İzmir Urban Transformation Project: Residents Protest Delayed Home Handover with Key Action

Residents of İzmir's Örnekköy district gathered at the construction site of a major urban transformation project, protesting the prolonged delay in receiving their homes. The project, managed by the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, is reportedly 95% complete, yet residents claim they have not received their apartments as promised.

Ersan Şen, speaking on behalf of the affected residents, stated that they were displaced from their homes and neighborhoods in 2019. Following the demolition phase, construction began in 2021, with residents initially told they would receive their new homes by January 2024. However, two years past that promised date, the handover has still not occurred.

Residents expressed frustration over repeated postponements and unfulfilled promises from the municipality. They are now demanding that their homes be delivered by August or September. The protest involved a symbolic demonstration where participants shook their keys, highlighting their ongoing grievance and the urgency of their situation.