SF bans unsolicited Yellow Pages drop-offs
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco has become the first U.S. city to ban the unsolicited distribution of Yellow Pages.
Mayor Ed Lee quietly signed the ban into law on May 19 to cut the number of unwanted phone books being dropped into city neighborhoods.
The Local Search Association, a commercial phone book industry trade group, has threatened to sue, saying the ban violates its members’ rights.
David Chiu, president of the city’s Board of Supervisors, said the ban was needed because the unsolicited books degraded the environment and blighted neighborhoods.
The law, which does not affect white pages distribution, is scheduled to take effect next year, and will bar companies from leaving Yellow Pages on porches without the permission of the residence or business.