SAH, SHA, and HISA Grants 2026: $126,526 for Severely Disabled Veterans

If you have a severe service-connected disability that affects mobility, the VA pays for home modifications, sometimes for an entire home build. Three grants serve three tiers of need, with FY2026 amounts updated to reflect cost-of-living adjustments.

Quick Reference (FY2026 Amounts)

Veterans can use SAH or SHA, not both, and three uses total across either. HISA stacks on top.

SAH, Specially Adapted Housing Grant

VA program page

The big grant. SAH funds buying, building, or remodeling a home to accommodate a service-connected disability that includes:

• Loss or loss of use of both lower extremities (paraplegia, bilateral lower limb amputation, severe lower-body burns)
• Loss or loss of use of one lower extremity AND loss or loss of use of one upper extremity that affects balance/mobility
• Loss or loss of use of one lower extremity AND disabling effect of organic or other disease of the lower extremities
• Blindness in both eyes (5/200 visual acuity or less) AND loss of use of one lower extremity
• Severe burn injuries
• Loss or loss of use of one or more lower extremities due to service after September 11, 2001 (a more permissive Post-9/11 standard)
• Permanent and total disability connected to ALS

Maximum: $126,526 for FY2026. Up to three uses across SAH and SHA combined.

You can use SAH for:

• Buying a home with adaptive features
• Building an adapted home from scratch
• Remodeling an existing home you own
• Buying an existing home and adding adaptations
• Modifying a home owned by a family member where you live (Temporary Residence Adaptation, TRA, separate cap)

SHA, Special Housing Adaptation Grant

A smaller grant for veterans with specific qualifying conditions:

• Blindness in both eyes with 20/200 visual acuity or less
• Loss or loss of use of both hands
• Severe burn injuries
• Severe respiratory injuries (added under PACT Act)
• Permanent and total disability connected to ALS (alternative to SAH)

Maximum: $25,350 for FY2026. Up to three uses combined with SAH.

SHA can be used for:

• Buying or remodeling an existing home you own
• Buying an existing home and adapting it
• Adapting a home owned by a family member (TRA, separate cap)

You generally can't use SHA to build from scratch. SAH is the "build" grant; SHA is the "adapt" grant.

HISA, Home Improvements and Structural Alterations

HISA program info

HISA is the smaller, more accessible grant. It's administered through the VA Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service rather than the Loan Guaranty office.

Lifetime caps:

• $6,800 for service-connected veterans (any SC rating, even 0%)
• $2,000 for non-service-connected veterans

HISA covers structural changes that improve accessibility:

• Bathroom modifications (grab bars, roll-in shower, accessible toilet)
• Kitchen modifications (lowered counters, accessible cabinets)
• Entrance ramps
• Widened doorways
• Plumbing or electrical changes for medical equipment

Application is through your VA primary care provider, they refer you to a HISA-authorized contractor or coordinate the modification directly.

Stacking the Grants

You can combine SAH or SHA with HISA, they're administered by different offices and serve different purposes. A veteran with paraplegia building an accessible home might use:

• $126,526 from SAH for the build
• $6,800 from HISA for additional structural mods (e.g., a chair lift, additional bathroom modifications)

You cannot use SAH and SHA on the same project. The grants are mutually exclusive at the project level.

Combining With a VA Home Loan

The grants stack with a VA-guaranteed home loan (see our VA Home Loan Center for eligibility and the COE). A veteran buying an adapted home can:

1. Use the VA loan guarantee to finance the purchase ($0 down, no PMI)
2. Use SAH funds to cover the adaptive features as a partial offset to the purchase price
3. Use HISA post-purchase for additional modifications

The lender treats SAH/SHA funds as a credit toward the home, not as additional debt. This usually shows up as a "VA grant credit" on the closing disclosure.

How to Apply

Apply via VA Form 26-4555 (Application in Acquiring Specially Adapted Housing or Special Home Adaptation Grant) at VA.gov SAH application.

Required:

• Your VA disability rating decision letter (most recent)
• Description of the proposed property and adaptations
• Builder estimates if remodeling/building

A VA Specially Adapted Housing agent will be assigned and walk you through next steps. Average application-to-approval timeline: 3-6 months.

TRA (Temporary Residence Adaptation)

If you live with a family member and need adaptations to their home, you can use a TRA, a smaller version of SAH or SHA. Caps:

• TRA under SAH: $50,961 (FY2026)
• TRA under SHA: $9,100 (FY2026)

TRAs are for veterans living temporarily with family while their own situation gets sorted (e.g., post-injury). The grant doesn't go to the family member, it pays for adaptations that revert to the family member's ownership.

Common Adaptations the Grants Cover

• Roll-in showers and accessible bathrooms
• Wheelchair ramps (interior and exterior)
• Widened doorways (36"+ clearance)
• Kitchen accessibility (lowered counters, pull-out shelves)
• Stairlifts and elevators
• Backup generators (medical equipment)
• Grab bars and railings
• Accessible flooring transitions
• Lift systems for transfers
• Adaptive bedroom modifications

What the Grants Don't Cover

• Pure aesthetic upgrades (kitchen renovation that isn't accessibility-driven)
• New construction beyond what's needed for accessibility
• Recreational features (pools, hot tubs)
• Vehicle modifications (those are covered under the Auto Allowance grant)

Auto Allowance (Bonus, Different Program)

Worth knowing about: veterans with the same SAH-qualifying conditions also get a one-time auto allowance (FY2026: up to $27,074.99) plus adaptive-equipment allowance (typically several thousand dollars) for an adapted vehicle. Apply via VA Form 21-4502.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between SAH and SHA?

SAH (Specially Adapted Housing) is the larger grant, up to $126,526 in FY2026, used to buy, build, or remodel a home for the most severe disabilities such as loss of use of both legs. SHA (Special Housing Adaptation) is smaller, up to $25,350, and adapts an existing home for conditions such as blindness in both eyes or loss of both hands. SAH is the "build" grant; SHA is the "adapt" grant, and you can use one or the other, not both.

How much is the SAH grant in 2026?

The maximum SAH grant for FY2026 is $126,526, available across up to three uses combined with SHA. The SHA grant is capped at $25,350 for FY2026.

Can I use a HISA grant and an SAH grant together?

Yes. HISA (up to $6,800 lifetime for service-connected veterans) is administered by a different VA office than SAH and SHA, so it stacks on top. You cannot, however, use SAH and SHA on the same project.

Do the housing grants work with a VA home loan?

Yes. The grants stack with a VA-guaranteed home loan. The lender treats SAH/SHA funds as a credit toward the home, often shown as a "VA grant credit" on the closing disclosure, not as additional debt.

How do I apply for the SAH or SHA grant?

Apply with VA Form 26-4555 at VA.gov. You will need your most recent VA disability rating decision letter, a description of the property and proposed adaptations, and builder estimates if remodeling or building. A VA Specially Adapted Housing agent is assigned to guide you, and approval typically takes 3-6 months.

Related

• VA Home Loan Center, eligibility, COE, IRRRL, foreclosure help
• VA Funding Fee 2025-26 Rates, every rate
• VA Health Care Priority Groups, who qualifies for what level of care