Abstract:

Abstract The urbanization practices that took place during the industrialization period left quite deep traces in the urban areas in Turkey. People who migrated from the rural areas to the big cities to provide the labor force needed by the industry, built squatters in a short time and mostly from poor quality materials to provide their housing needs. The disasters in Turkey that 98% of it are in earthquake zones have shown that these poor quality structures and the urban areas where these structures located in are under a great risk. Therefore, especially in last decade, urban transformation studies have been initiated and many legislative regulations have been made to improve unhealty settlement conditions and the quality of the buildings with low quality. Law No. 6306 on Transformation of Areas Under the Disaster Risk becomes prominent in terms of creating a comprehensive urban transformation process in Turkey. This study will discuss the basic priciples of urban transformation practices carried out in disaster risk areas in Turkey in accordance with the Law No.6306 and will examine the process through the relation of the practices in Izmir with the related laws and planning activities. In this context, the study will first examine the basic principles of Law No.6306 and the innovations that are brought to urban transformation implementations. Then, detailed examinations of risky structures, risk areas and reserve areas in Izmir will be carried out and the conformity of provisions of the planning studies for these areas with the urban transformation practices will be discussed. In this context, spatial alignment of the areas declared as “rehabilitation and renewal area” by the planning studies with the areas declared as “risk area” by the laws, areas declared as risk area and the planning activities carried out in these areas, risky building applications, number of risky buildings demolished, proposed risk areas, competent authorities in these areas and rent allowances will be examined with the study.