Urban Transformation Figures, August 2026: 2.38 Million Units Completed in Türkiye

Urban transformation is the public policy aimed at renewing old and weak buildings against earthquake risk. It matters to home buyers too, if indirectly: the age, construction supervision and risk status of the building you buy will affect both safety and value in the years ahead. The latest figures shared by Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum on 16 August 2026, and reported in the press, summarise where the programme stands. This article passes on those figures and explains what they mean for a buyer.

Minister Kurum's announcement of 16 August 2026

According to a report by A Haber dated 16 August 2026, Minister Kurum announced on social media that the number of homes transformed in Istanbul had reached 1 million. The figures in the report are:

• Independent units brought into transformation in Istanbul since 2012: 1 million 298 thousand
• Completed: about 1 million 7 thousand
• In progress: 291 thousand
• Homes included in the "Yarısı Bizden" ("Half Is on Us") campaign in Istanbul: 384 thousand 553

For Türkiye as a whole the report gives:

• Independent units brought into transformation across 81 provinces: 2 million 761 thousand
• Completed: 2 million 378 thousand

The headline says "1 million" while the text says 1 million 7 thousand; small gaps like this can come from rounding and from items compiled on different dates. What matters is the order of magnitude: millions of independent units across Türkiye are within the programme, and most are completed. The report does not include a figure specific to Antalya, and we do not invent one.

What is the "Yarısı Bizden" campaign?

The report cites the support under the "Yarısı Bizden" campaign for rebuilding risky buildings as 1 million 875 thousand lira in total: 875 thousand lira as a grant, 875 thousand lira as a loan and 125 thousand lira as relocation (eviction) support. The conditions, regions and dates in which these amounts apply may vary with the campaign announcement. If you are assessing your own building, confirm current terms through the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change or the Urban Transformation Presidency.

How does transformation work legally?

The basis is Law No. 6306 of 2012 on the Transformation of Areas Under Disaster Risk. In outline:

• Risky building determination. The determination is primarily meant to be commissioned by the owners; if they do not, the Ministry or the relevant administration can carry it out.
• Objection and finality. Owners can object to the determination, and the decision becomes final once the objection process ends.
• Decision stage. Owners need to reach a decision on demolishing and rebuilding or strengthening the building.
• Implementation. If the decision is not carried out, the administration has powers to step in.

Majority thresholds, deadlines and objection details are set out in the law and regulation and can change, so we give no figures here. If you own a flat in a building affected, it is sensible to follow these steps with legal support and the current text of the legislation.

Photo: Dosseman / CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons (general urban view in Ankara; the picture does not show Antalya)

What does this mean for a home buyer?

Urban transformation news usually focuses on Istanbul, but there are practical lessons for someone looking in Antalya as well:

• Ask about the building's age and occupancy permit. Whether a building has an occupancy permit (iskân) matters; we covered it in our article on the occupancy permit.
• Read the title deed record. There may be annotations on the building such as a risky-structure record; see our guide to title deed types for what to check.
• Do not forget DASK. Compulsory earthquake insurance does not make a building safer but gives economic protection in case of damage. See our DASK article.
• Earthquake-safety checklist. We collected the points worth checking before a purchase in our earthquake safety guide.
• New or old? Differences in age, maintenance and construction supervision are discussed in our new versus resale comparison.

For the wider picture, see our buying a home in Antalya page.

How can you find out whether a building is risky?

It is not possible to judge a building's earthquake condition from its age or outward appearance alone. In practice you can:

• Find out the date and type of the building's construction licence and occupancy permit.
• Ask the management for any earlier seismic performance analysis, soil survey or strengthening reports.
• Remember that an independent engineering opinion is not the same as a risky-structure determination carried out through authorised bodies; if in doubt, consult the authorised institutions and the local administration.
• Ask whether the flat you are considering has any risk information in its title deed record or in the provincial directorate's records.

What is on the agenda?

The figures show that transformation is not a one-off campaign but a process spread over many years. In his post, Minister Kurum said they would continue transformation quickly to prepare cities for disasters. It would not be right to say now which new support schemes or regulations will follow; official announcements can be followed on the Ministry's website and in the Official Gazette.

Conclusion

According to the data Minister Kurum shared on 16 August 2026, as reported in the press, about 2.76 million independent units across 81 provinces are in the transformation programme and about 2.38 million have been completed; in Istanbul about 1 million of 1.3 million units are done. When buying in Antalya, the healthiest approach is to weigh the building's age, documents, title deed record and insurance status together. You are welcome to write to us with questions.

Related reading: the DASK change at the land registry and our post-season Antalya property analysis.

This content is for general information only and is not legal or financial advice. Please consult a specialist before making your decision.

Sources: A Haber report on the post by Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum of 16 August 2026; Law No. 6306.

Cover photo: Pivox / CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons (Kızılay Square in Ankara and the tall buildings around it; used as a general urban view).