VA Home Loan, Life Insurance, Housing Adaptation
Main pillars of the VA home loan benefit
No downpayment required (*Note: Lenders may require downpayments for some borrowers using the VA home loan guaranty, but VA does not require a downpayment)
Competitively low interest rates
Limited closing costs
No need for Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
The VA home loan is a lifetime benefit: you can use the guaranty multiple times
https://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/index.asp
Disability housing grants for Veterans
We offer housing grants for Veterans and service members with certain service-connected disabilities so they can buy or change a home to meet their needs and live more independently. Changing a home might involve installing ramps or widening doorways. Find out if you’re eligible for a disability housing grant—and how to apply.
Grant eligibility for your permanent home
Can I get a Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant?
You may be able to get an SAH grant if you’re using the grant money to buy, build, or change your permanent home (a home you plan to live in for a long time) and you meet both of these requirements.
Both of these must be true:
You own or will own the home, and
You have a qualifying service-connected disability
Qualifying service-connected disabilities include:
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 (lasting effects) of an organic (natural) disease or injury
Blindness in both eyes (with 20/200 visual acuity or less)
Certain severe burns
The loss, or loss of use, of one lower extremity (foot or leg) after September 11, 2001, which makes it so you can’t balance or walk without the help of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair
Note: Only 120 Veterans and service members each fiscal year (FY) can qualify for a grant based on the loss of one extremity after September 11, 2001, as set by Congress. A fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30. If you qualify for a grant in the current fiscal year but you can’t receive it because of the 120-grant limit, you may be able to receive this benefit in future years.
How much funding does an SAH grant offer?
If you qualify for an SAH grant, you can get up to $117,014 for FY 2024. This is the current total maximum amount allowed for SAH grants.
Can I get a Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grant?
You may be able to get an SHA grant if you’re using the grant money to buy, build, or change your permanent home (a home you plan to live in for a long time) and you meet both of these requirements.
Both of these must be true:
You or a family member own or will own the home, and
You have a qualifying service-connected disability
Qualifying service-connected disabilities include:
The loss or loss of use of both hands
Certain severe burns
Certain respiratory or breathing injuries
How much funding does an SHA grant offer?
If you qualify for an SHA grant, you can get up to $23,444 for FY 2024. This is the current total maximum amount allowed for SHA grants.
Do I have to use the total grant amount this year?
No. If you’re eligible for an SAH or SHA grant, you can use money from your grant up to 6 different times over your lifetime. Depending on the adaptations you need, and the bid from your builder, you can use as much or as little of your grant as you need this year. If you don’t use the full amount, you can use more money from the grant in future years.
We may adjust the total maximum amount each year based on the cost of construction. You may receive up to the current total maximum amount for the last year you use the grant.
Learn more about how to apply for a housing grant
Grant eligibility for a temporary home
Can I get a Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grant?
You may be able to get a TRA grant if you’re using the grant money to change a family members’ home where you’re living and you meet both of these requirements.
Both of these must be true:
You’re living temporarily in a family member’s home that needs changes to meet your needs (you don’t have to own the house), and
You qualify for an SAH or SHA grant Learn about eligibility for SAH or SHA grants
How much funding does a TRA grant offer?
If you qualify for an SAH grant, you can get up to $47,130 through the TRA grant program for FY 2024.
If you qualify for an SHA grant, you can get up to $8,415 through the TRA grant program for FY 2024.
How to apply for a disability housing grant
You can apply online right now.
Apply for an adapted housing grant
You can also apply by mail and in person.
Learn more about how to apply for a housing grant
Get more information
Learn more about the design options and other information in our housing design handbook.
Read A Guide for Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) and Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) Projects (PDF)
Go to these videos to learn more about the SAH and SHA grant program:
Eligibility requirements for VA’s adaptive housing grant program (YouTube)
Specially adapted housing program for disabled Veterans (YouTube)
VA’s adaptive housing grants for disabled Veterans (YouTube)
Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI) offers mortgage protection insurance to the families of Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities who’ve adapted a home to fit their needs. Find out if you qualify—and how to apply and manage your coverage.
Up to $200,000 in mortgage life insurance—paid directly to the bank or other lender that holds your mortgage.
https://www.va.gov/life-insurance/options-eligibility/vmli/
We offer housing grants for Veterans and service members with certain service-connected disabilities so they can buy or change a home to meet their needs and live more independently. Changing a home might involve installing ramps or widening doorways. Find out if you’re eligible for a disability housing grant—and how to apply.
If you qualify for an SAH grant, you can get up to $117,014 for FY 2024. This is the current total maximum amount allowed for SAH grants.
https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/disability-housing-grants/
Home Improvements/Structural Alterations (HISA)
This benefit provides medically necessary improvements and structural alterations to Veterans/Servicemembers’ primary residence for the following purposes:
Allowing entrance to or exit from the primary residence
Use of essential lavatory and sanitary facilities (e.g. roll in showers)
Allowing accessibility to kitchen or bathroom sinks or counters (e.g. lowering counters/sinks)
Improving entrance paths or driveways in immediate area of the home to facilitate access to the home through construction of permanent ramping
Improving plumbing or electrical systems made necessary due to installation of home medical equipment
Lifetime benefit for Veterans and Servicemembers.$6,800 will be approved to:
Address a service-connected disability
Address a compensable disability treated “as if” is a service-connected disability and for which the Veteran entitled to medical services under 38 USC 1710(a)(2)(c) (e.g., disability acquired through treatment or vocational rehabilitation provided by VA)
Address a non-service- connected disability, if the beneficiary has a service-connected disability rated at least 50 percent disability (no combining or combination of disability percentages is allowed).
$2,000 will be approved to:
Address a disability that is not covered above