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Portability Procedures

One of the features of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program is the mobility of the assistance. Section 8(r) of The United States Housing Act of 1937 provides that Section 8/Housing Choice Voucher participants may transfer to a housing authority anywhere in the United States, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands provided the housing authority administering the tenant-based voucher program has jurisdiction over the area where the participant wants to transfer.

The term "portability" refers to the process of leasing or purchasing a dwelling unit with housing choice voucher tenant-based assistance outside of the jurisdiction of the housing authority that initially issues the household its voucher (the Initial Public Housing Agency). Program regulations covering where a household may move and the responsibilities of the Initial Public Housing Agency and the Public Housing Agency with jurisdiction over the area to which the household moves are found at 24 CFR sections 982.353 through 982.355. (Receiving Public Housing Agency)

Applicant Family Requests Portability

STEP 1: Notify Your Housing Agency That You Want to Port to the Orlando Housing Authority
You should notify your Initial Housing Agency (IHA) to let them know you want to move to Orlando, FL. Your agency is the "Initial Agency" if you plan to port to the Orlando Housing Authority. The Orlando Housing Authority will be the Receiving Housing Agency (RHA). The Initial Housing Agency (IHA) must mail the Portability Packet to the following address:

Orlando Housing Authority
390 N. Bumby Avenue
Orlando, FL 32803
Attention: Portability
or click here to email it to OHA Portability

Portability Packets will not be accepted if faxed or carried by the participant by hand. It may take approximately 2 to 4 weeks for the Portability Department to receive your paperwork in the office. You must contact the Orlando Housing Authority at 407.895.3300 ext. 6012 or 5303 to see if your portability packet has been received. You can also check your status by emailing OHA Portability.

STEP 2: Complete the Intake Personal Declaration Packet
Once it has been confirmed that your Portability Packet has been received you will need to provide OHA with an email address or fax number. The Portability Intake Packet will be emailed or faxed to you to be completed and returned to the Orlando Housing Authority.

Listed below are the required documents that MUST be sent with your Intake Packet:

  1. Current valid photo identification for all adults, 18 years old and over
  2. Copies of Birth certificates for everyone in the household
  3. Copies of Social Security cards for everyone in the household
  4. Proof of any and all sources of income, including cash gifts
  5. If you have a bank account-last three months bank statements. This also includes; Cash App, Apple Pay, Chime, Venmo, PayPal, all debit or credit cards, Express Card, etc.

Note the following:

  • Interviews are scheduled Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday by phone between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • A person with disabilities can request assistance completing documents and/or understanding the intake process when scheduling a phone interview.
  • If you need a translator or reasonable accommodations, inform the Orlando Housing Authority's staff at the time when you are given your appointment for phone interview.
  • All adults 18 years and over listed in the household composition must sign all forms.
  • OHA will not add any family members to your household, you must contact your Initial Housing Agency to add or change family members. Your Initial Agency will need to send new documents with the new family members listed.
  • If you have a Reasonable Accommodation, please bring documentation with you. Your Initial Housing Agency must send documentation with your portability packet.
  • OHA will not accept any birth certificates from Puerto Rico issued before January 1, 2011.

Some documents may be sent by the IHA, i.e. Photo ID for other adults not the head of household, birth certificates, social security cards, income, bank statements, etc. If these documents are not sent by the IHA to the Orlando Housing Authority, the participant must provide the original documents.

STEP 3: Intake Interview
Phone Intake interviews will be scheduled when ALL forms in the Intake packet have been received, including all required documents. NOTE: Failure to provide the required documents by the due date to complete your intake interview, can result in your portability being canceled and your portability packet may be returned to your Initial Housing Agency.

The Orlando Housing Authority does not determine the eligibility of the portable household; you have been determined eligible by your Initial Housing Agency. Our responsibility, as the receiving PHA, is to make sure that all documentation, signatures and/or verification required by this Agency and HUD are in the participant's file. Porting families must meet the income guidelines of the Orlando Housing Authority. Click here to view the income limits on the Orlando Housing Authority website.

No appointment for phone interview will be given if your annual income exceeds the income limits of the Orlando Housing Authority.

The Orlando Housing Authority may reject households that have been involved in drug-related and/or violent criminal activity within the last three (3) years or who may be on active probation. It is the policy of the Orlando Housing Authority to deny program participation to families who have criminal activities within three (3) years as indicated above. If you or any household member have been convicted of any drug related and/or violent criminal activities within the last three (3) years, your portability may be denied, and your port papers will be returned to your Initial Housing Agency. If you are denied, you have the right to request an informal hearing. However, the clock will continue running on your voucher.

STEP 4: Briefing & Voucher Issuance
The head of household will receive an email to attend the HCV/Section 8 Briefing on 'Teams'. Once the Intake Process has been completed and all documents have been received and placed in participants file. Only the head of household is required to attend the briefing. If you need a translator or reasonable accommodations, please inform the Intake Specialist when you have your telephone interview.

Briefings will be held on Thursdays, you must log in on time and attend the entire briefing. The following documents will be emailed to you after you complete the briefing: 1) Housing Choice Voucher, 2) Voucher Acceptance Packet, 3) Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA) packet, 4) Section 8 Admission worksheet, 5) 2025 Small Area Payment Standards, 6) 2025 Utility Allowance Schedule and a Property List.

The bedroom size on your voucher will be changed to the occupancy standards approved by the Orlando Housing Authority Administrative Plan. See the Orlando Housing Authority occupancy standards listed below:

OCCUPANCY STANDARDS

As of January 2025

Guidelines For Determining Voucher Size
The bedroom size of your voucher will be provided at the briefing.

  • 0 Bedroom (voucher size minimum)
    1 Persons in Household Minimum/Maximum 

  • 1 Bedroom (voucher size minimum)
    1 Persons in Household Minimum 
    2 Persons in Household Maximum 

  • 2 Bedrooms (voucher size minimum)
    2 Persons in Household Minimum 
    4 Persons in Household Maximum 

  • 3 Bedrooms (voucher size minimum)
    3 Persons in Household Minimum 
    6 Persons in Household Maximum 

  • 4 Bedrooms (voucher size minimum)
    4 Persons in Household Minimum 
    8 Persons in Household Maximum 

  • 5 Bedrooms (voucher size minimum)
    6 Persons in Household Minimum 
    10 Persons in Household Maximum 

  • 6 Bedrooms (voucher size minimum)
    8 Persons in Household Minimum 
    12 Persons in Household Maximum 

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STEP 5: Inspection of Dwelling Unit
All dwelling units in the Section 8/Housing Choice Voucher Program must meet Housing Quality Standards (HQS). The Orlando Housing Authority must inspect the unit and verify that it meets Housing Quality Standards. Due to a high volume of families porting to the Orlando/Orange County area, HQS inspections can take approximately 7 to 14 business days to be scheduled after you turn in the "Request for Tenancy Approval" packet.

STEP 6: Payment Standards

Effective January 1, 2025, HUD published the Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMR) by zip codes for selected Housing Authorities. The PHA may use the small area fair market rents to establish the HCV/ section 8 voucher small area payment standard for the PHA's jurisdiction. The PHA must establish a small area payment standard for each unit by bedroom size and zip code. Unit size is measured by number of bedrooms. For example, zero-bedroom, one-bedroom, etc. The payment standard amounts on the PHA schedule are used to calculate the monthly housing assistance payment for a family.

Small Area Payment Standards (SAPS) by Zip Codes for All Bedroom Sizes

Zip Codes: 32709, 32757, 32798, 32805, 32807, 32808, 32809, 32818, 32833

  • 0 BR: $1,563     
  • 1 BR: $1,649  
  • 2 BR: $1,872  
  • 3 BR: $2,385  
  • 4 BR: $2,855  
  • 5 BR: $3,283

Zip Codes: 32703, 32806, 32810, 32811, 32812, 32826, 32839

  • 0 BR: $1,694
  • 1 BR: $1,790
  • 2 BR: $2,027
  • 3 BR: $2,574  
  • 4 BR: $3,066  
  • 5 BR: $3,526

Zip Codes: 32817, 32822, 32859, 32777, 32792

  • 0 BR: $1,650 
  • 1 BR: $1,748 
  • 2 BR: $1,978 
  • 3 BR: $2,512 
  • 4 BR: $2,990 
  • 5 BR: $3,439

Zip Codes: 32751, 32789, 32804, 32825, 34761

  • 0 BR: $1,738 
  • 1 BR: $1,838 
  • 2 BR: $2,082 
  • 3 BR: $2,644 
  • 4 BR: $3,148 
  • 5 BR: $3,620

Zip Codes: 32801, 32819, 32821, 32824, 32831, 32835, 34760, 34787

  • 0 BR: $1,860 
  • 1 BR: $1,963 
  • 2 BR: $2,225 
  • 3 BR: $2,749 
  • 4 BR: $3,366 
  • 5 BR: $3,871

Zip Codes: 32712, 32803, 32828, 32829, 32830, 32837, 34734,

  • 0 BR: $1,953 
  • 1 BR: $2,043 
  • 2 BR: $2,296 
  • 3 BR: $2,877 
  • 4 BR: $3,531 
  • 5 BR: $4,061

Zip Codes: 32820, 32827, 32832, 32836, 34786

  • 0 BR: $2,206 
  • 1 BR: $2,328 
  • 2 BR: $2,638 
  • 3 BR: $3,350 
  • 4 BR: $3,988 
  • 5 BR: $4,586

The small area payment standard is determined by the unit size and zip codes for the dwelling unit you select. The appropriate payment standard will be used to calculate your Total Tenant Payment. The payment standard includes the utility allowance. Rent plus utilities cannot go over the payment standards. For more information on apartments that accept section 8, please click here.

****Beware of Landlord scams - Do not pay a landlord/owner for a rental unit before you see the unit. ***

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REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
If you currently have a reasonable accommodation, please have your Initial Housing Authority send supporting documentation in the portability packet.

NOTE: THE ORLANDO HOUSING AUTHORITY IS NOT ABSORBING INCOMING VOUCHERS. ORLANDO HOUSING AUTHORITY WILL BILL YOUR INITIAL HOUSING AGENCY ACCORDING TO REGULATIONS ONCE THE FAMILY HAS BEEN LEASED-UP.

ORLANDO HOUSING AUTHORITY IS A MOVING TO WORK DEMONSTRATION (MTW) AGENCY. THE MINIMUM RENT IS $100.00 FOR ELDERLY AND DISABLED FAMILIES, ALL OTHER SECTION 8/HCV PARTICIPANTS MUST PAY AT LEAST $225.00 TOWARD RENT. Orlando Housing Authority does not issue utility reimbursement checks. No Utility checks are issued!

We look forward to serving you, thank you for choosing the Orlando Housing Authority.