Report a Code Violation - City Phone Numbers

Information
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.
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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 violationBureauContact

Camping on public property and public right-of-ways. The homelessness toolkit provides information regarding homelessness issues.

Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program311

Unlicensed short-term rental 

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Commercial businesses in a residential zone

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty 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 feet) accessory structures in building setbacks

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Pavement placed for parking purposes without the required zoning permit

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Over height fence in front setback (usually fences are required to be 3½ feet in the front setback).

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Home businesses with customers or an employee without the required home occupation permit

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Violations of a Land Use Review conditions of approval

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Overlay zone (E-zones, scenic resource zones, others) violations

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Plan Districts violations

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Temporary activities exceeding time or area limits, including garage sales

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Light glare from a commercial site to a residential site

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Tree cutting or other vegetation removal in an environmental zone

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Safety issues such as collapsing buildings or retaining walls

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Erosion issues on a property

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Landslides

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Maintenance of a residential structure, i.e., leaking roof, peeling paint, people living in a garage, etc.

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty 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 ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Illegal Occupancies

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Vacant structure open to entry

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Trash/debris on the exterior of a property

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Tall Grass/Weeds

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Basketball hoops on parking strips

Street Systems, Transportation(503) 823-7002, Option 4

Basketball hoops on telephone poles

Electrical Utility CompanyContact PGE or PP & L (whichever is the provider for the area)

Bushes/trees/vegetation encroaching into right of way

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty 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 violationBureauContact

Electrical, plumbing or mechanical work without permits

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Grading and/ or fill work without permits (in excess of # cu yds)

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty 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 ServicesProperty 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 ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Illegal units unoccupied. If occupied, then a housing case.

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Noise concerns

Description of violationBureauContact

Airplane noise

Port of Portland(503) 460-4100

Animal Noises - Legal animal facilities, such as kennels, doggie day cars, or stables

Bureau of Development Services(503) 823-7350

Animal Noises - Other animal noises, such as residential to residential noises or a neighbor's barking dog

Multnomah County Animal ServicesAnimal Nuisances (503) 988-7387 (Note: they only accept barking dog complaints online)

Construction activity outside permitted hours

Bureau of Development Services(503) 823-7350

Garbage hauler complaints, including truck /pick-up noise

Bureau of Planning and 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 helicopter noise.

Leaf blower noise

Bureau of Development Services(503) 823-7350

Music too loud

Bureau of Development Services(503) 823-7350

Noise (other than music) from establishments that sell liquor)

Bureau of Development Services(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

Bureau of Development Services(503) 823-7350

Railroad noise

Federal Railway AdministrationViolation Report

Other types of concerns  

Description of violationBureauContact

CROW (Commercial containers stored on the right-of-way

Bureau of Planning and Sustainability(503) 823-7202

Empty garbage/recycling containers left on the curb

Bureau of Planning and Sustainability(503) 823-7202

Exterior display/storage by a commercial business in a zone that does not allow this activity

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Garbage at bus shelters

TriMet(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 ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Graffiti (Online Reporting Form)

Bureau of Planning and Sustainability311

Illegal Dumping

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty 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 ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Sidewalk obstructions

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Trees and vegetation concerns

Description of violationBureauContact

After hours tree complaints 

Urban ForestryTree Code Information Line 

Bushes/trees/vegetation encroaching into right-of-way

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Damage or removal of a tree to be preserved during development

Urban ForestryTree Code Information Line 

Dead or dying trees on private property

Urban ForestryTree Code Information Line

Low tree limbs over adjacent street/sidewalk from private property trees

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Low tree limbs over adjacent street/sidewalk from public property trees

Urban ForestryTree Code Information Line

Tree cutting or other vegetation removal in an environmental zone

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Tree removal on private property

Urban ForestryTree Code Information Line

Vehicle concerns

Description of ViolationBureauContact

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 ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Auto repair/service in wrong zones (i.e. auto business in a residential zone)

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty 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 ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Parking accessory recreational vehicles in the wrong area on a property

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Visibly disabled vehicles on private property

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Vehicles parked on unpaved areas

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

Vehicles parked/stored without required screening, landscaping and setbacks (generally commercial properties)

Bureau of Development ServicesProperty 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 ServicesProperty Compliance Help Line

If you need help with mediation, contact Resolutions Northwest.

More information about how to file a complaint with code enforcement