Did You Know?
VA lists the FY 2026 Specially Adapted Housing grant at up to $126,526, and grant funds can be used up to 6 times over your lifetime — you don't have to use the full amount at once.
These grants pay to adapt a home so a veteran can actually live in it — ramps, widened doorways, roll-in showers, adapted kitchens. They're among the largest single benefits VA offers, and they're claimed far less often than they could be.
Specially Adapted Housing (SAH)
VA lists the FY 2026 maximum at $126,526. You must own or be going to own the home, and have a qualifying service-connected disability. VA's listed conditions include the loss, or loss of use, of more than one limb; blindness in both eyes with 20/200 visual acuity or less; and certain severe burns.
Special Home Adaptation (SHA)
The FY 2026 maximum is $25,350. Here, you or a family member owns or will own the home. Qualifying conditions VA lists include the loss or loss of use of both hands, certain severe burns, and certain breathing injuries.
Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA)
This is the one almost nobody knows about. If you're living temporarily in a family member's home, TRA can adapt that home instead. VA's FY 2026 maximums are $50,961 if you're SAH-eligible and $9,100 if you're SHA-eligible.
Why TRA matters
Veterans recovering at a parent's or sibling's house often assume nothing applies because the house isn't theirs. TRA exists precisely for that situation.
You Don't Have to Spend It All at Once
Grant funds can be used up to 6 times over a lifetime, and there's no requirement to use the full amount in a single year. That changes how you should plan: adapt what you need now, and keep the remainder for a move or a change in your condition later.
How to Start
- Compare your service-connected conditions against VA's qualifying lists for SAH and SHA — they're specific, and the two lists differ.
- Decide which grant fits: SAH and SHA have different ownership rules.
- If you're staying in a family member's home, ask about TRA rather than assuming you're out.
- Confirm current fiscal-year maximums before you budget — these figures change annually.
A VSO can help you apply at no cost, and VA's housing assistance staff can confirm which grant matches your situation.