VA Home Adaptation Grants: SAH, SHA, HISA, and TRA

Compare the Four VA Home Adaptation Paths

SAH, SHA, and TRA have different home and disability rules. HISA may help a veteran who does not meet the SAH or SHA disability list. These benefits do not have a general household income test listed on VA’s program pages. That does not mean everyone will qualify.

FY2027 Grant Amounts: What VA Has Confirmed

Check before using any dollar figure. Fiscal year (FY) 2027 began October 1, 2026.

As of October 9, VA’s official housing grant page still shows FY2026 amounts. We could not confirm published FY2027 SAH, SHA, or TRA limits from VA. Ask the housing grant office for the FY2027 amount and the balance left in your case.

For reference only, VA’s public FY2026 figures were SAH $126,526; SHA $25,350; TRA with SAH eligibility $50,961; and TRA with SHA eligibility $9,100. They are not verified FY2027 limits. The official FY2026 Federal Register notice states $25,349 for SHA and $9,099 for SHA-based TRA, one dollar less than the rounded VA page figures. Use the amount VA confirms for your award.

HISA limits are different. VA’s published lifetime limits remain $6,800 for certain service-connected cases and $2,000 for other covered cases. Earlier HISA payments reduce what is left. There is no fresh yearly HISA allowance.

SAH and SHA can be used up to six times in a lifetime, within the amount VA allows. A later year’s limit may change. TRA may be used once and counts as a use, but VA guidance says it does not reduce the SAH or SHA dollar maximum. Ask your agent to check both counts.

Which VA Program Fits Your Home?

SAH: For a Permanent Home

SAH helps a person with a listed, severe service-connected disability buy, build, or change a permanent home. The veteran or service member must own or plan to own the home. VA may approve changes such as ramps, wider paths, or more room for a wheelchair.

VA lists loss or loss of use of more than one limb, some loss of leg function, blindness in both eyes (20/200 sight or worse), and certain severe burns. A special rule may cover loss or loss of use of one lower limb after September 11, 2001, when a walking aid is needed. That one category is capped at 120 awards each fiscal year.

The grant is not a loan. It has no normal monthly payment or interest. VA must still approve the person, home, plans, and costs. See our detailed SAH grant guide for project rules.

SHA: A Different Disability List

SHA can help buy or adapt a permanent home. The veteran or a family member must own or plan to own that home. VA lists loss or loss of use of both hands, certain burns, and some breathing injuries.

SHA is not just a smaller SAH grant that anyone can choose. VA must decide which disability rule fits. Read our SHA and HISA comparison for more on those two paths.

TRA: A Family Member’s Temporary Home

TRA helps change a family member’s home where the eligible person lives for a short time. The veteran does not have to own it. The veteran must first meet SAH or SHA rules. Tell VA who owns the home and how long you expect to stay.

Do not assume a rental owned by a stranger will qualify for TRA. If the main home is a rental, ask about HISA instead. Have VA confirm the temporary stay, project, one-time use, and current legal authority before work.

HISA: Medical Changes in a Main Home

HISA is a health care benefit for changes that a VA clinician says are needed. It can help with a main home that the veteran owns or rents. For a rental, VA calls for signed, notarized owner consent.

The VA HISA program rules set a $6,800 lifetime limit for a service-connected need, certain needs treated as service connected, or a non-service-connected need when one service-connected disability is rated at least 50%. Ratings cannot be added together for that test. Other covered needs have a $2,000 lifetime limit.

Ask PSAS to check your care eligibility and any past HISA payments. HISA is not a way to draw cash for any repair you want.

Repairs These Benefits May Cover

SAH, SHA, and TRA may fund changes tied to the approved disability and home plan. These can include safe entry, wider doors, a usable bathroom, room for a wheelchair, and controls the person can reach. The final plan must fit the home and local building code.

HISA may cover a permanent ramp, a roll-in shower, an accessible sink, or plumbing and wiring needed for home medical gear. The doctor must explain why the change is needed. VA may ask about a safer or less costly option.

HISA does not cover new home construction, hot tubs, exterior decks, home security systems, or paths to outbuildings. It also excludes removable items such as portable ramps and stair glides. Routine roof, furnace, and air conditioner replacement is not covered.

Some removable aids may come through a different VA service. Ask the care team before you buy one. Our ramps and bathroom guide explains other kinds of help.

How to Apply for Each VA Benefit

SAH, SHA, and TRA: Start With Housing Grants

VA says you need your Social Security number and VA file or claim number if you have one. Ask the grant office if you need more.

Call the VA home loan line at 1-877-827-3702, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern. You can also use the VA benefits office finder.

Our SAH application walkthrough covers each stage in more detail. TRA applicants should tell the same office that they want to adapt a family member’s temporary home.

HISA: Start With the Medical Center

Ask your doctor, nurse, or rehab team for a HISA review. Then call PSAS at your VA medical center. Use the VA facility finder to find that center. HISA is not filed on VA Form 26-4555.

Your HISA packet must include a VA physician’s written or approved prescription. It must state the health need, work wanted, and possible other choices. You also need signed VA Form 10-0103, an itemized bid, and a color photo of the area before work. Renters also need the owner’s signed, notarized consent.

The HISA form lets you ask for an advance payment. Do not count on payment before VA approves it. Ask PSAS about local steps, inspections, receipts, and your share of the cost.

Gather These Papers, but Call First

You can make the first call before every paper is ready. Ask the office for its own checklist. These records can help with many cases:

• VA claim details and any disability decision letters.
• Deed, title, or owner details; for TRA, proof of the family home.
• A list of unsafe tasks and the changes that may help.
• Photos and basic room or doorway sizes, taken safely.
• Medical notes, therapy notes, or a HISA prescription as needed.
• Cost bids, work plans, and permit details when VA asks for them.
• Renter consent and records of earlier grant or HISA use.

Tell VA about a trust, life estate, inherited home, shared title, or mobile home before changing ownership papers. Use an official VA portal or office for private records. Never send bank logins or passwords to a contractor.

What Happens After Approval?

VA reviews the claim and sends a decision. You may be able to use its online claim status tool for a housing grant claim. There is no one wait time for every case.

An SAH agent may review the home, work plans, costs, builder, permits, and inspections. PSAS may review the HISA plan and inspect the space. In both cases, ask what written notice lets work start. A doctor note or basic eligibility notice may not be enough.

VA says an SAH builder must register for a Builder ID, but VA does not approve or guarantee the builder. See the VA builder registration rules. Check state licenses, insurance, past jobs, and references yourself.

Get a written price and list of work. Include permits, start date, payment stages, change orders, cleanup, and any warranty. Ask about lien releases before making final payment. Never hire a builder just because they promise a grant.

These grants do not have normal loan interest or monthly repayment. But they are not blank checks. Unapproved work may not be paid.

VA may seek back funds paid in error or used against the rules. A grant also may not cover every cost.

If VA Delays or Denies Your Request

A request for more records is not a denial. Read the VA letter. Write down what it needs and the due date. Send what is asked for and save proof.

Common blocks include a disability outside the SAH or SHA list, a home title issue, work that is not medically needed, a weak HISA prescription, or too little money left. Work done before approval can also be a problem.

For a housing grant decision, check the VA decision review choices. A Supplemental Claim can use new evidence. Higher-Level Review checks for error without new evidence. A Board Appeal goes to a VA judge.

Many deadlines are one year, but read your letter.

For HISA, ask if the dispute concerns medical judgment or a health care benefit decision. The paths differ. If it is a care decision, start with your VA patient advocate and the clinical appeals process. For a health care benefit decision, ask which review form applies.

Do not guess which appeal form to send. Our VA denial action guide helps sort the letter, proof, and dates.

When VA Does Not Pay for the Work

Try another program if the repair is outside VA rules. Tell each group about other pending aid. The same cost should not be paid twice.

• Medicaid: Some state home care waiver plans pay for home changes that help a person stay at home. State rules and approval vary. See our Medicaid home changes guide.
• Rural repairs: USDA Section 504 offers a low-interest repair loan to some very-low-income rural owners. Some owners age 62 or more may qualify for a hazard removal grant. See our USDA repair program guide.
• Local and nonprofit aid: Some housing offices or groups offer repair work or loans. Aid may be limited by town, income, or open slots. Our veteran nonprofit repair guide is a place to start.

Ask the local aging office, disability center, or city housing team about ramps and safety changes. They may know a program that can pay for a small job while a VA claim is pending.

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