Replacing earthquake-vulnerable buildings is one of Türkiye's biggest housing policy priorities. The government's main tool for speeding this up in the city is a campaign called "Yarısı Bizden," or "Half Is on Us," under which the state covers a large part of the cost of rebuilding.
What owners receive
Under the building-based model, owners can receive, per housing unit, a grant of up to 875,000 liras, a low-interest loan of up to 875,000 liras and relocation support of 125,000 liras, for a total package of up to 1.875 million liras.
In area-based projects carried out by the state housing agency TOKİ or the developer Emlak Konut, owners receive the 875,000-lira grant and 125,000 liras in relocation assistance, while the remaining construction costs are paid back through long-term installments.
Deadline and scale
The campaign has been extended to Dec. 31, 2026. Homes and workplaces that are identified as high-risk, and complete the required process, by that date qualify for support.
By late summer, more than 384,000 independent units in Istanbul had been included in the scheme, according to the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry. In the Zeytinburnu district alone, 5,056 units in 515 high-risk buildings had been transformed. An official from the Urban Transformation Directorate said Zeytinburnu ranked third in demand, behind Bahçelievler and Avcılar.
The campaign forms part of a much larger effort. Since 2012, about 1.3 million housing and commercial units in Istanbul have been brought into urban transformation projects, of which more than 1 million had been completed by August 2026, Minister Murat Kurum said. Nationwide, the figure was 2.76 million units, with 2.38 million completed. Istanbul accounts for about one in two of the directorate's projects.
The government has said it intends to extend the "Half Is on Us" support model to all 81 provinces, with a target of renovating 150,000 independent units a year, as part of a long-term housing plan that also includes social rental homes.
For property owners, including foreigners who own flats in older Istanbul buildings, the scheme can significantly reduce the cost of replacing a building after a risk assessment. Whether a building has been assessed as high-risk, or included in a project, can affect timing, temporary relocation and the eventual new unit.
Sources
- Istanbul expands earthquake resilience with 1M renewed units (Daily Sabah)
- Istanbul urban renewal accelerates under 'Half Is on Us' campaign (Daily Sabah)
- Türkiye launches rental housing program for low-income households
Photo: Antoloji / CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
