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Portability

Under the Housing Choice Voucher Program

One of the features of the HCVP is that your assistance "moves" with you. You may be able to use your assistance to move anywhere in the United States. The HUD term for the ability to move outside the current Housing Agency's jurisdiction with Rental Assistance is Portability. with the approval of your HA. In some jurisdictions you may request Portability if you are a new participant in the HCV Program. Those new voucher holders not living in the jurisdiction of the Housing Authority at the time the family applied for housing assistance must initially lease a unit within that jurisdiction for the first 12 months of assistance.

You must supply your HA with the name, address, telephone number and fax number of the Authority where you are requesting to move. We will notify the receiving Authority that you wish to relocate into their jurisdiction.

Restrictions on Portability

The participant family may not use Portability:

If the participant family is in violation of a family obligation.
If the participant family owes money to any Housing Authority.
If the participant family has moved within the last 12 months.
If the receiving Authority is not "absorbing" and the initial Authority has insufficient funds due to a higher cost area.

The participant family must request Portability in writing at least IO days prior to the move. A request for Portability does not take the place of a written thirty (30) day notice.All adult family members must attend a briefing session with the HA Representative to have Portability procedures explained to them.

Facts About Portability You Should Know

• The HA where you want to move may have different rules, policies and deadlines.
• There may be a different Payment Standard in the new jurisdiction.
• There may be different utility allowances that will affect the amount you pay for rent.
• A different size Voucher may be issued to you.
• You are not automatically eligible for an extension of the Voucher expiration date because you have elected to utilize the port feature.
• Portability to another jurisdiction may be allowed in order to protect the health or safety of an individual who is or has been the victim of domestic violence and who reasonably believes that they will imminently be threatened with further violence if they remain in the unit.

You are encouraged to seek housing in low-poverty concentration areas, see advantages below:

• Research has shown that moving to areas of low-poverty concentration has strong positive physical and mental health effects.
• Research has also shown that those families who lived in low-poverty neighborhoods for
a longer period had an increased likelihood of finding employment and having higher incomes, and their children also had higher scores in school and were more likely to enroll in college.

An applicant family is subject to the low income limits of the receiving Housing Authority.

Currently, Housing Authority of Florence, Cheraw, and Marlboro are absorbing incoming ports.