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Affordable Housing for West Michigan
stacked cardboard moving boxes

Move with Continuing Voucher Assistance

Move within Kent or Ottawa County

General Policies Related to Moves

An assisted family can generally move with assistance after the initial lease term (typically one year).

An assisted family is generally allowed one elective move during any 12-month period.

The GRHC will consider exceptions to these policies for the following reasons:

  • to protect the health or safety of a family member (e.g., lead-based paint hazards, domestic violence, witness protection programs)
  • to accommodate a change in family circumstances (e.g., new employment, school attendance in a distant area)
  • to address an emergency situation over which a family has no control
  • to make a reasonable accommodation when a family member has disabilities.

The family must be in good standing in order to continue assistance. This means the household…

  • has met the terms of the current lease
  • doesn’t owe money to the landlord, the GRHC or a water/utility provider (if applicable)
  • is not in an eviction process with the landlord or a termination process with the GRHC.

The Moving Process

Provide notification to the landlord and the GRHC by completing and returning the GRHC’s “Intent to Vacate—30-Day Notice” form at least 30 days prior to the planned move.

The GRHC will contact your landlord to ensure that:

  • You have given the landlord your Notice of Intent to Vacate at least 30 days in advance
  • You have paid all rent owed
  • There are no damages to your unit.
  • After your request to move is approved, your HCV Coordinator will contact you to schedule an appointment during which you will provide the Coordinator with a copy of your Intent to Vacate form. At this meeting you will receive any needed paperwork regarding continuing assistance at your new unit.
  • Important: You must receive approval from your HCV Coordinator prior to moving to the new unit.

Transfer Your Voucher Out of the Area

General Policies Related to Voucher Portability

An HCV Voucher is portable, meaning it can be transferred to any other HCV Program in the U.S.

HCV Program participants who are residents of Kent or Ottawa County can port immediately upon receiving their voucher; outside-of-county participants must rent within Kent or Ottawa County for at least one year before they are eligible to transfer or “port” their voucher outside of the GRHC’s service area.

The GRHC will consider exceptions to the above policy for purposes of a providing a reasonable accommodation to a person with disabilities or for reasons related to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking.

The family must be in good standing in order to continue assistance. This means the household…

  • has met the terms of any current lease
  • doesn’t owe money to a landlord, the GRHC or a water/utility provider (if applicable)
  • is not in an eviction process with the landlord or a termination process with the GRHC.

The Porting Process, Current GRHC Program Participants

Complete and return the GRHC’s “Portability Request Form” to your GRHC HCV Coordinator.

Provide notification to your landlord completing and returning the GRHC’s “Intent to Vacate—30-Day Notice” form at least 30 days prior to the planned move. Your GRHC Coordinator will need a copy of the completed, signed form.

The GRHC will contact your landlord to ensure that:

  • You have given the landlord your Notice of Intent to Vacate at least 30 days in advance./li>
  • You have paid all rent owed.
  • There are no damages to your unit.

Your HCV Cooridnator will contact the public housing authority (PHA) that serves your new city. We will send needed documents to the new PHA and let you know who you should contact there.

After your request to move is approved, your HCV Coordinator will contact you to schedule an appointment during which you will provide the Coordinator with a copy of your Intent to Vacate form. At this meeting you will receive any needed paperwork from us. We will send a copy of your information to the PHA in your new city.

In about two weeks you can contact the new PHA to confirm that it has received and processed your information. Your new PHA will be able to answer any questions you may have about their program at that time.

Important: If you are a Housing Choice Voucher Program participant from outside of the GRHC’s service area trying to transfer your voucher to the GRHC’s program, your first step is to contact your HCV Coordinator at the PHA with which you are currently working.

Read a step-by-step process for “porting in” to the GRHC’s HCV Program from another area.