HUD HCV Guidebook § 4.1

At the initial voucher briefing, the PHA must31 provide families with information about where a family may
lease a unit, including information about portability, and must32 not discourage families from living anywhere
inside or outside of the PHA's jurisdiction unless otherwise expressly authorized by statute, regulation, PIH
Notice, or court order.
PHAs must33 provide an explanation of how portability works as part of both the oral briefing and the briefing
packet to all families, not just to those families who are eligible to move under portability. Also, PHAs must 34
explain to families who elect to move under portability how differences in the receiving PHA’s policies may
affect the family’s assistance through screening criteria, subsidy standards, payment standards and any other
elements of the portability process which may affect the family’s assistance. 35 For example, the receiving PHA

30
   PIH Notice 2016-09(7)(e)
31
   24 CFR § 982.301(a)(2); PIH Notice 2016-09(4)(a)
32
   24 CFR § 982.301(a)(2) and (b)(4)
33
   24 CFR § 982.301(a)(2) and (b)(4)
34
   PIH Notice 2016-09(4)(a)
35
   PIH Notice 2016-09(4)(a)

Moves and Portability                                                                                        10

might have more stringent policies related to screening for criminal backgrounds which may impact the
family’s assistance.36
PHAs are generally not required to research and provide families with specific receiving PHA policies. Instead,
the requirement is for initial PHAs to make the family aware that the receiving PHA’s policies may be different
and how that may impact the family’s assistance. Appendix B of PIH Notice 2016-09 provides a sample “How
Portability Works” handout.
PHAs may also want to communicate the possible advantages and some of the other challenges of portability,
such as:
        •   Portability provides flexibility for those who need to relocate with assistance to follow job
            opportunities, select the best school districts, or be near family members or child care providers.
            In this way, portability allows a family with housing subsidies the same choices available to others
            in their community.
        •   Families may also need to consider some of the possible difficulties they could encounter moving
            to a new location. A family who has vacated one unit before locating a new one could find a tight
            housing market with few available units and may end up with no assistance if the term of the
            portable voucher expires before the family locates a new home.