Seattle Creates 'Do Not Solicit' List to Curb Predatory Real Estate Outreach

Starting next year, homeowners will have an enforceable way to opt out of excessive, unwanted, and predatory real estate outreach.

On Sept. 8, Mayor Katie Wilson, joined by Councilmember Dionne Foster, other city officials, and representatives from advocacy organizations, signed Ordinance 127491, which will prohibit soliciting homeowners 30 days after their names are added to the "Do Not Solicit" list. Enforcement will begin June 1, 2027.

Chukundi Salisbury, executive director of Black Legacy Homeowners, advocated for the ordinance to protect vulnerable homeowners. "For some in Seattle, this might be just an annoyance," Salisbury said at the press conference. "But for those who are on the edge, those who are behind on a mortgage payment, or have just lost their significant other, these people have been coming in to our community to catch us at our lowest moment where we are most vulnerable and ready to give up."

Under the ordinance, the city will impose a $1,000 penalty for a first violation and a $2,000 penalty for each repeat violation. Solicitation includes mail, oral communication, and electronic communication. Homeowners may also pursue civil action within two years of a violation, including damages for emotional distress.

"Your home should be a place where you feel grounded and safe, not a place where you're pressured or made to feel like a target," Wilson said.

Until the ordinance takes effect, homeowners can file a consumer complaint with the Washington State Attorney General's Office if they experience unwanted or predatory sales tactics. The complaint process is informal, and the attorney general's office cannot compel a business to respond or make an adjustment. The attorney general's office uses consumer complaints as a basis for lawsuits it files against businesses for potential unfair or deceptive business practices.

To report unwanted phone calls, people can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and register their phone numbers with the National Do Not Call Registry. People whose numbers are on the registry may still receive calls from solicitors. According to the Federal Communications Commission, the best way to avoid phone scams is not to answer calls from numbers you do not know.

To reduce the number of unwanted sales promotions in the mail, people can have their names removed from mailing lists by contacting the Direct Marketing Association via its website. People can also report suspected scams and fraud mail to the U.S. Postal Service.

With the ordinance signed, Seattle joins other U.S. cities with "Do Not Solicit" lists. In Philadelphia, violators can face fines up to $2,000 and the loss of their professional licenses. In Fort Collins, Colorado, violations of its solicitation law are misdemeanors, and violators can face fines of up to $3,000 and jail terms of up to 180 days.

Foster, who serves as the chair of the city's Housing, Arts, and Civil Rights Committee, sponsored the ordinance.

When Foster introduced the legislation at a June committee meeting, Gregory Davis of Rainier Beach Action Coalition described the impact on his family after solicitors bought a family member's home. Davis said elderly family members in the Central District were approached and accepted an offer below market value, and when they moved out, four new townhomes were built on the lot.

Davis wished that his family members had the opportunity to sell the house at market rate and keep a profit that would have increased the family's generational wealth. "But [they] did not have a chance to experience that," Davis said.

But consumer advocates say that one of the most important things people can do in these situations is share their experiences with trusted family members, friends, advocacy organizations, and government agencies. Salisbury agreed: "Don't let pride get you gentrified."