Overview
For individuals with disabilities, a home that doesn’t fit their needs isn’t just inconvenient, it’s a barrier to independence, safety, and community participation. Wheelchair ramps, grab bars, widened doorways, roll-in showers, accessible entrances, these home modifications can be the difference between staying home and being forced into a more restrictive care setting. They can also be expensive.
Several programs exist to help fund accessibility modifications, ranging from DDA waiver funding to federal grants for veterans and rural homeowners. This page maps the main options available to Tri-Cities families, what each covers, and how to access them.
DDA Environmental Adaptations — For DDA Waiver Participants
The most direct funding pathway for CAA families. Washington State DDA funds Environmental Adaptations as a service under the Basic Plus, Core, and Individual and Family Services (IFS) waiver programs. This covers permanent physical changes to a participant’s home that increase independence, reduce health and safety risks, or support the ability to receive care at home rather than in an institutional setting.
What’s covered:
- Wheelchair ramps and accessible entrances
- Grab bars and bathroom safety modifications
- Widened doorways
- Roll-in or accessible shower conversions
- Other structural changes identified in the individual’s Person-Centered Service Plan (PCSP)
What’s not covered:
General home repairs, cosmetic improvements, or modifications without documented medical necessity.
How to access:
All Environmental Adaptations must be pre-approved, medically necessary, and written into the individual’s PCSP. Contact your DDA case manager to request an assessment and discuss whether home modifications are appropriate for your family member’s service plan.
DDA Kennewick Field Office
(800) 462-0624 | Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM | dshs.wa.gov/dda
VA Home Modification Grants — For Veterans with Disabilities
For veterans with service-connected disabilities, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers the most generous home modification grant programs available anywhere. If your family member is a veteran, these should be the first stop.
Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant
For veterans with severe service-connected disabilities — including loss of use of both legs, blindness in both eyes, or certain other qualifying conditions. Provides up to $126,526 (FY2026) toward buying, building, or modifying a permanent home.
Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grant
For veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities affecting upper extremities or mobility. Provides up to $25,350 (FY2026) to modify a home owned by the veteran or a family member.
Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) Grant
For medically necessary home improvements including accessibility modifications to home entrances and bathrooms. Provides up to $6,800 for service-connected disabilities, and up to $2,000 for non-service-connected disabilities. Broader eligibility than SAH/SHA.
How to access:
Contact the VA Medical Center or your local VA regional office. Veterans can also contact the VA’s toll-free line at 1-800-827-1000 or visit va.gov/housing-assistance.
USDA Section 504 Home Repair Program — For Rural Homeowners
The USDA Rural Development Section 504 program provides loans and grants to very-low-income homeowners for home repairs, including accessibility modifications.
- Loans: Up to $40,000 at 1% interest over 20 years — available to very-low-income homeowners of any age
- Grants: Up to $10,000 — available only to homeowners age 62 or older who cannot repay a loan; used specifically to remove health and safety hazards or make accessibility improvements
Important local note: This program is limited to homes in USDA-eligible rural areas, generally communities of 35,000 people or fewer. The core Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Richland, Pasco) are likely not eligible due to their population size. However, families in smaller surrounding communities, Benton City, Prosser, West Richland’s rural edges, or rural Franklin County, may qualify. Use the USDA’s property eligibility tool to check your specific address before applying.
How to access:
Contact the USDA Rural Development Washington State office or use the USDA eligibility tool to check your address.
USDA Rural Development — WA | Property Eligibility Tool | Section 504 Program Overview
Northwest Access Fund — Statewide Loan Resource
The Northwest Access Fund is a Washington State nonprofit providing low-interest loans to people with disabilities for assistive technology, home modifications, and other disability-related needs, including for renters, not just homeowners. Loans can cover grab bars, ramps, bathroom modifications, and other accessibility improvements, with flexible terms designed for people on fixed or limited incomes.
Northwest Access Fund | (206) 328-5116 | Home Modification Resources
Habitat for Humanity Tri-County Partners — Home Repair Program (Coming Soon)
Habitat for Humanity Tri-County Partners is currently surveying interest in a home repair program for Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla County homeowners. When launched, this program may be a resource for accessibility modifications. Submit an interest form now to be notified when the program opens.
Habitat Home Repair Interest Form | (509) 943-5555
If You’re Not Sure Where to Start
Call 2-1-1. Washington 2-1-1 maintains a current database of home modification and repair resources, including smaller local programs that may not be widely publicized. Dial 211 or search at wa211.org.
Talk to your DDA case manager. If your family member is enrolled with DDA, their case manager is the right first call for Environmental Adaptations funding, it’s a waiver service that many families don’t know to ask about.
Talk to your DVR counselor. If a home modification would help your family member access employment (for example, a ramp to get to a vehicle, or a workspace modification), DVR may be able to fund it as part of a vocational rehabilitation plan.
Common Modifications and Approximate Costs
| Modification | Approximate Cost |
|---|---|
| Grab bars (per bar) | $100–$400 |
| Wheelchair ramp | $395–$6,000 |
| Wider doorways (per door) | $600–$2,000 |
| Roll-in shower conversion | $1,500–$8,000 |
| Stair lift | $1,500–$25,000 |
| Full bathroom accessibility renovation | $9,000–$40,000 |
FAQ
My family member rents, can they still get help with modifications?
Yes, in some cases. The Northwest Access Fund specifically serves renters. DDA Environmental Adaptations can also apply to a rental home with landlord permission. Under the Fair Housing Act, landlords are generally required to allow reasonable modifications for tenants with disabilities, though the tenant typically pays for them. Contact 2-1-1 for additional renter-specific resources.
Does my family member need to be a homeowner to use DDA Environmental Adaptations?
No, they need to be a DDA waiver participant living in the home where the modification will be made, whether they own or rent it. Landlord permission is required for rented properties.
Can modifications be funded through Apple Health (Medicaid) directly?
In Washington, home modification funding flows primarily through DDA waiver programs (Environmental Adaptations) rather than directly through Apple Health. If your family member has a Medicaid waiver through DDA, that’s the pathway to pursue.
What if the modification cost exceeds what a grant or program covers?
Combining funding sources is common and often necessary. For example, a VA HISA grant can be combined with personal savings or a Northwest Access Fund loan. Your DDA case manager or DVR counselor can help identify whether multiple funding streams apply to your situation.
