Applications for the Century of Türkiye Housing Project have exceeded 5.44 million since the program was launched on Nov. 10, Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum announced on Saturday, confirming that the first lottery will be held on Dec. 29.
His remarks came during an on-site press briefing in the Emek-Aksaray neighborhood of central Antakya in Hatay, southern Türkiye, one of the areas most deeply affected by the Feb. 6 earthquakes.
Kurum underscored the neighborhood's emotional and historical significance, noting that it endured severe destruction. He recalled that in the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes, residents returning to the area struggled even to identify the location of their former homes after the debris was cleared.
“As someone who lived through those days on the ground together with our deputies and mayors, I can express with confidence and peace of mind that the places we once viewed with sorrow have now been transformed into safe and peaceful living environments filled with green areas, parks and gardens,” he said.
During the briefing, the minister presented before-and-after visual documentation of the neighborhood's dramatic transformation. He emphasized that the construction of 6,000 new housing units and 655 commercial spaces has reshaped Emek-Aksaray into a modern, structurally resilient and healthy urban district.
Kurum described the neighborhood’s renewed layout — now seamlessly connected to Cumhuriyet Street, 75th Year Boulevard and Atatürk Street — as an accessible, family-friendly environment where residents can walk safely and spend time comfortably in public areas.
The minister stressed that Hatay has served as the focal point of Türkiye’s massive reconstruction effort since the disaster. He described the pace of construction across the region as unprecedented on a global scale.
“By producing 23 homes per hour and 550 homes per day, we are executing a construction mobilization unmatched anywhere in the world. As a result of our determination, nearly all homes across the 11 affected provinces are now illuminated once again,” he said.
Kurum recalled the milestone event in Adıyaman last month, when President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan personally handed over the keys to the 350,000th completed home, underscoring the accelerated delivery timeline achieved across the disaster zone. In Hatay specifically, Kurum announced that 98,000 homes and commercial units have already been handed over to beneficiaries.
The minister also highlighted Türkiye’s first “rural satellite city” recently completed in the Hatay district of Kumlu. Developed to support rural development, local employment and economic sustainability, the project includes 777 village homes constructed for residents of 21 neighborhoods in Kumlu, Reyhanlı and Antakya.
He also noted progress in Antakya’s Dikmece region, which spans 5 million square meters and is the third-largest construction site in the entire earthquake zone, where 14,500 new homes are nearing completion.
Kurum announced that all 153,000 homes planned for Hatay will be delivered to earthquake survivors by the end of the month, marking the full completion of commitments made to the region.
He further confirmed that the final key-handover ceremony will take place on Dec. 27 with the participation of President Erdoğan. “By year’s end, we will not only meet but surpass our target of delivering 453,000 homes across the 11 provinces,” he said.
Addressing the broader urban transformation strategy, Kurum emphasized that reconstruction efforts extend far beyond residential housing. He detailed ongoing work to restore historic, cultural and civic sites, including the revitalization of İskenderun’s coastline, the renewal of Hatay’s iconic Uzun Çarşı, the refurbishment of Atatürk Street and Kemalpaşa Street, and the restoration of Kurtuluş Street, known as the world’s first illuminated street. Additional work continues along the Asi River and around the historic Parliament Building.
Kurum provided an update on the restoration of the Habib-i Neccar Mosque, recognized as the first mosque in Anatolia, confirming that work has reached its final phase.
He announced that the mosque will soon reopen for worship, with President Erdoğan attending the ceremony. “Our goal has been to revive Hatay’s cultural identity, alongside its physical reconstruction,” he said.
The minister also provided details on the ongoing nationwide social-housing program, the largest in Türkiye’s history, which involves 500,000 new homes. He highlighted strong public interest, noting that applications for the program exceeded 5.44 million within weeks of the Nov. 10 launch.
Acknowledging the unique vulnerabilities in the earthquake region, Kurum stated that special quotas were allocated to these provinces, including 13,289 social-housing units across 15 districts in Hatay alone. These include 6,800 units in Antakya and Defne, 1,500 in Hassa, 1,354 in Iskenderun, 750 in Reyhanlı and 600 in Kırıkhan.
He emphasized that the program was designed to ensure that low-income families can access stable housing opportunities through monthly installments set below typical building dues, making homeownership more attainable for economically vulnerable groups.
Reflecting on the broader reconstruction achievements, Kurum stated that Türkiye has recovered from one of the most severe disasters in its history at unprecedented speed.
“The world recognizes that Türkiye has completed the fastest and largest post-disaster housing mobilization ever recorded. This was made possible through strong leadership, strategic planning and extraordinary effort at every level,” he said.
He added that the 11 earthquake-affected provinces are now positioned to stand as resilient, climate-conscious cities aligned with the long-term urban vision of the “Century of Türkiye.”
