# Istanbul affordable rental housing initiative > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/istanbul-affordable-rental-housing-initiative > Updated: 2026-08-01T21:14:00.000Z. Sources: 53. Developments: 2. In early August 2026, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced a social‑rental programme delivering 15,000 low‑cost apartments to Istanbul’s low‑income households. Applications will open soon, limited to families without home ownership and meeting income thresholds, with special quotas for civil servants, retirees, disabled persons and those displaced by urban‑renewal projects. Allocation will be decided by a public lottery in September; successful applicants will sign three‑year leases at rents roughly half the market rate, after which units will be refurbished and re‑allocated. The scheme is presented as a national‑security measure and builds on the “Yarısı Bizden” campaign that has already transformed hundreds of thousands of units. In the same speech, the government raised credit limits for small‑business financing, supporting artisans and investment projects. The programme’s launch has spurred a surge in residential moves, driven by rapid tenant turnover, urban‑renewal projects and remote‑work trends, sharply increasing demand for short‑term storage facilities across the city. The temporary‑storage market, now valued at about $2.2 billion, is expanding through regulated providers and unregulated operators offering low‑cost but risky solutions. Experts note that using storage can offset high rental costs, with potential savings of up to 660 k TL per year for a typical three‑room apartment. ## Claims - AK Party membership reached 11.71 million members. (corroborated by 16 sources) - 166,612 new members joined the AK Party in the past six months. (corroborated by 16 sources) - Rents for the new social housing units will be set at approximately half of market price. (corroborated by 11 sources) - Rental contracts for the social housing units will last three years, after which the units will be re‑allocated through a new lottery. (corroborated by 11 sources) - The Treasury‑supported credit limit for artisans was increased from 1 million TL to 1.5 million TL. (corroborated by 11 sources) - Istanbul's AK Party membership reached 2.198 million, with 253,000 new members added in the last 15 months. (corroborated by 11 sources) - 15,000 rental social housing units will be allocated in Istanbul, with applications starting and the first lottery in September. (corroborated by 10 sources) - The credit limit for investment‑project loans was raised from 2.5 million TL to 3.5 million TL. (corroborated by 10 sources) - 15,000 social rental housing units will be built in Istanbul. (corroborated by 10 sources) - Applications for the social rental units will begin and the first lottery will be held in September. (corroborated by 9 sources) - The lottery to select beneficiaries for the social rental units will be held in September. (corroborated by 8 sources) - The rental contracts will be for three years, with rent set at about half of market price. (corroborated by 8 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-01: Istanbul's Moving Surge Fuels Rapid Growth in Temporary Storage Market Istanbul's high moving rate and urban‑renewal projects are boosting a $2.2 bn temporary storage market, while unregulated operators pose risks; experts cite up to 660 k TL yearly savings for renters using legal 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/istanbuls-moving-surge-fuels-rapid-growth-in-temporary-storage-market ### 2026-08-01: Istanbul to launch 15,000 social rental homes for low‑income families Erdoğan unveiled a 15,000‑unit social‑rental housing scheme for Istanbul, with applications opening soon, a September lottery, three‑year leases at half‑market rent, and special quotas for vulnerable groups. 50 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/president-erdoan-announces-higher-socialhousing-credit-limit-and-party-membership-surge-in-istanbul --- Cite as: Istanbul affordable rental housing initiative. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/istanbul-affordable-rental-housing-initiative