The Effect of Zoning Amnesty on Zoning Laws and Zoning Plans in Turkey

Abstract

One of the most important needs of human life is the issue of shelter. Coexistence is becoming an important problem in cities and different solutions are sought for the need for shelter. As the migration from rural to urban in our country has increased, the problem of housing has also increased. The inadequacy of the efforts of the central and local governments to solve the housing problem has led individuals to seek solutions with simple makeshift structures and slums in the cities. The adventure of slum construction, which started on lands that did not belong to them, pushed the administrations to seek solutions. Attempts by the administrations not to build slums and demolishing slums at the beginning failed, and efforts to make slums legal were exhibited with zoning amnesty laws enacted. These attempts for shelter, which were initially seen as innocent, have made it necessary for the needs of the living spaces to be met by the administrations over time. Although the administrations wanted to prevent construction with legal regulations, the number of slums has increased continuously. Each zoning amnesty did nothing but increase the number of unauthorized buildings. Lastly, each zoning amnesty has been the harbinger of a new one. The zoning amnesties have maintained its position that fuels the rent and disrupts the layout of the zoned residential areas. Zoning amnesties also made it difficult to implement city plans. This study consists of three parts. In the first part, the problems of squatting and its causes were examined and the developments before and after the planned period were examined. In the second part, zoning amnesties and the phases of zoning amnesty periodically are examined. In the last part of the study, the effects of zoning amnesties on zoning plans were evaluated and the problems experienced in the implementation of zoning plans were examined.