Veteran housing assistance options: Grants, loans and programs

Our nation rewards those who serve, and we owe a debt of gratitude to those heroes who serve in our military. This debt can’t always be adequately repaid. Having decent, safe, and affordable homes for veterans seems like an obvious starting point.

Yet the transition to civilian life isn’t always easy. Various veterans’ housing programs are available from the federal government, states, and nonprofits.

VA-backed home loan options for veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ most popular housing assistance program is the VA home loan, which is available to active-duty military personnel, veterans of military service, and their surviving spouses.

Several types of VA loans are available.

VA purchase loan

VA purchase loans help eligible borrowers buy a home without a down payment. Veterans and current military personnel must meet minimum service requirements to earn a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Service requirements may be waived if you receive VA disability benefits or are the surviving spouses of an eligible service member.

Borrowers also must meet financial requirements to get a VA loan. In most cases, the loans are funded by private lenders and guaranteed by the VA. Lenders may set their own requirements. For example, the VA has no minimum credit score requirement, but Rocket Mortgage^® requires a qualifying score of at least 580 for a VA loan.

VA cash-out refinance

A cash-out refinance is when a homeowner replaces their existing mortgage with a larger one. They use the new loan to pay off the old one, keeping the difference in cash. Many people use a cash-out refinance to pay off high-interest debts, such as credit cards, or to fund home improvements that increase the value of their home. You can get a VA cash-out refinance regardless of whether your current mortgage is a VA loan.

What makes a VA cash-out refinance advantageous is that you can borrow 100% of your home’s value as long as you meet lender requirements. Most cash-out refinances limit borrowers to 80% of their home’s value.

VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL)

A VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan, also known as an IRRRL or VA Streamline, allows borrowers to refinance for a lower interest rate or monthly payment with less paperwork.¹ There generally is no need for an appraisal.

You also can do a rate and term refinance with a VA loan, even if the prior loan wasn’t through the VA. Still, you will go through all the normal asset, employment, and income checks, along with a standard appraisal.

Native American Direct Loan (NADL)

The Native American Direct Loan offers financing to Native American military personnel and veterans for purchasing, building, or improving a home on federal trust land. Along with the possibility of buying a home without a down payment, the NADL program has interest rates set by the government as low as 2.5%.

This is the only loan you don’t get from a lender, so you apply directly through the VA.

VA jumbo loans

In most cases, the VA sets no limit on the size of its home loans. The exception is if you have reduced entitlement, meaning you’re either paying off another VA loan or have defaulted on a VA mortgage.

However, because the VA only guarantees 25% of the loan amount for any mortgage, lenders may set their own limits. While not a hard and fast rule, many consider anything above the local conforming loan limits to be a VA jumbo loan.

In most areas of the country, the conforming loan limit is $806,500 in 2025. In high-cost areas, the limit is $1,209,750.

At Rocket Mortgage, you can get a VA jumbo loan for up to $2.5 million if your credit score is 680 or higher. For loan amounts up to $1.5 million, the minimum score is 640.

VA housing grants for veterans with disabilities

In addition to VA home loans, the department offers housing grants for veterans with service-connected disabilities to adapt their homes to meet their post-injury needs and activities of daily living. There are several grants available to address different levels of need. If you qualify, the grants don’t need to be repaid.

Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant

A Specially Adapted Housing grant is designed to assist veterans with severe disabilities in adapting their home to meet their needs as determined by a medical evaluation. For the 2025 fiscal year, the maximum grant amount is $121,812. Qualifying service-connected disabilities include:

• The loss, or loss of use, of more than one limb
• The loss, or loss of use, of a lower leg, along with the residuals (lasting effects) of an organic (natural) disease or injury
• Blindness in both eyes (with 20/200 visual acuity or less)
• Certain severe burns
• The loss, or loss of use, of one lower extremity (foot or leg) after Sept. 11, 2001, which makes it so you can’t balance or walk without the help of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair

When it comes to that last point, Congress specifies that only 120 veterans per year can qualify based on the loss of a single limb.

Modifications to your home might include widening doorways or hallways to accommodate a wheelchair, bathroom or bedroom renovations for easier accessibility, or lowering of counters for use while sitting.

Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) grant

The Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) grant is different from the SAH grant. While SAH grants modify major portions of a home, SHA grants are for targeted adaptations.

• You qualify based on one of the following service-connected disabilities:
• The loss or loss of use of both hands
• Certain severe burns
• Certain respiratory or breathing injuries

The maximum grant for fiscal year 2025 is $24,405. As with SAH grants, modifications under SHA grants will depend on your disability. For example, someone with limited or no hand function might benefit from lever fixtures and faucets or keyless entry systems.

In addition to the disability requirements, for either the SAH or SHA grants, you must own or plan to own your home. You can pull from your grant money up to six times, so you don’t have to use it all at once.

Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grant

A Temporary Residence Adaptation grant enables qualified veterans to modify the home of a family member where they are temporarily residing to better suit their needs. The amount of funding you can receive depends on whether you would qualify for an SAH or SHA grant if this were your permanent home:

• Those who qualify for TRA funding based on SAH can receive up to $49,062.
• Those qualifying through an SHA determination can receive up to $8,760 in 2025.

Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant

The Home Improvements and Structural Alterations grant provides up to $6,800 to address medically necessary improvements or structural modifications to the veteran’s primary home for the following purposes:

• Creating accessible entrances and exits
• Easing the use of lavatory rooms (for example, roll-in showers)
• Making kitchen or bathroom sinks usable
• Improving pathways to the home
• Plumbing or electrical improvements necessitated by home medical equipment

It may be of particular interest to note that this program offers some coverage for disabilities unrelated to military service.

VA funding fee exemptions for disabled veterans

There’s no down payment required for VA loans, but most clients pay a funding fee of between 0.5% and 3.3% of the loan amount, depending on the loan purpose. Veterans receiving VA disability benefits because of a service-connected disability don’t have to pay the funding fee. The same applies to eligible surviving spouses.

State-level veteran housing programs

States may have specific programs available to veterans for homeowners who need assistance, such as special loan options or property tax exemptions for disabled veterans. You can do some research into local programs. Your local VA office may also have information.

Housing assistance for veteran homelessness

Experiences in the military can make the transition to civilian life difficult for many veterans. There are resources available to help veterans find decent, safe, and supportive housing.

HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH)

HUD-VASH combines the Housing Choice Voucher program from the Department of Housing and Urban Development with case management and support services provided by the VA. This allows you to have both housing and physical and mental health care services.

Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)

The SSVF program provides resources for low-income veterans and their families to find permanent housing, offers temporary financial assistance, and provides case management to support services that help stabilize their situation. It’s intended to provide help for those in imminent danger of losing their home.

FAQ

Now that we’ve gone over the various housing assistance programs that may be available to you as a veteran, let’s touch on some questions that may still be on your mind.

Who qualifies for veteran housing assistance?

Eligibility requirements vary with individual programs. Generally, veteran or active-duty status with a certain amount of minimum service time may be required.

Do I have to use a VA loan to get veteran housing support?

No. While VA loans are a key piece of the housing programs offered by the VA, other federal and state initiatives also serve veterans or active-duty service members in need of assistance.

Can I use a VA grant and a VA loan at the same time?

Grants from the VA are separate from the VA loan program. You can use them in conjunction with your VA loan, or not have a VA loan at all, and still get the grant if you qualify.

Are there housing benefits for surviving spouses of veterans?

Yes. Eligible surviving spouses qualify for VA loans. You’re also exempt from paying the funding fee.

Where can I apply for VA housing programs?

The VA housing assistance page is a great starting point. You also can contact your local VA office. If you’re looking for a home loan, approved lenders, like Rocket Mortgage, can help.

The bottom line: Housing help is available for those who served

The VA offers home loans with no down payment as a key benefit for those who have served in the United States military. There are also grants available if a veteran needs to modify their home because of a service-connected disability, as well as support services for those concerned about losing their home. These programs are designed to help veterans establish stable, secure lives after their service.

If you’re interested in a VA loan, we can help you look into your options. You can get started by applying online.

¹ The VA Streamline program may have stricter requirements in some states. In order to qualify for the VA Streamline program, you must have a VA loan. The VA Streamline is only available on primary residences. Cash-out transactions are not allowed. In order to qualify for a VA Streamline, a 0.5% minimum reduction in interest rate on the previous fixed-rate loan must occur if the new loan will be a fixed rate or a 2% minimum reduction in interest rate on previous adjustable rate mortgage loan must occur; a minimum of 6 months of consecutive mortgage payments must be paid on the current loan at the time of application. Some states may require an appraisal. Additional restrictions/conditions may apply.