Information on Your VA Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs works diligently to keep Veterans informed about the benefits offered to them. One of the many ways the VA keeps Veterans informed is through regular news circulars published on its website. These circulars provide Veterans with up-to-date information regarding changes in benefits or procedures in applying for or administering Veterans benefits.
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On June 15, 2006, there was a large change in Specially Adapted Housing grant for disabled Veterans when President Bush signed The Veterans Housing Opportunity and Benefits Act of 2006. According to the VA circular dated June 22, 2006, the following are changes that have an impact on the VA Home Loan Guarantee Program:
- The VA can now provide assistance for disabled Veterans to adapt their housing to the specific needs of their disability in a home owned by a family member with whom they are temporarily staying.
- This assistance is only for non-active Veterans who are allowed to use a certain amount of their Specially Adapted Housing grant money to adapt their temporary residence to their needs. If the disabled Veteran has received a 2101(a) grant then they can use up to $14,000 of this grant to adapt their temporary dwelling. If the Veteran has received a 2101(b) grant then they can use up to $2,000 to adapt their temporary dwelling. This aids disabled Veterans who do not own their own home or need help from relatives to adjust to their new disability, especially if the Veteran has recently been discharged from active duty and has to rely on the help of family members to get readjusted to civilization.
- The VA will only give Specially Adapted Housing grant assistance for a temporary dwelling until June 15, 2011. This assistance will be offered for 5 years and then expire, and Veterans will again be required to only adapt homes in which they are planning to permanently live.
- Veterans can now apply for and receive Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grants up to three times. Previously, the VA only allowed a disabled Veteran to receive an SAH grant one time, but now disabled Veterans can receive grants up to three times, as long as they do not exceed the maximum grant amount of $50,000.
- For example, a disabled Veteran may apply for a SAH grant to adapt their home by putting a bathroom and bedroom on the first floor of the home due to his/her wheelchair-bound status. If the VA gives this Veteran a Specially Adapted Housing grant in the amount of $30,000 to make the necessary home adaptations, this same veteran can eventually apply for up to two more Specially Adapted Housing grants for any needs that may arise in the future, as long as the subsequent SAH grant do not total more than $20,000. This is extremely helpful to Veterans who have applied for SAH grants in the past for specific adaptations to their homes, and then later realized that there are more changes that needed to be made.
- The VA can now offer Specially Adapted Housing grants to Veterans who are on active duty and awaiting discharge for their disability. This does not include grants for a temporary dwelling. Veteran can often wait for some time while the VA establishes their permanent disability status and discharges them from active duty. The VA allows those Veterans waiting to be discharged a way to live more comfortably and adjust to life with their disability by offering them SAH grants.
The Veterans Housing Opportunity and Benefits Act of 2006 is helping to improve benefits for disabled Veterans in order to let them live a more independent and higher quality life.
See a related article: VA Benefits Continue to Improve
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If you need advice concerning Veteran Home Loans, feel free to contact a VA Mortgage Specialist online or call 800-405-6682. Specialists can help determine whether a Veteran Home Loan is the best financial decision for you.
