Today, Councilmember Cathy Moore (District 5) announced that she will be resigning her seat due to health and personal reasons. Her last day on the job will be July 7.
“My decision to leave the City Council is one I’ve been considering seriously over the past several months due to some recent health challenges. Ultimately, I believe that District 5 community members deserve a representative who can give their full attention to the critical issues facing the City and its neighborhoods,” said Councilmember Moore. “I’m incredibly proud of the achievements of this Council and my team during the last year and a half. Having been elected to focus on improving public safety, and tackle housing and homelessness with a progressive framework, I believe we’ve made major strides in all these important areas.”
A former county superior court judge, Councilmember Moore was elected to the Council in 2023 pledging to improve public safety while also upholding Seattle’s progressive values. Over the last year and a half, she and her staff have achieved a long list of accomplishments including:
- New sidewalk funding. Thanks to her work, the 2024 voter-approved Transportation Levy included historic investment in new sidewalks in District 5. District 5 is set to receive the highest number of new sidewalks (at least 36%), reflecting the fact that 36% of missing sidewalks citywide are in that area.
- Improving public safety. Councilmember Moore last year collaborated with survivor groups, the Seattle Police Department’s Human Trafficking Unit, and residents on new loitering legislation that specifically targets pimps and johns while securing $2 million in funding for emergency beds and services for victims of commercial sexual exploitation. In addition, she secured extra funding to increase CCTV camera coverage for all of Aurora from 85th to 145th. She and Councilmember Maritza Rivera secured funding for a North Seattle safety hub. She voted to support increasing police officer salaries, which has led to significant increases in hiring, and to expand CARE civilian crisis responders citywide, with CARE now present in District 5.
- Focus on housing and homelessness. During her tenure Councilmember Moore served as chair of the Council’s Housing and Human Services Committee. In 2024, she secured an additional $5 million for rental assistance, bringing the total to $10 million. She sponsored a reexamination of how rental assistance is provided to streamline its delivery and ensure vulnerable households are identified long before getting behind in rent. She obtained $5.9 million to increase non-congregate shelter capacity, $1.9 million in homelessness prevention, and funding for a new seasonal winter shelter in District 5.
- She assisted in rewriting the new interlocal agreement and bylaws for King County Regional Homelessness Authority which renewed Seattle’s participation and negotiated an updated agreement to ensure more accountability and effectiveness for individuals experiencing homelessness.
- Protecting Seattle residents. Earlier this year Councilmember Moore co-sponsored the legislation strengthening protections from harmful federal actions, specifically for people seeking reproductive health care and gender-affirming treatment. She similarly sponsored amendments to protect privacy in the Automated License Plate Recognition legislation as well as guardrails around the use of blast balls. Finally, because of her advocacy, the Seattle Department of Transportation launched a street closure pilot which reduced instances of gun violence along areas of Aurora Ave (101st and 107th).
“I want to wholeheartedly thank the residents of District 5 for their engagement and support during my time here. Serving on the Seattle City Council has truly been an honor for me, both personally and professionally,” added Councilmember Moore.
Next steps
Details on the vacancy process for District 5 will be announced in the coming days. The City Charter gives the Council 20 calendar days to fill a vacant Council position.
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