Key Takeaways
- The VA offers four main housing grants for disabled veterans: SAH, SHA, TRA, and HISA — each covering different disability types and modification needs.
- For FY 2026, the SAH grant provides up to $126,526 and the SHA grant provides up to $25,350 for qualifying service-connected disabilities.
- The HISA grant offers up to $6,800 lifetime for medically necessary home modifications and is available to veterans who own or rent their home.
- All VA housing grants are not loans — they do not need to be repaid.
- SAH and SHA grants can each be used up to six times over a veteran’s lifetime, up to the maximum cumulative dollar limit.
- A HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) can supplement VA housing grants when project costs exceed grant limits or when specific modifications don’t qualify.
Table of Contents
- Understanding VA Housing Grants for Disabled Veterans
- Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant
- Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grant
- Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) Grant
- Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) Grant
- How to Apply for VA Housing Grants
- Using a HELOC to Fill the Gap
- Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding VA Housing Grants for Disabled Veterans
For veterans living with serious service-connected disabilities, the home can quickly become a barrier — not a refuge. Steps, narrow doorways, standard showers, and unreachable countertops can turn daily life into a constant struggle. The good news is that the federal government has long recognized this reality.
Created in 1948, the VA’s adapted housing grant program administers funding to eligible veterans and service members with certain severe, service-connected disabilities, such as the loss of use of a limb, loss of a limb, or blindness.
Today, these programs have expanded significantly.
The grant program helps disabled veterans buy or build a permanent home to provide independent living, adapt a home they or a family member already own, or adapt a home where they are temporarily living — and in FY 2024 alone, the VA issued 2,352 grants totaling more than $147 million.
Since the program’s inception, more than 53,500 SAH grants have been awarded, totaling $2.2 billion.
Understanding which grant you may qualify for — and how to make the most of it — is the first step toward a safer, more independent home.
Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant
Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs help veterans with certain permanent and total service-connected disabilities live more independently and barrier-free in their own homes.
This is the largest and most comprehensive of all the VA’s housing grant programs.
SAH Grant Amount (FY 2026)
An eligible veteran may receive an SAH grant of not more than $126,526 for fiscal year 2026.
These amounts are adjusted annually each October 1 based on a cost-of-construction index.
SAH Eligibility Requirements
The VA provides grants to service members and veterans with certain permanent and total service-connected disabilities to help purchase or construct an adapted home, or modify an existing home to accommodate a disability.
To qualify for the SAH grant, you must have a qualifying service-connected disability, which may include:
- Loss or loss of use of both lower extremities, requiring you to use braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair for mobility.
- Blindness in both eyes with visual acuity of 20/200 or less, or with a field defect creating a severe limitation of vision.
- Loss or loss of use of one lower extremity combined with residuals of organic disease or injury requiring wheelchair use.
- Degenerative conditions that were caused or worsened by military service, following an eligibility expansion in recent years.
What the SAH Grant Covers
SAH grants can be used to construct a specially adapted home on land to be acquired, build a home on land already owned if suitable for specially adapted housing, remodel an existing home if it can be made suitable, or apply the grant against the unpaid principal mortgage balance of an adapted home already acquired without VA grant assistance.
Specific eligible improvements include widening doorways and hallways, lowering doorknobs and countertops, and installing wheelchair ramps, handrails, and grab bars.
How Many Times Can You Use the SAH Grant?
The law allows the SAH grant benefits to be used as many as six times by one eligible veteran.
There is no repayment — SAH is a grant with no loan repayment, no interest, and no recapture on home sale.
Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grant
The SHA grant provides assistance for veterans whose disabilities, while significant, don’t meet SAH criteria.
It is designed for veterans who need modifications that accommodate upper-body limitations, vision loss, or respiratory conditions.
SHA Grant Amount (FY 2026)
If you qualify for an SHA grant, you can get up to $25,350 for FY 2026 — this is the current total maximum amount allowed for SHA grants.
SHA Eligibility Requirements
You may be able to get an SHA grant if you’re using the grant money to buy, build, or change your permanent home, and both of the following are true: you or a family member own or will own the home, and you have a qualifying service-connected disability.
Qualifying disabilities include:
- The loss or loss of use of both hands
- Certain severe burns
- Certain respiratory or breathing injuries
How Many Times Can You Use the SHA Grant?
If you’re eligible for an SAH or SHA grant, you can use money from your grant up to 6 different times over your lifetime.
Depending on the adaptations you need and the bid from your builder, you can use as much or as little of your grant as you need in a given year — and if you don’t use the full amount, you can use more money from the grant in future years.
Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) Grant
A Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grant is available to eligible veterans who need to modify a family member’s home they are temporarily living in. This is an important option for veterans who have not yet purchased or built their permanent home but need immediate accessibility accommodations.
TRA Grant Amounts (FY 2026)
- If you qualify for an SAH grant, you can get up to $50,961 through the TRA grant program for FY 2026.
- If you qualify for an SHA grant, you can get up to $9,100 through the TRA grant program for FY 2026.
- If you qualify for both the SAH and SHA grants, you will be limited to the one that pays you the most money.
It’s worth reviewing both sets of eligibility criteria carefully before applying.
Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) Grant
The VA Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant offers funds to disabled veterans with service-connected medical issues — and in some cases, non-service-connected issues — who need to make alterations to their homes, whether purchased and owned by the veteran or rented.
This is the broadest and most accessible of the VA’s housing adaptation grants.
HISA Grant Amount
The HISA grant pays up to $6,800 for veterans with a service-connected disability (or a non-service-connected disability rated 50% or higher), and up to $2,000 for other non-service-connected veterans.
It is a lifetime benefit, available to homeowners and renters, and requires a VA physician’s documented medical necessity.
What Makes HISA Different
Unlike some other VA grants intended to help pay for improvements, the HISA grant does not have a list of qualifying medical conditions or injuries — instead, the improvements to the property must be deemed medically necessary.
It covers structural changes like wheelchair ramps, roll-in showers, widened doorways, and grab bars.
HISA Application Requirements
To be considered for a HISA grant, the veteran must submit an application that includes a prescription approved by a VA physician specifying the improvements required, along with the diagnosis and medical justification for the improvement or structural alteration.
How to Apply for VA Housing Grants
Applying for a VA disability housing grant is a straightforward process, but knowing the steps can help you avoid delays. Here’s what you need to know:
Applying for SAH or SHA Grants
- Online: You can apply online directly through the VA. Visit VA.gov’s adapted housing grant application page to get started.
- By Mail or In Person: Complete VA Form 26-4555 (Application for Acquiring Specially Adapted Housing) and submit the form via eBenefits, by mail, or in person at your nearest VA office.
- After Approval: When a veteran’s grant application is approved, the SAH team works closely with them to ensure all home improvements meet their needs.
Applying for the HISA Grant
- Submit VA Form 10-0103 (HISA Grant Application) along with the prescription from your VA physician.
- Your VA medical team can help document the medically necessary improvements needed in your home.
Additional Resources
For complete, official eligibility criteria, grant amounts, and application instructions, visit the VA’s official Disability Housing Grants page. You can also contact the VA’s Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) program directly at [email protected] or by calling 1-800-827-1000.
Using a HELOC to Fill the Gap
VA housing grants are genuinely life-changing — but they have limits. Grant caps, eligibility conditions, and project scope don’t always cover every modification a veteran needs.
They have limits — dollar caps, eligibility conditions, and a scope that doesn’t always match what a veteran actually needs done. For many veterans, the question isn’t whether to use the VA grant — it’s what to do when the grant runs out, doesn’t cover a specific modification, or applies to a disability that doesn’t qualify under the grant criteria.
A Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) is one financial tool that some veteran homeowners use to bridge that gap. A HELOC for veterans comes from private lenders, not the Department of Veterans Affairs — the VA does not offer or guarantee HELOCs. You can apply for a HELOC even if your primary mortgage is a VA loan, as long as you have sufficient equity and meet the lender’s credit and income requirements.
How a HELOC Works
A home equity line of credit is rather like a credit card secured by your home equity. You have a set limit and can withdraw cash as needed, up to that limit. During the draw period, which typically lasts 10 years, you can borrow, repay, and borrow again as needed. Once the draw period ends, you can no longer withdraw cash and simply make payments.
A HELOC does not replace your existing mortgage or affect your VA entitlement, so it is worth considering if you want to keep your current mortgage rate.
Using a HELOC Alongside a VA Grant
The VA grant and a HELOC are independent financing sources. You can use the VA grant for the qualifying portion of your modification costs and a HELOC for costs beyond the grant cap, non-qualifying modifications, or labor and materials
not covered by the grant. Some veterans open a HELOC to begin urgent modifications immediately, then apply VA grant funds when approved to pay down the HELOC balance.
Because they use your home equity as collateral, interest rates for a HELOC can be very low — much lower than interest rates on credit cards and personal loans. However, your home does serve as collateral, so careful financial planning is essential. Always consult a qualified financial advisor before taking on additional debt.
Important Considerations for Active-Duty Service Members
Active-duty personnel and reservists must factor the possibility of deployments into their calculations, as frequent deployments can impact your ability to manage a HELOC or home equity loan. Carefully weigh your service timeline against any financial commitments before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. VA housing grants — including SAH, SHA, TRA, and HISA — are true grants, not loans. They do not require repayment and do not accrue interest. There is also no recapture provision if you sell the home.
Yes. The VA grant and a HELOC are separate, independent financing sources. You may use the VA grant for eligible portions of your renovation and a HELOC to cover costs beyond the grant limit or modifications that don’t qualify under grant criteria. Consult a financial advisor to plan the best approach for your situation.
You can use SAH and SHA grant funds up to 6 separate times over your lifetime, as long as your total usage does not exceed the applicable maximum dollar limit. The HISA grant is a one-time lifetime benefit with a cap of $6,800 for service-connected disabilities.
The SAH (Specially Adapted Housing) grant is the larger grant — up to $126,526 in FY 2026 — and is designed for veterans with severe lower-extremity disabilities or vision loss who need major construction or extensive home modification. The SHA (Special Home Adaptation) grant — up to $25,350 in FY 2026 — covers veterans with qualifying upper-body disabilities, such as loss of use of both hands or certain burn or respiratory injuries. Each grant has specific eligibility conditions, so it’s worth reviewing both.
Yes. Unlike the SAH and SHA grants, the HISA grant is available to both homeowners and renters. The improvements must be medically necessary and documented by a VA physician, regardless of whether you own or rent the property.
You can apply for SAH and SHA grants online at VA.gov, by completing VA Form 26-4555 and submitting it by mail, or in person at your nearest VA regional office. For the HISA grant, submit VA Form 10-0103 along with your VA physician’s documentation. Visit the VA’s official Disability Housing Grants page for full instructions.
VeteranNews.com is an independent educational resource not affiliated with the Department of Defense, VA, or any government agency. For official benefit information, visit VA.gov.
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