Seattle marks 60th anniversary of 1965 earthquake with renewed call for unreinforced masonry retrofits amid federal and state setbacks
On the 60th anniversary of the devasting 1965 Seattle earthquake, the City is reaffirming its commitment to seismic safety and resilience through the retrofitting of unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings, which are most at risk of damage or collapse in an earthquake. Despite funding challenges at the state and federal level, the City continues to push forward, introducing innovative strategies to support property owners.
The City has adopted a more flexible earthquake retrofit standard known as the Alternate Method, offering a less costly compliance option for many URM buildings. For the first time, building owners can now voluntarily pursue these retrofits, with new tools in place to help make seismic safety more accessible and achievable.
The 60th anniversary also coincides with Mayor Bruce Harrell’s proclamation of the month of May as Building Safety Month. It’s a national campaign that underscores the importance of modern building codes and enforcement in creating safe, resilient communities. Seattle’s URM retrofit program reflects this mission, ensuring older buildings are brought in line with updated standards that protect lives and preserve our livelihood.
“Building Safety Month reminds us that strong, up-to-date building codes are our first line of defense against disasters,” said Mayor Harrell. “The City’s retrofit work is about applying these strong standards to the structures that predate them, protecting lives and improving the resilience of our communities. This is a fundamental government purpose, and we need tangible investments and engagement from all levels of government to prepare our infrastructure before the next seismic event.”
The magnitude 6.5 earthquake on April 29, 1965, remains one of the most destructive in Seattle’s history, causing widespread damage and seven deaths. Today, more than 1,100 URM buildings — structures susceptible to collapse in an earthquake — still stand throughout the city. Building safety and the awareness of the risks of URM is critical to creating more resilient communities.
“We cannot afford to wait for another disaster to act. The risk is real, the science is clear, and the time to invest in strengthening our most vulnerable buildings is now,” said Nathan Torgelson, Director of the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI).
The recent elimination of FEMA’s disaster mitigation grant program by the Trump administration significantly undermines Seattle’s ability to be ready for the next earthquake. The URM retrofit program relied on these grants to make the life-saving and costly retrofits economically viable for low- and moderate-income URM building owners.
Federal uncertainty also highlights the importance of state action. House Bill 1810, introduced this legislative session, would have created a statewide funding mechanism for earthquake retrofits. While the bill did not pass this year, it has an opportunity to pass in the 2026 legislative session, which coincides with the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. Without state action, cities are left to shoulder this responsibility alone while contemplating a future without federal disaster assistance.
Seattle’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) partners with the community to prepare for, respond to, mitigate the impacts of, and recover from disasters, and is the official facilitator of all FEMA funding for the City, including FEMA’s BRIC grant program (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities).
“We continue our partnership with SDCI to educate the public on the dangers of URMs and work toward making Seattle safer and more resilient by providing options for seismic retrofit projects,” said Curry Mayer, Director of OEM.
Despite these setbacks, Seattle’s URM retrofit program continues to advance. We are exploring a new transfer of development rights program prioritizing financial support for earthquake retrofits in the Chinatown International District and Pioneer Square neighborhoods.
Five URMs have already achieved a retrofitted designation in the City’s URM database and can feel confident in their compliance with future planned mandates requiring all URMs in the city to be retrofitted. An estimated 200 URMs may qualify for a retrofitted designation, upon filing required documentation with SDCI.
Visit our URM webpage to stay connected to our progress on development of the URM retrofit program.
The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections/Helping people build a safe, livable, and inclusive Seattle. www.seattle.gov/sdci
The Seattle Office of Emergency Management/Partnering with the community to prepare for, respond to, mitigate the impacts of, and recover from disasters. www.seattle.gov/emergency-management