Residents stand vigil to buy TOKİ homes

AKSARAY

Some 18 residents in Central Anatolian province of Aksaray stand vigil in front of a bank branch hoping to be owners of 11 apartments offered to low-income citizens. AA photo

Eighteen people hoping to become owners of 11 apartments offered to low-income house buyers by the Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKİ), have camped in front of a bank branch for a full three days, waiting for the opportunity to apply for the apartments in the Central Anatolian province of Aksaray.

TOKİ has built around 3,000 such apartments in Aksaray, and the owners of the bulk of the apartments were chosen by drawing lots. Eleven apartments remained, however, and TOKİ announced that it will sell them without a drawing, the Anatolia news agency reported.

Upon hearing the announcement on Friday, would-be homeowners formed a queue in front of the bank branch, which began accepting applications on Monday. A total of 18 people waited for three full days, trying to keep warm under blankets. When the bank opened Monday morning, the citizens filed their requests to buy the homes. One of them, Ahmet Kaçar, said his father and mother waited in the line during the daytime, while he took over at night.

“We can only become homeowners through TOKİ,” said Osman Tosun, while Mehmet Akın said he has been renting for 10 years. “I want a home of my own,” Akın said.

Süleyman Coşkun, who was 16th in the line, said he had still not lost hope. He hopes that if some of the people in front of him lack documents, or otherwise don’t qualify, he may be able to qualify for one of the available units.

TOKİ builds apartments like these and sells them to low-income families with monthly installment payments of as low as 100 liras.