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.
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.
- Portability packets are accepted via:
Encrypted email to LHEligibility@oakha.org
Fax: 510-587-2169
Mail: Oakland Housing Authority
ATTN: Initial Eligibility, Portability 1540 Webster St Oakland CA 94612
Call (510)587-2100 to find out
if we have received your packet.
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.
- OHA no longer processes outgoing portability to Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Santa Clara and Solano Counties unless that Housing Authority is absorbing. Click for a list
of all cities within these counties (use the same link as that’s in the green box above). It is your responsibility to contact the Housing Authority in which you are interested in porting to, to inquire if they are absorbing.
- If you are chosen Housing Authority is absorbing, fill out the Request
for Portability form and email it to LHCustomerService@oakha.org
- Your portability packet will be
ready in approximately 20 business days.
- We will notify you when your portability packet has been sent to your chosen Housing Authority.
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.