We investigate alleged violations of County land use, right-of-way and solid waste & recycling codes. Learn more about our process for identifying a code violation.
New complaints will be taken in through the permit portal only. You will be able to create an account to submit and track your case or complaint.
Filing a Complaint
The majority of code violations investigated by the Code Compliance Program are first reported through community-generated complaints.
Complaint Intake and Confidentiality Policy
A complainant is required to provide their name, contact phone number, and mailing address. Submission of anonymous complaints and/or complainant's unavailability as a witness will result in dismissal of the complaint. The complainant may request confidentiality when filing a complaint. If a complainant requested confidentiality when filing a complaint, Multnomah County will not disclose the personal identifiers of the complainant unless required to do so by law. See Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 192.355 (4). Complainants concerned with personal safety are directed to ORS 192.368 (1) and Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) 137-004-0800. Complainants concerned with personal privacy are directed to ORS 192.355 (2).
Priority of Complaint Investigations
Because our resources are limited, we address the most serious allegations first. We may not address a complaint in the order it was received.
We prioritize investigation of issues that:
- Present an existing or imminent threat to public health or safety;
- Present an existing or imminent threat to natural resources;
- Respondent affirmatively seeks to resolve; and/or
- Are subject to court order.
Code Compliance staff will conduct an investigation to assess the validity of an alleged code violation. If the complaint is valid, a code case is created for the subject property and a notice will be issued to the property owner outlining the requirements to resolve the alleged code violation. The complainant may view the status of the complaint at any time through the permit portal.
Learn more about our process for resolving a code violation.