Phone numbers to call to report a violation or if you received a code violation. Find out who to call for concerns about a commercial business in a residential neighborhood, landslides, construction without permits, noise, trees, bushes, broken down cars and other complaints.
The City of Portland puts together codes to help keep our city safe. If you need to make a report or if you got a notice about a violation, call the contact listed here to find out about next steps. You can also report violations or check the status of a report online.
Commercial and residential concerns
Description of violation | Bureau | Contact |
---|---|---|
Camping on public property and public right-of-ways. The homelessness toolkit provides information regarding homelessness issues. | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Unlicensed short-term rental | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Commercial businesses in a residential zone | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Exit concerns for commercial businesses (i.e. blocked/locked exit ways, exit signs not working, etc) | Fire Marshal's office | (503) 823-3700 |
Over height (taller than 6 foot) accessory structures in building setbacks | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Pavement placed for parking purposes without the required zoning permit | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Over height fence in front setback (usually fences are required to be 3 ½ feet in the front setback). | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Home businesses with customers or an employee without the required home occupation permit | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Violations of a Land Use Review conditions of approval | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Overlay zone (E-zones, scenic resource zones, others) violations | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Plan Districts violations | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Temporary activities exceeding time or area limits, including garage sales | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Light glare from a commercial site to a residential site | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Tree cutting or other vegetation removal in an environmental zone | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Safety issues such as collapsing buildings or retaining walls | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Erosion issues on a property | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Landslides | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Maintenance of a residential structure, i.e. leaking roof, peeling paint, people living in a garage, etc. | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Ext. Maintenance of non-residential structures, i.e. peeling paint, missing siding, etc. Derelict Buildings, i.e. boarded, vacant. | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Illegal Occupancies | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Vacant structure open to entry | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Trash/debris on the exterior of a property | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Tall Grass/Weeds | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Basketball hoops on parking strips | Street Systems, Transportation | (503) 823-7002 |
Basketball hoops on telephone poles | Electrical Utility Company | Contact PGE or PP & L (whichever is the provider for the area) |
Bushes/trees/vegetation encroaching into right of way | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Broken/unsafe sidewalks | Maintenance Operations, Transportation | (503) 823-1711 |
Structures/fences built in right of way | Street Systems, Transportation | (503) 823-7002 |
Visibility at Intersections | Traffic Management, Transportation | (503) 823-5211 |
Construction without permit concerns
Description of violation | Bureau | Contact |
---|---|---|
Electrical, plumbing or mechanical work without permits | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Grading and/ or fill work without permits (in excess of # cu yds) | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Residential structural work without permits (i.e. addition to a house, construction of a new garage or accessory structures over 200 sq.ft., fences over seven feet tall, demolition of a house, etc.) | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Commercial structural work without permits (i.e. change of occupancy without required permits, addition to structure, structural tenant improvements, etc.) | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Illegal units unoccupied. If occupied then a HS case. | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Noise concerns
Description of violation | Bureau | Contact |
---|---|---|
Airplane noise | Port of Portland | (503) 460-4100 |
Animal Noises - Legal animal facilities, such as kennels, doggie day cars, or stables | Office of Community & Civic Life | (503) 823-7350 |
Animal Noises - Other animal noises, such as residential to residential noises or a neighbor's barking dog | Multnomah County Animal Services | www.multcopets.org/animal-nuisances (503) 988-7387 (Note: they only accept barking dog complaints online) |
Construction activity outside permitted hours | Office of Community & Civic Life | (503) 823-7350 |
Garbage hauler complaints, including truck /pick-up noise | Bureau of Planning & Sustainability | (503) 823- 7202 |
Helicopter noise | If the helicopter is from a news agency, contact that agency to file a complaint. Otherwise there is no agency that covers copter noise. | |
Leaf blower noise | Office of Community & Civic Life | (503) 823-7350 |
Music too loud | Office of Community & Civic Life | (503) 823-7350 |
Noise (other than music) from establishments that sell liquor) | Office of Community & Civic Life | (503) 823-7350 |
Loud voices | Possibly covered by the police | (503) 823-3333 (police non-emergency) - do not call 911 |
Other amplified sounds that are too loud | Office of Community & Civic Life | (503) 823-7350 |
Railroad noise | Federal Railway Administration | Violation Report |
Other types of concerns
Description of violation | Bureau | Contact |
---|---|---|
CROW (Commercial containers stored on the right-of-way | Bureau of Planning & Sustainability | (503) 823-7202 |
Empty garbage/recycling containers left on the curb | Bureau of Planning & Sustainability | (503) 823-7202 |
Exterior display/storage by a commercial business in a zone that does not allow this activity | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Garbage at bus shelters | Tri-Met | (503) 238-7433 #4 |
Garbage dumped in the street that is blocking traffic | Bureau of Maintenance | (503) 823-1700 |
Garbage dumped that is not blocking traffic | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Graffiti (Online Reporting Form) | Office of Neighborhood Involvement | (503) 823-4824 |
Illegal Dumping | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Liquid waste draining into street drain | Bureau of Environmental Services | (503) 823-7180 |
Sewer and/or rain drain breaks | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Sidewalk obstructions | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Trees and vegetation concerns
Description of violation | Bureau | Contact |
---|---|---|
After hours tree complaints | Urban Forestry | Tree Code Information Line |
Bushes/trees/vegetation encroaching into right-of-way | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Damage or removal of a tree to be preserved during development | Urban Forestry | Tree Code Information Line |
Dead or dying trees on private property | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Low tree limbs over adjacent street/sidewalk from private property trees | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Low tree limbs over adjacent street/sidewalk from public property trees | Urban Forestry | Tree Code Information Line |
Tree cutting or other vegetation removal in an environmental zone | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Tree removal on private property | Urban Forestry | Tree Code Information Line |
Vehicle concerns
Description of Violation | Bureau | Contact |
---|---|---|
Abandoned/disabled vehicles in the right-of-way | Abandoned autos | (503) 823-7309 |
Auto repair in the right-of-way - If being done by an auto repair shop | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Auto repair/service in wrong zones (i.e. auto business in a residential zone) | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Illegally parked vehicles in the right-of-way | Parking Patrol | (503) 823-5195 |
Oversized trucks parked in residential zones | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Parking accessory recreational vehicles in the wrong area on a property | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Visibly disabled vehicles on private property | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Vehicles parked on unpaved areas | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Vehicles parked/stored without required screening, landscaping and setbacks (generally commercial properties) | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
Vehicle sales, repair or service business parking, storing, and/or repairing vehicles in the right of way (Title 16) | Bureau of Development Services | Property Compliance Help Line |
If you need help with mediation, contact Resolutions Northwest.