Portability

Portability Voucher Update

Effective April 1, 2025, the Housing Choice Voucher Program will no longer absorb incoming portability vouchers. All new portability requests received on or after this date will be processed under the initial Public Housing Authority billing arrangements.

This change does not impact existing participants who have already ported into DCA’s jurisdiction before April 1, 2025.

For more information, email [email protected] or view HCV's Portability FAQs.

The Housing Choice Voucher Program is funded totally by federal funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. No State appropriations are used in the administration of this program. 

Families who meet program and income eligibility are selected from DCA’s wait list when funding and vouchers are available. Once a family is selected for a Housing Choice Voucher, they are required to attend an informational briefing to learn about the program rules and of their obligations to the program. When the family receives their voucher, they are responsible for finding a housing unit that meets their voucher size. Once the family finds a unit that meets their voucher standard and the unit passes HUD’s Housing Quality Standards, DCA will begin the subsidy payment, on behalf of the family, directly to the landlord.

Portability refers to the ability to relocate and select housing anywhere in the United States with continued rental assistance. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) administers the Housing Choice Voucher Program within 149 of the state’s 159 counties.

The 10 counties which DCA does not administer are: Bibb, Chatham, Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb (Decatur), Fulton (Atlanta), Glynn, Muscogee, Richmond and Sumter. These counties are served by their own respective housing authorities. If you wish to move to any of these counties, please contact the Housing Authority administering the Housing Choice Voucher for that county concerning your portability.

See our Frequently Asked Questions about our Port-In procedures. This information should be used by voucher holders when transferring into our program from another housing authority.