The Iraq Arızlı houses were constructed in Kocaeli with a $10 million donation from the Iraqi government for the use of quake victims who had lost their immediate family members and held no other title deeds. The quake victims moved into the houses in 2001 and were not charged rent for the first five years but paid a small association fee. As of 2006, the residents of the houses were asked to contribute to the rent, and residents who failed to fulfill this condition were reportedly forced to leave their houses, after which senior public officials moved in.
For the last two months, many of the residents of the Arızlı houses have been organizing a number of protests, marching and collecting signatures. In a recent demonstration in which the residents protested the situation, some of the residents were detained but were later released. Claiming that the houses were built for them, the protestors accused the municipality of trying to transform the houses into a lodging facility for government officials.
Sözer replied to these allegations in an interview with Today's Zaman, underlining that the Arızlı houses were constructed for the temporary use of quake victims, which was limited to a period of five years. “Even though the right of habitation granted to the quake victims expired in 2006, we did not force them to leave, but allowed them to continue living there on the condition that they pay the rental fee of those houses,” he said, adding that the rent amounted to TL 146, equal to the rent paid in other public lodging facilities. The houses also functioned as a social facility and public lodging.
Public officials have been living in the houses since they were constructed, Sözer said, denying the allegations that residents were evicted so public officials could move in. “In Kocaeli, everyone was a victim of the earthquake, including public officials.”
In 2007 and 2008 some of the residents of the houses were dispossessed on the grounds that they had failed to pay their rent. The residents were reportedly forced the police to leave their houses, an allegation that Sözer also rejected. The houses are now home to 158 families who were victims of the earthquake and 54 public officials.
The majority of residents are reported to have said they are unable to pay the rent because of economic difficulties, mostly associating this situation with the devastating earthquake they experienced. Sözer, on the other hand, said the municipality's Social Aid Foundation is ready to help those people in need to pay the rent if they apply.
