VA adaptive housing grants can pay to remodel a veteran's home so they can stay in it safely as they age. The VA runs three separate programs: Specially Adapted Housing (SAH), Special Home Adaptation (SHA), and Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA). Each has its own purpose, its own dollar limit, and its own application form, and a veteran can sometimes use more than one.

This guide explains what each grant covers, the 2026 maximum amounts, who qualifies, and exactly which VA form to file.

In This Guide

Specially Adapted Housing (SAH)

The Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant is the VA's largest home-modification benefit. It helps veterans and service members with the most serious qualifying service-connected disabilities build, buy, or remodel an adapted home, or pay down the mortgage on an already-adapted home they own.

The FY2026 maximum is up to $126,526. This is a lifetime grant, and the figure adjusts each VA fiscal year based on construction cost indices, so the amount you see may change in a future year.

SAH is designed for the kinds of severe disabilities that make a standard home unusable: loss or loss of use of both lower extremities, blindness in both eyes combined with loss or loss of use of one extremity, certain severe burns, and similar conditions. For these veterans, the grant can fund the structural changes, such as a fully accessible bathroom or a barrier-free floor plan, that make independent living possible.

Not sure whether a parent's disability qualifies for SAH? Chat with Brevy to talk through the options before you file.

Special Home Adaptation (SHA)

The Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grant is a smaller benefit for veterans and service members with certain qualifying service-connected disabilities. It helps them adapt or buy a home, which can be their own home or a home owned by a family member, so it accommodates the disability.

The FY2026 maximum is up to $25,350. Like SAH, this is a lifetime maximum that adjusts each VA fiscal year based on construction cost indices.

SHA covers disabilities such as loss or loss of use of both hands, certain severe burns, and certain respiratory or breathing injuries. A veteran cannot receive both an SAH and an SHA grant; the VA assigns the grant that matches the qualifying disability.

Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA)

Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) is different from SAH and SHA. It is a VA health-care benefit rather than a disability-housing grant, and it pays for medically necessary improvements and structural alterations to a veteran's primary residence.

Typical HISA projects include roll-in showers, widening doorways, making kitchen or bathroom sinks and counters accessible, permanent ramping for entrance or driveway access, and plumbing or electrical changes needed to run home medical equipment.

The most important difference is who can use it. HISA is available for both service-connected and non-service-connected conditions. The lifetime maximum is $6,800 for veterans with a service-connected disability (or a non-service-connected disability when the veteran has a 50% or higher service-connected rating) and $2,000 for veterans whose qualifying condition is non-service-connected only. These HISA caps are statutory and are not adjusted annually. HISA can also be used alongside an SAH or SHA grant.

VA Adaptive Housing Grant Maximums for 2026

The table below shows the FY2026 maximums for each program. The SAH, SHA, and Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) figures adjust each VA fiscal year (October 1 through September 30) based on construction cost indices, so re-verify them before the FY2027 amounts publish. The HISA caps are statutory and do not change annually.

Grant 2026 Maximum
Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Up to $126,526
Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Up to $25,350
Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA), SAH-eligible Up to $50,961
Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA), SHA-eligible Up to $9,100
HISA, service-connected (lifetime) $6,800
HISA, non-service-connected (lifetime) $2,000

The Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grant lets an eligible SAH or SHA veteran adapt a family member's home they are temporarily living in. The TRA amount is capped within the veteran's SAH or SHA lifetime maximum.

Who Gets Each VA Adaptive Housing Grant

Which grant a veteran can use depends on the grant they are seeking.

  • SAH is for veterans and service members with the most serious qualifying service-connected disabilities, such as loss or loss of use of both lower extremities, blindness in both eyes combined with loss or loss of use of one extremity, or certain severe burns.
  • SHA is for veterans and service members with certain qualifying service-connected disabilities, such as loss or loss of use of both hands, certain severe burns, or certain respiratory or breathing injuries.
  • HISA is for veterans who need a medically necessary modification to their primary residence, and it is available for both service-connected and non-service-connected conditions.

Because HISA covers non-service-connected conditions too, it is often the only one of the three grants available to a veteran whose mobility needs come from aging or illness rather than a service injury.

How to Apply

The two housing-grant tracks use different forms and different VA offices, so start by confirming which grant fits the veteran's disability. The steps below walk through filing, what to expect after, and what to do if the VA says no.

1
Step 1

File Form 26-4555 for an SAH or SHA grant

You apply for the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) and Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grants with VA Form 26-4555, the Application in Acquiring Specially Adapted Housing or Special Home Adaptation Grant. You can file it online at VA.gov, by mail to the Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444, or in person at your nearest VA regional office. A free accredited Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative can also file it with you. The VA reviews the veteran's qualifying disability and assigns the grant that fits.

2
Step 2

File Form 10-0103 for a HISA grant instead

You apply for HISA with VA Form 10-0103, submitted along with a VA physician's prescription, cost estimates, and a photo of the area to be modified. Because HISA is a health-care benefit, the application runs through the VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service at your VA medical center rather than the housing-grant office.

3
Step 3

Wait for the decision letter, and track the claim

The VA processes your claim and mails you a letter with its decision. You can track it in the meantime by signing in to VA.gov and checking your claim status. There is no single published processing time for a housing-grant decision, so use your VA.gov status page or the benefits hotline at 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET, for where your specific claim stands rather than relying on a general estimate.

4
Step 4

Ask for a review within one year if you are denied

If you disagree with the VA's decision, you have one year from the date on your decision letter to ask for a review, and three ways to do it. You can file a Supplemental Claim if you have new and relevant evidence the VA did not have before; request a Higher-Level Review, in which a more senior reviewer re-examines the same evidence without new documents; or appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals, where a Veterans Law Judge reviews your case. A Supplemental Claim can be filed at any time, but filing within one year of the decision-letter date protects your earliest possible effective date.

Your next step Call the VA benefits hotline at 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET, to confirm which housing grant fits and how to file.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a veteran use both an SAH or SHA grant and HISA?

Yes. HISA can be used alongside an SAH or SHA grant. They serve different purposes: SAH and SHA fund larger adaptations to an owned or family home for serious service-connected disabilities, while HISA covers medically necessary alterations to a primary residence and is available for both service-connected and non-service-connected conditions.

Do you need a service-connected disability to qualify for these grants?

For SAH and SHA, yes. Both require a qualifying service-connected disability. HISA is the exception: it is available for both service-connected and non-service-connected conditions, with a lifetime cap of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on the situation.

Will the 2026 grant amounts stay the same next year?

The SAH, SHA, and TRA maximums adjust each VA fiscal year based on construction cost indices, so they can change after September 30, 2026. The HISA lifetime caps of $6,800 and $2,000 are statutory and are not adjusted annually.

What is a Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grant?

A TRA grant lets an eligible SAH or SHA veteran adapt a family member's home they are temporarily living in. The FY2026 amount is up to $50,961 for SAH-eligible veterans and up to $9,100 for SHA-eligible veterans, capped within the veteran's SAH or SHA lifetime maximum.

What can you do if your VA housing grant is denied?

You have one year from the date on your VA decision letter to ask for a review. The VA offers three decision-review options: a Supplemental Claim if you have new and relevant evidence, a Higher-Level Review in which a more senior reviewer re-examines the same evidence, or an appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals. A free accredited Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative can help you choose and file the right one, and you can call the VA benefits hotline at 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711) for help.

Learn More

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Related Brevy guides:

VA BenefitsVA Benefits for Senior Care: A Complete GuideA complete guide to VA benefits for senior care: long-term care, Aid and Attendance, pensions, DIC, and home grants for older veterans and surviving spouses.

Find personalized help navigating VA benefits for aging in place at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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