Shelter

**LEGAL STUDIES - OPTION 5: SHELTER**
We're going to be investigating the legal means of securing shelter, and the effectiveness of the law in achieving justice for people seeking and providing shelter.

The topics we will cover are:
 * 1) The nature of shelter;
 * 2) Legal protection and remedies associated with securing shelter; and
 * 3) Contemporary issues regarding shelter.

Set out below are a range of resources to help you with our in-class activities. They are arranged according to topics and sub-topics. Your assessment task, including the marking criteria, is attached at the end.

If you have any comments or queries, please post them on the discussion page.

=The nature of shelter=

Definition of shelter
__Task:__ use the United Nations website to find the UN Declaration of Human Rights, and describe how the right to shelter is enshrined in this document: [|www.un.org]

Obligation to provide shelter
__Task __: in your groups, you are to prepare a policy speech outlining your group's views on housing, your criteria for deciding who gets housing assistance, and a justificaiton for your position. The links below will help you with your research. Remember: [] [] [|www.liberal.org.au/~/.../**Policies**%20and%20Media/.../**Housing**%20**Policy**.ashx] [] [] [] [] [Statement from new Premier] [|www.nsw.gov.au/topics/property-and-housing]
 * Group A wants housing provided for all;
 * Group B wants no government assistance for anyone; and
 * Group C wants something in between.

Types of shelter
__Task__: work in pairs to research one type of shelter and: > provide a definition of that type of shelter;
 * toc
 * describe how to obtain that shelter; and
 * the pros and cons of that type of shelter.

Use the //[|Shelter]// edition of Hot Topics as a starting point.

=Legal protection and remedies associated with securing shelter=

Purchasing
Set out below are links to general resources: [|www.mortgage.com.au] [|www.firsthome.gov.au/] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">[|www.realestate.com.au]

Attached are the Case Studies we will be working on in class.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">__Task:__ watch the video on this site: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">and summarise the main changes to tenancy legislation described in the video. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Attached are the case studies we will be researching in class.

The links below will help you to prepare your advice: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">[]

Dispute resolution mechanisms
__Task__: use these sources to create a list of different dispute resolution mechanisms, and when they can be used: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.cttt.nsw.gov.au] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.cjc.nsw.gov.au] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.tenants.org.au] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] __Task__: r<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">eview the below articles, and summarise:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">the issues in dispute; and
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">the actions taken by the parties.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

=Contemporary issues regarding shelter=

Affordability
__Task:__ Review the below article, about first home buyers going on strike. What are the reasons for and against the strike, and what are the implications?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">Our __assessment task__ is a media file examining different perspectives of affordability. The links below (also posted under assessment) will help you get started. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.shelternsw.org.au/index.shtml] __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.housingaffordabilityaustralia.com] __ __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.abs.gov.au] __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Julian Disney 2007, //[|Affordable Housing in Australia: Some Key Problems and Priorities for Action]// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Julian Disney 2006, //[|Affordable Housing – A Creeping Crisis]// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">Current media: []

Discrimination
__Task__: Access this website: <span style="background: yellow; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/adb/ll_adb.nsf/pages/adb_cases] Review the cases related to discrimination in the context of accommodation, and prepare a table of cases noting the type of discrimination (ie racial), the conduct complained of, whether the complainant was in public or private housing, and the outcome. Prepare a short response (approx 1 paragraph) answering the following question: do you think any of the outcomes would have been different if the housing provider had refused to provide any reasons for denying accommodation?

Homelessness
__Task__: assess the effectiveness of legal and non-legal responses to homelessness. Support your answer with reference to a variety of sources including cases, legislation, media, international instruments and/or documents.

The links below will help you get started. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.salvos.org.au/oasis] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.homelessnessaustralia.org.au/site/index.php] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.actnow.com.au/Issues/Homelessness_in_Australia.aspx] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.streetsmartaustralia.org/home] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.homelessnessnsw.org.au] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

Social Housing
__Task__: discuss the inter-relationship between social housing, affordability and homelessness. Use the links below as a starting point for your research. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.housing.nsw.gov.au] //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Hot Topics //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">, No. 57, //[|Shelter], 2006.// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">900 Neighbours: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/lrc/ll_lrc.nsf/pages/LRC_index] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">[]

=Assessment= = = Attached is the assessment task, including marking criteria. If you have any questions about it, please post them on the discussion board.

Below are the links we have looked at in the context of affordability: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.shelternsw.org.au/index.shtml] __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.housingaffordabilityaustralia.com] __ __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|www.abs.gov.au] __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Julian Disney 2007, //[|Affordable Housing in Australia: Some Key Problems and Priorities for Action]// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Julian Disney 2006, //[|Affordable Housing – A Creeping Crisis]// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">Current media: []