06.05.2026 22:33
In the Gebze district of Kocaeli, a 60-year-old man who continued living in his apartment after losing it through foreclosure was found exhausted amidst a truckload of trash in his home, where he hadn't stepped outside for a year. Rescued by municipal teams and placed in a shelter, S.K. said, 'I faint if I stand for too long. I haven't gone out for a year. May God bless the municipality and neighbors for bringing food, but I can't eat most of it. I can't even take out the trash.'
In the Gebze district of Kocaeli, the apartment of a man living alone was cleaned and disinfected by municipal teams following a complaint about a bad odor. It was reported that the apartment belonged to the man but was sold through foreclosure, that he had not left the house for a year after the sale, and that the buyer had applied to the district governorate for eviction.
According to information obtained, residents of an apartment building in the Mustafapaşa neighborhood reported the situation to the police and the neighborhood headman after noticing heavy odors coming from a second-floor apartment and being unable to reach the resident, S.K. Upon the notification, police arrived at the scene and, when opening the door, encountered piles of garbage that reached the ceiling and an elderly man exhausted among the piles.
HAD NOT LEFT THE HOUSE FOR A YEAR
It was determined that S.K., who lost his wife 20 years ago and whose two children live in different cities, had not gone outside his home for about a year. It was learned that the elderly man, whose mobility was restricted due to health issues and frequent fainting spells, had his basic needs during this period met by neighbors who left food at his door and municipal teams. S.K., handed over to Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality teams, was placed under protection by being settled in the municipality’s shelter center after health checks.
Teams from the Gebze Municipality Cleaning Affairs Directorate were also dispatched to the address. The teams, starting the cleaning work, removed truckloads of garbage from the house after lengthy efforts. The garbage loaded onto the truck was taken for disposal. The house, completely cleared of garbage, was disinfected by spraying. It was also understood that S.K. had never left his apartment, which he lost through foreclosure about 1.5 years ago.
"I CANNOT GO TO THE TRASH"
S.K., stating that he has difficulty standing and cannot take out the trash due to his condition, said, "When I stand for a long time, I faint. I cannot stand for long. One of my children got married in Bursa, the other works in Ankara. They come occasionally. I have not gone outside for a year. May God be pleased with the municipality and the neighbors, they bring food, but I cannot eat most of it. I cannot go to the trash. I think there is a place for the elderly; it would be good if they could place me in such a place."
"THE GENTLEMAN HAS DAMAGED BOTH THE HOUSE AND HIMSELF"
Ufuk Aksu, who bought the apartment through foreclosure as an investment 1.5 years ago, realized someone was living in his property when he came from Istanbul to Gebze upon neighbors' notification. Aksu said, "Neighbors called and told me I needed to come. When I arrived, I learned that the gentleman was living there. We applied to the district governorate, saying 'What can we do in this situation?' The governorate told us to go through court proceedings. The gentleman has damaged both the house and himself. There are medical risks as well as a fire risk that could negatively affect the environment. Police teams came and cleaned the inside, and the gentleman was taken to the hospital. I hope a suitable place is arranged for him. As for the building, we have doubts about its structural integrity. We will start discussions with the municipalities. If it is not sound, we will request demolition."