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)

Grant	Max amount	Lifetime uses	For who
SAH	$126,526	3 (combined)	Severe SC disability — limb loss, blindness, severe burns
SHA	$25,350	3 (combined)	Blindness in both eyes, loss of use of both hands, severe burns
HISA	$6,800 lifetime	n/a	Any SC condition needing accessibility modifications

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. 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: $50,815 (FY2026)
• TRA under SHA: $9,073 (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: $25,162) plus modification allowance (typically several thousand dollars) for an adapted vehicle. Apply via VA Form 21-4502.

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