Homes built for İzmir quake victims to be delivered soon

İZMİR

Homes being developed for the victims of the devastating earthquake that took place in October last year in the western province of İzmir will start to be delivered to their owners at the end of next month.

The government launched the large-scale housing project for those whose homes were totally destroyed or heavily damaged in the tremor.

The 6.6-magnitude earthquake hit the country’s third largest city on Oct. 30, 2020, killing 115 people.

“Construction work for a total of 1,444 houses on seven sites in the Bayraklı district is moving fast. We hope to start to deliver those houses to the victims on Oct. 30, on the anniversary of the earthquake,” said Ömer Albayrak, the head of the provincial directorate for environment and urbanization.

Following damage assessment in the wake of the earthquake, preparations kicked off immediately for the development of new housing units in the city, Albayrak said, noting that the tenders for the home projects managed together with the Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKİ).

Foundations of the new houses were laid in February 2021 with a ceremony President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended.

In addition to the projects in the Bayraklı district, local authorities have also launched the construction of nearly 3,700 units on the site next to the new city hospital, and those houses will start to be delivered to their owners by the end of the year, Albayrak said.

He also noted that 1,569 people, whose homes were damaged in the earthquake, have been receiving financial aid in the form of rent support, and this funding will continue until they will move into their new apartments.

Some of the housing units are two-bedroom flats with a space of 90 square meters and others are three-bedroom apartments, Albayrak said.