Turkey seizes earthquake survivors' homes for redevelopment, ignoring consent
19 March 2024 20:52
The Turkish government has confiscated the homes of individuals who survived the earthquake that struck the southeastern part of the country last year. Property owners were notified via text messages that the state was taking over their properties to create "reserve construction areas".
The Turkish government took over the homes of those who survived last year's earthquake, reports the Reuters agency. In October, property owners were informed through text messages that their ownership had been transferred to the State Treasury following an amendment to the spatial planning law.
A massive earthquake hit the southeastern part of Turkey in February 2023. More than 53,000 people died, according to Reuters. The Hatay region was the hardest hit. Hundreds of thousands of individuals have lived in containers and tents, which serve as their temporary abodes.
The government does not require the owners' consent
Early in February, Urbanization Minister Mehmet Ozhaseki mentioned that the government needs the authority established in the amendment to expedite the reconstruction of areas devastated by the earthquake. The recent changes to the law on transforming disaster-prone areas gave officials extensive powers to designate private properties as reserve construction areas without owners' consent.
"The law infringes upon property rights"
The government has stated that those impacted by the earthquake can own properties after covering the construction costs. However, no specifics have been given regarding the cost implications. A lawyer from Samandag, Orhan Ozen, expressed to Reuters that the law infringes upon property rights and lacks clarity on how owners would be safeguarded after their properties are transferred to the State Treasury.
In Hatay province, the Urban Transformation Directorate declared over 200 hectares of land as reserve areas. The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has pledged 254,000 new homes in Hatay. To date, only about 7,300 of these homes have been constructed. Ecevit Alkan of the local bar association estimated that almost 50,000 people would be impacted by the property confiscations.
Residents turn to the courts
Some owners of the confiscated properties have opted to challenge the state legally. "We can rebuild our homes on our own, and we don't want a penny from the state," said Reuters Yapar, one of the residents affected in Hatay province.
Source: Reuters Agency
