Within the scope of the 'Half is on Us Campaign', transformation works in Avcılar accelerated last year. There was a significant increase in the number of buildings evacuated, demolished and reconstructed in the district. Many buildings were evacuated due to the work concentrated in 7 neighborhoods except Firuzköy, Tahtakale and Yeşilkent neighborhoods.
DISTRICT POPULATION HAS DECREASED
According to TÜİK data, the population of Avcılar, which was 452 thousand 132 in 2022, decreased to 437 thousand 221 in 2023. The population of the district was determined as 440 thousand 934 in 2024 and 440 thousand 663 in 2025. Data for this year have not been announced yet. According to the information received from the electricity distribution company on the European side of Istanbul, the number of subscribers in Avcılar decreased with the acceleration of urban transformation.
'TENANTS ARE GOING TO DISTRICTS WITH MORE AFFORDABLE PRICES BECAUSE THEY CANNOT PAY HIGH RENTS'
Arzu Kul, Avcılar Regional Manager of the Istanbul Chamber of Realtors, stated that intensive urban transformation works are being carried out in some neighborhoods, especially in the Merkez District of Avcılar, and said, "Hundreds of houses have been demolished. The old fixed tenants in the demolished buildings move to more affordable districts because they cannot pay the high rents in the market. Due to the high construction costs, they sell their flats or move in with their family elders temporarily. After the school order is disrupted, they have to move. There is also a decrease in the number of students in schools based in the neighborhood. The buildings that have undergone urban transformation. "There is a certain process for demolition. Water, natural gas and electricity subscriptions are cut off for a certain period of time. Of course, they are victimized. The move is permanent for the old tenants. Since the rent is 40 thousand liras, the property owners can come back later or rent their homes."
THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS DECREASED FROM 900 TO 750
At İnönü Primary School in Ambarlı District, where urban transformation efforts are concentrated and many sites were demolished for renovation, the number of students, which exceeded 900 in the past years, decreased to 750 due to the evacuation of houses and the migration of families.
Erhan Kaya, one of the parents with children in İnönü Primary School, stated that the number of flats will be more in the newly built buildings and said, "The population will increase in a few years. There will be 10 extra flats in each additional building. The mosque community, school and neighborhood have decreased considerably."
Erdem Duman, one of the parents, said, "Urban transformation is necessary. People go to surrounding districts due to migration. They will return in a few years."
Uğur Altıgün, who has been living in Armağan Site in Ambarlı District, which consists of 10 blocks in total and whose demolition has started within the scope of urban transformation, since 2019, said, "The new formation will be a site. We had an environment we were used to. People are handing over their houses. Hopefully, it will be better."
Melike İrtürk, who lives in the same site, said that she was sad that her houses would be demolished, but that she was happy that new and solid flats would be built in their place.
1,200 BUILDINGS ARE EXPECTED TO BE TRANSFORMED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR
Deputy Mayor of Avcılar, Yüksel Can, stated that the decrease in the population and number of students due to urban transformation is temporary and said, "Our citizens leave the collapsed building and naturally migrate to other neighborhoods and even other districts to shelter and educate their children. But this is an inevitable problem in terms of solving the accumulated problems. First of all, the important thing is to ensure the safety of life. God forbid, you saw the incident in Maltepe last year. 5 of our citizens lost their lives as a result of the collapse of a building there. To avoid such possibilities tomorrow, we have already taken this action." We want to take precautions in this way to pave the way for the transformation, accelerate it and ensure the safety of our citizens and neighbors. The decrease in population and students is temporary. I believe that as new projects are carried out, both our citizens from Avcılar and our neighbors who went to Beylikdüzü and Bahçeşehir will return in time.
In Avcılar, 200 buildings were transformed in 2024, 800 buildings in 2025. The number of buildings transformed this year exceeded 900. We think it will exceed 1,200 by the end of the year. "While an average of 2 thousand buildings were transformed in 10 years between 2013 and 2023, this year we have completed half of what was done in 10 years in 1 year," he said.
