What happened
Three streets in Istanbul's Seyitnizam neighbourhood entered simultaneous urban renewal under Turkey's Half from Us campaign. Of 117 buildings across these streets, 50 transformations are complete and structural samples taken from the remaining 67. Eight buildings with completed risk assessment have begun demolition; the 67 remaining structures will be reconstructed together with campaign support.
Environment Minister Murat Kurum shared images from the site, stating that Istanbul "continues to strengthen, become safer and transform" through the campaign, highlighting the Seyitnizam neighbourhood as a location where 67 structures undergo concurrent renovation.
Why it matters
Zeytinburnu ranks third among participating Istanbul districts, behind Bahçelievler and Avcılar, with over 5,000 units enrolled. The campaign offers each dwelling a grant of up to 875,000 Turkish lira, an equal credit facility, and 125,000 lira for relocation—reducing financial barriers to upgrading earthquake-prone housing. Across Istanbul, 384,553 independent units have entered the renewal process under Urban Transformation Authority coordination.
The neighbourhood sits in Turkey's highest seismic zone. In Zeytinburnu alone, 515 risky structures containing 5,056 units have already completed transformation. Residents cited the 1999 Marmara earthquake as motivation. One homeowner reported living in parks for approximately a year after damage to their building. Another resident stressed constant fear about structural vulnerability until the scheme's support became available, describing relief at the prospect of an earthquake-resistant property.
Urban Transformation Authority official Oğuzhan Çiftçi framed the initiative as central to earthquake preparedness, stating: "Our goal as the Environment Ministry is to prepare Istanbul for earthquake risk. We will continue working night and day toward this." He emphasised the Half from Us scheme as an important opportunity to mitigate seismic exposure.
What's next
The campaign closes on 31 December 2026. All homeowners and business owners whose properties are certified as risky by that date remain eligible for benefits. Officials urged residents to complete the certification process by year-end to access the scheme, describing it as a time-limited opportunity to secure rebuilding support.