VA Home Adaptation Grants: SAH and SHA Programs Explained
The VA Pays to Adapt Your Home for Your Disability
Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities affecting their ability to live independently in a standard home may qualify for VA grants that fund the construction of a specially adapted home or the modification of an existing one. The Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant and the Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grant are among the most generous disability-related housing benefits available anywhere — but they are applied for at a far lower rate than the number of veterans who likely qualify.
Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant
The SAH grant provides funding to build a new specially adapted home or to modify an existing home to accommodate a qualifying disability. In fiscal year 2026, the maximum SAH grant amount is approximately $109,986, with a lifetime usage limit of six grants (the total of all grants used cannot exceed the maximum). Unused grant authority can be carried forward to future fiscal years.
SAH Eligibility Requirements
Veterans must have a service-connected disability that includes:
- Loss or permanent loss of use of both lower extremities requiring the use of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair
- Blindness in both eyes with a visual acuity of 20/200 or less
- Loss or permanent loss of use of one lower extremity combined with (1) residuals of an organic disease or injury or (2) the loss or permanent loss of use of one upper extremity — together causing the inability to ambulate without the assistance of equipment
- Loss or permanent loss of use of both upper extremities at or above the elbows
- A severe burn injury meeting specific criteria
- Certain spinal cord injuries or certain respiratory or swallowing injuries following traumatic brain injury
Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grant
The SHA grant is a smaller grant for veterans with qualifying disabilities that do not meet the SAH threshold but still require home modifications. In fiscal year 2026, the maximum SHA grant amount is approximately $22,036, with a lifetime limit of six uses. SHA covers modifications like widening doorways, installing grab bars, ramping entrances, or modifying bathrooms for wheelchair accessibility.
SHA Eligibility Requirements
Veterans must have a service-connected disability that includes:
- Blindness in both eyes with 5/200 visual acuity or less
- Permanent loss of use of both hands
- Certain severe respiratory or swallowing injuries
- A severe burn injury meeting specific criteria
- Certain mild to moderate traumatic brain injuries with specific functional limitations
Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA)
Veterans who are temporarily living in a family member’s home while their primary residence is being modified — or while waiting for permanent housing — can receive a TRA grant to adapt the temporary residence. The TRA grant is drawn from the veteran’s SAH or SHA lifetime allotment — SAH-eligible veterans can use up to $44,299 of their SAH grant for TRA purposes; SHA-eligible veterans can use up to $7,910.
What the Grants Cover
SAH and SHA grants can fund a broad range of home modifications and construction:
- Widening doorways and hallways for wheelchair access
- Installing roll-in showers, accessible bathrooms, and zero-entry fixtures
- Ramping entrances and eliminating steps
- Lowering countertops, cabinets, and work surfaces
- Installing stair lifts, platform lifts, or elevator systems
- Modifying electrical systems for adaptive controls
- Building a new home specifically designed for the veteran’s disability from the ground up
The grant covers the actual cost of approved modifications up to the maximum grant amount. Veterans typically work with a VA-assigned loan specialist and the grant funds are paid directly to contractors completing the approved work.
How to Apply
- Confirm your service-connected disability rating and that it includes a qualifying condition as described above
- Complete VA Form 26-4555 (Application in Acquiring Specially Adapted Housing or Special Home Adaptation Grant) — available at va.gov
- Submit to your nearest VA regional loan center
- A VA Specially Adapted Housing specialist will contact you to assess your specific needs, review your eligibility, and guide you through the approval and implementation process
- The VA specialist assists in developing the modification specifications and approving contractors
Working with a VSO during the application process helps ensure the eligibility determination is handled correctly and the full grant amount is utilized effectively.
HISA Grant: An Additional Option
The Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant is separate from SAH and SHA and provides up to $6,800 for veterans with service-connected conditions and up to $2,000 for veterans with non-service-connected conditions to make medically necessary home improvements. HISA is available through VA healthcare — apply through your VA medical center’s prosthetics or social work department. HISA and SAH/SHA grants can potentially be used in combination for different modifications.
Bottom Line
The VA’s SAH and SHA grants are among the most generous disability housing benefits available — providing up to $109,986 to adapt or build a home for a veteran with severe service-connected disabilities. Despite their value, these grants are claimed by far fewer veterans than likely qualify. If you have a service-connected disability affecting your mobility, vision, or ability to use your hands or limbs, review the eligibility criteria and apply through va.gov. The VA’s Specially Adapted Housing specialists guide the process from application through construction completion at no cost to the veteran.