Affordable housing in Turkey: User satisfaction in Toki houses

Abstract

Affordable housing policies in Turkey have reached a new stage over the last decade in the context of the TOKI model advocated by the government. Housing developed by TOKI (the Public Housing Administration), the top official agency responsible for affordable housing policies in Turkey, has become so widespread in all cities of Turkey that it involves not only the construction sector but also trade associations and the public in general. In this article, following a general discussion of the demand and supply of housing in Turkey, we evaluate user satisfaction and the quality of TOKI implementations since 2000 for low- and middle-income groups in Bursa, the fourth largest city in Turkey. Bursa sets an interesting example for the study because of the city's long-term prominence in commerce and its current status as an important industrial city. Massive migrations and unplanned,urbanization have resulted in a need for housing for every income group in Bursa, especially for low- and middle-income groups. The emphasis in this study is that, in addition to quantity, quality should be considered in housing production. Furthermore, the implementation of TOKI should be aimed at developing more habitable and higher-quality environments by considering all socio-cultural and physical factors. It is expected that these evaluations will lead to the development of a more comprehensive affordable housing policy in Turkey.