Aging-in-Place Grants & Funding: Your Guide to Financial Assistance in the DMV

Over 90% of seniors want to stay in their homes as they age. The problem: necessary modifications cost real money. A grab bar installation might run $150–350. A bathroom remodel for accessibility: $8,000–25,000. A stairlift: $3,000–10,000.

The good news is that financial assistance exists at the federal, state, and local level — and in the DMV, the programs are more generous than most families realize. You can often stack multiple sources.

Here's what's available and how to access it.

Veterans: The VA HISA Grant

If the person needing modifications is a veteran, start here. The Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) Grant from the VA covers medically necessary home modifications:

• Service-connected disability: Up to $6,800 lifetime
• Non-service-connected disability: Up to $2,000 lifetime

You need a prescription from a VA physician specifying the diagnosis, medical justification, and the specific modifications required. The home must be the veteran's primary residence.

Federal: HUD's Older Adults Home Modification Program

HUD's Older Adults Home Modification Program (OAHMP) allocates funds to local nonprofits and housing authorities, which then administer them for low-income seniors. In 2024, HUD allocated $30 million nationally.

The easiest way to find out if your local housing authority participates: contact your Area Agency on Aging. They track who's receiving and distributing OAHMP funds.

Maryland

Maryland Department of Aging offers annual grants to nonprofits and Area Agencies on Aging supporting in-home services and modifications. These aren't direct grants to individuals — they go to organizations who then provide services.

The Independent Living Tax Credit allows Maryland residents to claim a tax credit for accessibility modifications. Check with a Maryland tax professional for current eligibility.

Your county's Area Agency on Aging is the best starting point for Maryland residents: they track every local program, including smaller grants that aren't heavily publicized.

Virginia

Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) coordinates programs across the state and can point you to county-level resources.

Virginia Beach's Aging in Place initiative provides home assessments and connects residents with Medicaid assistance and durable medical equipment sources.

The ChooseHome model (Riverside Health System) supports seniors who want to transition from hospital or rehab back home with modification support.

Washington, DC

DC has the most robust local programs in the DMV:

Safe at Home (DACL): The Department of Aging and Community Living funds in-home fall-prevention adaptations. Income eligibility goes up to 100% of Area Median Income — in 2024, that's $99,600 for a single person. This is more accessible than most people assume.

Single Family Residential Rehabilitation Program (SFRRP): Administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development. Covers safety, structural, and accessibility modifications — ramps, stairlifts, accessible bathrooms. Can cover up to 50% of the home's tax-assessed value. Requires a doctor's note for mobility-related modifications.

How to Stack Multiple Sources

The DMV's programs can often be combined. A DC veteran could potentially access:

• VA HISA grant ($6,800)
• Safe at Home program (for fall prevention modifications)
• SFRRP (for structural accessibility work)

That's a meaningful portion of most modification projects covered.

Application Tips

• Start early: Many programs have application windows and waitlists
• Get a home assessment first: An occupational therapist's assessment creates documentation that strengthens most grant applications
• Ask your CAPS contractor: Many aging-in-place specialists know which programs their clients have used and can advise on documentation
• Contact your Area Agency on Aging: They're the most comprehensive local resource and often know about programs that aren't online yet

Next Step

If you're not sure where to start, our Grants page pulls together the major DMV programs with current eligibility and application info. And once you're ready to get quotes, our contractor directory lists specialists by modification type.

The funding is there. It takes some navigation, but the payoff — in safety, independence, and peace of mind — is worth it.