Mayor Wilson Signs Ordinance Establishing Seattle’s First “Do Not Solicit” List
Seattle—Yesterday, Mayor Katie B. Wilson signed Ordinance 127491, creating Seattle’s first citywide “Do Not Solicit” List to give homeowners a clear and enforceable way to opt out of unwanted, persistent, and predatory real estate outreach. The signing took place in the Norman B. Rice Room at City Hall with Councilmember Dionne Foster, Seattle Office of Civil Rights Interim Director Mike Chin, and Black Legacy Homeowners Executive Director Chukundi Salisbury in attendance. The ordinance includes meaningful penalties for violators and annual reporting requirements ahead of its implementation on June 1, 2027.
“Every person deserves privacy and dignity in their home,” said Mayor Katie B. Wilson. “With this ordinance, Seattle is fighting predatory solicitation practices and building enforceable protections that put homeowners in charge of who can contact them. I want to thank Black Legacy Homeowners and the Beacon Hill Council for their advocacy, Councilmember Dionne Foster for her leadership, and for partnering closely with our communities, and the Seattle Office for Civil Rights for leading enforcement.”
Predatory homebuying practices have particularly impacted elderly homeowners and communities of color, contributing to displacement, widening economic disparities, and undermining generational wealth. During a Housing, Arts, and Civil Rights Committee in June, 2026, the City heard from residents about widespread unwanted solicitations from entities attempting to purchase their homes, with many describing the interactions as stressful, invasive, or fear inducing.
The ordinance prohibits solicitation 30 days after a homeowner’s name is added to the Do Not Solicit List and imposes a $1,000 penalty for the first violation and $2,000 for each repeat violation, with each day a violation occurs being counted as a separate offense. Homeowners may pursue civil action within two years, including damages for emotional distress.
“Predatory homebuying practices strip wealth from vulnerable communities by pressuring homeowners into undervalued sales,” said Councilmember Foster, who developed and championed the ordinance’s passage as chair of the Housing, Arts, and Civil Rights Committee. “I want to thank the many community leaders who helped craft and support this legislation. It was the organizing and leadership from legacy Black homeowners that inspired this bill which will now benefit all homeowners from West Seattle to Rainier Beach to Lake City. Strengthening consumer protections against aggressive solicitation is essential to safeguarding the equity that forms the foundation of generational wealth. This is a major win for Seattle homeowners.”
“Our community has been experiencing this predatory behavior and working on solutions for years,” said Chukundi Salisbury, Black Legacy Homeowners Executive Director. “I’ve sat in many living rooms with many people experiencing these aggressive tactics. For some in Seattle this might be just an annoyance, 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. Now there will be recourse against those who prey on our communities and keep generational homeownership and wealth where it belongs – in our communities and in our families.”
“We at Beacon Hill have 40,000 residents with 70% people of color and 40% immigrants and refugee residents. Many of us are on high alert for threats from ICE,” Maria Batayola, Chair, Beacon Hill Council. “Unsolicited phone calls, texts, and mailings to homeowners from businesses that offer to buy our homes with no competition are predatory practices. It creates fear and stress for our vulnerable neighbors. This legislation is an important bill that can provide relief in this area.”
Annual reports through 2029 will track enrollment, complaints, citations, appeals, and penalties collected. This ordinance is part of Seattle’s ongoing commitment to protecting homeowners and strengthening neighborhood stability. Enrollment details will be made available closer to the June 1, 2027, rollout.
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