Military December 31, 2022

Disability housing grants for Veterans

The VA offer housing grants for Veterans and service members with certain service-connected disabilities so they can buy or change a home to meet their needs and live more independently. Changing a home might involve installing ramps or widening doorways. Find out if you’re eligible for a disability housing grant—and how to apply.

Grant eligibility for your permanent home

Can I get a Specially Adapted Housing grant?

You may be able to get an SAH grant if you’re using the grant money to buy, build, or change your permanent home (a home you plan to live in for a long time) and you meet both of these requirements.

Both of these must be true:

  • You own or will own the home, and
  • You have a qualifying service-connected disability

Qualifying service-connected disabilities include:

  • The loss or loss of use of more than one limb
  • The loss or loss of use of a lower leg along with the residuals (lasting effects) of an organic (natural) disease or injury
  • Blindness in both eyes (with 20/200 visual acuity or less)
  • Certain severe burns
  • The loss, or loss of use, of one lower extremity (foot or leg) after September 11, 2001, which makes it so you can’t balance or walk without the help of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair

Note: Only 120 Veterans and service members each fiscal year (FY) can qualify for a grant based on the loss of one extremity after September 11, 2001, as set by Congress. A fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30. If you qualify for a grant in the current fiscal year but you can’t receive it because of the 120-grant limit, you may be able to receive this benefit in future years.

How much funding does an SAH grant offer?

If you qualify for an SAH grant, you can get up to $109,986 for FY 2023. This is the current total maximum amount allowed for SAH grants.

Can I get a Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grant?

You may be able to get an SHA grant if you’re using the grant money to buy, build, or change your permanent home (a home you plan to live in for a long time) and you meet both of these requirements.

Both of these must be true:

  • You or a family member own or will own the home, and
  • You have a qualifying service-connected disability

Qualifying service-connected disabilities include:

  • The loss or loss of use of both hands
  • Certain severe burns
  • Certain respiratory or breathing injuries

How much funding does an SHA grant offer?

If you qualify for an SHA grant, you can get up to $22,036 for FY 2023. This is the current total maximum amount allowed for SHA grants.

Do I have to use the total grant amount this year?

No. 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 this year. If you don’t use the full amount, you can use more money from the grant in future years.

We may adjust the total maximum amount each year based on the cost of construction. You may receive up to the current total maximum amount for the last year you use the grant.

Learn more about how to apply for a housing grant (link)

Grant eligibility for a temporary home

Can I get money to change a family member’s home where I’m living?

You may be able to get a Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grant if you meet both of these requirements.

Both of these must be true:

  • You qualify for an SAH or SHA grant, and
  • You’re living temporarily in a family member’s home that needs changes to meet your needs. (To use a TRA grant, you don’t have to own the house.)

Learn about eligibility for SAH or SHA grants (link)

How much funding does a TRA grant offer?

If you qualify for an SAH grant, you can get up to $44,299 through the TRA grant program for FY 2023.

If you qualify for an SHA grant, you can get up to $7,910 through the TRA grant program for FY 2023.

How to apply for a disability housing grant

See this link to go to eBenefits.

 

 

Verify all information with VA, original article here: (link)