Rent-seeking attempt under the guise of urban transformation! Property owners react sharply to the shocking demolition decision at Zeytinburnu Denizatı Kent Sitesi

The Denizatı Kent Sitesi, which set out in 1997 to build the most modern buildings in Zeytinburnu, is now facing a demolition decision by the Zeytinburnu Municipality that disregards legal procedures and notification laws after years of ongoing issues. It is alleged that a rent-driven process is being carried out under the guise of urban transformation at the complex, which is built on a massive plot of land worth 6 billion TL and houses 320 property owners.

NO NOTIFICATION WAS SERVED, RIGHT TO DEFENSE WAS USURPED

According to standard legal procedures, if a demolition decision is made, this decision must be served to the property owners, and the owners must be able to exercise their legal right to appeal. However, this fundamental rule was violated at the Denizatı complex, and it has emerged that not a single owner was served with a notification. 

The municipality has not sent any official notification to the owners since 2023 and did not inform them of the council decision. By failing to serve the decision, the owners' path to appeal was blocked. 

Although the demolition process cannot proceed until appeals are evaluated and the result is finalized, the Zeytinburnu Municipality acted quickly, announcing the demolition decision on 11.09.2026 and declaring that the demolition would take place two days later, on 14.09.2026, at 10:00 AM. The owners claimed that the Zeytinburnu Municipality Directorate of Zoning and Urbanization is trying to prevent a stay of execution with this illegal stance. This situation has left 320 owners and their families facing great hardship. 

"THE GOAL IS TO MAKE IT UNINHABITABLE AND SEIZE IT FOR PEANUTS"

Property owners reacted to the process by making the following statements:

"The goal here is to create a demolition atmosphere in the complex, make it uninhabitable, intimidate the owners, and force them to abandon their living spaces for next to nothing. The value of the land as determined by experts is 6 billion TL. They want to seize such a valuable area through illegality and irregularity. Some unauthorized apartment managers also have a hand in the process. These individuals are manipulating the process."

The owners stated that they had previously filed criminal complaints against these managers who are harming the process, and that new collective criminal complaints for "breach of trust" would follow one after another, dating back to 2023. Furthermore, it was stated that the managers with civil servant status, who are alleged to have been involved in the irregularities during this process, are being tracked one by one and that the situation will be shared with the public.

OWNERS ARE LAUNCHING A LEGAL BATTLE

Stating that the municipality and some collaborative figures have turned urban transformation into a rent-seeking process, the property owners will take the irregularities and abuse of authority in the process to the Presidential Communication Center (CİMER) to protect their rights. They will also file a lawsuit in the administrative court requesting a stay of execution and an injunction.  

CALL TO THE MAYOR

The owners issued a call to Zeytinburnu Mayor Ömer Arısoy, demanding that the process be stopped immediately and that they be allowed to exercise their legal rights. The owners sent the message, "If there is a problem in the area, let it be identified, and we will fulfill the requirements. We are ready to make this place a complete living space." 

Emphasizing that labor and human rights are being trampled upon, the residents of the complex stressed that they are determined to prevent this irregular attempt aimed at rent-seeking and will exhaust all legal avenues to the end.