Aging in Place Grants

VA Home Modification Grants (SAH, SHA, TRA and HISA)

Updated October 18, 2026 · By the Aging in Place Grants research desk · How we research

Four VA grants that help Veterans with qualifying disabilities adapt a home, from small HISA jobs to whole-house SAH projects.

At a glance

Key amounts (check the source for the current figure)
SAH maximum (FY2026, from Oct 1, 2025)$126,526
SHA maximum (FY2026)$25,349 (VA's site rounds to $25,350)
TRA maximum if SAH-eligible (FY2026)$50,961
TRA maximum if SHA-eligible (FY2026)$9,099 (VA's site rounds to $9,100)
HISA lifetime limit, service-connected (or 50%+ rated)$6,800
HISA lifetime limit, other disabilities$2,000

What it can pay for

  • Permanent entrance ramps and wider entry paths
  • Roll-in showers and accessible bathrooms
  • Lowered kitchen or bathroom sinks and counters
  • Wider doorways and hallways
  • Plumbing or electrical work needed for home medical equipment
  • Building or buying a new adapted home (SAH)
  • Adapting a family member's home where the Veteran lives for now (TRA)

Who qualifies

  • SAH: Veterans or service members who own or will own the home and have a qualifying severe disability, such as loss or loss of use of more than one limb, blindness in both eyes (20/200 or less), certain severe burns, or certain post-9/11 lower-limb losses
  • SHA: Veterans or service members (or a family member) who own or will own the home, with loss or loss of use of both hands, certain severe burns, or certain breathing injuries
  • TRA: Veterans who qualify for SAH or SHA and live for a while in a family member's home
  • HISA: Veterans with a medical need for a home change, prescribed by a VA doctor; the amount depends on whether the disability is service-connected

How to apply

  1. Decide which grant fits: large structural projects usually point to SAH or SHA; smaller medically needed changes usually point to HISA.
  2. For SAH, SHA or TRA, apply online through VA's disability housing grants page using VA Form 26-4555, or apply by mail or in person.
  3. For HISA, ask your VA doctor for a prescription that describes the project and the medical reason for it.
  4. Fill out and sign VA Form 10-0103 for HISA. Ask for an advance payment on the form if you need one.
  5. Get a written, itemized contractor estimate covering labor, materials, permits and inspections, and take a color photo of the area before work starts.
  6. If you rent, get a signed, notarized letter from the owner allowing the work.
  7. Do not start work until VA approves it. VA may inspect the home.

Watch out for

  • Starting construction before approval can leave you paying the full bill yourself.
  • HISA does not pay for porch lifts, stair glides, removable or portable ramps, hot tubs, decks, security systems or routine repairs like a new roof or furnace.
  • SAH and SHA can be used up to six times over your lifetime, so plan big projects so you do not waste a use on a small job.
  • Only 120 people per fiscal year can qualify under the single lower-limb SAH category; if the cap is hit you may be able to get the grant in a later year.
  • VA's fiscal year starts October 1. Amounts can change each year, so confirm the current maximum on VA's page before you plan your budget.
  • Be wary of anyone who charges a fee to 'get you approved.' Applying to VA is free.

What these grants are

The Department of Veterans Affairs runs four grants that help pay for home changes. Each one has its own rules. Picking the right one first saves months.

  • SAH (Specially Adapted Housing) is the largest. It can help build, buy or remodel a home for Veterans with the most severe disabilities.
  • SHA (Special Housing Adaptation) is smaller. It helps adapt a home for certain other serious disabilities.
  • TRA (Temporary Residence Adaptation) helps adapt a family member's home where a Veteran lives for a while.
  • HISA (Home Improvements and Structural Alterations) is run by VA health care. It pays for smaller, medically needed changes.

How much money is available

For fiscal year 2026, which began October 1, 2025, VA published these limits in the Federal Register 2:

  • SAH: up to $126,526
  • SHA: up to $25,349 (VA's website shows $25,350)
  • TRA for someone who qualifies for SAH: up to $50,961
  • TRA for someone who qualifies for SHA: up to $9,099

VA says the maximums can change each year based on construction costs 1. VA's fiscal year 2027 started October 1, 2026, so check VA's page for any newer figure before you plan.

You can use SAH or SHA money up to six times over your life. You can use some now and save the rest. If the maximum goes up later, your total can rise to the newer cap for the year you last use it 1.

HISA works differently. It is a lifetime amount: $6,800 if the change is for a service-connected disability, or if you have a service-connected rating of at least 50 percent. Everyone else who qualifies can get up to $2,000 3.

Who qualifies for SAH and SHA

SAH is for Veterans and service members who own, or will own, the home and have a severe disability. VA's list includes loss or loss of use of more than one limb, blindness in both eyes with 20/200 vision or worse, certain severe burns, and loss or loss of use of a lower leg along with certain other conditions 1.

There is also a category for loss of use of one leg after September 11, 2001, when it makes walking or balancing hard without help. Only 120 people can qualify this way each fiscal year. If you qualify but the cap is reached, you may get it in a later year 1.

SHA covers loss or loss of use of both hands, certain severe burns, and certain breathing injuries. The Veteran or a family member must own, or will own, the home 1.

TRA is for Veterans who qualify for SAH or SHA and are living for a while in a relative's home. You do not need to own that home 1.

What HISA pays for

HISA is meant for changes your VA doctor says you need for medical reasons. VA lists work like 3:

  • Getting in and out of the home, including permanent ramps
  • Roll-in showers and other key bathroom changes
  • Lowered sinks and counters in the kitchen or bathroom
  • Plumbing or electrical work for home medical equipment

HISA does not cover walkways to sheds or garages, hot tubs, decks, new construction, security systems, portable ramps, porch lifts, stair glides, or routine upkeep like a new roof, furnace or air conditioner 3.

How to apply

For SAH, SHA or TRA

Apply online through VA's disability housing grants page with VA Form 26-4555. You can also apply by mail or in person 1. A VA housing agent will review the home and your plans.

For HISA

You will need a packet with five parts 3:

  1. A prescription from a VA doctor with your contact details, a description of the project and the medical reason
  2. VA Form 10-0103, signed (you can ask for an advance payment on this form)
  3. If you rent, a signed and notarized letter from the owner
  4. A written, itemized estimate for labor, materials, permits and inspections
  5. A color photo of the area before work starts

Send it to the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service at your VA medical center. VA may inspect the site 3.

Tips from the planning side

Start with the doctor or therapist. For HISA, the prescription drives everything. Ask the VA doctor or occupational therapist to describe the exact change, not just "bathroom remodel."

Get the estimate in writing. VA asks for an itemized bid. Vague bids slow approval.

Do not start early. If a contractor begins before VA says yes, you may end up paying. Wait for written approval.

Think about the six uses. Because SAH and SHA can only be drawn six times, bundle small jobs together when you can.

Watch for fees. Applying for these grants is free. Be careful with anyone who wants money to "speed up" your VA approval.

Where this fits with other help

VA grants are often the biggest single source of money for a Veteran's home changes. They can still leave gaps. If a project costs more than your grant, look at your state's programs, local nonprofit repair groups, and the tax rules for medical home improvements covered elsewhere on this site.

Common questions

How much is the VA SAH grant in 2026?

For fiscal year 2026 (which began October 1, 2025), the SAH maximum is $126,526. The SHA maximum is $25,349. VA adjusts these each fiscal year based on construction costs, so check VA's housing grants page for the latest figure.

Can I get both HISA and an SAH or SHA grant?

They are separate programs run by different parts of VA. HISA comes through VA health care (Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service), while SAH and SHA come through VA housing benefits. Ask both offices how the grants fit your project before you apply.

Does a Veteran have to own the home?

For SAH and SHA, you (or for SHA, a family member) must own or plan to own the home. TRA covers a family member's home you live in for now. HISA can help renters if the owner signs a notarized approval.

Is HISA a one-time payment?

No. HISA is a lifetime amount, either $6,800 or $2,000 depending on your disability status. You can use it across more than one project until it runs out.

Does HISA pay for a stair lift?

VA's HISA page lists stair glides and porch lifts as not covered by HISA. Ask your VA prosthetics office whether the item can be provided another way.

Sources

  1. Disability housing grants for Veterans — U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Checked October 18, 2026.
  2. Specially Adapted Housing Assistive Technology and grant amounts for FY2026 (Federal Register, Nov. 18, 2025) — Federal Register / GovInfo. Checked October 18, 2026.
  3. Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) — VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service. Checked October 18, 2026.