Turkish political leaders demand action on housing crisis

Political leaders in Turkey are calling for urgent action to address a growing housing and rental crisis. Burçin Şahindur, leader of the Genç Parti, highlighted that rising rents are consuming significant portions of family incomes, forcing citizens to move away from workplaces and schools to find affordable housing. Şahindur emphasized the need for accessible housing loans with long-term, low-interest models specifically for first-time buyers, rather than investors, and called for increased capacity in public student dormitories to protect the right to education.

Seyit Aslan, leader of the Emek Partisi (EMEP), criticized government policies for exacerbating the crisis. He noted a significant disparity between minimum wages and average rents in major cities like Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. Aslan proposed opening approximately 1.5 million vacant properties, currently used as investment tools, to workers in need and suggested providing rental assistance to those struggling to pay. He argued that current policies favor rent-seeking and construction interests over the basic housing needs of the population.