Date set for first lottery for 500,000 social housing units
The date for the first lottery of the 500,000 social housing project, launched by the government as a solution to the housing crisis, has been announced as December 29. Minister Murat Kurum announced that a special quota has been allocated for the earthquake zone and that the goal is to deliver 454,000 homes by the end of the year.
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While citizens' dreams of homeownership have been dashed due to the economic crisis, the lottery date for the 500,000 social housing project, launched by the government in response to the housing crisis, has been announced as December 29.
Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum shared the latest data on the social housing project during his inspections in Antakya. Speaking in the Emek and Aksaray neighborhoods, Kurum announced a record number of applications, seemingly acknowledging the scale of the housing problem.
Stating that the number of applications reached 5 million 440 thousand in the process that began on November 10, Kurum also announced the lottery calendar. The Minister said, "We will draw the first lots on December 29 and will quickly begin the construction of our homes."
PROMISE OF 'PRIVILEGE' FOR THE EARTHQUAKE ZONE
Arguing that they are granting privileges to the region where the wounds of earthquake survivors have not yet fully healed, Kurum stated that a special quota has been allocated for Hatay.
Minister Kurum stated, "For our Hatay; we will offer a total of 13,289 social housing units across 15 districts, including 6,800 in the center, Antakya and Defne; 1,500 in Hassa; 1,354 in İskenderun; 750 in Reyhanlı; and 600 in Kırıkhan."
DELIVERY DATE GIVEN
Saying that the goal is to deliver 454,000 homes in the earthquake zone by the end of the year, Kurum said, "In all 11 of our provinces, the lights have now started to turn on in almost all of our homes. We are delivering the final keys and bringing our remaining families together with their new homes, their happy, peaceful, and secure futures."
However, the realities on the ground and the situation of thousands of earthquake survivors struggling to live in container cities show that the process is not as rosy as the Minister describes. Just how much of a remedy the social housing project, for which millions of citizens have applied, will be for the massive housing problem will become clear after the lottery on December 29.