What should I know about housing assistance for Veterans?

Housing assistance for Veterans in Georgia

What should I know?

Contents

• What kind of housing assistance does the VA offer Veterans?
• What are my rights and responsibilities with VA housing assistance?

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What kind of housing assistance does the VA offer Veterans?

The VA can help Veterans buy a home or refinance a loan. 

 

The VA might also offer help with:

• Building, 

• Improving, and

• Keeping your current home.

 

What are VA home loan benefits?

VA home loans terms are often better than traditional loans. The VA offers two types of loans:

• VA direct home loan. With this type of loan, the VA acts as the mortgage lender. This includes:

  • Native American Direct Loan (NADL): Direct loans for Native American Veterans and Veterans married to Native Americans.

• VA-backed home loan. With this type of loan, the VA guarantees a portion of the loan. This makes a private lender more likely to make the loan under better terms. With most VA home loans, you do not have to make a downpayment. VA-backed loan programs include:

  • Purchase loans: loans to buy a home.

  • Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL): reduces monthly payments on existing VA-backed home loans.

  • Cash-out refinance loans: allow you to take cash out of your home equity to pay off debt, pay for school, or take care of other needs.

 

These loans can be used to buy, build, improve, or refinance a home. Learn about all types of VA home loans on the VA website.

 

To get one of these loans, you must first get a Certificate of Eligibility. You are eligible for this certificate if you:

• Didn’t have a dishonorable discharge, and

• You meet the minimum active-duty service requirement. The minimum active-duty service requirement will depend on when you served. If you don’t meet the minimum service requirement, you may still get a COE if you were discharged because of:

  • Hardship, or

  • The convenience of the government (you must have served at least 20 months of a 2-year enlistment), or

  • Early out (you must have served 21 months of a 2-year enlistment), or 

  • Reduction in force, or

  • Certain medical conditions, or

  • A service-connected disability (a disability related to your military service)

 

What are Veterans housing assistance grants?

The VA offers a number of housing grants for Veterans with certain service-connected disabilities. These grants can help to buy or remodel a home to make it more accessible for the Veteran.

 

The three types of housing assistance grants are:

• Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant. If you qualify, you can get up to $85,645 through this program. You may qualify for a SAH grant if you:

  • Own, or you are buying a home, and

  • Have a qualifying service-connected disability. Qualifying disabilities include:

    • The loss or loss of use of more than one limb,

    • The loss or loss of use of a lower leg and the lasting effects of a natural disease or injury,

    • Blindness in both eyes and the loss or loss of use of a leg,

    • A certain severe burn,

    • The loss or loss of use of one or both feet or legs after September 11, 2001. This kind of disability rarely qualifies a Veteran for a grant. 

• Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) grant. If you qualify, you can get up to $17,130 through this program. You may qualify for a SHA grant if:

  • You or a family member owns or is buying the home, and

  • You have a qualifying service-connected disability. Qualifying disabilities include:

    • Blindness is both eyes,

    • The loss or loss of use of both hands,

    • Certain severe burns,

    • Certain respiratory or breathing injuries.

• Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grant. You might be eligible for this grant if you:

  • qualify for a SAH or SHA grant and 

  • You are living temporarily in a family member’s home.

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What are my rights and responsibilities with VA housing assistance? 

You have the right to VA benefits if you meet the qualifications. You are responsible for applying for these benefits. 

 

If you disagree with a VA housing assistance decision, you have the right to appeal that decision. You are responsible for starting the appeals process.

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What can I do?

Contents

• How can I apply for housing assistance from the VA?
• How can I appeal a VA decision?

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How can I apply for housing assistance from the VA?

Certificate of Eligibility

To get a VA home loan, you must first apply for a Certificate of Eligibility. You can apply:

• Online.

• By mail. Fill out a Request for a Certificate of Eligibility (VA Form 26-1880). In Georgia, mail it to:

  • Department of Veterans Affairs 

Atlanta Regional Loan Center 

P.O. Box 100023 

Decatur, GA 30031-7023

 

Disability housing grant

You can apply for Special Adapted Housing (SAH), Special Housing Adaptation (SHA), or Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grants:

• Online.

• By mail. Fill out an Application in Acquiring Specially Adapted Housing or Special Home Adaptation Grant (VA Form 26-4555). Mail to your nearest regional loan center.

• In person at your nearest VA regional office.

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How can I appeal a VA decision?

If you disagree with any decision made by the Veterans Benefits Administration, you have the right to appeal. You can have a representative to help with your appeal. This process can take years to complete. To appeal a decision:

• File a Notice of Disagreement. You must file your notice within one year of the date on the letter notifying you of the decision. Mail the notice to the address on the decision letter.

• Statement of the Case. After you file the Notice of Disagreement, your file will be reviewed by a Decision Review Officer. The officer will decide whether you have enough evidence to grant your appeal. They will send this decision in a Statement of the Case.

• VA Form 9. If you disagree with the Statement of the Case, you need to return the VA Form 9 within 60 days. 

  • This is your last chance to send any additional evidence for the VA to review.

• Appeal to the Board. Your case will be sent to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. A judge will review your case. 

• Hearing. If you wish, you can request a hearing with a Veterans Law Judge.

• Decision. The Board will decide to:

  • Allow benefits,

  • Ask for more evidence, or

  • Deny benefits.

• Court of Appeals. If you disagree with the Board’s decision, you can appeal to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. You must appeal within 120 days.

 

What if I can’t wait years for an appeal of a VA decision?

You can ask for your appeal to be moved to the front of the line if you:

• Are 75 years old or older, 

• You have a serious illness,

• You are having financial problems, or

• You have some other good reason.

 

This is called having your appeal advanced on the docket. You must make this request by writing to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.

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