About Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D)

Information
1900 SW 4th Ave building entrance.
Read about the mission, goals, values, and equity commitment of Portland Permitting & Development. Get information about visiting PP&D, our operating plan, and the Portland Permitting & Development organizational chart. Review the Director's calendar.
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Mission

Portland Permitting & Development promotes safety, livability and economic vitality through efficient and collaborative application of building and development codes.

Goals

To meet the needs of our community, we pursue the following goals:

  • Support community vitality and protect life, property, and natural resources by promoting compliance with applicable codes and regulations
  • Provide cooperative and responsive internal and external customer service
  • Process all Bureau functions efficiently
  • Create a collaborative workplace that promotes mutual respect through trust, fairness and open communication
  • Support continual professional growth of the workforce and organization through education, technology and diversity

Values

  • Dedication to serving the public
  • Pride in our work
  • Care for the long-term viability of our community
  • Recognition of worth, quality and importance of each employee and member of the community
  • Support of continual learning, education and innovation   

Equity Commitment

Portland Permitting & Development is committed to the elimination of racism and discriminatory practices in our services and in our workplace because we understand the positive value of equitable systems. View our Equity Commitment Statement: 

Contact Us

General inquiries

Need help? Schedule a 15-minute appointment 

You can book a free 15-minute appointment with us. Get help with the permit process, zoning requirements, building codes, and more. Language access is available. Learn more about 15-minute appointments and schedule an appointment online.

Visit us

Address

1900 SW 4th Avenue, Suite 5000, Portland, OR 97201

View additional information about this location and the services available in the Development Services Center. 

Get directions via Google Maps

Plan your trip with TriMet

PP&D organizational chart

Interim Director David Kuhnhausen

This is a photo of David Kuhnhausen, interim director of the Bureau of Development Services as of December 19, 2023.

David Kuhnhausen was appointed interim director of Portland Permitting & Development as of Dec. 19, 2023.

David has served in various capacities at Portland Permitting & Development since 2008. From January 2018 until he was appointed interim director, he managed the Permitting Services division that receives and processes building and trade permit applications. He helped lead the bureau’s transition from paper-based to online permitting, improve reporting metrics for permit processing and revise its customer service model. Previously, he served as a project coordinator and technician assisting customers and bureau leadership in matters concerning building code application and plan review.

David also served as a right-of-way analyst with the Portland Bureau of Transportation, a project manager with the Columbia River Economic Development Council, and a real estate appraisal analyst.

A Portland native, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology with a minor in business from the University of Oregon.

In his free time, David enjoys an active lifestyle. A casual runner and bike rider, his happiest place is exploring the various natural areas around town and searching for the perfect puddle for his daughter to jump in, or finding a new restaurant to try with his wife.

Interim Director Kuhnhausen's Calendar


Former Director Rebecca Esau's Calendar





Contact

General Inquiries

Portland Permitting & Development
phone number503-823-7300Our front desk team will be available to answer Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please leave a message if you call outside of those hours.
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