ASTR permits in Portland, OR

[Mariam364]

Hello all, have been using my ADU as airbnb for four years, last year I struggled to make sense of complicated and onerous renewal process which included typos of my address and requirement of (re)submitting copies of original paper neighborhood letters from four years ago and undisclosed exorbitant late fees. Anyone have any suggestions for quality help/service with  the city? Do I have to restart the whole process/permitting - ugh! Wish I could just go talk to someone and sort it out in person. 

[Helen3]

Have you tried asking for help on your local host group on Facebook @Mariam364 

[Elisa]

Hi @Mariam364 😊, 

I’m sorry you’re going through this situation.

Where are you hosting from?

Have you had a chance to check the local host clubs, as Helen suggested?

I’m sharing the link here ‌👉‌ Local Host Clubs.

[Mariam364]

Hi @Elisa, there is no local club it seems here in Portland. I have reached out to Facebook groups but have not been added yet. Unfortunately, dealing with the city of Portland has been a huge stress and expense operating an Airbnb.

[Elisa]

Hi @Mariam364 😊,

Thank you for letting me know!

I’m tagging other hosts from Portland to see what advice they can share with you, or feel free to message them: @Melissa280, @Dean913, @Stephen1697, @Adinah1, @Stephen1697, @Tawny16.

Thank you in advance!

[Tawny16]

Hi Mariam- I've been hosting in Portland for 6 years. Yes, the city can be difficult to deal with-during Covid it took them nearly 2 years to complete the renewal of my permit. They seem to have added more people to the department now- while the application can be daunting, the renewal isn't that bad. You can use the same neighborhood letters from the original request/same information. However it sounds like they messed up some of your original details so that must be frustrating. I'm sure you have this info but copying the city email and phone number here so you can reach out to them to help. Good luck!   Tawny       If you need additional support getting into compliance with these requirements, please reach out to www.portland.gov/astr, email **, or call **.

**[Contact details hidden for privacy reasons in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Tawny16]

Not sure why it won't allow me to post an email address here. But the city email for STRs is ppdaccessoryshorttermrental - at- portlandoregon  dot gov. All one word without dashes.

[Emilie]

@Tawny16 Thank you for sharing the link to this page, it looks like a really useful resource! For privacy reasons and as per our guidelines, we do not allow contact details to be shared on here, which is why the email address you shared was hidden. I can see that both email address and phone number for the department are on the government page you linked to though so hosts will have access to the information regardless 🙂

@Mariam364 Could you keep us updated on your progress please? I'd love to know once everything is resolved, hopefully soon!

[Mariam364]

Thanks, Tawny! I want to be in compliance, but have had a hard time communicating (I've left a voicemail and now will try email, again. I've even written our city councilor member, Olivia Clark that oversees this department and haven't heard back. I think I spend more time worrying about it than actually trying over and over but I am very busy during typical work hours. I appreciate your timely, direct and specific advice. 🙂

[Madison277]

Mariam, I'm sorry you have to cope with that. Making direct contact with your city's planning or permitting office may be beneficial; occasionally speaking with someone face-to-face or over the phone can settle matters more amicably than exchanging paperwork.

[Mariam364]

Thanks, Madison! Other than leaving a voicemail (which I've done) Do you have any contacts or info on how can I speak with them on the phone or face to face?

[Emilie]

@Mariam364 I'll mention @Madison277 here for you so they get a notification of your question and can hopefully come back to share more advice if they have any 🙂

@Madison277 Have you had to deal with a similar situation before?

[Madison277]

Yes @Emilie , I’ve dealt with a similar situation before, happy to share my experience if it helps.

[Emilie]

Thanks @Madison277! What would be your suggestion for Mariam to find a way to speak with them on the phone or face to face?

[Madison277]

@Emilie Sending them a private message first to find out whether they feel comfortable providing contact information might be the best course of action. After then, if it's convenient for both of you, you may schedule a phone call or even a face-to-face meeting.