News
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Help us choose what to audit!
Every year, we pick about five areas of the City of Portland to audit. We'd love to hear your ideas on how we can make Portland work better for everyone.
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Audit Update: The Fire Bureau has taken steps to improve its accountability system; Human Resources made one improvement to its investigation guidelines, but disagrees others are necessary
This is a one-year follow-up to our 2022 report, "Fire & Rescue does not have a coherent accountability system," that recommended Fire set clear expectations for work requirements and employee conduct, and Human Resources improve guidance and monitoring of complaints, investigations, and discipline
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Audit Update: Momentous move by Council to consolidate permitting as City reforms continue
This is a two-year follow-up to our 2021 report, Building Permit Audit: Long-standing inability to meet customers’ needs won’t improve without better management, sustained governance.
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Audit Update: The Office of Management and Finance has addressed most City credit card risks; purchase of gift cards prohibited until City policy is in place
This is a two-year follow-up to our 2021 report, City credit card use slowed during pandemic but exposes underlying risks.
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Audit Update: Council’s legislative changes helped the Portland Clean Energy Fund put management systems in place
This is a one-year follow-up to our 2022 report Portland Clean Energy Fund: Additional steps needed to implement voter-approved program.
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Audit Update: Bureaus have taken initial steps to address challenges in maintaining the City’s sewers, but have not re-evaluated their overall agreement
This is a one-year follow-up to our 2021 report Sewer Maintenance: Renewed attention to partnership needed to better serve ratepayers.
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Audit Services Update: Police made some progress to strengthen intelligence gathering policies, but other management improvements remain
This is a one-year follow-up to our 2022 report Police Intelligence-Gathering and Surveillance: Better management needed to protect civil rights.
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Audit Update: No progress on Citywide collection strategies; some improvements by individual bureaus
This is a one-year follow-up to our 2022 report: Taxes, fines, and fees: Customers who owe caught in a maze of inconsistent and uncoordinated collection strategies.
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Fraud Hotline Update: Joint Office of Homeless Services contract managers have more training and tools, but some role conflicts have not been addressed
Contract managers receive more training and guidance, but the Joint Office does not plan to separate duties as recommended.
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Fraud Hotline Update: New Fire Bureau compensation package allows use of City water to wash personal vehicles, but risk of perceived waste and disregard for resource conservation remains
Some progress made, but Fire Bureau changed rules to allow washing personal vehicles with City water despite Auditor’s finding of government waste.
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Gang Enforcement Audits Update: Police Bureau has improved patrol activities, but still needs a policy for using gang information
Since our 2018 audits on the Police Bureau's Gang Enforcement Team, the Police Bureau has formed new units. This follow-up on our 2018 recommendations found the Bureau has improved patrol activities, but still needs a policy for using gang information.
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Audit Services Update: Emergency Management has made some progress toward improving emergency planning and response for people with disabilities
This is a one-year follow-up to our 2021 audit of Portland Bureau of Emergency Management, in which we made seven recommendations to improve the City’s emergency planning and response for people with disabilities.
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Audit Services Update: Office of Equity & Human Rights has made progress on ensuring Americans with Disabilities Act compliance
This is a one-year follow-up to our 2021 report that called attention to compliance risks related to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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Audit Update: Little progress on City review of Enhanced Services Districts
This is the two-year follow-up to our 2020 report Enhanced Services Districts: City provides little oversight of privately funded public services
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Audit Update: Procurement Services made limited progress to improve construction contracting equity
This is a two-year follow-up to our 2020 report, Equity in Construction Contracting: Some goals achieved despite mismanagement, waste, and gamesmanship.
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Audit Update: City advanced building permit reforms; Council and multi-bureau engagement noteworthy
This is a one-year follow-up to our 2021 report, "Long-standing inability to meet customers’ needs won’t improve without better management, sustained governance."
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Audit Update: Water Bureau not done defining roles or formulating long-term groundwater plan
This is a two-year follow-up to our 2020 report, "Groundwater: City identified risks, must develop a long-term plan to address them."
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Audit Update: Procurement Services is working to address some City credit card risks
This is a one-year follow-up to our 2021 report, "City credit card use slowed during pandemic but exposed underlying risks."
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Audit Update: Cannabis Program improved data management, communication
This is a two-year follow-up to our 2020 report, "Cannabis Program: Management fundamentals needed to improve regulation of emerging industry."
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Audit Update: New procedure reflects lessons learned from pandemic grants
This is a one-year follow-up to our 2021 report, "Prosper Portland Emergency Grants: Standards needed to ensure program integrity."
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