The Citizens Service Bureau opened in 1965 as a central location in City Hall where citizens could obtain information, request City services and resolve complaints about City policies, procedures and service delivery. The Bureau was part of the Executive Department from its creation until it moved to the newly-formed Department of Neighborhoods in 1991. In 2007 the name was changed to Customer Service Bureau.

Records of the Director (later, Manager) of the Citizens Service Bureau, include subject files, photographs and reports. Topics include hate crimes, preparations for the Seattle WTO conference in 1999 and logs of telephone complaints received during and after the conference. Also included are records of the Interdepartmental Enforcement Alliance Team and Neighborhood Action Team which helped communities with cross-jurisdictional problems involving law enforcement, public health or safety.