For veterans with multiple service-related disabilities, the VA assigns a disability rating to each and then adds them together. Whether your combined disability rating comes from a single condition or multiple conditions, the VA offers special housing adaptation benefits if your rating as a disabled veteran comes out to 100 percent.
Currently, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs offers four disabled veteran housing allowance grants for former service members with a 100 percent disability rating. You can use these additional benefits from the VA to modify your existing home or build a new one to accommodate your disabling condition. Eligibility for a housing grant does not affect your entitlement to other veterans benefits such as monthly disability compensation.
Specially Adapted Housing Grant (SAH Grant)
Under this VA housing grant, disabled veterans with a qualifying 100 percent disability rating can receive up to $63,780 to build or modify a home that allows for maximum independent living. To receive the Specially Adapted Housing Grant, your service-related disability must meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Severe burn injury.
- Damage to or loss of one or both legs that makes mobility difficult without the use of a wheelchair, crutches, cane, or braces.
- Damage to or loss of one or both arms above the elbow or that make it difficult to use your arms independently.
- Blindness in both eyes that leaves you with only light perception.
Special Home Adaptation Grant (SHA Grant)
You can receive up to $12,756 to pay for adaptive modification to your current home or to buy a new home. Eligible veterans can apply for both the SHA Grant and the SAH Grant. If you feel you meet the criteria for both housing grants, the next step is to complete Form 26-4555 and submit it to the closest regional office of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
Home Improvement and Structural Adaptation Grant (HISA Grant)
The purpose of the HISA grant is to allow disabled former service members to achieve the highest degree of independent living possible by receiving the medical treatments recommended by their medical provider. Unfortunately, the physical layout of some homes makes it impossible to achieve this goal. If you meet the eligibility requirements outlined by the federal government, you can apply for this grant and either the SHA Grant or SAH Grant at the same time.
The HISA Grant differs from the other two because it does not require military service members to have acquired their disabling injury or illness while on active duty. You can apply for the HISA Grant whether your disability was service-related or not as long as you are a veteran of the United States military.
Under the HISA Grant, disabled veterans can receive up to $6,800 for a service-related or non service-related disability. If your disability is not service-related, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs must have assigned a disability rating of at least 50 percent. You must use the funds from this housing grant to make improvements to your current home to ensure that you can receive the medical treatments recommended by your doctor. Other former service members who have registered for the VA health care program can receive up to $2,000.
To apply for this grant, the VA requires disabled veterans to submit the Veteran’s Application for Assistance in Acquiring Home Improvement application along with VA Form 10-0103. Further information about all 100 percent disabled veteran housing allowance is available at va.gov.
Temporary Residence Adaptation Grant (TRA Grant)
Sometimes it is easier for disabled veterans to receive the medical care they need at the home of a family member. TRA grants provide financial assistance to disabled service members who maintain eligibility under Section 2101 (b) of th SHA Grant or Section 2101 (a) of the SAH Grant.
Additionally, disabled veterans who meet eligibility requirements can also receive a housing grant to pay for modifications to a family member’s home. In this situation, the VA allows you to use up to $14,000 of a $50,000 SHA Grant or up to $2,000 of a $10,000 SHA grant. However, this only applies to disabled veterans no longer on active duty since the Department of Veterans’ Affairs cannot offer these grants to current military service members.
