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 Portland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Commercial businesses in a residential zonePortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty 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 setbacksPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Pavement placed for parking purposes without the required zoning permitPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Over height fence in front setback (usually fences are required to be 3½ feet in the front setback).Portland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Home businesses with customers or an employee without the required home occupation permitPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Violations of a Land Use Review conditions of approvalPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Overlay zone (E-zones, scenic resource zones, others) violationsPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Plan Districts violationsPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Temporary activities exceeding time or area limits, including garage salesPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Light glare from a commercial site to a residential sitePortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Tree cutting or other vegetation removal in an environmental zonePortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Safety issues such as collapsing buildings or retaining wallsPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Erosion issues on a propertyPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
LandslidesPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Maintenance of a residential structure, i.e., leaking roof, peeling paint, people living in a garage, etc.Portland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line

Ext. Maintenance of non-residential structures, i.e., peeling paint, missing siding, etc.

Derelict Buildings, i.e. boarded, vacant.

Portland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Illegal OccupanciesPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Vacant structure open to entryPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Trash/debris on the exterior of a propertyPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Tall Grass/WeedsPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Basketball hoops on parking stripsStreet Systems, Transportation(503) 823-7002, Option 4
Basketball hoops on telephone polesElectrical Utility CompanyContact PGE or PP & L (whichever is the provider for the area)
Bushes/trees/vegetation encroaching into right of wayPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Broken/unsafe sidewalksMaintenance Operations, Transportation(503) 823-1711
Structures/fences built in right of wayStreet Systems, Transportation(503) 823-7002
Visibility at IntersectionsTraffic Management, Transportation(503) 823-5211

Construction without permit concerns

Description of violationBureauContact
Electrical, plumbing or mechanical work without permitsPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Grading and/ or fill work without permits (in excess of # cu yds)Portland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty 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.)Portland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Commercial structural work without permits (i.e. change of occupancy without required permits, addition to structure, structural tenant improvements, etc.)Portland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Illegal units unoccupied. If occupied, then a housing case.Portland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line

Noise concerns

Description of violationBureauContact
Airplane noisePort of Portland(503) 460-4100
Animal Noises - Legal animal facilities, such as kennels, doggie day cars, or stablesPortland Permitting & Development(503) 823-7350
Animal Noises - Other animal noises, such as residential to residential noises or a neighbor's barking dogMultnomah County Animal ServicesAnimal Nuisances (503) 988-7387 (Note: they only accept barking dog complaints online)
Construction activity outside permitted hoursPortland Permitting & Development(503) 823-7350
Garbage hauler complaints, including truck /pick-up noiseBureau 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 noisePortland Permitting & Development(503) 823-7350
Music too loudPortland Permitting & Development(503) 823-7350
Noise (other than music) from establishments that sell liquor)Portland Permitting & Development(503) 823-7350
Loud voicesPossibly covered by the police(503) 823-3333 (police non-emergency) - do not call 911
Other amplified sounds that are too loudPortland Permitting & Development(503) 823-7350
Railroad noiseFederal Railway AdministrationViolation Report

Other types of concerns  

Description of violationBureauContact
CROW (Commercial containers stored on the right-of-wayBureau of Planning and Sustainability(503) 823-7202
Empty garbage/recycling containers left on the curbBureau of Planning and Sustainability(503) 823-7202
Exterior display/storage by a commercial business in a zone that does not allow this activityPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Garbage at bus sheltersTriMet(503) 238-7433 #4 
Garbage dumped in the street that is blocking trafficBureau of Maintenance(503) 823-1700
Garbage dumped that is not blocking trafficPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Graffiti (Online Reporting Form)Bureau of Planning and Sustainability311
Illegal DumpingPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Liquid waste draining into street drainBureau of Environmental Services(503) 823-7180
Sewer and/or rain drain breaksPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Sidewalk obstructionsPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty 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-wayPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Damage or removal of a tree to be preserved during developmentUrban ForestryTree Code Information Line 
Dead or dying trees on private propertyUrban ForestryTree Code Information Line
Low tree limbs over adjacent street/sidewalk from private property treesPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Low tree limbs over adjacent street/sidewalk from public property treesUrban ForestryTree Code Information Line
Tree cutting or other vegetation removal in an environmental zonePortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Tree removal on private propertyUrban ForestryTree Code Information Line

Vehicle concerns

Description of ViolationBureauContact
Abandoned/disabled vehicles in the right-of-wayAbandoned autos(503) 823-7309
Auto repair in the right-of-way - If being done by an auto repair shopPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Auto repair/service in wrong zones (i.e. auto business in a residential zone)Portland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Illegally parked vehicles in the right-of-wayParking Patrol(503) 823-5195
Oversized trucks parked in residential zonesPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Parking accessory recreational vehicles in the wrong area on a propertyPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Visibly disabled vehicles on private propertyPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Vehicles parked on unpaved areasPortland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Vehicles parked/stored without required screening, landscaping and setbacks (generally commercial properties)Portland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line
Vehicle sales, repair or service business parking, storing, and/or repairing vehicles in the right of way (Title 16)Portland Permitting & DevelopmentProperty Compliance Help Line

If you need help with mediation, contact Resolutions Northwest.

More information about how to file a complaint with code enforcement