A proposal has been put forward to declare an amnesty for undocumented houses in Azerbaijan as part of the "Year of Urban Planning and Architecture." The initiative suggests adopting a special program to resolve the status of these properties in a phased manner.
According to Operative Information Center-OMM, this proposal was voiced by Member of Parliament Kamal Jafarov during the second reading of the draft law "On the execution of the 2025 state budget" at an extraordinary session of the Milli Majlis (National Assembly).
"There are approximately 500,000 undocumented houses in Azerbaijan. Residents living in these properties are currently unable to register their addresses or access certain state services. A systematic and comprehensive reform is necessary to address this issue," Jafarov stated.
The MP highlighted international precedents, citing Turkey's "Imar Barışı" (Zoning Peace) program, which in 2018 allowed over 7 million undocumented homes to obtain legal titles upon payment of a fee equivalent to 3% of their value. Jafarov suggested that a similar model could be applied in Azerbaijan, excluding properties built in protected zones for transport and power lines, high-risk areas, or on strategic lands. He emphasized that such a move could generate significant economic value and additional revenue for the state budget.
The issue of undocumented housing has been a long-standing topic of discussion in Azerbaijan, as formalizing these properties would not only secure property rights for thousands of citizens but also integrate these assets into the formal economy, allowing for better urban planning and infrastructure development.
