According to the most recent building census of 2000, there was no overall shortage of housing in Turkey, given that there was a total of 16.2 million housing units and 15.1 million households. 22 The regional differences in the ratio of housing units available to house- holds are stunning. In Istanbul 33% more housing units than house- holds were counted, in Izmir the excess was 24% and in Ankara 10%, whereas in some of the northern provinces some 30% to 40% more households than dwelling units