Turkey extends Yarısı Bizden urban transformation campaign

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced an extension of the ‘Yarısı Bizden’ (Half from Us) urban transformation campaign. Originally scheduled to conclude at the end of 2026, the program will now run until December 31, 2027.

Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum reported that in Istanbul, 435,683 independent units have been included in the transformation program, with 108,881 units already completed. The government aims to include more than 500,000 housing units in the campaign by the end of this year.

The campaign provides significant financial support for residents rebuilding their homes, including 875,000 TL in grants, 875,000 TL in loans, and 125,000 TL in evacuation support, totaling 1,875,000 TL. Support is also available for business owners, offering grants and loans for commercial properties. For large-scale, area-based transformations, construction may be undertaken by TOKİ or Emlak Konut.

Additionally, President Erdoğan discussed social housing initiatives, noting that following the construction of 500,000 social housing units across 81 provinces, the government will begin delivering keys by March 2027. He also announced that applications for 15,000 rental units in Istanbul will open on September 14, with the first lottery scheduled for October.