The Department of Veterans Affairs offers housing grants to veterans with qualifying service-connected medical issues. These grants are offered as a way to offset the cost of adapting a home to be more accessible including the modification of doorways, kitchens, bathrooms, and other parts of the home.
Some VA grants are for permanent residences the veteran either owns or wants to purchase and adapt. But one VA grant recognizes the need for financial help in cases where the disabled veteran lives with someone else.
The VA Temporary Residence Adaptation Grant (TRA or VA TRA) is designed to provide funds to veterans in situations where the veteran lives temporarily in a family member’s home which must be modified to become more adaptable for the veteran.
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Qualifying For A TRA Grant
In order to be eligible for a VA Temporary Residence Adaptation Grant, the veteran must have qualifying medical issues that make them eligible for one of two VA grants described below.
The amount of the grant award you may qualify for depends on whether you initially qualify for a one of two other VA adaptation grants–the Specially Adapted Housing Grant (SAH) or the Special Home Adaptation Grant (SHA).
The amount of TRA funds you qualify for depends on which program you are eligible to apply for. The basic rule of thumb here is that if you do not qualify for one program or the other, the TRA grant is not available to you.
Qualifying For A TRA Grant Under The VA Specially Adapted Housing Grant
Those who qualify for the SAH program must meet one or more of the following qualifying conditions:
- The loss (or loss of use) of more than one limb
- The loss (or loss of use) of a lower leg along with “lasting effects” from an “organic disease or injury” according to the VA official site
- Blindness in both eyes (having only light perception) combined with with the loss (or loss of use) of a leg
- “Certain severe burns” as defined by the VA
- The loss (or loss of use) of a foot or leg after Sept. 11, 2001 requiring the use of an assistive device such as a brace, crutch, wheelchair, etc.
If your service-connected medical issues include one or more of the above, you qualify for the SAH Grant AND the TRA grant, which when approved under the conditions listed above in fiscal year 2020 resulted in the veteran being eligible for up to $39,669 in TRA funds alone.
That is in addition to the SAH Grant amount itself of $90,364 for FY 2020. Don’t expect to get the same benefit amount numbers from year to year–they are subject to change depending on legislation, demand, and other variables.
Qualifying For A TRA Grant Under The VA Special Home Adaptation Grant (SHA)
Qualifying for an SHA grant is possible when an applicant with a qualifying disability (see below) needs the grant buy, build, or modify a permanent home/primary residence.
The applicant does not need to own the home themselves–a family member’s home qualifies too if it is to be the primary residence of the veteran. Qualifying disabilities for this grant include:
- Blindness in both eyes (with 20/200 visual acuity or less)
- The loss (or loss of use) of both hands
- Certain severe burns (as defined by the VA)
- Certain qualifying respiratory injuries
If your service-connected medical issues include one or more of the above, you qualify for the SHA Grant AND the TRA grant, which when approved under the conditions listed above in fiscal year 2020 resulted in the veteran being eligible for up to $7,083 through the TRA grant program in addition to the SHA grant up to $18,074.
Don’t expect to get the same benefit payment numbers from year to year–they are subject to change depending on legislation, demand, and other variables. Next year’s grant may or may not be subject to change–check with the VA for the most current payment rates under these plans.
How To Apply For A TRA Grant
Apply for the Temporary Residence Adaption Grant via the VA eBenefits portal. If you do not have a DS Logon (basic or premium) you will need to register for an account at the site.
Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter for Air Force Television News
