Owner Information:

Responsibilities of the Housing Authority of Maysville:

  • The Housing Authority of Maysville (HAM) can provide you with current & former landlords’ names for your prospective tenant (if known).
  • HAM is responsible for a portion of the contracted rent, which is calculated based on the tenant’s income.
  • HAM can terminate the rental assistance contract for violations by either the landlord or the tenant.

Tenant Responsibilities to the Landlord:

  • Payment of security deposit to landlord.
  • Tenant portion of the rent, payable to the LANDLORD.
  • Maintaining the unit in a safe & sanitary manner.
  • Ensuring that any utilities that the tenant is responsible for (per the lease agreement) remain on at all times.
  • Abiding by any other landlord specifications stated in the lease contract.

Portability Information:

What is Portability?

Portability is the ability of a family to move from a PHA’S (Public Housing Authority’s) jurisdiction to a location in another housing authority’s jurisdiction.

Transferring your voucher FROM another city or state

Currently the Housing Authority of Maysville is ABSORBING for all Received Portability Vouchers!

This is the process you must follow to transfer your housing assistance and paperwork to the Housing Authority of Maysville.

Call your CURRENT housing representative and let them know you want to transfer to another place (city). They will have you sign a Request for Portability and issue you a Housing Choice Voucher.  They may contact us at 606-564-4409.

Your current housing representative MUST send us required documents BEFORE you arrive here. These documents should include: the HUD-52665, HUD-50058, birth certificates, social security cards, proof of income and any other paperwork they feel is necessary.

Then you arrive in Mason County/Maysville. 
When you have arrived in Mason County/Maysville, you MUST call this office for an appointment to attend a Briefing (required!) to receive OUR Housing Choice Voucher and other necessary paperwork.  THIS CAN NOT BE DONE BY PHONE or FAX.

AFTER the briefing you locate a suitable unit and submit the necessary paperwork to have the unit inspected BEFORE you move in to it. (Scheduling of inspections is done by the Inspector’s office and may take up to 2 weeks.)
After the unit passes a Housing Quality Standards Inspection you may then (and only then) sign a Lease Agreement with the landlord and move in.  You will be notified of your rent portion.

The entire process may take up to 30 days or longer, depending on when your paperwork is received, when you attend the briefing and when the unit is available for inspection.

If you need more information please feel free to call us at 606-564-4409.

General Information:

Who is eligible for portability?


Any voucher holder that is in good standing with the housing authority and are not subject to any restrictions.

Are there any restrictions on eligibility?


Yes. You must live within the jurisdiction of the housing authority in which you applied for rental assistance in order to automatically qualify for eligibility. Otherwise, you are required to live in the jurisdiction of the Housing Authority issuing your Section 8 Voucher for the first 12 months of that assistance.

Example: You live in Lexington when you applied for assistance, you received a Voucher from the Housing Authority of Maysville; you must initially use the Voucher in Mason 8 County for 12 months.

Where can I transfer my Section 8 Voucher?


A family residing in the initial housing authority jurisdiction at the time of application may receive assistance to lease a unit outside of the county’s (initial housing authority) jurisdiction in the jurisdiction of a housing authority anywhere in the United States that is administering a tenant-based (Section 8 Voucher) program.

However, if you choose to move to an area where there is no housing agency to administer your Section 8 Voucher the housing authority can deny you portability to that area. .

What you should do if you choose to move under the portability provision:

You must notify your Housing Authority (initial housing authority) of your desire to move under portability and of where you want to move.

The Housing Authority will counsel the family on the proper procedures for terminating the current lease and any other necessary requirements such as paying any monies owed the Housing Authority.
The Housing Authority of Maysville will find out whether or not there is a housing authority operating a Section 8 program in the area the family wants to move.

If there is a housing authority operating in the area the family wants to move, Housing Authority of Maysville will contact that housing authority to determine whether or not it will issue their own Voucher or administer on behalf of The Housing Authority of Maysville.

The Housing Authority of Maysville will send necessary documents to the receiving housing authority and notify the client of whom they should contact at the receiving housing authority.

Will the programs work the same if I transfer under the portability provision?


Yes and no. All the programs are governed according to the Federal Regulations, therefore, there are many similiarities. However, housing authorities do have areas in which they can create their own rules and Voucher Payment Standards vary from one housing authority to another. Some areas are higher than Mason County and some are lower. You will have to locate housing that fits within the guidelines of the particular area you have chosen to live in. You must meet the income guidelines for the area in which you want to transfer your Section 8 Voucher.

What are the advantages of moving under the portability provision?


The most obvious advantage is to give you more options without you sacrificing your rental assistance.

In order to process a transfer, our Section 8 office needs to receive from your Housing Authority or Housing Agency the following documents:

  • Current Voucher
  • HUD Form 50058
  • HUD Form 52665 — Family Portability Information

Please have the Housing Authority submit Birth Certificates,  Social Security cards, and income information for the entire household. Once we have received the documents, you will need to call & schedule an appointment for you and your family in our office.The papers can be sent to:

Housing Authority of Maysville

600 Clark Street

Maysville, KY 41056

Attn: Jill L. DeAtley

606-564-4409  (FAX) 606-564-3826

I am receiving Section 8 in Mason County and wish to move. Can I transfer my Section 8 to another county or state?


Yes, AFTER you have received assistance from the Housing Authority of Maysville in Mason County for AT LEAST 1 year. Prior to giving notice to your landlord, we recommend you contact the Housing Authority of Maysville to ensure you are following all steps necessary to ensure timely processing of this request. In order to request portability, the Housing Authority of Maysville will need to know general information such as where you will be relocating and the Housing Authority to which you would like for us to send your current file information. To be eligible to exercise portability, you must not have vacated your current unit in violation of the terms of your lease. Your portability request will be denied in accordance with HUD requirements and violations must be corrected prior to requesting portability. There are other considerations, but these are the most pertinent at the time you request portability.