has however bounced around to some 24,000 people on social media. Two days ago we noted the headline: “New York Now Has More Airbnb Listings Than Apartments for Rent.” To quote journalist Kim Velsey: “There are just so few apartments to be had


#Right2Housing - WHEN WILL WE MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS?
The Federal Election campaign has shone a light on the cost of housing and the plight of many across our society. The #Right2Housing is encapsulated in Article 11 of the United Nations’ International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Australia signed this declaration on 18 December 1972 (ratified 10 December 1975). Article 11: “The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself a