“Portability” in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program refers to the process through which your family can transfer or “port” your rental subsidy when you move to a location outside the jurisdiction of the public housing agency (PHA) that first gave you the voucher when you were selected for the program (the initial PHA).

The agency that will administer your assistance in the area to which you are moving is called the receiving PHA.

New families have to live in the jurisdiction of the initial PHA for a year before they can port. But, the initial PHA may allow new families to port during this one-year period.

• The Rosenberg Housing Authority (RHA) is currently billing.
• It is the responsibility of the Initial Housing Authority to send all required paperwork to the RHA.
• The RHA will generally schedule an interview with the porting participant within 2 weeks of receiving the necessary paperwork.   The housing authority will call you to schedule an appointment once your portability paperwork has been received.  If the housing authority has not contacted you, we have not received your paperwork.

• Regardless of the voucher size your initial PHA gives you, the RHA will assign one bedroom for each two persons within the household except in the following circumstances:
   (a)Persons of the opposite sex (other than spouses, and children under age 5);
   (b) Live-in aides;
For example: Mom + daughter (23) + 6 year son = 2 BR Voucher;
Mom +son(4) = 1 BR Voucher;
Mom + daughter (23) = 1 BR voucher   

                                                                                                       
• A jurisdiction map is located here.
•A list of apartments in the area is located here.
• The current payment standards are located here.

In order to port to the Rosenberg Housing Authority, all portability paperwork must be sent to portability@rosenbergha.org or faxed to 281-232-2920.

1. Submit a Port Out Request to your RHA Case manager either by email, AssistanceConnect or in person. 

2. Submit a Mutual Recission to your RHA Case manager after you and the landlord agree to a move-out date. (You will only be allowed one move/port per year)

3. You will receive notice of your mover appointment/briefing in which you must attend to explain the moving/porting process and sign your voucher.

4. Your request will be submitted to the requested receiving housing authority.

5.  The receiving housing authority will contact you to schedule an appointment.  The receiving PHA will issue you a voucher to search for a unit in its jurisdiction. Your voucher must be extended by 30 days from the expiration date on the voucher issued by the initial PHA.

6. If you decide that you do not want to lease a unit in the requested area, submit a request to your receiving housing authority that you would like them to return your voucher to the RHA.

The RHA will not extend the term of your voucher, so if there is time remaining on your voucher with the RHA you may:

1)search for a unit in the RHA’s jurisdiction, or

2) port to another jurisdiction. 

If no time remains,  you may request to stay in the current assisted unit in the landlord has not leased your unit, or your assistance will be terminated and you will need to reapply. 

PLEASE NOTE:  If there is less than 30 days on your voucher and you request to port outside of the RHA jurisdiction:

1)  The voucher will not be extended (unless eligible for an extension),

2)  You will still need to vacate your current unit at the time agreed upon with your landlord, 

3)  You must find a place to stay if your landlord has already leased out your unit and you must vacate your assisted unit while waiting to port to the receiving housing authority.