24 C.F.R. § 982.353

(a) Assistance in the initial PHA jurisdiction. The family may receive tenant-based assistance to lease a unit located anywhere in the jurisdiction (as determined by State and local law) of the initial PHA. HUD may nevertheless restrict the family's right to lease such a unit anywhere in such jurisdiction if HUD determines that limitations on a family's opportunity to select among available units in that jurisdiction are appropriate to achieve desegregation goals in accordance with obligations generated by a court order or consent decree.

(b) Portability: Assistance outside the initial PHA jurisdiction. Subject to paragraph (c) of this section, and to § 982.552 and § 982.553, a voucher-holder or participant family has the right to receive tenant-based voucher assistance, in accordance with requirements of this part, to lease a unit outside the initial PHA jurisdiction, anywhere in the United States, in the jurisdiction of a PHA with a tenant-based program under this part. The initial PHA must not provide such portable assistance for a participant if the family has moved out of the assisted unit in violation of the lease except as provided for in this subsection. If the family moves out in violation of the lease in order to protect the health or safety of a person who is or has been the victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking and who reasonably believes him- or herself to be threatened with imminent harm from further violence by remaining in the dwelling unit (or any family member has been the victim of a sexual assault that occurred on the premises during the 90-calendar-day period preceding the family's move or request to move), and has otherwise complied with all other obligations under the Section 8 program, the family may receive a voucher from the initial PHA and move to another jurisdiction under the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

(c) Nonresident applicants. (1) This paragraph (c) applies if neither the household head nor spouse of an assisted family already had a “domicile” (legal residence) in the jurisdiction of the initial PHA at the time when the family first submitted an application for participation in the program to the initial PHA.

(2) The following apply during the 12 month period from the time when a family described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section is admitted to the program:

(i) The family may lease a unit anywhere in the jurisdiction of the initial PHA;

(ii) The family does not have any right to portability;

(iii) The initial PHA may choose to allow portability during this period.

(3) If the initial PHA approves, the family may lease a unit outside the PHA jurisdiction under portability procedures.

(4) Paragraph (c) of this section does not apply when the family or a member of the family is or has been the victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, as provided in 24 CFR part 5, subpart L (Protection for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking), and the move is needed to protect the health or safety of the family or family member, or any family member who has been the victim of a sexual assault that occurred on the premises during the 90-calendar-day period preceding the family's request to move.

(d) Income eligibility. (1) For admission to the program, a family must be income eligible in the area where the family initially leases a unit with assistance under the program.

(2) If a family is a participant in the initial PHA's voucher program, income eligibility is not redetermined when the family moves to the receiving PHA program under portability procedures.

(e) Freedom of choice. The PHA may not directly or indirectly reduce the family's opportunity to select among available units, except as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, or elsewhere in this part 982 (e.g., prohibition on the use of ineligible housing, housing not meeting HQS, or housing for which the rent to owner exceeds a reasonable rent). However, the PHA must provide families the information required in § 982.301 for both the oral briefing and the information packet to ensure that they have the information they need to make an informed decision on their housing choice.