Istanbul Residents Struggle to Afford Earthquake Safety Renovations

Sevim İleri, a resident of Istanbul’s high-risk Avcılar district, says her family’s life has been turned upside down after their building was declared unsafe. The building entered a risky structure process, forcing residents to pay for demolition and reconstruction. İleri explains the financial burden: “Everyone is trying to sell what they have to come up with 3 million lira.” Even if they pay that amount, she adds, moving costs, rising rent, and children’s school fees will continue. “Our lives have completely changed,” she says. The situation highlights the personal cost of earthquake preparedness in the city.