HUD HCV Guidebook § 4.4
Voucher Issuance and Informing the Family How to Contact the Receiving (HUD HCV Guidebook)
Operative Text
PHA Once the portability request is approved, the initial PHA issues the family a voucher.51 And, once the receiving PHA has been selected the initial PHA also advises the family how to contact and request assistance from the 43 24 CFR § 982.4 44 24 CFR § 982.353(d)(2) 45 24 CFR § 982.355(b); PIH Notice 2016-09(9)(c) 46 24 CFR § 982.355(b); PIH Notice 2016-09(9)(c) 47 24 CFR § 982.355(c)(3) 48 24 CFR § 982.355(b); PIH Notice 2016-09(9)(c) 49 PIH Notice 2016-09(9)(c) 50 24 CFR § 982.355(c)(5) 51 PIH Notice 2016-09(9)(e) Moves and Portability 12 receiving PHA. The initial PHA may do so by providing the family with the name, telephone number, and email of the receiving PHA’s staff responsible for working with incoming portability families and any procedures related to appointments for voucher issuance the receiving PHA has shared with the initial PHA. Simply referring the family to HUD or to a website for information on the receiving PHA does not fulfill the responsibilities of the initial PHA. Initial PHAs may fulfill this requirement by providing this information to families during the process of selecting the receiving PHA as described in Section 4.3.
Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 4.4, once a portability request is approved, the initial Public Housing Authority (PHA) must issue the family a voucher and provide them with specific, direct contact information for the receiving PHA. This includes the name, phone number, and email of the receiving PHA staff who handle incoming portability families, as well as any appointment procedures. Merely directing the family to HUD or a general website is explicitly insufficient to meet this obligation.
Plain English — not legal advice.
HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 4.4 primarily governs the responsibilities of Public Housing Authorities rather than private landlords, but property owners who accept Housing Choice Vouchers benefit from understanding this process. When a voucher-holding family is porting into a new jurisdiction, the receiving PHA should have already been provided direct contact information by the initial PHA, meaning the family arrives with a clear point of contact. Operators working with incoming portability families can expect that a properly informed family will have specific staff contacts at the receiving PHA, which can help facilitate smoother voucher processing and lease-up.
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 § 4.4, families exercising portability have the right to receive direct, specific contact information for the receiving PHA — not just a referral to a website or to HUD — from their initial PHA. If a family believes their initial PHA has not fulfilled this obligation, they may raise this concern directly with the initial PHA, file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization for guidance. Families may also find it helpful to review the receiving PHA selection process described in Section 4.3 of the same guidebook.
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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