For Fiscal Year 2010, the aggregate amount of assistance available for the Paraplegic Housing (PH) grant increases from $60,000 to $63,780, and the aggregate amount of assistance available for the Adaptive Housing (AH) grant increases from $12,000 to $12,756.

Please note that the TRA grant amount is not indexed and remains unchanged. The maximum grant amount for a TRA grant is currently $14,000 and $2,000 for a PH or AH grant, respectively.

Background

VA has amended the SAH regulations (38 CFR part 36 subpart C) to implement provisions of Public Law 110-289, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.

The law directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a cost-of-construction index for the purpose of increasing certain SAH grant amounts on October 1 of each year.

After extensive research, the Turner Building Cost Index (TBCI) was selected as the basis for annual adjustments. VA will use this index to determine the amount, if any, of the annual increase in the dollar amounts of SAH grant assistance. Please note that these adjustments must increase the maximum grant amounts or leave them unchanged; they will never decrease the maximum grant amounts.

In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 2101(e), an increase in assistance will equal the percentage by which the cost-of-construction index increased between the two preceding calendar years. Accordingly, the TBCI results in an increase of 6.3% for Fiscal Year 2010.

Contact

For more information on the SAH grant program and eligibility criteria, please visit www.homeloans.va.gov/sah. You may also contact Brian Bixler, Chief, Specially Adapted Housing, or call 202-461-9546. [return to top]