MOVING WITHIN CONTRA COSTA
(EXCEPT PITTSBURG)
TIPS FOR AN EASY MOVE:
- Make sure your lease allows you to move now.
- Give your landlord the proper written notice before you move and forward a copy of this notice to the Housing Authority. The notice should state the date, date of move out, tenant and owner name and address.
- Pay your rent through the last day of your lease and leave your unit in good condition. Your landlord will be asked to certify that you have maintained the lease agreement, prior to you being issued a voucher to move.
- Return the keys to your landlord and get a receipt. The Housing Authority will need proof of your move-out date in order to pay the new owner.
WHEN CAN I TRANSFER MY VOUCHER?
Before you get ready to move with your voucher, make sure you meet the following conditions:
- You cannot move until you reach the end of the term of your lease. Check your lease to find out when you can move.
- If your lease term is not up but you and your landlord both agree to terminate the lease early, you would be allowed to move.
- You must repay the Housing Authority any money you owe. You cannot move until you are current with your payments.
- Remember that our subsidy standards may have changed since you were last issued a voucher. If you move, your voucher size will be re-determined according to your current family composition and our current subsidy standards. You may be given a voucher with fewer bedrooms than you have now.
WHAT IF I WANT TO MOVE OUT OF THE AREA?
Moving to a new unit within the county (with the exception of Pittsburg), is called a “transfer.” This is a different process than a “portable.” If you want to transfer to another unit in a different jurisdiction, please see our Portability Q&A for more information.
The information in this section only applies to moving within this Housing Authority’s jurisdiction.
WHAT IF I HAVE ALREADY MOVED OUT?
If you have moved without notifying us, your voucher may be canceled. If you notified us before you moved out, you will only have a certain number of days from your move-out date to find a new place to rent and turn in a Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA.)
If you cannot find a place within that time limit, you can request an extension, but extensions may not be granted. If funding is cut while you are searching, your voucher could be frozen for weeks or months.
WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN I’M READY TO MOVE?
You should contact the Housing Authority. Do not move until you understand and comply with our transfer procedures. When you are ready to move, please start the process early and follow these steps carefully. If you don’t, you risk losing your voucher or having to pay the full rent yourself.
Provide the Housing Authority a copy of the Notice to vacate which you provided to your landlord. The notice to vacate should include the date, the date of move out, the tenant and landlord name and address.
When we receive the notice, we will contact your landlord to verify that you are in good standing with regards to the lease agreement. The Housing Authority will also verify that you are in good standing with regards to the HACCC Family Obligations. Once both have been verified, you will be scheduled for the next available briefing.
When you find a new place to rent, you and your new landlord must fill out the Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) form in your packet and send it to us.
You must also send us a Key Return Form which is in the packet, to verify your move-out date.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I SUBMIT THE PAPERWORK THE RTA?
After the Housing Authority has received the RTA, the next steps will include:
The Housing Authority will review the paperwork to make sure there is no overlap in dates between the old unit and the new one. We cannot pay subsidy on two units at once.
We will perform a preliminary rent calculation. Your rent and utilities cannot exceed 40% of your monthly adjusted income. See the “How My Rent Is Calculated” page for information regarding affordability estimates.
We will inspect the new unit.
After the unit passes inspection, we will perform a final rent calculation to make sure the total rent is reasonable as compared to similar units.
You and the landlord will sign a lease. The New Contract Letter that is mailed to you will contain the your rent amount.
Your Housing Assistant does not receive the RTA. The RTA is forwarded to the Housing Program Specialist team. That team corresponds only with Landlords. Once the unit is approved/ denied, then the Housing Program Specialist team will contact you. If the new owner has questions, they must contact the HPS or Housing Assistant directly–you should not call to ask questions for the landlord.
WHAT IF THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES TO MY FAMILY’S INCOME OR COMPOSITION?
Sometimes people move because of a change of jobs or family members. To report changes, submit an Interim Change in Family Income/ Composition form.
MOVING WITH YOUR VOUCHER
(OUT OF OUR COUNTY/ JURSIDICTION)
TIPS FOR A SMOOTH TRANSFER:
- Make sure your lease allows you to move now.
- Give your landlord the proper written notice before you move and forward a copy of this notice to the Housing Authority. The notice should state the date, date of move out, tenant and owner name and address.
- Pay your rent through the last day of your lease and leave your unit in good condition. Your landlord will be asked to certify that you have maintained the lease agreement, prior to you being issued a voucher to move.
- Return the keys to your landlord and get a receipt. The Housing Authority will need proof of your move-out date in order to pay the new owner.
WHEN CAN I MOVE TO ANOTHER AREA WITH MY VOUCHER?
Under the Housing Choice Voucher program, families can move with their assistance to another area. This is called “portability” or “porting.”
In order to move to another housing authority’s jurisdiction, you must meet one of the following criteria:
- The head of your household or spouse must have had legal residence in the jurisdiction of your current housing authority at the time that you put your name on the waiting list, OR:
- You must have lived in the jurisdiction of the Housing Authority that issued your voucher for at least one year after you began receiving housing assistance.
If you are interested in porting out to another area, please complete a Portability Request Form, also available in our office lobby. The Housing Authority will contact you to inform you whether or not you are eligible to port.
WHAT IF I WANT TO MOVE TO ANOTHER UNIT IN THE SAME COUNTY?
Moving to a new unit within the county (with the exception of Pittsburg) is called a “transfer.” This is a different process than a “portable.” If you want to transfer to another unit within the same county or city, please see our Transfer Q&A page for more information.
The information in this section only applies to moving to another housing authority’s jurisdiction.
WHAT IF I HAVE ALREADY MOVED OUT?
Moving to another area can be a lengthy process and is only possible if the other Housing Authority is able to assist you. You should notice your Housing Authority well in advance of a planned move. If you have moved out, call your Housing Assistant immediately. You will have a fixed number of days from your move-out date to find a new place to rent, in this county or in another jurisdiction, or you may lose your voucher.
WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN I’M READY TO MOVE?
When you are ready to move, please start the process early and follow these steps carefully. If you don’t, you risk losing your voucher or having to pay the full rent yourself.
Provide us a a copy of the notice to vacate which you deliver to the property owner or landlord or use the Transfer Request Form.
When we get your Transfer Request Form, we will send you a Transfer Packet. It has all the information you need. It includes a letter that tells you what voucher size you will get if you move.
When you find a new place to rent, you and your new landlord must fill out the Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) form in your packet and send it to us.
You must also send us a Key Return form, which is in the packet, to verify your move-out date.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I AM APPROVED TO MOVE TO ANOTHER HOUSING AUTHORITY’S JURISDICTION?
After the Housing Authority has approved your request to port-out, the next steps will include:
- You must contact the housing authority where you want to move and find out what requirements they may have. Every housing authority is different. Please review their requirements carefully.
- You will have a limited amount of time (usually 60 days) to find a place to rent.
- If you decide not to move with your voucher after all, or if you decide to move to a different housing authority’s jurisdiction, you must let us know about your decision as soon as possible. If you select a different housing authority, the process must be repeated.
- If you have already moved out of your unit, or if you have not leased up in a unit, you risk losing your assistance if you do not follow all the program deadlines.
WHAT IF THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES TO MY FAMILY’S INCOME OR COMPOSITION?
If your income has changed, or if you will be adding or removing family members when you move, please notify the housing authority in the area where you plan to live.
