Bureaus and Offices

We provide quality support to help our customers achieve their goals and meet the City's fiduciary responsibility.

The Archives and Records Management Division operates the City of Portland Archives and Records Center, making city administrative and historical records accessible to the public and City employees for research and inspection in accordance with Oregon's public records laws.

Supporting City livability goals by helping to finance infrastructure improvements, and supporting the regulatory efforts of other city bureaus. We use Charter-granted authority to assess property for local improvements, system development charges, and code violations.

The Audit Services Division is the auditing branch of the elected City Auditor's Office. The Division's mission is to conduct performance and financial audits of City operations, and to make recommendations to improve efficiency, effectiveness and equity of City bureaus, offices and functions.

The City's Lobbying and Political Consultant Regulations require City officials, political consultants, and lobbyists to report activities in order to improve City transparency, disclose relationship building, and inform the public of efforts to influence City officials.

The Levy is a City of Portland property tax initiative that annually generates $19 million toward proven programs that prepare children for school, support their success in and out of the classroom, and reduce racial and ethnic disparities in their well-being and school success.

The Office of the City Attorney provides legal services to the City of Portland and to the elected officials, officers and employees acting on its behalf. The Office's only client is the City of Portland and we are not able to provide legal services or advice to individual members of the public.

The City Budget Office provides timely, accurate, and unfiltered information and analysis regarding budgeting, forecasting, and fiscal policy issues to the Mayor, Commissioners, City Auditor, City bureaus, and the public.

The City is developing an emergency response model grounded in the community's needs and capabilities. The Community Safety Division works with Council and public safety bureaus to develop equitable and accountable emergency response innovations and a holistic plan to modernize community safety.

The Council Clerk Office administers City Council business, serves as the central repository for City contracts and Portland Policy Documents, and maintains City Charter and Code.

The Debt Management division issues bonds for City bureaus and Prosper Portland, provides technical assistance on financing programs or proposals, ensures coordination for continuing bond disclosure filings, and oversees an arbitrage compliance program for City bond issues.

The Bureau of Development Services (BDS) manages building permits, land use, inspections, and code enforcement to ensure our built environment is safe and accessible.

The City Elections Office works with the State of Oregon and Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington Counties to oversee City elections, certify candidates and measures to the ballot, and certify election results. We also enforce City campaign finance regulations and provide informational resources.

Our mission is to work collaboratively with our community and public safety partners to ensure effective and timely 911 call answering and dispatching.

Promote readiness, coordinate response, and build resilience for Portland. The Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) develops and implements strategic planning, programs, and policies to continually advance the city's mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities.

Environmental Services is your sewer and stormwater utility. We protect public health and our environment by collecting and recovering resources from the city’s wastewater, managing stormwater, and restoring and protecting Portland’s rivers, streams, and watersheds.

The Office of Equity and Human Rights holds the City accountable by providing leadership and developing policies, practices, and procedures that dismantle systems of oppression and build equitable foundations for systemically excluded and institutionally oppressed Portland communities.

We deliver peace of mind to our fire and police members and their survivors by providing disability and retirement benefits in a timely, compassionate and fiscally responsible manner.

The mission of the Office of Government Relations is to advance the City of Portland's legislative and intergovernmental policy objectives. The Office provides effective representation, strategic advice, and quality service to the City Council and all city bureaus.

The purpose of Grants Management is to minimize potential financial liability with respect to allowable costs, work to eliminate findings by grantors and auditors, maximize the City's cash flow from grantors, and prepare the federally required reports and plans.