TL;DR (generated · confidence: high)

The Hearings Office, operating within the City Auditor's office, conducts impartial adjudication of City Code violations, land use cases, and administrative appeals including vehicle tows. The 2026-27 proposed budget is $1,274,353, with all revenues internal to the General Fund. Personnel costs comprise the largest expense category at $874,433. The office reinforces impartiality and accountability while serving the public without charging fees. It offers remote hearing participation and electronic case management to increase accessibility. After the previous City Auditor withdrew support in 2020 due to inadequate funding, the current Auditor agreed to resume oversight effective July 1, 2024, once proper budget allocation was ensured.

Key points (each cites a PDF page):

2026-27 proposed total budget is $1,274,353 with all revenues internal to the General Fund; no external revenues (p. 595 ↗)
Personnel costs of $874,433 comprise largest expense, up from $817,997 in 2025-26 revised budget (p. 595 ↗)
Internal materials and services increased to $284,420 from $215,821 in prior year (p. 595 ↗)
External materials and services decreased to $115,500 from $126,154 in 2025-26 (p. 595 ↗)
Conducts impartial hearings and renders decisions on land use, Code enforcement, vehicle tows, and administrative appeals (p. 595 ↗)
Provides services without charging public fees and offers remote hearing participation and electronic case management (p. 596 ↗)
Uses plain language in decisions and seeks to remove barriers to meaningful participation for improved equity and accessibility (p. 596 ↗)
Previous City Auditor withdrew consent in 2020 due to inadequate funding; current Auditor resumed oversight effective July 1, 2024 (p. 596 ↗)

Amounts: $1,274,353 · $874,433 · $284,420 · $115,500 · $1,149,347 · $817,997 · Programs: Hearings Office · Land use adjudication · Code enforcement hearings · Vehicle tow appeals · Administrative appeals · Parties: Office of the City Auditor · City Auditor · City Council · City of Portland

Hearings Office

Source: PDF pp. 595-596 ↗ · raw: 595 · 596

Breadcrumb: Service Area Summaries > Office of the City Auditor > Office of the City Auditor. > Hearings Office

City of Portland Fiscal Year 2026-27 Proposed Budget Office of the City Auditor > Office of the City Auditor > Hearings Office Hearings Office Budget Revenues by Fund 2023-24 Actuals 2024-25 Actuals 2025-26 Revised Budget 2026-27 Proposed External Revenues $526 $0 $0 $0 General Fund $526 $0 $0 $0 Internal Revenues $951,283 $775,700 $1,149,347 $1,274,353 General Fund $951,283 $775,700 $1,149,347 $1,274,353 Grand Total $951,809 $775,700 $1,149,347 $1,274,353 Program Expenses by Major Object Program expenses only include personnel, internal materials and services, external materials and services, and capital. 2023-24 Actuals 2024-25 Actuals 2025-26 Revised Budget 2026-27 Proposed External Materials and $82,187 $134,614 $126,154 $115,500 Services Internal Materials and $223,155 $214,918 $215,821 $284,420 Services Personnel $695,599 $810,814 $817,997 $874,433 Grand Total $1,000,942 $1,160,346 $1,159,972 $1,274,353 Program Description and Goals Pursuant to City Code, City Council delegates its quasi-judicial authority in the Charter by the establishment of a centralized Hearings Office. The Hearings Office conducts impartial hearings and renders decisions on land use, Code enforcement, and appeals of the City's actions, including vehicle tows and other administrative matters. The Hearings Office is located within the Auditor's Office and acts under the Auditor's independent authority with the consent of the Auditor. The placement of the Hearings Office within the Auditor's Office reinforces its impartiality and adds value for both the public and the City through increased transparency and accountability. Services 595

City of Portland Fiscal Year 2026-27 Proposed Budget The Hearings Office provides fast, fair, and impartial adjudication of City Code violations, tow appeals and land use cases; reduces the need for matters to be litigated in court or the public realm; improves trust in government by providing an impartial venue for dispute resolution by an independent Hearings Officer; allows members of the public to examine the evidence supporting the City's action; and issues written decisions based on the facts and the law. Equity Impacts At its most fundamental, decisions the City makes should be grounded in transparency and accountability. The demystification of the decision-making process increases the legitimacy of the City as a government institution and builds trust with systemically excluded communities. A variety of initiatives also promote equity and accessibility of the Office's services. The Hearings Office does not charge the public any fees and seeks to remove barriers to meaningful participation wherever possible. These efforts include the remote hearing participation option. Likewise, the utilization of a fully electronic case management system allows parties to request a hearing, upload evidence, and view the file's contents remotely with an internet connection at any time even when the City is closed for business. Other Office initiatives include using plain language to communicate decisions to participants. Changes to Program Effective July 1, 2020, the former City Auditor withdrew consent to continue providing support to the Hearings Office due to inadequate and inappropriate funding. Effective July 1, 2024, the current City Auditor agreed to take back the Hearings Office as part of the City's transition to a new form of government after City Council ensured an adequate budget to fulfill the Office's essential duties. 596

Parent: Office of the City Auditor. · PDF: pp. 595-596 ↗