Are you a veteran or service member who is interested in becoming a homeowner? If you are living with a service-connected disability and meet certain requirements, you may be eligible not only for a VA home loan, but also a disability housing grant. Below, we’ve discussed disability housing grants for veterans in detail.
VA Loans & Disability Housing Grants
VA home loans offer a unique opportunity to individuals who have served (or are currently serving) in the U.S. armed forces and are interested in becoming homeowners. Through the VA home loan program, qualifying individuals can obtain financing to purchase a home at an affordable rate and without having to make a downpayment.
Additionally, the VA also provides special housing grants for veterans and service members with certain service-connected disabilities. These grants allow service members with disabilities to live comfortably in their home and be independent. The two main grants available are the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant and the Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grant.
What Is the Specially Adapted Housing Grant?
The Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant is a grant provided to veterans and service members with service-connected disabilities that can be used to buy, build, or change a permanent residence. Veterans with disabilities can use this grant to create a living space that is conducive to their needs and make changes such as widening doorways, installing ramps, or adding handicap rails. It can be used for a home that the veteran already owns or will be purchasing or building with a VA home loan.
In order to qualify for this grant, you must:
- Be able to prove that you own or will own the home
- Have a qualifying service connected disability
Examples of qualifying disabilities include loss of a limb, blindness in both eyes, and the loss of use of a lower extremity. There is a complete list of “qualifying service connected disabilities” on the VA’s website.
What Is the Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grant?
If you do not qualify for the Specially Adapted Housing Grant, but have another type of service-connected disability, you may be eligible for the Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grant. This grant is more modest in size but can still be incredibly useful if you want to make special changes to your home. It can also be used for a home that you will be living in but is owned by a family member.
In order to qualify you must:
- Be able to prove that you or a family member own or will own the home
- Have a qualifying service-connected disability such as the loss or loss of use of both hands, certain severe burns, or certain respiratory or breathing injuries
Have Questions about VA Loans & Grants?
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