Posted March 31, 2013
Disabled veterans may be able to secure funding for wheelchair lifts and other accessibility improvements from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA provides grant funding to qualified disabled veterans so they can make safety improvements in their homes.
There are three types of funding available from the VA.
HISA Grant
A Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant can be used for safety improvements such as wheelchair ramps, wheelchair lifts, stair lifts and other structural improvements in the kitchen and bathroom.
Funding levels for the HISA grant are determined by a veteran’s service connection. For example, if a veteran was injured while serving in active duty military, he or she would like qualify for a larger grant. Veterans with a 50-to-100 percent service connection may be eligible for up to $4,100 from this grant. Disabled veterans who are not service connected can receive up to $1,200 in HISA grant funding.
SAH and SHA Grants
Money for safety improvements like wheelchair lifts can also be secured through the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant. This grant can be used to make major changes to a veteran’s home that allows the veteran to remain living independently. Veterans who received a permanent disability while serving in active duty can apply for a grant of up to $50,000.
Another type of grant – the Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grant – can be used by service-connected veterans to improve mobility in their homes. Maximum funding is $10,000 and is available to veterans who have a permanent disability resulting from his or her military service.
Veterans who qualify can use this grant money to install wheelchair lifts, renovate kitchens, build ramps and make many other types of accessibility improvements in their homes.
Veterans can easily apply for a HISA grant by completing this document and submitting it to a VA medical center. Veterans can seek a SAH or SHA grant by completing this document and submitting it to a regional office. For more information, call 1-800-827-1000 or visit HISA and SAH/SHA.
