The new initiative to develop more affordable rental units will first begin in Istanbul.
Türkiye is set to introduce a social rental housing scheme aimed at easing housing affordability pressures, with applications for the first phase opening on Sept. 14.
The program, which will be implemented for the first time in the country, will see the Housing Development Administration of Türkiye (TOKİ) build homes and rent them to low-income households through a lottery system.
The initiative will begin in Istanbul with a planned total of 15,000 social rental units. In the first stage, 1,071 homes will be offered for rent.
According to information released so far, applicants must be Turkish citizens, at least 18 years old, married and not own a home. Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum is expected to announce additional eligibility criteria on Sept. 10.
Authorities are also expected to introduce an income threshold to ensure that lower-income households benefit from the program. Special quotas may be reserved for civil servants, retirees, people with disabilities, families of martyrs and veterans, and residents whose homes are subject to urban transformation projects.
Under the scheme, tenants will be allowed to rent the homes for three years. TOKİ will be responsible for the management, maintenance and supervision of the properties during that period.
After three years, tenants will vacate the units, which will then undergo maintenance before being allocated to new beneficiaries through the same system.
Rental prices will vary depending on the size and location of the property. Kurum previously said that rents would be set below market rates and could be as little as half of prevailing local rents in some areas. Under the model, a tenant could rent a newly built, earthquake-resistant home for 25,000 Turkish Liras in an area where the market rent is 50,000 lira.
The social rental housing program forms part of a broader government housing strategy focused on increasing homeownership, improving access to affordable housing and slowing rent and property price increases.
The government plans to support housing access for 100,000 low- and middle-income citizens annually, reaching a total of 2.5 million people over the next 25 years. While Istanbul will serve as the starting point for the rental housing model, the program is expected to expand nationwide.
As part of the long-term housing strategy, authorities aim to build a total of 500,000 social rental homes across the country over the next 25 years. The government also plans to extend Istanbul’s “Half is on Us” urban transformation support scheme to all 81 provinces, with 150,000 independent housing units to be renovated each year.
