Experts state that rent increases in Istanbul, combined with the transformation of housing from a basic shelter need into an investment tool, are rapidly displacing middle and lower-income groups from city centers.
Sociologist Dr. Berat Dağ, pointing out that factors such as inflation, exchange rates, distorted urbanization, migration, and earthquake risk further increase rents, said, “Today, in city centers, individual home ownership for young and elderly people has become almost impossible. For this reason, shared housing as a temporary collective lifestyle is coming to the forefront.” Dağ noted that while shared homes may lead to a sacrifice of individual freedom, they carry the potential for a new culture of solidarity and mutual aid in the city. However, he emphasized that this situation also deepens spatial segregation and social inequalities, leading to a weakening of the sense of belonging and trust.
Dr. Berat Dağ from the Sociology Department of Üsküdar University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, explained how rising rental prices and the transformation of housing into an investment tool in large cities, especially Istanbul, are displacing middle and lower-income groups from city centers, making the shared housing system a necessity, and how this leads to new forms of solidarity and spatial segregation in the social structure.
Housing has transformed from a basic shelter need into a speculative investment tool!
Dr. Berat Dağ stated that the fact that rent increases in Istanbul have surpassed New York and the increasing interest in shared homes reflect not only an economic but also a sociological transformation. He said, “The rent increases in Istanbul are directly related to the inflation and exchange rate issues. Additionally, the perpetuation of unplanned and rent-oriented distorted urbanization in Istanbul is a serious problem regarding rent increases.”
Dağ pointed out that today, housing has transformed from meeting a basic shelter need into a speculative investment tool. He explained, “Furthermore, the population's shift towards safe housing due to reasons like migration and earthquake risk creates additional pressure that drives up rents. Therefore, today's rent increases in Istanbul can be concretized through the effects of inflation, exchange rates, unplanned and distorted urbanization, and unplanned migration and disaster risk.”
The transformation of housing into an investment tool deepens inequalities!
Dr. Dağ stated, “The fact that housing has now become an investment tool indicates that social inequalities and injustices have reached a deeper and more institutional level.” For this reason, he expressed that it has become very difficult for lower and lower-middle classes to live safely, comprehensively, and holistically in city centers today.
Dağ used the expressions, “In other words, it is very clear that predominantly upper classes can experience the city by meeting their basic and even luxury needs. Consequently, the majority in the city continuously tries to access the right to the city under more unfavorable conditions. As a result of this spatial segregation process observed in the city, it can be stated that social trust, a sense of belonging, and solidarity are beginning to disappear.”
Individual home ownership for young and elderly people in city centers is almost impossible!
Dr. Berat Dağ, mentioning that the housing crisis leads to asset accumulation for upper and upper-middle classes while making it difficult for lower and lower-middle classes to live under housing security, continued his words as follows:
“Today, in city centers, individual home ownership for young and elderly people has reached an almost impossible point. For this reason, the issue of shared homes as a temporary collective lifestyle is coming to the forefront. Here, the question of ‘can this shared home orientation, which is essentially an example of forced collectivity rather than voluntary, create a new social force of solidarity?’ remains important. At this point, it can be said that the pressure brought by deepening class inequalities also ‘has the potential to be the nucleus of an alternative solidarity where individualism is questioned.’”
The shared housing system holds the potential to be a unique form of urban solidarity!
Dr. Berat Dağ reiterated that young people and white-collar workers are forced to turn to the shared housing system because they cannot bear the financial burden of renting a home in the face of rising rental prices and the high cost of living. He said, “Most of the time, this orientation, adopted to remain part of social life in the city, naturally means sacrificing individual freedoms. Nevertheless, in cities where isolated loneliness is increasing, this shared housing system can also enable another form of mutual aid, collective living, and solidarity. In other words, within the context of this system brought about by economic necessities, there is a possibility of establishing a new balance between individual freedoms and social solidarity interactions in the city.”
Dağ emphasized that the shared housing system can be effective in social change processes by paving the way for new forms of solidarity that accelerate the departure from the family living model. He stated, “Nevertheless, this system, which increases individual autonomy against the family, requires a redefinition of privacy and trust-based interactions. Because today, these shared homes always have the potential to perpetuate conflicting processes as much as they lead to examples of social negotiation and consensus. For this reason, it is of great importance for individuals to evaluate the shared housing system as a mandatory opportunity where they can approach social differences flexibly. Consequently, the shared housing system changes the absolute position of the traditional family structure while also carrying the potential to become a foundational position for a unique form of urban solidarity.”
Middle-income people are being excluded from Istanbul!
Dağ noted that it is very clear that middle-income individuals are being excluded from Istanbul, saying, “When this issue is examined from a social and spatial perspective, it is evident that mostly upper and upper-middle classes can live in central districts.”
Underlining that lower and lower-middle classes, who cannot afford rising rent and living costs, can no longer access city rights that have become the privilege of a small group, Dağ concluded his words as follows:
“Consequently, these populations, which constitute the majority, are being excluded from the city's economic, cultural, and political opportunities. This prevents the establishment of geographical, historical, and social integrity shaped by the city. Therefore, it can be said that Istanbul today is in a state of spatial fragmentation, falling under the domination of privileged minorities. Here, the urban majority is largely trapped in an insecure, precarious, flexible, and risky home and work life, unable to meet any of its social and cultural needs.”
