Across Portland, property and business owners fund extra services such as trash cleanup, graffiti removal, community safety and business development through the City’s Enhanced Service District program. A significant part of Portland’s core is represented by three existing service districts: Lloyd, Central Eastside, and the Clean & Safe district spanning downtown and Old Town. To form a district, property owners must vote, receive the City’s approval and establish a nonprofit organization to manage their extra services. Properties in the district pay fees, which the City distributes to the nonprofit to provide the agreed-upon services.
Enhanced Service Districts are governed by City code. The City Council approves a management agreement for each district outlining roles, responsibilities and services. Every district is required to participate in a periodic “sunset review,” when the City Council conducts public hearings to determine whether the district should continue. A district can be terminated anytime if property owners who collectively contribute more than 33 percent of the total revenue submit written objections.
Enhanced Service Districts
Audit Response
An audit conducted in August 2020 by the Portland City Auditor recommended that the City provide more oversight by reviewing the districts’ purpose and the City’s responsibility, and revisiting district agreements. The Auditor also recommended that the City develop guidelines for district formation, governance, and management to ensure public input, transparency and accountability by the districts and their service providers.
Fee Information
Property owners within the Enhanced Service Districts pay the property management license fee. The City's Revenue Division collects these fees. Enhanced Service District property management activities are defined by City code, although some of the terms used in City Code may differ from more common terminology. Though the City collects these fees, it does not manage the individual districts. For more information on fees, licensing, billing information and appeals, please visit the Revenue Division's Enhanced Service Districts page.
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