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, dollar limit and eligibility rules. SAH and SHA share one application form, VA Form 26-4555, and HISA uses VA Form 10-0103.

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 is for a veteran or service member who owns or will own the home and has a qualifying service-connected disability.

The FY2026 maximum is up to $126,526. That is the total VA allows for an SAH grant, not an amount paid each year: a veteran can draw on the grant up to six times over a lifetime, using as much or as little as needed in a given year. SAH aggregate amounts are increased annually using the Turner Building Cost Index under 38 CFR 36.4411(a), and the FY2026 increase took effect October 1, 2025, 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. The qualifying disabilities are 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 of an organic disease or injury; blindness in both eyes with 20/200 visual acuity or less; certain severe burns; or the loss, or loss of use, of one lower extremity after September 11, 2001, which makes it so the veteran can't balance or walk without braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair. That last route is capped by Congress: VA can approve no more than 120 grants on it each fiscal year, and a veteran who qualifies but can't receive the grant because of the cap may be able to receive it in a future year. 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 a veteran or service member with a qualifying service-connected disability, where the veteran or a family member owns or will own the home.

The FY2026 maximum is up to $25,350, which is likewise a total maximum, usable up to six times over a lifetime, rather than a yearly amount. VA may adjust it each fiscal year based on the cost of construction, and a VA fiscal year runs October 1 through September 30.

SHA covers the loss or loss of use of both hands, certain severe burns, and certain respiratory or breathing injuries. SAH and SHA are mutually exclusive: a veteran who is eligible for an SAH grant is not eligible for an SHA grant, and the VA awards the one grant that matches the veteran's qualifying service-connected disability.

Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA)

Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) is different from SAH and SHA. It is administered through the VA's Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, and it pays for medically necessary improvements and structural alterations to a veteran's or service member's primary residence.

HISA covers entrance to and exit from the primary residence, use of essential lavatory and sanitary facilities such as a roll-in shower, accessibility to kitchen or bathroom sinks or counters, permanent ramping to improve entrance paths or driveways, and plumbing or electrical changes made necessary by installing home medical equipment.

It does not cover everything. VA's HISA page names some excluded alterations, including exterior decking, hot tubs, home security systems, removable equipment such as portable ramps, porch lifts and stair glides, and routine repairs like a new roof, furnace or air conditioner, and every HISA project must be medically justified.

The most important difference is who can use it. HISA is available to veterans with service-connected medical conditions and, in some cases, non-service-connected ones. It is a lifetime benefit. VA approves $6,800 on any of three routes: to address a service-connected disability; to address a compensable disability VA treats as if it were service-connected, such as one acquired through VA treatment or vocational rehabilitation; or to address a non-service-connected disability when the veteran has a service-connected disability rated at least 50 percent, with no combining of ratings. Only when none of those fits does the $2,000 amount apply.

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 are total maximums for FY2026 (October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026), not sums a veteran receives each year, and VA may adjust them each year based on the cost of construction. The HISA figures are lifetime amounts.

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 is for a veteran living temporarily in a family member's home that needs changes to meet the veteran's needs. The FY2026 amount is up to $50,961 for a veteran who qualifies for an SAH grant and up to $9,100 for a veteran who qualifies for an SHA grant.

Who Gets Each VA Adaptive Housing Grant

Which grant a veteran can use depends on the veteran's qualifying disability and who owns the home.

  • SAH is for a veteran or service member who owns or will own the home and has a qualifying service-connected disability, such as the loss or loss of use of more than one limb, blindness in both eyes with 20/200 visual acuity or less, or certain severe burns.
  • SHA is for a veteran or service member with a qualifying service-connected disability, where the veteran or a family member owns or will own the home. The qualifying disabilities are the 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 to those with service-connected conditions and, in some cases, non-service-connected ones.

Because HISA reaches non-service-connected conditions in some cases, it is the only one of the three that can, in some cases, help 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. The VA accepts the application online at VA.gov, and you can also mail the completed form to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Claims Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444, or bring it to your nearest VA regional office. If you have trouble getting to the form, the VA's how-to-apply page asks you to call 877-827-3702 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. VA awards the one grant that matches the veteran's qualifying service-connected disability.

2
Step 2

File Form 10-0103 for a HISA grant instead

A completed HISA application package must include five items: a prescription written or approved by a VA physician; a completed and signed VA Form 10-0103; if you rent, a signed and notarized statement from the owner authorizing the alteration; a written itemized estimate of costs for labor, materials, permits and inspections; and a color photograph of the unimproved area. If you want an advance payment, you must request it on the application itself. VA's HISA page directs you to your local Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, found through VA's facility locator, for questions and to confirm your available lifetime HISA benefit.

3
Step 3

Wait for the decision letter, and track the claim

The VA processes your claim and sends you a letter with its decision. You can check the status of the claim in the meantime by signing in to VA.gov. For a general question, the VA benefits hotline is 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.

4
Step 4

Ask for a review if you are denied

If you disagree with the VA's decision, you have three ways to ask for a review. You can file a Supplemental Claim when you have new and relevant evidence to submit, or when you are asking for review based on a change in law such as the PACT Act; request a Higher-Level Review, in which a higher-level reviewer looks at your case and no new evidence can be submitted; or appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals, where a Veterans Law Judge reviews your case. A Higher-Level Review must be requested within one year of the VA's decision on your initial claim or Supplemental Claim, and a Board Appeal within one year of the decision on your initial claim, Supplemental Claim, or Higher-Level Review. In each case the year runs from the date on the decision letter.

Your next step If you have trouble getting the SAH or SHA application form, VA's how-to-apply page lists 877-827-3702 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. For a general benefits question, call 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

They are separate benefits with separate forms (VA Form 26-4555 for SAH and SHA, VA Form 10-0103 for HISA), so they are applied for separately and neither application is a substitute for the other. SAH and SHA fund larger adaptations to a home the veteran or a family member owns or will own, for a qualifying service-connected disability, while HISA is administered through the VA's Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service and covers medically necessary alterations to a primary residence. Ask your VA regional office about SAH or SHA and your local Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service about HISA before assuming one rules out the other.

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 to veterans with service-connected conditions and, in some cases, non-service-connected ones, as a lifetime benefit of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on the situation.

Will the 2026 grant amounts stay the same next year?

VA may adjust the SAH, SHA, and TRA maximums each fiscal year based on the cost of construction, so they can change after September 30, 2026. SAH aggregate amounts are increased annually using the Turner Building Cost Index under 38 CFR 36.4411(a); the FY2026 increase took effect October 1, 2025.

What is a Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grant?

A TRA grant is for a veteran living temporarily in a family member's home that needs changes to meet the veteran's needs. The FY2026 amount is up to $50,961 for a veteran who qualifies for an SAH grant and up to $9,100 for a veteran who qualifies for an SHA grant.

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

The VA offers three decision-review options: a Supplemental Claim when you have new and relevant evidence to submit or are asking for review based on a change in law, a Higher-Level Review in which a higher-level reviewer looks at the case without new evidence, or an appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals. A Higher-Level Review must be requested within one year of the VA's decision on the initial claim or Supplemental Claim, and a Board Appeal within one year of the decision on the initial claim, Supplemental Claim, or Higher-Level Review, with the year running from the date on the decision letter. For help, call the VA benefits hotline at 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711).

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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