The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the award of $783,421 in Specially Adapted Housing Assistive Technology (SAHAT) Grants to eligible individuals, researchers, and organizations to develop new technologies that would enhance veterans and servicemembers’ ability to live in specially adapted homes.
Congress authorized the SAHAT Grant Program to design assistive technologies to expand home-modification options for veterans who apply for VA’s Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) benefit. Grants of up to $200,000 have been issued to four selected grantees.
“We’re excited and expect that the technology developed with these grants will augment veteran and servicemembers’ options for living independently in their own homes,” said Curt Coy, deputy under secretary for economic opportunity. “New technology will serve veterans who currently live in specially adapted houses and open doors for more veterans looking to modify their homes to fit their needs.”
VA administers the SAH benefit, which helps veterans and servicemembers with service-connected disabilities purchase or modify a home. Typical adaptations include ramps, wider halls and doors, and wheelchair-accessible bathrooms. New technologies from the SAHAT Grant Program will be added to the list of home-modification options as they become available.
For more information about specific grant awardees, visit www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2771.