Financial Assistance, Grants & Programs
Several federal and state programs help pay for home modifications: Medicaid HCBS waivers (state-run, varies by state), VA HISA grants (up to $6,800 for veterans), USDA Section 504 (rural homeowners), and nonprofit programs like Habitat for Humanity's Aging in Place initiative. Eligibility rules are specific and change — this section explains each program honestly, including its real limits.
This is the most sensitive content on Safer Home Guide, and we’ve written it accordingly. Every figure and eligibility rule below is cited from the official agency that runs the program, and every guide is explicit about what it doesn’t cover, not just what it does — because a program that sounds promising but turns out not to apply to your situation wastes time you may not have to spare.
A note on where we are with this section: financial and benefits content carries real consequences if it’s wrong, so these pages are marked as pending review by a named, credentialed reviewer (see our Editorial Policy (opens in a new tab) for what that means and how we’re addressing it). In the meantime, treat every program page here as a well-sourced starting point for your own research and a conversation with the agency directly — not a final answer.
Programs generally fall into three categories: Medicaid-based (state-administered, income-qualified), veteran-specific (VA grants), and rural/nonprofit (USDA and charitable organizations). Start with whichever matches your situation, or read all of them if you’re not sure which applies — many people qualify for more than one.
Everything in Financial Assistance
- Medicaid HCBS Waivers: What They Are and How to Apply
How Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services waivers cover home modifications, who qualifies, and how to apply in your state.
- VA HISA Grants: Home Improvements for Veterans
How the VA's Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant works, how much it pays, and how to apply.
- USDA Section 504 Home Repair Program
How USDA's Section 504 loans and grants help rural homeowners 62+ pay for accessibility repairs, and the eligibility rules that apply.
- Nonprofit and Local Grant Programs for Home Modifications
How organizations like Rebuilding Together and Habitat for Humanity help pay for home safety repairs, and how to find local programs.
- Tax Deductions for Home Accessibility Modifications
How the medical expense tax deduction applies to accessibility home modifications, what qualifies, and what documentation you need.
State Guides
Program rules and agency names vary by state. We're publishing state-specific guides gradually, starting with the states with the largest older-adult populations.
- California
How California's Medi-Cal HCBS waivers help pay for home accessibility modifications, and how to apply through DHCS.
- Florida
How Florida's Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program covers home modifications, and how to apply through AHCA.
- New York
How New York's Nursing Home Transition and Diversion Waiver covers home modifications, and how to apply through the state Department of Health.
- Pennsylvania
How Pennsylvania's Community HealthChoices waiver supports home modifications and nursing home transitions, and how to get started.
- Texas
How Texas's STAR+PLUS HCBS program covers home modifications, its $7,500 lifetime limit, and how to apply through HHSC.