Neighbourhood life in Van has begun to disappear after the urban transformation projects implemented in recent years and the real estate uncontrolled development..

Van has been progressively covered in concrete and opened commercial areas, thus making neighbourhood culture almost a thing in the past and confined to remote corners of the city.

Almost all neighbourhoods in Van, including Iskele, Cevdet Pasha, Ali Pasha and Yalı, which were once known for being green areas, have now been turned into commercial sites by no means people-friendly. Old houses, ovens and gardens have almost completely disappeared.

Environment Association (Çev-Der) chair, Ali Kalçık, said that after the 2011 earthquake, the city was progressively destroyed as it has been in the hands of trustees who are not interested in preserving and enhancing its historical and cultural importance. Kalçık said that the stronger and more political stance of the people in the neighbourhoods disturbs the government, and added that in fact the trustees wanted to end the neighbourhood life in Van as it was done in Şırnak, Cizre and Nusaybin.

Kalçık said that the government wants to confined millions of people living in neighbourhoods inside concrete blocks.

Kalçık stated that neighbourhood life is actually facing a tragic end.