Editor’s Note: The RISMedia series Legislative Round-Up looks at pending and passed federal and state-level legislation that impacts real estate professionals.
Seattle considering a ban on unwanted real estate solicitations
Seattle City councilmember Dionne Foster has introduced legislation to create a “do not solicit” list for real estate solicitors. If passed, homeowners could have their names be added to the list to block contact, including calls, texts and emails, from said solicitors.
Foster framed the issue as a particularly salient one for Black families, and potential aspirations for wealth building, to the Seattle Medium: “Hearing from people, especially Black homeowners, that they are getting these phone calls coming in and we are really seeing it as something that, on the minimum level, is an invasion of privacy. But on the maximum level, it can lead to people getting into bad deals for their homes and losing that opportunity to build wealth.”
Some local real estate agents take issue with the scope of the bill.
“The proposed ordinance defines solicitation so broadly that it captures routine noncoercive communication, including general advertising, marketing updates and inquiries made,” Randy Bannecker of Seattle King County Realtors told the council, as reported by the Seattle Times.
Florida housing reform bill expands land usage
Recently, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed a reform to the state’s “Live Local Act,” a law designed to promote affordable housing in Florida. One new provision to the law is a rule allowing school districts to bypass current zoning rules and build affordable housing on land larger than three acres; the law has been framed as a way to take advantage of unused land left open by school closings.
New bill could change the shape of VA loan refinancing fees
In June 2026, a federal bill titled the “Take Care of America’s Veterans Act” was introduced into the Senate. The bill could change rules and fees surrounding Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mortgages. On one hand, the bill would expand VA home loan eligibility to National Guard members and military reservationists. On the other, it could also raise fees for the refinancing of those loans.
“On average (the bill) will raise the cost of an (interest rate reduction refinancing loan) refinance over the life of the loan by $8,500,” claimed Brendan McKay of the mortgage broker advocacy group the Broker Action Coalition, speaking to National Mortgage Professional.
The bill has 30 sponsors in the house, all Republicans, and a bipartisan mix of 15 sponsors in the Senate. The bill has attracted controversy for other provisions related to veterans’ health benefits, and was recently pulled ahead of a scheduled vote in the house.
Bill for more accessible Condo repair loans enters Congress
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) has introduced the “Making Condos Safer and Affordable Act of 2026.” The bill, previously introduced in 2023 (when it did not advance), aims to make condo repairs more affordable through a variety of loan procedural reforms. For instance, the FHA 203(k) mortgage insurance program is expanded so condo owners can use these loans for repair assessment costs.
The bill currently has one bipartisan cosponsor, Maria Salazar (R-FL), who also hails from the Sunshine State. “This bipartisan bill gives condominium associations and homeowners the tools they need to finance critical safety repairs, protect residents, and preserve safe, affordable housing across South Florida,” said Salazar in a statement.
Both Schultz and Salazar cite the 2021 collapse of the 12-story Surfside condominium complex, which killed 98 people, as part of the motivation for passing this legislation.
Bill to help emergency workers achieve homeownership gaining steam in Senate
The Homes for Every Local Protector, Educator and Responder (HELPER Act) is a bipartisan bill designed to make it easier for workers such as teachers, law enforcement officers or emergency responders to achieve homeownership.
Under this bill, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) would be able to offer a one-time loan to first-time homebuyers who work in these professions. Upfront costs, such as a down payment requirement on a mortgage and a monthly mortgage insurance premium requirement would be eliminated, the latter replaced with an upfront mortgage insurance premium.
The bill, introduced in March 2025, is bipartisan and has slowly been accumulating cosponsors in the Senate—four new Senators have signed on as sponsors of the bill since March 2026. The most recent is Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), who released the following statement:
“Across Oregon, teachers and first responders are vital to our communities but too often cannot afford to live in the very communities they serve. The HELPER Act is a practical, bipartisan step toward removing unnecessary barriers to homeownership and helping working families afford a decent home in a decent community.”
