How difficult is porting to another state? Feeling of isolation in small town

Navigator

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to share how incredibly grateful I am to have finally received my Section 8 voucher. After applying everywhere in the country, I moved across the country to a small town in Ohio just to secure it. It has truly been life-changing to finally have stable housing — something I never take for granted.

That said, it’s been a really isolating experience. There are very few job opportunities where I am now, and I’m feeling stuck. I don’t have family or a support system nearby, and with no income currently, I’m trying to figure out how to move forward.

I’ve been looking into the process of porting my voucher to California (ideally a larger city where jobs and services are more accessible), but I’m a bit overwhelmed by the process.

I have a few specific questions and would deeply appreciate any guidance:

Can I port my voucher while having zero income? Will that be an issue during the porting process or when being accepted by a new housing authority?

What documents or steps are needed to start the porting process?

Has anyone successfully ported from a rural area to a major city like Los Angeles, San Diego, or Sacramento? What should I expect?

Do I have to find a landlord before I port, or after the receiving PHA accepts me?

Will I need to re-verify everything with the new housing authority (e.g. income, ID, etc.) even if nothing changed?

I know every housing authority has its own way of handling things, but if anyone has advice, a checklist, or even just encouragement, it would mean a lot. Trying to plan this move on my own is overwhelming, but I know this voucher is a lifeline and I want to make the most of it.

Thank you in advance.

Anthony

From my experience you do have to have income to be able to move but you can also call your HUD worker and ask they would know better then anybody else

ThompsonWhite

I’m curious to know how do you pay for personal items w/no income? Do you have car insurance? A phone? Internet?

Christopher

I think it’s possible but you need a plan To find a place you need to have enough for a security deposit Make sure you port somewhere with availability. Tax credit apts immediate availability. It also helps if you can be there while looking for an apartment .

Oliver

And how do you imagine it? It is not even about getting approved voucher, not every landlord works with section8, so finding and applying for a vacant unit is a nearly impossible task by itself. Also to do it, you would need to abandon current unit and move to the other location to start apartment hunting, with unclear success