Filing a Complaint
An investigation may be initiated by submitting a written complaint, calling Code Enforcement, or through e-mail. The preferred method is by email for easy communication, or print out the
Code Enforcement Complaint Form and mail or fax it to the address or fax number listed below. Regardless of the method used, all complaints must contain the information listed below.
Written Complaint
Citizens may submit a letter of complaint or a completed
Complaint Form to Code Enforcement at the following address:
Regular Mail
Marion County Code Enforcement
PO Box 14500
Salem OR 97309
Hand-Delivered
Marion County Code Enforcement
Sheriff's Office, basement floor, Marion County Courthouse
100 High St. NE, Salem
Fax: A written complaint can be faxed to (503) 589-3259.
E-Mail: Submit an email complaint to CodeEnforcement@co.marion.or.us
Phone Calls: Citizens may file a complaint by calling Code Enforcement at (503) 373-4333. Please be advised Code Enforcement staff are out in the field conducting investigations a substantial part of each day and may be difficult to contact. However, they are usually available in the morning, from 8:00 to 9:30, and have voicemail for messages.
Please note Marion County Code Enforcement does not handle complaints regarding property or situations inside any city. You will need to contact the city where the property is located to file a complaint. Links to the City of Salem Compliance Services, City of Keizer website and others can be found on our
Links and Brochures page.
Required Information
- Your name, address (include zip code), daytime phone number, and e-mail address (if available).
- Nature of complaint – describe the complaint such as type of garbage being collected, type of potentially illegal home business, dangerous building, excessive noise, etc.
- Name of property owner or resident (if known).
- Length of time of violation (if known).
- Whether or not you would like to be kept informed of the investigation.
You may be contacted by an Enforcement Officer if additional information is required.
Anonymous Complaints and Confidentiality Policy
Code Enforcement does not accept anonymous complaints. The County believes that anonymous complaints are not as reliable as those made by citizens who are willing to identify themselves. However, information about complainants is kept confidential unless the official enforcement file is subpoenaed as part of a legal proceeding.
Complainant Confidentiality Policy
The County's enforcement-related confidentiality policy is based on State of Oregon public records' statutes. Enforcement records are public records but the name of complainant is exempt from disclosure. The exemption is entitled: "information submitted to a public body in confidence." As such, any record that identifies a complainant is exempt from disclosure. However, notes in a file or a complaint letter that does not specifically identify the complainant may be disclosed.
The County will disclose the complainant's name if that person is going to be a witness in an enforcement case - the "right of cross examination" requires this provision.
Timeline
Complaints are usually handled in the order received. It may take up to two weeks before an investigation is conducted, depending on the number of complaints currently on file. Safety issues take precedence over other complaints and are investigated as soon as possible. Resolving a violation may take up to 90 - 120 days, depending on the nature of the violation and voluntary action of the violator.
Follow up with Complainants
After the initial field investigation, the Enforcement Officer assigned to this case will contact the complainant, if requested, and inform him/her of the results of the investigation and timeline for resolution of the violation(s).
Please refer to the Enforcement Process – What Happens and When page for information about how complaints are handled.
