PDX 311 improves access to local government within Multnomah County by providing a single point of contact – in person, online or over the phone to find information, report issues, or request services. The vision for PDX 311 is to enable community members to easily and effectively access local government information and services, regardless of language, ability, or resources. Achieving that vision starts with community members’ awareness of the 311 program.

Beginning in late summer of 2022, PDX 311 launched a marketing campaign to increase community members’ awareness of, and knowledge about, the 311 program. Measuring community members’ awareness of 311 helps to track the effectiveness of this campaign and develop strategies for reaching a larger number of Portlanders.

In 2022, nearly half of Portlanders reported that they were aware of PDX 311. The 311 program started as a pilot program in 2020 and was formally launched in 2022. The program conducted very limited marketing before its formal launch.

The Portland Insights Survey collected this information and it was conducted shortly after the formal launch of the 311 program in 2022. The survey findings indicate that the community has a higher-than-expected level of awareness about the 311 program given the relative lack of marketing about it before the survey was launched. The findings will serve as a near-baseline for community awareness of 311 after its formal start. This near-baseline will be compared with future survey results to establish trends in community awareness.

The Portland Insights Survey, a citywide survey conducted by the City Budget Office and Portland State University’s Population Research Center every two years, is the source ofprovides this data. Survey feedback is shared with City leadership to inform budget development and policymaking.

The survey question, which asked, “Portland has a 311 non-emergency phone number for reporting issues, requesting services, or requesting information about City or County programs and services. Before today, had you heard about 311?” There were offered three possible answers: "Yes, and I have called it", "Yes, but I have not called it", and "No". This measure is the sum of the percentage of all respondents who answered "Yes, and I have called it" or "Yes, but I have not called it."

Additional information about PDX 311 can be found on the PDX 311 webpage.

Insights Survey results can be found on the Portland Insights Reports webpage. Survey methodology and data disaggregated by demographic information (e.g. race/ethnicity, geography, age, income, etc.) can be found in the full report.

Survey comments and focus group discussions were analyzed in a follow-up 2023 Insights qualitative report. It provided insights into the reasons for residents’ satisfaction or dissatisfaction with Portland as a place to live.

Visit the website for Portland State University’s Population Research Center for more information on their work.