Minister Kurum: Construction activities will begin in fire zones within 1 month

The 5th Real Estate and Facility Management Summit was held by the Turkish Urban Facility Management Association (TRKTYD) at a hotel in Kızılcahamam. Speaking at the opening of the summit, which addressed a wide range of topics, including current developments in real estate and facility management, legal regulations, digitalization, sustainability, and smart building systems, Minister Kurum explained that the ministry is closely monitoring developments in the field of site management and is resolutely implementing facilitating and guiding steps. Emphasizing the rapid development of the facility and site management sector, Minister Kurum said, “You are improving the quality of life for our people and meeting the expectations of people of all ages. You are providing a valuable service by taking care of our homes, gardens, and security as a trust. Furthermore, you are creating jobs and contributing to our economy in this regard.”

"NO ONE CAN SAY 'I AM A MANAGEMENT COMPANY'"

Minister Kurum announced that they will implement important legal regulations regarding the facility management sector in the new legislative year. Kurum stated, “We believed that a sector engaged in such valuable work must gain an institutional and legal basis. We have taken the necessary steps to achieve this. We quickly established our Facility Management Services Directorate, and with the legal regulations that will be implemented in the new legislative year, we will take steps to further improve the quality of life for 941,000 buildings and the 20 million citizens who live there. When the law is enacted, we will increase the number and quality of all companies providing management services. First and foremost, we will classify companies providing site management services. Not everyone will be able to claim to be a management company; we will authorize them. We will establish our audit system that will monitor the entire sector 24/7.”

"WE WILL IMPOSE SANCTIONS ON THOSE WHO MAKE UNFAIR INCREASES"

Minister Kurum stated that all administrations will be inspected at least once a year, saying, "We will create a system that allows not only the site management but also our citizens to contact us directly. If any of our residents have a complaint, they can request an inspection from us. We will take immediate action. We will encourage, support, and stand with administrations that strive, work, and work hard to ensure a peaceful life for our citizens. However, if anyone engages in improper practices or imposes unfair increases on payments, we will implement all necessary sanctions on behalf of our nation."

'THERE CAN BE NO MORE FEES THAN THE INSTALLMENT OF THE HOUSE'

Minister Kurum highlighted complaints from citizens regarding high dues and warned sector representatives. Kurum said, “We have truly put our all into the work to grow, develop, and strengthen this sector. We will continue to do so in the future. Yes, you have a dream of unity. We will support this dream. I also expect you to be particularly sensitive about the dues issue, which is an expectation from our citizens. We hear such things that, believe me, we are deeply saddened on behalf of our nation. Let me give you an example: a citizen bought a house from a housing complex and pays its installments regularly. When they move in, the dues are higher than the original installment. Dear friends, this is unacceptable. This is against rights and the law. On behalf of our nation, I ask you to review these practices. Let us find the necessary measures and implement them, and let us establish a system across Turkey that will reduce our dues as much as possible, taking even a small amount of the burden off our citizens and supporting our people.”

Minister Kurum emphasized the importance of implementing services to preserve traditions and customs in these complexes, saying, “We are establishing safe living spaces in these large complexes. We are striving to provide our nation with every opportunity, including green spaces and social amenities. However, let's all take steps together to keep our customs, traditions, and traditions alive, to maintain neighborly relations and neighborhood culture in these complexes. Let's organize for this. We are Turks. I say this very clearly: we do not want the cold culture of those complexes that disregard our spirituality anywhere. We want to experience the millennia-old Turkish culture wherever we are. We expect your intense efforts in this endeavor. We also declare to our nation that we will be closely monitoring the process.”

'WE WILL DIGITALIZE ALL ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES'

Minister Kurum also announced that the ministry is preparing a digital infrastructure for the housing estate management sector. Kurum said, “God willing, we will soon launch our electronic software system, which will enable us to effectively conduct all of the sector's work in a digital environment. From now on, we will digitize all administrative processes. We will also strengthen data-based decision-making processes. Together, we will increase service speed and undertake projects that will earn the blessings of our citizens and community. My request to you is to reduce dues. We will strengthen neighborly relations within housing estates. We will undertake steps that will increase the well-being of our citizens within housing estates, while also reducing unit costs and improving service quality through both digitalization and collective management of these services. Twenty million of our citizens live in the housing estates you manage. Therefore, I am requesting these initiatives on behalf of our nation. Let us all join this struggle.”

'SOCIAL HOUSING ACTIVITIES IN 81 PROVINCES BY THE END OF THE YEAR'

Minister Kurum stated that they have implemented measures such as social housing, urban transformation, and real estate certificates to reduce rents and housing prices. He stated, “Two days ago, we announced our real estate certificate project, which will usher in a new era in housing, from Istanbul to all of Türkiye. Indeed, this project has attracted significant interest from our nation. The new social housing initiative we will launch in all 81 provinces by the end of the year is also of critical importance. I am stating this very clearly: it is this will that will reduce both rental and housing prices in Türkiye. By the end of the year, you will see that with the 500,000 houses we have completed in earthquake zones, our new social housing projects, and our urban transformation projects, rent increases have decreased, a significant burden has been lifted from our nation, and our low-income citizens can now access housing much more easily. We will continue to launch major campaigns to enable our homeless youth, our brothers and sisters, our newlyweds, and our hopeful citizens to become homeowners.”

"WE WILL GIVE OUR CITIZENS THEIR NEW HOMES BEFORE THE END OF ONE YEAR"

Answering questions from the press at the summit's exit, Minister Kurum stated that they were primarily conducting damage assessments after the forest fires. He said, "We built the housing units we promised our nation after the forest fires in Antalya and Muğla. Now, our colleagues in every fire-affected province in Izmir, Bilecik, Sakarya, and Karabük are conducting our assessments. Meanwhile, our TOKİ (Housing Development Administration of Turkey) presidents are working on our new housing units. Hopefully, construction will begin in these fire-stricken areas within a month, and we will be providing our citizens with new, safe homes before the year is out. Just as we work day and night to keep our promises in earthquake zones, we will continue to work with the same understanding in both disaster and fire zones."

DHA

Reporter: News Center