Erdoğan: 500,000 Earthquake-Resistant Housing Units Will Be Built
President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that the government will act swiftly to meet the needs of low-income citizens and complete social housing projects. He said: “A total of 500,000 modern, comfortable, and earthquake-resistant housing units will be constructed across Turkey, 100,000 of which will be built in Istanbul. In addition, 15,000 housing units will be rented out under favorable conditions through the Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKİ).”
In his speech, Erdoğan thanked the youth for their enthusiastic welcome and described Istanbul as the “land of love and pride.” He added: “Through new historic services and investments, we are demonstrating our love for the nation and preparing Istanbul for the Century of Türkiye.”
The Turkish president also announced the imminent opening of the Atatürk Airport National Garden, noting that the 1.2 million square meter complex will include walking and cycling paths, sports fields, an exhibition area, a public coffeehouse, a park, and a pool. According to Erdoğan, the garden will also serve as an assembly area in times of crisis, with the capacity to host at least 40,000 tents. He recalled that 313 national gardens have already been inaugurated across Turkey, while construction of 231 more is ongoing. In Istanbul alone, 34 have been completed and 22 are under construction.
Referring to the recent earthquake in the Sındırgı district of Balıkesir, Erdoğan stressed that the incident once again highlighted the urgency of urban transformation. He said: “Cities, like people, have souls. What makes a city truly a city is the peace and security of its residents.”
Erdoğan also highlighted the role of the Emergency Hospital built during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was completed in just 45 days. He noted that the hospital played a significant role in combating the pandemic and that part of the Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine has since been transferred there.
The president went on to address the fight against terrorism, stating: “As the People’s Alliance, we have made significant progress in the ‘Terror-Free Türkiye’ process that we launched a year ago. The terrorist organization, now dissolved, has announced that it is withdrawing its armed elements from our country. We welcome every positive step taken in this direction.” He emphasized: “We will continue our work with a constructive and inclusive approach. First, we will achieve a terror-free Türkiye, and then, God willing, a terror-free region.”
At the ceremony, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum and President of the Housing Development Administration (TOKİ) Mustafa Lütfi Sungur also delivered speeches. The inauguration concluded with a prayer by Istanbul’s Provincial Mufti Emrullah Tuncel, followed by the ribbon-cutting ceremony led by President Erdoğan and his delegation.
