Moving

Moving with Continued Housing Assistance

One of the great advantages of the Housing Choice Voucher is that it enables you to move to another housing unit and continue to receive assistance. There are two types of moves in the voucher program:

• Mandatory Move - A mandatory move is when you are required to move to another unit because your landlord fails to make the repairs required under the Federal Housing Quality Standards or the landlord has violated some other program requirements.

• Voluntary Move - A voluntary move is when you choose to move to another unit. It is the policy of The Opelika Housing Authority that voluntary moves can only occur one time each year and only at the time of your annual recertification.

Regardless of which type of move, you are required to attend a Program Move briefing before we issue you a new voucher to start your search for a new unit.

• New Requirements - The Housing Choice Voucher Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The federal government has changed many of the regulations and the Housing Authority has changed many of its policies for the voucher program.

A great feature of the Housing Choice Voucher Program is that families may choose from a broad variety of housing types and locations. This is important because where you live can also affect your access to job opportunities, transportation, medical care, training programs and schools, shopping, and community services. Think about where you want to live and make an informed choice when you select your next home.

Port-Out Instructions

If a family is interested in porting their voucher to another jurisdiction, they must submit their request for portability in writing at the time of their annual re-certification. When a family requests portability, the location where they intend to port must be identified in the request and a 30 day notice to vacate will need to be submitted. Opelika Housing Authority will contact the receiving PHA in that jurisdiction and advise them of the family’s intent and to determine if the receiving PHA is administering or absorbing portable vouchers. Once response is received, Opelika Housing Authority will determine if the portable voucher will be issued. Portability will only be approved if the receiving PHA is absorbing the portable voucher or if the payment standard is less than the payment standard of Opelika Housing Authority for the voucher size. If the portability is approved, a voucher and corresponding portability documents will be issued to the family. The family’s portability packet will then be sent to the receiving PHA. The family is responsible for contacting the receiving PHA regarding their portability once paperwork has been sent. The family must comply with the receiving PHA’s procedures for portability. Please use voucher time wisely and be aware of the expiration date.

Applicants must reside within the jurisdiction of Opelika Housing Authority for a period of one year prior to exercising portability options.

Opelika Housing Authority will not permit families to exercise portability if there exists ground to deny a move because of the family’s action or failure to act including violations of family obligations under their Housing Choice Voucher; the family owes money to Opelika Housing Authority; or the family has vacated the assisted unit in violation of the lease agreement.