Details on Eligibility and the Application Schedule Are Expected to Be Announced Next Week by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Turkey's Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum announced that the first deliveries of the 15,000 rental housing project in Istanbul will take place in September. The project aims to balance exorbitant rent increases and accelerate earthquake-focused urban transformation. Details on eligibility and the application schedule are expected to be announced next week by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Speaking to reporters after the Istanbul Climate Finance Summit, Kurum said the first completed homes will be available to citizens in September. He emphasized that the state-run rental housing model will provide shelter support to beneficiaries of urban transformation and help lower rent inflation across the city. The project, carried out by the Housing Development Administration (TOKİ), will set rents at least 50 percent below comparable market values in the area.

For example, in a neighborhood where comparable rents are 30,000 lira, the social housing rent will be set at 15,000 lira or lower. The apartments, which will remain state-owned, come in 1+1, 2+1, and 3+1 layouts and will be allocated to beneficiaries for three-year terms. After the contract period ends, the homes will be maintained and transferred to new applicants.

Following the Istanbul implementation, the system is planned to expand to other major cities such as Ankara, Izmir, Kocaeli, and Antalya. After applications are completed, apartment allocations will be determined through a draw held before a notary. Those selected will sign contracts directly with TOKİ and become tenants of the institution.

Applicants must not own a registered home, must fall below a specified household income limit, and must reside in Istanbul. Special quotas will be set aside for low-income individuals and those receiving social assistance, as well as beneficiaries whose homes fall under urban transformation. The ministry and TOKİ are expected to officially announce the final quota distribution and application channels in the coming days.

The apartments will be rented at half the market rate, with President Erdoğan set to announce the application conditions. The project will be expanded to other major cities after Istanbul.