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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 hand carried by the participant. 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
  5. If you have a bank account-last three months bank statements

Note the following:

  • Interviews are scheduled by phone between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • A person with disabilities can request assistance with 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 return to your Initial Housing Agency to add or change family members.
  • 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. 

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 five (5) 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 five (5) years as indicated above. If you or any household member has any arrest and/or violent criminal activities within the last five (5) 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 to tick on your voucher.

STEP 4: Briefing & Voucher Issuance
Once the Intake process has been completed, and all documents are in your file, the household will receive a phone briefing. 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 scheduling your Briefing Interview. The Housing Choice Voucher, Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA), and other documents will be issued at the Section 8 Portability Briefing. 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 2023

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 21 business days to be scheduled after you turn in the "Request for Tenancy Approval" packet.

STEP 6: Payment Standards

HUD publishes the fair market rents (FMR) for each market area in the United States. The PHA must adopt a payment standard schedule that establishes voucher payment standard amounts for each FMR area in the PHA jurisdiction. For each FMR area, the PHA must establish payment standard amounts for each unit size. 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.

Payment Standards FY 2024 Orlando-Sanford, FL
(MSA FMRs for All Bedroom Sizes)
(Effective 01/01/2024 for Lease-Ups and 04/01/2024 for Annual Recertifications)

Rents are higher in the non-concentrated areas and lower in the concentrated areas.

  • 0 Bedroom
    100% of FMR Concentrated: $1,558.00
    110% of FMR Non-Concentrated: $1,714.00

  • 1 Bedroom
    100% of FMR Concentrated: $1,638.00
    110% OF FMR Non-Concentrated: $1,802.00

  • 2 Bedrooms
    100% of FMR Concentrated: $1,857.00
    110% of FMR Non-Concentrated: $2,043.00

  • 3 Bedrooms
    100% of FMR Concentrated: $2,362.00
    110% of FMR Non-Concentrated: $2,598.00

  • 4 Bedrooms
    100% of FMR Concentrated: $2,849.00
    110% of FMR Non-Concentrated: $3,134.00

  • 5 Bedrooms
    100% of FMR Concentrated: $3,276.00
    110% of FMR Non-Concentrated: $3,604.00

  • 6 Bedrooms
    100% of FMR Concentrated: $3,704.00
    110% of FMR Non-Concentrated: $4,074.00

Concentrated areas include the zip code: 32805

Only certain areas in the following zip codes are concentrated:

  • 32811
  • 32703
  • 32751
  • 32789
  • 32808
  • 32819

The payment standard is determined by the size and location, i.e. census tract, of the dwelling unit you select. The appropriate payment standard will be used to calculate the Total Tenant Payment. The payment standard includes the utility allowance. Rent plus utilities cannot exceed the payment standards. For more information on apartments that accept Section 8/Housing Choice Vouchers, you can go to ForRent.com.

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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.