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The purpose of this paper is to review the housing sector of Turkey and present the housing development strategies developed by government enterprises for the urban poor in Turkey as successful examples.

The methodology of the paper is descriptive. First of all, the literature on housing finance systems and sources of housing finance are stated. Then, the paper reviews housing finance systems applied in Turkey in the past to solve housing problems. Later, it describes current housing strategy to solve housing problems of low- and middle-income groups and also presents this strategy as a successful model to other countries. Moreover, mortgage law and the current situation of the Turkish housing sector are discussed within the study.

As a result of economic normalization achieved after 2002, mortgage loans extended by commercial banks have increased in Turkey. Besides, governmental institutions, such as Housing Development Administration of Turkey (HDAT) and Istanbul Public Housing Corporation (KIPTAS), apply very extensive projects to allow low- and middle-income groups to have their dwellings. In 2007, the Turkish Parliament enacted mortgage law and defined rules and actors of the mortgage sector. However, as a consequence of economic deterioration in the world economy, mortgage loan receivables-backed securities could not be issued to public yet. Public issuance of mortgage loan receivables-backed securities in the future are expected to direct more long-term funds to the housing sector and also to provide an additional investment instrument for the individual and institutional investors.

The housing production and finance models developed by the HDAT and KIPTAS can be good models for the solution of housing problems of urban poor in other countries.