Issues & Impacts Q3 2026

Seattle: Do-Not-Solicit Ordinance — Advocacy Win
SKCR achieved a major advocacy victory by securing a critical amendment to Seattle’s Do-Not-Solicit ordinance. The ordinance, introduced by Councilmember Dionne Foster, establishes a city-managed Do-Not-Solicit list intended to protect homeowners from aggressive and predatory homebuying practices.

SKCR supported that objective but raised concerns that broad language in the original draft could have restricted routine REALTOR® communications, including market updates, newsletters, and community mailers. SKCR mobilized members to contact City Councilmembers and advocate for an amendment that would target predatory actors without restricting legitimate real estate communication. Nearly 400 members sent emails, and eight REALTOR® volunteers provided public testimony.

The City Council adopted an amendment allowing printed and mailed real estate informational flyers to continue reaching Seattle residents. The ordinance also identifies certain communications that do not constitute solicitation, including communications initiated at an owner’s request, communications solely providing an estimated sale value, certain government or utility actions, and qualifying bulk commercial mailings from licensed Washington real estate brokers or managing brokers.

Seattle: 2027–2028 Budget — Positive Development
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson submitted a proposed 2027–2028 budget featuring a $9.1 billion spending plan for 2027 that closes a projected $175 million General Fund gap without new taxes or drawing on reserves.

SKCR had expressed concern that the City could pursue new revenue, particularly a municipal capital gains tax that could compound the existing state capital gains tax and create obstacles to business retention and recruitment. The Mayor’s proposal does not advance a municipal capital gains tax, although the issue could return in future budget years.

The proposal prioritizes public safety, homelessness response, food access, affordable housing, and services for youth and immigrant and refugee communities. It also adds funding for 66 police officer positions while reducing nearly $50 million in annual General Fund spending and eliminating 128 positions, most of them vacant. The City Council is expected to amend and adopt a balanced budget by Thanksgiving.

Duvall: Sign Code Update — Advocacy Win
SKCR secured an important outcome in Duvall’s sign code update following a multi-year process involving city staff. An initial proposal would have required permits and liability insurance for open-house A-board signs placed in the right-of-way. After SKCR successfully opposed that proposal, subsequent draft language proposed limiting open-house A-boards to a single sign.

The final outcome secured by SKCR provides:
• Up to five open-house A-board signs.
• Unlimited staked signs in the right-of-way, provided they are at least five feet from other temporary signs and remain in place no more than 30 days.
• On-premises for-sale yard-arm signs, subject to a three-foot setback.
• No permits required for real estate signs.

Member support was identified as critical to the outcome, with special recognition for Mikaela Ji’s focus and tenacity.

Kent: ReDiscover Downtown Plan — Housing & Mixed-Use Growth
In August, the Kent City Council formally approved the ReDiscover Downtown Kent Plan as the new subarea plan for Downtown Kent, with a focus on the area as a Regional Growth Center and on housing and mixed-use growth.

The plan is part of a multi-year package of city initiatives closely monitored and supported by SKCR, including the Comprehensive Plan update, ReCode Kent development regulation updates, critical areas ordinance updates, brownfields cleanup efforts, and the downtown plan.

The plan repeals the city’s 2013 Downtown Subarea Action Plan and amends the Kent 2044 Comprehensive Plan. Key elements include:
• Aligning downtown planning with the 2044 Comprehensive Plan, Growth Management Act requirements, and PSRC expectations.
• Relaxing development standards and expanding residential allowances for townhomes, multifamily housing, communal residences, residential facilities with healthcare, and independent living facilities.
• Rezoning key corridors, including Central Avenue, to support additional housing, mixed-use development, and neighborhood-serving uses.
• Reducing regulatory friction through consolidated zoning, fewer transition overlays, streamlined permitting, and greater predictability.
• Supporting higher-density development through infrastructure investments in streetscapes, transit access, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and other capital improvements.
• Integrating recent state housing mandates through additional development-code updates.

The Central Avenue Corridor, from James Street to Titus Street, will be rezoned to expand residential and mixed-use capacity and create a more consistent mixed-use housing spine through downtown. The city anticipates a future Phase 3 focused on neighborhoods, including site-design regulations and subdivision standards intended to support well-integrated housing density in currently lower-density areas.

Federal Way: Reform of Minimum Parking Mandates
On September 1, the Federal Way City Council passed an ordinance amending minimum parking requirements in the downtown City Center Core and City Center Frame zoning districts. Because the changes are limited to those districts, a broader citywide parking reform ordinance is likely later in the year to meet a January state-law deadline.

SKCR has closely monitored the Federal Way Planning Commission and City Council’s work to ensure local requirements comply with new state law. City staff acknowledged in the public hearing record that portions of the existing parking ordinance are inconsistent with state law, particularly requirements involving structured parking and parking garages.

The 2025 Parking Reform and Modernization Act (SB 5184) requires cities with populations over 50,000 to reduce minimum parking requirements by January 27, 2027. SB 6015, enacted in 2024, also constrains cities’ authority to mandate specified types of parking.

State requirements include limits on parking mandates of no more than 0.5 spaces per multifamily unit, one space per single-family home, and two spaces per 1,000 square feet of commercial space. Additional exemptions apply to certain smaller residences and commercial spaces, affordable and senior housing, child-care centers, qualifying mixed-use ground-floor spaces, and commercial-to-residential conversions.

These reforms are intended to allow parking to respond more closely to market conditions, reduce housing development costs, encourage multimodal transportation, and discourage excessive reliance on vehicles.

Tukwila: Ordinance Restricting Camping on City Property
On a narrow 4–3 vote, the Tukwila City Council approved an ordinance restricting camping on city property. The ordinance makes camping on public property a misdemeanor criminal offense unless explicitly authorized.

The proposal generated significant public testimony concerning public safety, police authority, homelessness, and the use of public parks. City officials said the regulation is intended to address public-safety concerns, preserve access to public spaces, and establish a consistent legal framework for responding to unauthorized encampments.

The city cited the 2024 U.S. Supreme Court decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson in describing its authority to enforce reasonable, content-neutral public camping regulations regardless of shelter availability. Tukwila Police Department officials said outreach, service referrals, shelter connections, and voluntary compliance remain priorities before enforcement when possible.

City officials also stated that enforcement is focused on documented safety hazards, public health concerns, or interference with intended property use. The Police Department reported 53 encampment-related complaints since 2022 and said a criminal-violation ordinance is necessary before Washington law permits use of force to remove someone from an encampment on public property.

South King County Fire Services: Annexation Votes
At the August 4 primary election, voters in Black Diamond and Maple Valley, along with voters in nearby unincorporated areas, approved changes involving annexation into the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority (PSRFA).

Black Diamond voters approved Proposition 1 by 53% to 47%, choosing annexation to PSRFA rather than remaining with Mountain View Fire and Rescue. Black Diamond does not have its own fire department. Local brokers indicated that, following annexation, PSRFA property taxes and a voter-approved fire service fee could raise annual fire-service costs for Black Diamond homeowners to approximately $2,500–$3,000.

In Maple Valley and nearby unincorporated areas around Ravensdale and Renton, voters approved formal annexation of King County Fire Protection District 43 into PSRFA by 69% to 31%. PSRFA had provided fire services in the area since 2018 under contract with King County Fire Protection District 43. The Maple Valley City Council had unanimously endorsed the annexation and previously raised concerns about fire risks at the Wildland-Urban Interface.

Vashon: Marine Recovery Area / Septic Oversight
King County Public Health is developing a proposal to significantly expand septic-system regulation and oversight for waterfront properties on Vashon Island through the Marine Recovery Area program.

The program is intended to improve shoreline health by addressing substandard septic systems when needed and preventing future harm through maintenance of properly functioning systems. The proposal has been delayed until 2027 to allow additional public engagement and program refinement.

Outstanding implementation considerations include strategies to reduce inspection costs, service-provider availability and training, and an effective risk-based septic inspection model. SKCR will continue coordinating with the County and working with Vashon members as the proposal is refined.