Residents outraged as luxury housing project puts millions at risk: 'We will defend our rights'

Residents in Istanbul's Kadıköy district are pushing back against plans to turn one of the city's last remaining disaster assembly zones into a luxury housing complex, according to the Stockholm Center for Freedom (SCF) — a move they say puts millions at risk in the event of a major earthquake.

The 12,000-square-meter site in the historic Caferağa neighborhood, which includes football fields, a family health center, and several disaster coordination stations, was recently listed for auction by the Istanbul Regional Directorate of Foundations. The decision has sparked widespread outrage among residents and environmental activists, who argue that the redevelopment would destroy crucial green space and strip the city of one of its few safe gathering areas for emergencies.

"This is our last green space and the only open area for disaster coordination," neighborhood representative Hanife Dağıstanlı said, according to SCF. "We will defend our rights [by protesting] as well as in court."

The protest comes as concerns over Istanbul's earthquake preparedness reach new urgency. Sitting on the North Anatolian Fault, the megacity of 16 million faces a high risk of a devastating quake — and many of the open-air refuge zones established after the deadly 1999 İzmit earthquake have since been built over. According to local reports, only a fraction of the city's original assembly areas still meet safety standards.

Local civic groups like Kadıköy Urban Solidarity have accused officials of prioritizing profit over public safety. Kadıköy Mayor Mesut Kösedağı has joined the call for the project's cancellation, noting that tenders cannot proceed in conservation zones without proper zoning plans.

The controversy underscores a broader tension between development and disaster readiness — a pattern seen in major cities worldwide. As the climate crisis and urban expansion strain local infrastructure, activists argue that safeguarding public spaces isn't just an environmental issue — it's a matter of survival.

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"This isn't just about a few apartments," said activist Üzeyir Uludağ, according to SCF. "It's an attempt to seize public space under the guise of development."

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