Housing Policy: Heatwaves, Homelessness, and Market Shifts Dominate News

This week's housing policy news spans multiple countries, highlighting the impact of climate change on homebuyer preferences, a record high in child homelessness in the UK, and the influence of tech wealth on luxury real estate in the US. In the UK, Rightmove reported that searches for homes with air conditioning more than doubled during a heatwave, indicating a shift in buyer priorities toward climate resilience. Meanwhile, the number of children in temporary accommodation in the UK reached its 18th consecutive quarterly high, underscoring a deepening housing crisis. In the US, a San Francisco-area estate sold for a record $70 million to a buyer in the AI industry, reflecting a tech-fueled wealth boom that is driving up home prices. In Australia, political debates have emerged over housing standards and property investment, with a Coalition proposal to scrap energy rules for new homes being condemned as a 'cost-of-living timebomb' that would increase bills for the poorest households.