Effective March 17, Portability activity for both incoming and outgoing processing
is suspended until further notice during the current public health crisis.
Portability is the term used to
describe Section 8 participants who move into or out of the Oakland Housing Authority jurisdiction using their
Housing Choice Voucher (HCV). If, after one year, a resident would like to move to or
from Oakland using their HCV, they may do so provided they identify
another Housing Authority (anywhere in the United States) that will accept
their voucher and will agree to the terms set forth by the OHA contract.
OHA Portability Policy Change
Effective July 1, 2015, the Oakland Housing Authority will no longer process outgoing portability to Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Santa Clara and Solano Counties. Click for a list of all cities within these counties.
Porting into Oakland
Follow these directions to initiate the Port-In process:
- Contact your current/Initial Housing Authority to determine if you are eligible to port or transfer.
- Request that your
Initial Housing Authority prepare your portability packet.
- Confirm with the Initial Housing Authority if your packet may be
hand delivered or if it must be mailed to OHA. Your sealed packet must be
delivered (either by mail or in person, if permitted) to:
Oakland Housing Authority
Section 8 Portability
1540 Webster Street
Oakland, CA 94612
- NOTE: OHA does not accept faxed
portability packets at this time.
- Call (510)587-2100 to find out
if we have received your packet.
- Make an appointment with OHA's
portability Rep after your packet has been received (or when you deliver
it to us). Call (510)578-2100 to make a portability appointment.
Give OHA all the necessary
paperwork: If any of the following items are missing from your portability
packet you may be asked to provide them to OHA before we can complete
your
transfer:
- Valid, government-issued
identification (i.e. driver's license)
- Birth Certificates for everyone in
your household
- Social Security cards for everyone
in your household
- Income verification for everyone in
your household
- A copy of the 30-day notice you gave
your landlord (if you were renting through Section 8 with another Housing
Authority)
Remember you have an obligation to
provide all necessary paperwork to the Oakland Housing Authority. Learn more about your Participant
Obligations.
NOTE: If you are a new Section 8 tenant (this is your first Voucher) your income must be below OHA's Income Limits. Housing Authorities often
have different Income Limits, Payment Standards and Subsidy Standards (the
number of bedrooms you qualify for). Always verify this information when you
move to a new Housing Authority.
Porting Out of Oakland
Below are instructions for how
to initiate the Porting process to a jurisdiction outside of Oakland using your HCV
Current
Section 8 Participants:
- Make sure you are eligible to port
out of Oakland. Look at your Voucher, if it says "Ineligible to
Port" you cannot move outside of Oakland until the end of your first year.
- Contact your Housing Representative to
let him/her know you want to port out of Oakland. If you do not know who your
Representative is, please call (510)587-2100 to find out.
- Fill out the Request for
Portability form and give it to your Representative. Your
Representative will use this form to prepare your portability packet.
- Your portability packet will be
ready in approximately 20 business days.
- Transfer your paperwork: We
will notify you when your portability packet it ready for pick up for mail or hand
delivery. If you plan to hand deliver it, check with your
Receiving Housing Authority first to find out if they accept
hand-delivered packets and make sure you do not open your packet
before giving it to them.
NOTE: Housing Authorities often
have different Income Limits, Payment Standards and Subsidy Standards (the
number of bedrooms you qualify for). Always verify this information when you
move to a new Housing Authority.