‘No knock’ ordinance allows Hazel Park residents to ban solicitors

HAZEL PARK — A new ordinance will soon allow homeowners and renters in Hazel Park to sign a registry that will put them on a list banning solicitors from visiting their homes.

Those with the power of attorney for a vulnerable resident can also sign the registry on that person’s behalf.

The measure was introduced by Hazel Park City Councilman Luke Londo. Alissa Sullivan, his colleague on the council, co-sponsored the proposal. It was unanimously approved by the council on second reading July 8.

The measure goes into effect later this month. The plan is for a new section to be added to the city website, hazelpark.org, by the end of August, where people can sign the registry.

Even those who already have “no soliciting” signs on their property are urged to sign up, so that peddlers will have a complete list of which properties to avoid, without having to approach a home and look for signs.

As for the solicitors themselves, they will face heightened scrutiny by the city, and they will be required to carry permits proving their credentials.

If a resident allows solicitors but is unsure of a visitor’s credentials, they are advised to ask the solicitor to come back another time, and to then verify their authenticity with Hazel Park police by calling the department’s nonemergency line at (248) 542-6161.

Solicitors found in violation of the new policy or permitting process will also be subject to higher fines, officials said.

“We’re essentially compiling a database of residents who have opted out of receiving door-to-door solicitations,” Londo said. “We want solicitors to have a clear understanding of each home’s situation rather than discovering it on the fly.”

Londo said the idea came about when he heard from a resident worried for his mother.

“He was concerned about how some of our solicitors approach those conversations — they’re salesmen who are very direct, very convincing — and there was a concern about vulnerable members of our population perhaps accidentally or unwittingly signing up for things they didn’t need or that will cost them,” Londo said.

“He asked if there was a mechanism to have solicitors stop visiting his mother’s home, and when I did some research, I realized there really wasn’t anything in our ordinances, but there were in nearby communities,” Londo said. “I found one in Troy that served as a great template for this.”

Sullivan said the proposal will be a huge boon for quality of life among residents.

“I honestly believe that one of the best things about being on City Council is the ability to work with my co-council members on addressing the changing needs of our community and helping to keep our community members safe,” Sullivan said via email. “When Luke reached out to me about updating our ‘no soliciting’ ordinance to include a registry and higher fines to help prevent predatory solicitor practices in our community, I jumped at the opportunity to support it.

“Every day, we see new scams and new ways that people are trying to cheat people or take advantage of people,” Sullivan said. “Anything that we can do as community leaders to help prevent that and keep our neighbors safe, is absolutely something I’m on board with!”

Londo said the proposal was warmly received.

“Everybody seemed onboard immediately,” he said. “My conversations with council and city administration were all unanimously positive, and resident feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, as well. They’re all very much looking forward to being able to sign up for this registry.

“This also strengthens protections because every solicitor will be required to furnish a copy of their permit when asked, and people applying for the peddling license will have a whole lot of stuff they have to fill out and a lot of information they will need to provide. It’s very thorough,” Londo said. “So, people can feel assured that the people knocking at their door have been vetted and researched, and if they refuse to provide their permit, people can call the police to see if those people are who they say they are.”