The first thing Dominick Guzzo noticed about San Francisco was the noise.

Six years ago, he moved to the city and found housing in the Mission. But the din of his new neighborhood was so overwhelming that he considered moving back to his hometown in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Car alarms from the nearby Zipcar parking lot kept him up at night. So did drunken brawls on the street below, the neighbors’ shouting, police sirens, fire engines, construction and traffic.

“There’s only so much you can do when there is outside noise,” Guzzo said. “It’s a constant struggle. You have to expect to never have a quiet night.”

With urban life comes noise — to an extent, the din is unavoidable. But for those who expect the city to help when the decibel level becomes intolerable, trying to find a solution can be as frustrating as the sound of that jackhammer that won’t quit.

The clamor for help is growing as San Francisco is changing. Last year, the Bay Area was named in “Measuring Sprawl 2014,” a national survey, as the second-densest metropolitan area in the country behind New York City. Cranes and jackhammers are carving housing and office buildings into already crammed blocks, and thousands of new apartments dot the city.

“Because of how the city is changing, there is more use of mixed areas,” said Jonathan Piakis, noise control officer of the environmental health branch of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. “It’s great for the city and great for the people who live here, but it also brings them closer to the noise situations they didn’t have in the past.”

Complaints pile up

Thousands of noise complaint calls are funneled every week through 311, a telephone line for nonemergency services. A half-dozen government agencies then respond to the different types of sound. But the categories of noise complaints and their corresponding agencies can be confusing. Issues with offenders that don’t violate a noise ordinance also likely won’t be placed high on the response list.

“Unfortunately, the individual doesn’t have much power if the other party has the right noise permit,” said Lily Madjus, spokeswoman for the Department of Building Inspection. “For example, when we give night construction permits, we aren’t giving them just to give them. People need to be mindful of that.”

Last year, the Police Department fielded 28,213 noise-related calls. Of those, 97 percent were classified as “low priority.” The city was unable to provide the number of noise complaints called into 311 in the last year.

City officials consider “loud noise” as anything more than 70 decibels — the equivalent of having to shout to be heard. The noisiest areas of San Francisco are clustered along Interstate 280, Market Street and other arterial roads.

“Sound is a complicated issue,” said Jocelyn Kane, executive director of the Entertainment Commission. “I use the word ‘sound’ on purpose. Some person’s noise is another person’s music and vice versa. People get frustrated and want the person on the other end of the phone to immediately fix the problem. That is an expectation that needs to change. The more dense this city gets, the louder it’s going to get.”

Guzzo said it’s why he won’t file a complaint.

“I just tend to live with my noise issues,” he said. “I’ve thought about writing a noise complaint, but I’m just worried about dealing with the bureaucracy.”

Complaints regarding construction, mechanized equipment — like air conditioners — buses and entertainment must go through specific agencies to be addressed.

But for officers to cite an individual for a noise complaint — say, a street performer for loud music — the complaining party would have to sign a citizen’s arrest form stating that he or she wishes to press charges. It’s why so few people follow through, said police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza.

“People don’t want to do that,” he said. “They just want the noise to be abated. There are a lot of people that call about noise, and we try to respond as soon as possible, but the calls are prioritized. The best thing to do is to know your neighbors.”

Yaniv Newman, an attorney who works on the 12th floor of an office building near Montgomery and Market, said it’s a frustrating system. For months, he has complained to police about street performers near his office. The clatter of drums can be heard in the background during his conference calls, and he says he has to wear ear plugs to block out the street music.

“It got to the point where they were setting up at 8 a.m. in the morning and playing until 3 or 4 in the afternoon,” Newman said. “It was really brutal. I’m on the 12th floor, and it sounds like it is in my office.”

Newman still hasn’t found a resolution, despite calling in multiple noise complaints.

“I thought (the police) were going to help and do something,” he said. “But it sounds like it’s just something you have to deal with.”

Resolving conflicts

Any unreasonable noise is subject to enforcement, Esparza said, but the police rely more on conflict resolution to solve issues between two parties than intervention.

Community Boards, a nonprofit dispute resolution center, is a popular conduit. There, people can discuss their noise issues with a certified mediator for $40.

“Trying to go through third parties and issue streams of complaints to make something happen can deteriorate the relationship, or it might make something worse,” said program director Cordell Wesselink. “If people can talk through things and figure it out, it’s more lasting.”

Plus, he said, in a city this great, no one wants to move. It’s better to ameliorate the issues than continue complaining.

“We are all living close together and rent is high, so people don’t necessarily want to move,” Wesselink said. “You have to figure out how to deal with each other in a city where it’s hard to both move and remove yourself from the situation. It’s a loud place. Let’s not make it louder with complaints.”

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @lizziejohnsonnn

Noise complaints

A half-dozen government agencies handle noise complaints in San Francisco.

The Planning Department regulates businesses — including markets, restaurants, bars, shops and auto services — for noise conflicts because of delivery vehicles, ventilation or refrigeration equipment, powered machines and tools, and musical equipment.

The Department of Building Inspection handles construction, particularly when it occurs during evening and morning hours. The city requires permits for construction before 7 a.m. or after 8 p.m. It also enforces indoor noise standards in residences.

The Department of Public Works manages complaints about construction on public streets and right of ways.

The Department of Public Health responds to complaints, monitors noise from mechanical equipment and takes enforcement action if noise levels exceed legal limits. It also handles noises made by garbage and recycling trucks.

The Entertainment Commission handles concerts and outdoor and indoor performances.

The San Francisco Police Department handles noise complaints for street performers and noise disputes between individuals.

— Lizzie Johnson