Councilmember Cathy Moore Resigns, Leaving Legacy Of Public Safety And Housing Reform

On Monday, Seattle City Councilmember Cathy Moore announced that she will resign from her position representing District 5, effective July 7, citing personal and health-related reasons that have impacted her ability to continue serving at full capacity.

“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,” Moore said. “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.”

Moore’s departure concludes an 18-month tenure marked by a deliberate focus on public safety, housing access, and support for marginalized communities. A former King County Superior Court judge, Moore brought decades of public service to the City Council when she was elected in 2023. Her campaign promised to balance Seattle’s progressive values with a pragmatic approach to law enforcement and housing affordability.

“I’m incredibly proud of the achievements of this Council and my team during the last year and a half,” she added. “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.”

One of Moore’s major accomplishments came in the area of transportation infrastructure. Her leadership helped secure a historic investment in new sidewalks as part of the 2024 voter-approved Transportation Levy. District 5, which includes more than a third of Seattle’s missing sidewalks, will receive at least 36% of the new construction—more than any other district.

She also left a lasting impact on public safety. Working alongside the Seattle Police Department’s Human Trafficking Unit and survivor advocacy organizations, Moore helped craft targeted loitering legislation aimed at curbing commercial sexual exploitation by focusing enforcement on pimps and johns. The legislation was paired with a $2 million allocation to support emergency shelter beds and wraparound services for victims.

Her efforts to enhance public safety didn’t stop there. Moore secured funding to expand CCTV camera coverage along Aurora Avenue from 85th to 145th streets, a corridor with ongoing safety concerns. In partnership with Councilmember Maritza Rivera, she also secured funding for a North Seattle safety hub. She voted to raise police salaries, a move that has contributed to improved officer recruitment, and supported the expansion of the CARE civilian crisis response program into District 5.

As chair of the Council’s Housing and Human Services Committee, Moore was instrumental in shaping policies to prevent homelessness and support housing stability. In 2024, she helped double rental assistance funding to $10 million and led a review of the city’s rental assistance system to identify at-risk households earlier in the process. She also obtained $5.9 million to expand non-congregate shelter capacity, $1.9 million in homelessness prevention funding, and secured support for a seasonal winter shelter in her district.

Moore was also a key player in renegotiating Seattle’s interlocal agreement with the King County Regional Homelessness Authority. Her work aimed to increase the agency’s accountability and ensure better outcomes for individuals experiencing homelessness.

When it came to civil liberties, Moore co-sponsored legislation to protect individuals from harmful federal actions, particularly those seeking reproductive health care and gender-affirming treatment. She sponsored privacy amendments related to Automated License Plate Recognition and supported tighter restrictions on the use of blast balls during crowd control. Additionally, a pilot program she championed—focused on targeted street closures along Aurora Avenue—has helped reduce gun violence in specific hotspots.

“I want to wholeheartedly thank the residents of District 5 for their engagement and support during my time here,” Moore said. “Serving on the Seattle City Council has truly been an honor for me, both personally and professionally.”

Moore’s departure drew swift reaction from her colleagues, including City Council President Sara Nelson, who expressed respect for her decision and gratitude for her service.

“Councilmember Moore’s decision to leave the City Council is disappointing news, but I respect and support her choice,” Nelson said. “I want to express my appreciation for her dedicated service over the past 18 months. Her contributions have been vital to this Council’s ability to make significant improvements in public safety – including her sponsorship of the SOAP legislation to combat commercial sexual exploitation – and finally steer Seattle in a positive direction. Councilmember Moore raised important questions about housing policy and her work was invaluable in strengthening accountability in the new King County Regional Homelessness Authority interlocal agreement.”

The City Council will begin its formal vacancy process on July 8, with a 20-calendar-day window to appoint a successor. Details will be made available on the Council’s website.

District 5 encompasses several North Seattle neighborhoods, including Bitter Lake, Haller Lake, Pinehurst, Lake City, Broadview, Licton Springs, North Beach, Crown Hill, Greenwood, Maple Leaf, Northgate, and Meadowbrook.

Moore’s record of public service run deep. Raised in Lake City and Capitol Hill, she began her legal career as a public defender and later practiced family law. She chaired the Seattle Human Rights Commission, where she championed police accountability, and later served as Interim City Clerk for the City Council. Elected as a King County Superior Court Judge in 2016, she presided over criminal, family, and civil commitment cases and upheld a key ruling in Washington’s opioid lawsuit against Purdue Pharma.

She and her husband raised three sons, all of whom attended Seattle Public Schools.