Turkish urbanization minister says unused offices to be converted into homes

Duvar English

Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum has announced that unused offices will be converted into residential housing to tackle the growing housing crisis in Turkey.

In a social media post, Kurum said that such a move will create 50 new apartment flats and that the relevant regulation has been issued in an attempt to find a solution to the supply lagging far behind the demand.

He said that there are 4 million square meters of office spaces in Turkey that “cannot be leased out or sold due to excess supply” and that these office spaces will be converted into residential housing.

Soaring housing prices and rents have left Turks in a difficult situation this year, with several of them unable to pay their rents and forced to move out.

The parliament in June passed a new regulation limiting rent increases to a maximum of 25 percent for a year until July 2023, but experts have pointed out that there is a need for a deep-rooted solution to the housing crisis.