Except as described below, a participant family or an applicant family that has been issued a voucher has the right to use tenant-based voucher assistance to lease a unit anywhere in the United States, provided the unit is located within the jurisdiction of a local housing authority administering a tenant-based voucher program. The process by which a family obtains a voucher from one housing authority and uses it to lease a unit in the jurisdiction of another housing authority is known as portability.

Porting Out (Applicants selected for a Voucher from HACA's Wait List)

If neither the head of household nor the spouse/cohead of an applicant family had a legal residence in HACA’s jurisdiction at the time the family’s application for assistance was submitted, the family must live in HACA’s jurisdiction with voucher assistance for at least 12 months before requesting portability.

HACA will consider exceptions to this policy for purposes of reasonable accommodation or for families who are otherwise in compliance with program obligations but have moved to protect the health or safety of an individual who is or has been a victim of domestic violence, dating violence or stalking, and who reasonably believed he or she was imminently threatened by harm from further violence if they remained in the unit. However, any exception to this policy is subject to the approval of the receiving housing authority.

When a qualifying family requests portability, HACA mails or faxes the necessary documents to the Housing Authority that serves the area to which the family wishes to move. 

Porting Out (HACA Participants)

Typically, a participating family that wishes to port to another jurisdiction must be in compliance with program regulations; in good standing with the terms of its lease with their landlord; and give at least 30 days written notice to the landlord of its intent to vacate.  However, other conditions may apply.  See "Moving".

HACA recommends a 60 day written notice to the landlord when a participant has not yet located a suitable rental in the new area.

When a qualifying family requests portability, HACA updates its eligibility information and mails or faxes the necessary eligibility documents to the Housing Authority that serves the area to which the family wishes to move.

Porting In (Applicants selected for a Voucher from other Housing Authorities)

A qualifying applicant family that has been issued a Voucher from another Housing Authority may request portability to HACA.  If the originating Housing Authority approves the request, it mails or faxes the necessary eligibility documents to HACA.  The family then contacts HACA and registers for a group portability orientation session.  At the end of the orientation, an appointment is made for the family to establish whether it is income eligible in HACA’s jurisdiction.  Once the family is determined to be eligible, it will be given the appropriate documents to look for a unit and start the leasing process.  For more information, read our Portability Information flyer in English, Farsi, Spanish or Vietnamese.

Porting In (Participants from other Housing Authorities)

A participating family that wishes to port to HACA must contact its originating Housing Authority to request portability.  If the originating Housing Authority approves the request, it updates the family's eligibility information and mails or faxes the necessary eligibility documents to HACA.  The family then contacts HACA and registers for a group portability orientation session.  At the end of the orientation, an appointment is made for the family so HACA can process it into the HACA program and give it the appropriate documents to look for a unit and start the leasing process.  For more information, read our Portability Inforamtion flyer in English, Farsi, Spanish or Vietnamese.