Understanding Minimum Property Requirements for VA Adapted Housing

For those who have bravely served our country and have returned with service-connected disabilities, the United States government offers a few grants to help remodel or build accessible homes. The Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant can provide servicemembers the money they need to make their home a safer, more comfortable place to live.

As an SAH remodeling contractor in Pennsylvania, we have lots of experience working with disabled veterans to transform their current or new homes to better accommodate the loss of a limb, loss of sight, severe burns and other ailments. If you have been granted an SAH grant, we are happy to work with you to design a home that meets your needs.

It’s important to know that there are a few mandated alterations encompassed in the SAH grant regulations. These Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs) must be met or waived based on need or feasibility in each home of an SAH grant recipient. This article will give you a quick overview of the minimum requirements of specially adapted housing to make your home a safer place to live.

Three MPR areas

The government requires specific alterations in three specific locations of an SAH grant recipient’s home: entry and exit locations, the bathroom and the bedroom:

• Entrance and exit: There must be two points of entry and exit (ingress and egress) that are in separate locations within the home. The main exit location should preferably be located within the primary sleeping area, but may only be proximate to the sleeping area, if necessary. These entry and exit points must have doorways at least 36 inches in width and a maximum threshold of half an inch. These areas may include no-step entries, ramps or vertical lift platforms to help veterans enter and exit the home.
• Bathroom: The home of an SAH grant recipient must have at least one bathroom designed to meet MPRs, which includes one roll-in shower, an accessible sink and toilet, an accessible floor area and a doorway 36 inches in width. The shower must include grab bars on each wall, have a handheld showerhead and be a minimum size of 48 by 48 inches.
• Bedroom: The primary sleeping area of the disabled veteran must be altered to accommodate safe maneuvering, accessible flooring that does not impede wheelchair use, a proximate exit point and a 36 inch-wide doorway.

While these alterations are required, they may be waived if the veteran does not have a need for them or the existing home’s structure does not allow for feasible remodeling. Additionally, there may be other renovations that can help make your home more comfortable that are not required by law. Your remodeling contractor in Pennsylvania should be able to assist you with the design and implementation of all necessary alterations.

At WSL Incorporated, we take pride in serving our veterans and are trained to design living spaces that are safe and comfortable for disabled servicemembers. As a premier remodeling contractor in Pennsylvania, we can help you fill out the paperwork for your SAH grant and conduct the remodeling services once you are approved. We also offer full design/build and remodeling services to residential homeowners, commercial businesses and more. Call for an estimate today!