If you are a veteran in Minnesota planning repairs or accessibility work on your home, here is the direct answer: Minnesota does not run its own grant or loan program built for veteran home repairs or modifications. Its real value shows up elsewhere, in a hardship grant that can cover a failed furnace and a property tax exclusion worth up to $300,000. Here is how the federal grant money works, what Minnesota adds, and how to apply for both.
The four federal VA grants#
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers four grant and health-benefit programs nationwide, and Minnesota veterans qualify the same as veterans anywhere. Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) pays up to $126,526 in FY2026 for severe, permanent service-connected disabilities, such as loss of use of both legs or blindness rated 20/200 or worse. Special Home Adaptation (SHA) pays up to $25,350 in FY2026 for conditions like loss of use of both hands or certain respiratory injuries. Both are grants, not loans, so nothing is repaid. Apply with VA Form 26-4555; SAH or SHA can be used up to six times over your lifetime as funds remain.
Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) helps if you are living temporarily in a family member's home. In FY2026 it pays up to $50,961 through the SAH path or $9,100 through the SHA path. TRA can only be used once, counts as one of your six lifetime uses, and draws down whichever grant total, SAH or SHA, you qualify under. Congress currently authorizes TRA through September 30, 2026.
Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) is a VA health benefit, not a housing grant, so you apply through the VA medical center's Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service with VA Form 10-0103 and a provider's prescription. Service-connected veterans can receive up to $6,800 over their lifetime; other eligible veterans can receive up to $2,000. Renters can use HISA with the landlord's notarized permission. SAH and SHA construction runs through a contractor holding a VA Builder ID, a registration, not an approval rating.
What Minnesota adds#
Minnesota's own agency for veterans is the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA), at mn.gov/mdva, 1-888-LinkVet (1-888-546-5838). MDVA does not run a home repair, improvement, or adaptation construction program. Its closest benefit is the Veteran's Relief Grant, funded through the State Soldiers Assistance Program (SSAP), which dates to 1923. This is a once-per-lifetime hardship grant, not a repair program with a set amount: MDVA reviews each case individually, the veteran must show the assistance will restore financial sustainability, and approved funds are paid directly to the vendor, such as a furnace contractor. No dollar cap is published. SSAP separately pays shelter costs, including rent, mortgage, property taxes, and homeowners insurance, along with utilities for veterans in documented hardship.
Minnesota's other real contribution is the Market Value Exclusion for Veterans with a Disability, under Minnesota Statute section 273.13, subdivision 34. A veteran with a 70% or greater service-connected disability rating can exclude $150,000 of a homestead's market value from property tax; a veteran rated 100% permanent and total can exclude $300,000. The exclusion carries to an unremarried surviving spouse who holds title and lives in the home, and a surviving spouse of a service member who died of a service-connected cause on active duty also qualifies for the $300,000 exclusion. Unusually, if the veteran owns no Minnesota homestead, a primary family caregiver's homestead can qualify instead. You must apply to your county assessor by December 31 of the first assessment year to claim it.
How to apply in Minnesota#
Finding a provider who knows VA paperwork: Not every contractor has worked on SAH, SHA, or HISA projects. Adapta Home USA verifies providers' VA Builder ID Verified status, so you can filter for professionals who have handled this paperwork before. Find Home Modifications & Remodeling providers in Minnesota with VA Builder ID Verified status →
Every Minnesota county has a County Veterans Service Office (CVSO), the primary local contact for both state and federal benefits. CVSOs help file VA Form 26-4555 and other federal claims at no charge, and many tribal nations are additionally served by Tribal Veteran Service Officers (TVSOs). Find your county office through macvso.org or by calling 1-888-546-5838. For the Veteran's Relief Grant, apply through MDVA directly at VeteransServices.MDVA@state.mn.us. For the property tax exclusion, file with your county assessor, not with MDVA.
How the programs stack together#
The federal VA grants pay for the actual construction, so start there, since that money never has to be repaid. Minnesota's Relief Grant is narrower, a last-resort hardship benefit rather than a planned repair budget, while the property tax exclusion does not fund a project but can meaningfully lower a disabled veteran's ongoing housing costs for as long as the home is owned.
For more on the federal programs, see our VA home modification grants guide and VA grant decision tree. Our guide to paying for home modifications and wheelchair ramp cost guide can help you plan a project budget.
Figures on this page were verified against mn.gov/mdva and revisor.mn.gov in July 2026.
FAQ#
Does Minnesota have a state program that pays for veteran home repairs or modifications?#
No. Minnesota has no standing construction program. Its Veteran's Relief Grant is a once-per-lifetime hardship benefit, alongside the four federal VA grants that pay for construction.
How much is the Minnesota disabled veteran property tax exclusion?#
Under Minnesota Statute section 273.13, subdivision 34, a 70%+ service-connected disability rating excludes $150,000 of market value; a 100% permanent and total rating excludes $300,000.
Can Minnesota's Veteran's Relief Grant pay for home repairs like a furnace?#
Yes, MDVA's own pages note it can cover major repair costs such as a furnace, but it is case-by-case hardship aid with no published dollar cap, paid directly to the vendor, and usable once per lifetime.
Who helps Minnesota veterans apply for VA housing grants for free?#
Your county's Veterans Service Office (CVSO) helps file VA Form 26-4555 and other federal claims at no cost. Find yours at macvso.org or call 1-888-546-5838.
Find a verified provider near you#
Adapta Home USA's directory lets you search Home Modifications & Remodeling providers in Minnesota and filter for VA Builder ID Verified status. Our wheelchair ramp cost guide can help you plan your budget.
This article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your specific situation.
Program amounts, eligibility rules, and application procedures change. Figures on this page were verified against official government sources on the date shown, but you should confirm current details at VA.gov or with the administering agency before making decisions. Adapta Home USA is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency.