Rent-Based Non-Urban Transformation

kahramanmaras With extensive destruction experienced in 11 provinces following two major earthquakes in Istanbul, all eyes turned once again to Istanbul. Although experts draw attention to the fact that the earthquake that Istanbul will experience will result in a major disaster with a population equal to 11 and its unplanned construction, the situation in urban transformation is also a matter of curiosity. Urban Scientist Dr. According to Murat Güney, the “Law No. 6306 on the Transformation of Areas Under Risk of Disasters”, promulgated in 2012, is used with an income approach. Pointing out that the Disaster Law gives the state broad powers that it cannot have under ordinary conditions, Dr. Güney said: “Based on this law, the state has obtained the authority to expropriate regions it deems risky in terms of earthquakes. , using public energy. Although at first glance it seems like a law that would allow these regions to be renovated and earthquake resistant, it was soon seen that the power of eminent domain was being abused. Saying: “Urban regeneration in Istanbul is not focused on protecting the lives of citizens against earthquakes, but on the basis of rent,” said academic Güney, “the most risky areas of Istanbul have never been included in the works of urban transformation and urban upgrading so far. The highest risk areas in terms of earthquakes are on the European side and near the coast of the Marmara Sea.

LAND WITH LOWER RISK AND HIGH VALUE

Districts like Zeytinburnu, Bahçelievler and Küçükçekmece are in danger. However, publicly supported urban transformation works are unfortunately never carried out in these places,” he said. Güney affirms that the Disaster Law is almost never applied in districts like Fatih and Bahçelievler, which are the most risky regions of Istanbul in terms of land and housing, adding: it is used to seize territories.

Change the law, confiscate the land

Güngören Tozkoparan is one of the places where the disaster law is used to rent. Pointing out that the neighborhood’s residents oppose the urban transformation process, Dr. Murat Güney explained how the law was used as a tool: “Although the court canceled the risk zone declaration as a result of citizen objections, a part de Tozkoparan was declared a risk zone again in 2020 with an amendment made in the law. . The law was updated and used as a tool to seize land from citizens with higher land values.”

The profit center is Kadıköy

Drawing attention to the fact that Kadıköy is the district where the most buildings were destroyed and renovated in Istanbul, Dr. Murat Güney gave the example of Fikirtepe: “Here, the law was used to impose the urban transformation process initiated to generate more rent in Fikirtepe, which was chosen for its proximity to the center of Kadıköy and the high value of the land. However, in the following years, many projects in Fikirtepe could not be completed and remained unfinished.”