HUD HCV Guidebook § 4.3
Selecting and Contacting the Receiving website. (HUD HCV Guidebook)
Operative Text
PHA • Contacting a receiving PHA
and/or local PIH field office
After the family informs the initial PHA that they wish to
exercise portability and of the area to which the family wishes in the area.
to move, the receiving PHA is selected. If more than one PHA
administers a voucher program in the area to which the family
is moving, the family selects the receiving PHA.45 The initial PHA must46 provide the family with the contact
information for all of the receiving PHAs that serve the area.47 The initial PHA may, but is not required to,
provide more details about the receiving PHAs (such as whether the receiving PHA administers an FSS or a
homeownership program).
If the family requests it, the initial PHA must select the receiving PHA.48 If the initial PHA is selecting the
receiving PHA per the family’s request, the initial PHA is not required to provide the contact information for all
receiving PHAs in the area.
Note: The PHA in the area the family selects must49 have a tenant-based voucher program. Some PHAs only
administer public housing or other project-based programs.
Once the receiving PHA is selected, the initial PHA must 50 contact the receiving PHA to determine whether the
receiving PHA will bill or absorb the family’s voucher. It is the responsibility of the initial PHA, not the family, to
contact the receiving PHA to determine whether the receiving PHA will bill or absorb. This information may be
critical in determining whether the initial PHA approves or denies the portability request. See Section 3 for
more information on denying family moves.Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 4.3, when a voucher-holding family decides to move to a new area using portability, a receiving Public Housing Authority (PHA) must be identified to administer the voucher in that area. If multiple PHAs serve the destination area, the family generally chooses which one to work with, though the family may also ask the initial PHA to make that selection. Once a receiving PHA is chosen, it is the initial PHA's responsibility — not the family's — to contact the receiving PHA to determine whether the voucher will be billed back or absorbed, a distinction that can affect whether the portability move is approved.
Plain English — not legal advice.
HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 4.3 governs the PHA-to-PHA coordination process during a portability move, and landlords participating in the Housing Choice Voucher program should be aware that this process occurs between housing agencies before a family finalizes a new unit. Compliant PHAs ensure that contact information for all receiving PHAs in the destination area is provided to the family, and that the initial PHA — not the tenant — initiates outreach to the receiving PHA to resolve billing or absorption status. Understanding this process helps landlords anticipate potential administrative timelines when a voucher holder is transferring from another jurisdiction.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 4.3, voucher holders exercising portability have the right to receive contact information for all PHAs serving their intended destination area, and may also request that their initial PHA select the receiving PHA on their behalf. Importantly, the burden of contacting the receiving PHA to work out billing arrangements falls on the initial PHA, not on the family. Tenants who encounter obstacles in the portability process — such as delays in receiving PHA contact information — may consider reaching out to their local HUD Public and Indian Housing (PIH) field office or a tenant-rights organization for general guidance.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 26, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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