KİPTAŞ, a subsidiary of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), started the flat deliveries of Eyüpsultan Yeşilpınar Houses, the first urban transformation project of which the foundations were laid during the new management period, in stages. The first phase of Eyüpsultan Yeşilpınar Houses, whose foundation was laid on May 50, 25, by solving the 2021-year ownership problem, consisting of 155 flats, was delivered turnkey, IMM President Ekrem İmamoğlu It was carried out by on January 26, 2023. A second stage turnkey ceremony was held for the part of the project, which consists of a total of 664 independent units, including 14 residences and 678 shops, and includes 113 beneficiaries and 197 independent units.
Pointing out that earthquake and urban transformation issues are the most important issues of Istanbul and Turkey, İmamoğlu said, “For Istanbul and Turkey, it is 100 percent a survival problem. Its impact is so high that it can bring us to our knees in every aspect; "Economically, in terms of loss of life, sociologically, in all kinds of ways... Therefore, it is a matter of survival and survival," he said. Emphasizing that the process, which has become the main issue of the country since the earthquake of August 17, 1999, has not been managed as it deserves, İmamoğlu said, “There are negligences. It has been exploited from time to time. And unfortunately, instead of putting the right jobs and the right organizational model on top of each other, this job has been handled from a different perspective. When we say 'Earthquake, transformation, change, what Istanbulites need is social housing'; We saw that by building thousands, tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of luxury houses in Istanbul, instead of solving the earthquake-related problem in the area, this work turned into profit that was not distributed to the public and made a handful of people happy. In this respect, it is precisely this mentality that has failed to achieve transformation. "And real urban transformation has not been achieved."
“IF YOU DO NOT PUT THE INTEREST OF CITIZENS ABOVE EVERYTHING, THIS SYSTEM WILL NOT WORK”
“Since 2019, while we continue to create an exemplary transformation process and walk the path without compromising its basic principles, we are also able to take the right steps with all institutions and organizations of our state, to carry out this process properly, to manage it, to work in coordination, "We were in search of being able to sit at a table and talk," said İmamoğlu, adding, "We constantly knocked on doors and tried to explain. No matter how much we tried to knock on doors and wait at those doors or share our ideas with them - we also shared things - unfortunately they turned a deaf ear to these processes. And they have not taken any steps to walk together on any journey that we have laid out in a meaningful way. If you turn the urban transformation issue into someone's profit field, you will not have a chance to achieve success here. "If a process is not implemented for the benefit of the public, if you do not put the interests of the citizens above all else, this system will not work," he said.
“WE DID EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF THIS”
"We did exactly the opposite," said İmamoğlu, adding:
“We put the interests of the citizens at the highest level. We carried out every process by talking transparently with our citizens. We knew that our citizens were property owners. If he is not a property owner or has not yet acquired property, we have done all that needs to be done to help him acquire property. We have not forgotten that making our people happy is our first duty. And we never forgot what a valuable, worship-like service it was for those people when they returned to their safe homes. This is why the system we established has been successful. Now, I feel justified pride in making people happy at a few points almost every month. Even when you just look at what was done in the past in Eyüpsultan, Yeşilpınar Houses, you can actually see the difference. So you can clearly see and understand the difference between populists and profiteers. We; "With our populist identity, we have demonstrated our determination to support our people and solve their problems, regardless of anyone's political views."
“THEY PUT THIS AREA WITH PEOPLE LIVING ON IT FOR SALE WITH A NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENT.”
Reminding that the area in question has been waiting for a solution for 50 years, İmamoğlu shared the following information:
“This area was declared risky by the Council of Ministers. But the government, the Metropolitan Municipality before us, the KİPTAŞ management, and even the district administration did not move a muscle. They did only one thing. When I saw that advertisement, when I visited KİPTAŞ, I examined it with astonishment. I also remember saying, "It's not true, they were surprised." They even put this area, that is, the area with people living on it, up for sale with a newspaper ad. Citizens are in despair and uncertainty; They say, 'Let's sell this area to someone, there will be a profit there.' They didn't even have the patience to listen to people's troubles and troubles there. When we take office, together with KİPTAŞ, together with our entire management, how can we find a solution for you, absolutely and without hesitation, not only for this place, but for all such issues and such points in Istanbul; We were in search of this and sacrificed for this. "Sometimes my friends walked and traveled, even taking the risk of exceeding their reasonable authority."
“WE DID NOT FAKE ANYONE WITH EMPTY DREAMS”
In Yeşilpınar; Stating that they achieved 100 percent agreement with the citizens as a result of a transparent and ethical process, İmamoğlu said, “We did not deceive anyone with empty dreams. We explained whatever could be done. I always told my friends this: We, who are in public administration and who are obliged to serve our citizens, will never give up on two things. Whatever matter there is for our citizens, we will do it until the end, to the last drop. Even if there is something that cannot be done or cannot be done, we will explain it to our citizens with all transparency. We will not deceive our citizens. We will definitely ensure that our citizens are included in the process in the most transparent way. It is exactly because we acted in this way, despite all the obstacles, Ali Bey just explained one by one, that all problems, from the district municipality to the Parliament and other elements, were solved within 18 months and we laid the foundation of the project together, with joy and pride. "After the construction started, we worked devotedly even though they tried to create obstacles in the way of the process again," he said.
“WE FACE A GOVERNMENT THAT MAKES US A REASON ONLY IN INFLATION AND INTEREST”
Underlining that they achieved all this under difficult economic conditions, İmamoğlu said:
“There is nowhere else in the world, even in countries that are at war, such high inflation, such high interest rates, such high inflation, such high cost increases, where people say 'I'm a little relieved today' for their wages, but even two months later they become incredibly poor and impoverished. Unfortunately, in the world, we are faced with a government that is out of date only in terms of inflation and interest rates. The only thing that is valid in this regard is the saying 'we have overcome the times' or 'we have made a leap'. Therefore, construction is not an easy task, especially in these conditions. In this sector, which is perhaps one of the most important experiences of my business life, it is very difficult to cope with these costs in such environments. But despite all these conditions, we did not cause any grievance to our citizens. We resolved the process without making you, our valuable beneficiaries, pay the price of the government's economic policies. This is a very important thing. Where did it come from that people who cannot manage the economy cannot also manage urban transformation? We understand from the mistakes made by those who try to manage a system in a way that means 1-20 times more out of people's pockets, or those who praise this system, when they say 'We will cost your house 30 lira'; Those who cannot manage the economy cannot manage urban transformation either. They victimize their nation. Just as they spend their money, they take out of their pockets many times more of their money, whose purchasing power has diminished, through the concept of urban transformation. “They hose it down, so to speak.”
“WE REJECT THIS AND SAY THAT…”
Emphasizing that they completely reject this understanding, İmamoğlu said, “We reject this and say to my friends from the beginning; Come in front of people with models that you can account for, fix the numbers, and complete your business based on the numbers you talk to those people as much as possible. I said, 'I don't want to see any of my people disappointed and struggling with burdens they can't handle.' Here, KİPTAŞ has achieved this success in this aspect and completed and delivered its works both here and at other points, even in installments below the minimum wage figures, and I, who support our entire team, all institutions of IMM and of course KİPTAŞ "I would like to thank the General Manager and his employees in the presence of all of you," he said.
“OUR PROBLEM WAS TO SOLVE CITIZENS' PROBLEMS”
"While they create unemployment, poverty and high prices, they cannot even tolerate listening to the victims of urban transformation," said İmamoğlu, adding: "Because they do not want the people's voice to be heard, they can even turn off the citizens' cameras. Believe me, I wish and want; Neither we nor my ruler should be in such a situation in the presence of any citizen. They won't fall either. "Our concern is to solve the citizens' problems," he said. Stating that they produced social housing during their term of office and delivered their homes to citizens in fixed installments, İmamoğlu said, “We accelerated urban transformation in 5 years. As of today, we have delivered 10 thousand 39 independent units. "We are going through the days when 8 thousand 795 independent units will be delivered quickly."
“I WILL DO A 'PARKING INSPECTION' WITH MY NEIGHBORS”
İmamoğlu said, "We are an administration that has achieved great things in every regard compared to previous periods," and briefly used the following expressions:
“The pride of hundreds of our citizens finding solid, resilient homes in an area that was trying to be sold in 2018 is something else. I came here at least three times during that period. I also came to hear the citizens' reaction. I heard a cry at the groundbreaking ceremony. Due to some wrong guidance, our people became worried and uneasy. I'm not angry with them either. Because governments have made many mistakes in the past that they should be worried about. Inevitably, they think we are the same. We are not like that. In this area you see, after today's key delivery ceremony, my friends will quickly start building a beautiful park and equipment area. Contrary to the previous statements, 'No, it will be closed, it will remain within the site', they will present a very stylish neighborhood park here, which everyone living in this area will enjoy. "I will come after 20-25 days and inspect it with my neighbors to ask 'Is this park finished?'"
“THOSE WHO ACT AS LIKE THEY ARE SLEEPING PROPERTIES FROM US…”
“We are doing better than this. Let another strive to do better than he; Not to keep us down. We said this: 'Well, earthquake, urban transformation is a matter of fighting together. Let's open the doors together, arm in arm, shoulder to shoulder, and lay the foundations together.' Those who act as if they are stealing goods from us are just putting the issue here. They are like this: 'Let us win.' And I say, 'O my nation, you win.' Let our nation win. That's the difference between us. The nation will win by losing the mind that only says 'I' and 'we'. We could never teach this. Hopefully, we will win the love, trust and appreciation of the people of Istanbul and the people of our country together. There is nothing more valuable than this. We will win together, then we will sleep peacefully. We will get up to work more energetically. And that way we will solve the problems of our entire country, especially Istanbul. Of course, as our peace of mind increases thanks to good deeds, as we lay our heads peacefully on the pillow, as we spend that night with nice and short sleeps, and as we hit the road with full energy again; Others are also losing sleep. I understand that. "We will continue to deprive them of sleep."
“WE ARE LIKE AN IRON THAT SHINIES AS IT WORKS”
“Because we have not and will not deceive any of our people with empty promises and so-called election-oriented projects. We will not allow those who try to deceive us to deceive us. We will continue to work day and night for this purpose. Our energy, our power, our will, believe me, are full. Don't worry about this at all. We are like an iron that shines as we work. We will continue our path brightly. On March 31, with the support of you and our esteemed fellow countrymen who benefit from such services, by telling about the treatment they have received towards their spouses, friends and neighbors, by presenting the dialogues they have had with us as a reference, with their support, we will embark on a journey that will enable us to move faster towards big goals. we will continue. We will keep Istanbul away from waste and, in their own words, treason. We brought abundance, abundance and an understanding that serves its people to our Istanbul. We will continue on our way by growing. Those who want to waste will lose; The winner will be Istanbul, the winner will be abundance, the winner will be 16 million Istanbulites. The winner will be our citizens, just like the property owners of Eyüpsultan Yeşilpınar Houses who are here today. We continue on our way as a management that will continue to bring you success. With your support, we continue to grow our power. “Good luck to all of us.”
HAD DELIVERED THE KEYS TO THE RIGHT HOLDERS
After his speech, İmamoğlu invited CHP Eyüpsultan Mayor candidate Mithat Bülent Özmen and CHP Eyüpsultan District Chairman Doğan Sarıtaş to his side and asked for support from the district residents for the local elections. To the key delivery ceremony; CHP Istanbul deputy Yunus Emre, CHP PM members Ozan Işık, Turgay Özcan, Mahir Yüksel, Küçükçekmece Mayor Kemal Çebi, Avcılar Mayor Turan Hançerli and KİPTAŞ General Manager Ali Kurt attended. İmamoğlu symbolically handed over the keys to 10 beneficiaries.
KURT: “KİPTAŞ SOLVED THE 50-YEAR-OLD OWNERSHIP PROBLEM”
According to the information given by KİPTAŞ General Manager Kurt; The area where the project was built was declared a risky area by the Council of Ministers in 2016 due to unplanned construction and flimsy building stock. The land was put up for sale by the previous KİPTAŞ management for 14 million 227 thousand liras, with citizens residing on it. The new management, headed by İmamoğlu, who took office in 2019, canceled the sale decision and started working on the on-site transformation project. The "Reconciliation Office" was opened in the neighborhood on December 2, 2019. The signing phase of the contracts has begun. Citizens who reached an agreement were evacuated from risky buildings one by one. Moving and rental assistance started to be provided. The reconciliation processes were completed within 18 months, with realistic and concrete solutions. As a result of the negotiations, an agreement was reached with each rights holder. KİPTAŞ, which built earthquake-resistant houses in the region in question, solved the 50-year-old ownership problem by giving title deeds to the rightful owners.
AWARD-WINNING PROJECT: KİPTAŞ EYÜPSULTAN YEŞİLPINAR HOUSES
Eyüpsultan Yeşilpınar Houses; It will add value to the region where it is located with its design-oriented architecture, away from dense construction, social facilities, parks, street shops, playgrounds and green areas. The project also includes a nursery, library and family health center. All social areas were designed to be open to everyone in Eyüpsultan Yeşilpınar District, not behind walls, as in KİPTAŞ's other projects implemented with the new era vision. Eyüpsultan Yeşilpınar Houses project recently won an award in the "Best Urban Transformation / Rehabilitation Project" category at the Sign of the City Awards, the most prestigious competition in the real estate industry.
