You are looking at four programs with similar names, a stack of forms, and one home that needs to change so you or your family member can move through it safely. This guide walks you through the questions that decide which Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefit fits, in plain order.
Which program is right for you comes down to three things. First, the service-connected conditions the VA has on record. Second, who owns the home you live in. Third, whether the change you need is a structural building project or a smaller medical modification. Work through those three in order and the choice usually makes itself.
The four programs, one paragraph each#
The VA runs four benefits that pay toward home modifications. Three of them are housing grants; one is a health benefit.
SAH (Specially Adapted Housing) is the largest. It pays toward building, buying, or changing a home so a veteran with certain permanent and total service-connected disabilities can live in it independently. The FY2026 maximum is $126,526 (verified July 2026). This is for you if your qualifying condition is on the SAH list and you own or will own the home.
SHA (Special Home Adaptation) is a smaller housing grant for a different set of service-connected conditions. The FY2026 maximum is $25,350 (verified July 2026). This is for you if your condition is on the SHA list, and unlike SAH, either you or a family member can own the home.
TRA (Temporary Residence Adaptation) is for a veteran who is living temporarily in a family member's home and needs that home adapted. It is not a separate eligibility track; you have to qualify for SAH or SHA first. The FY2026 maximum is $50,961 if you qualify through the SAH path and $9,100 if you qualify through the SHA path (both verified July 2026).
HISA (Home Improvements and Structural Alterations) is a VA health benefit, not a housing grant. It pays toward smaller medically necessary modifications. The lifetime amount is $6,800 if your condition is service-connected (or non-service-connected with a 50% or higher service-connected rating), and $2,000 if it is non-service-connected (both verified July 2026). This is for you if the change is medical in nature and you want the lower eligibility bar.
Step 1: Start with your qualifying conditions#
The single biggest factor is the disability the VA has on record. Each program has its own criteria, and the VA decides eligibility. This guide can only tell you what the published criteria are, not whether you will be approved.
SAH conditions. SAH is tied to certain permanent and total service-connected disabilities. The published list includes several. One is the loss or loss of use of more than one limb. Another is the loss or loss of use of a lower leg along with the lasting effects of an organic disease or injury. A third is blindness in both eyes, meaning 20/200 visual acuity or less. Certain severe burns also qualify. The last one is the loss or loss of use of one lower extremity after September 11, 2001, that keeps you from balancing or walking without an assistive device. That last provision is capped by Congress at 120 veterans per year.
SHA conditions. SHA covers a different set: the loss or loss of use of both hands; certain severe burns; and certain respiratory or breathing injuries. Note that blindness is not an SHA criterion. Blindness sits under SAH, at the 20/200 standard above.
HISA conditions. HISA has the lowest bar of the four. It is available for any service-connected condition. It is also available for a non-service-connected condition, and the amount then depends on your rating: $6,800 if you hold a 50% or higher service-connected rating, and $2,000 otherwise. If your condition does not meet the SAH or SHA lists, HISA is often the program that still applies.
Step 2: Look at your housing situation#
Once you know which condition list you fall under, who owns your home decides the rest.
You own or will own the home. If you qualify for SAH, the SAH grant is built for owned homes: the rule is that the veteran owns or will own the home. This is the path to the largest amount.
A family member owns the home. SHA allows a family member to own the home the veteran lives in, so if your condition is on the SHA list this can be a fit. If you are only staying in that family member's home temporarily, TRA is the program designed for that situation, provided you already qualify for SAH or SHA. For TRA, a family member means someone related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption.
Three things about TRA to keep in view. It may be used only once. It counts as one of your six lifetime uses of the housing grant. And TRA dollars draw down the SAH or SHA maximum, so money spent on the temporary home reduces what is left for a permanent one later. TRA is authorized by Congress in short stretches; the current authority runs through September 30, 2026, so confirm it is still active before you rely on it.
You rent. Of the four programs, HISA is the one available to renters. You will need signed, notarized authorization from your landlord before the work goes ahead. SAH involves a home you own or will own; SHA and TRA involve a home you or a family member owns.
Step 3: Apply through the right channel#
Here is where the two housing grants and the health benefit split into two separate application paths. Getting the channel right the first time saves the most time.
Channel A: the housing grant path (SAH, SHA, TRA).
- Complete VA Form 26-4555.
- Apply online at VA.gov, by mail to the Claims Intake Center in Janesville, Wisconsin, or in person at a VA regional office.
- Have your Social Security number and your VA file or claim number ready.
- The VA sends its decision by letter. You can track the status with the claim status tool on VA.gov.
Channel B: the health benefit path (HISA).
- Complete VA Form 10-0103.
- Submit it through the Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service at your VA medical center.
- Gather the required documents first: a prescription written or approved by a VA physician, an itemized cost estimate from your contractor, and a color photo of the area before any work is done.
- If you rent, include the signed, notarized landlord authorization.
Timelines vary by case. The VA delivers its decision by letter, and you can follow along online rather than guessing.
Finding a provider who knows this program: Not every contractor has handled VA grant paperwork. SAH and SHA construction funds are only released to a contractor registered with the VA who holds a VA Builder ID, and the VA will not release the money otherwise. Adapta Home USA verifies providers' VA Builder ID and grant experience, so you can filter for professionals who have done this before. You can also filter for SAH/SHA Experienced and HISA Experienced providers. Find Home Modifications & Remodeling providers with VA Builder ID Verified →
Step 4: Combine programs, do not just pick one#
The programs are not always an either-or choice, and knowing how they stack can stretch the funding further.
HISA can work alongside SAH or SHA, because it is a separate health benefit rather than part of the housing grant. A veteran can use TRA to adapt a family member's home now and apply for SAH later for a permanent home; just remember the drawdown, since the TRA dollars come out of the same SAH aggregate. And it is worth saying plainly: SAH and SHA are grants, not loans. There is no repayment and no recapture.
For the full detail on each program, see the SAH Grant Guide, the SHA Grant Guide, the HISA Grant Guide, and the TRA Grant Guide. For a plain overview of how they fit together, start with VA Home Modification Grants.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the difference between the SAH and SHA grants?#
They cover different service-connected conditions and pay different amounts. SAH is the larger grant, with a FY2026 maximum of $126,526 (verified July 2026), and it is tied to conditions such as the loss or loss of use of more than one limb or blindness in both eyes at 20/200 or less. SHA has a FY2026 maximum of $25,350 (verified July 2026) and covers conditions such as the loss or loss of use of both hands or certain respiratory injuries. SAH requires the veteran to own the home; SHA allows a family member to own it.
Can I get a HISA grant and an SAH or SHA grant at the same time?#
Yes. HISA is a VA health benefit, separate from the housing grant programs, so it can be used alongside SAH or SHA. They run through different offices and different forms.
Do I have to own my home to qualify for a VA housing grant?#
For SAH, the rule is that the veteran owns or will own the home. For SHA, either the veteran or a family member can own it. TRA is specifically for a veteran living temporarily in a family member's home. HISA, which is a health benefit rather than a housing grant, is the only one of the four available to renters, with signed, notarized landlord authorization.
Can I use a VA housing grant more than once?#
Yes, up to 6 times over a lifetime for SAH and SHA. TRA may be used only once, and it counts as one of those six lifetime uses.
Do VA housing grants have to be paid back?#
No. SAH and SHA are grants, not loans. There is no repayment and no recapture.
Can renters get VA help with home modifications?#
Yes, through HISA. It is available to renters as long as you provide signed, notarized authorization from your landlord. The other three programs involve a home that you or a family member owns.
Find a provider who has done this before#
When you know which program fits, the next step is a provider who has handled the paperwork and the build. Browse verified Home Modifications & Remodeling providers on Adapta Home USA, and filter for VA Builder ID Verified, SAH/SHA Experienced, or HISA Experienced so you are working with someone who has done this work before.
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.