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Benefits education

Housing: home loans, grants and help when housing is at risk

The VA home loan is the benefit most veterans know about. The emergency housing programs are the ones that get missed when they matter most.

Who this is for: Veterans buying, keeping or losing a home.

If your housing is at risk right now

Call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 1-877-424-3838. It is staffed around the clock and it is the fastest route into VA housing programs, including HUD-VASH vouchers and Supportive Services for Veteran Families.

You do not have to already be on the street. These programs also work with veterans facing eviction or a rent shortfall.

The VA home loan guaranty

VA does not lend the money. It guarantees part of a loan made by a private lender, which is what allows no down payment and no private mortgage insurance for most eligible buyers.

You need a Certificate of Eligibility, which your lender can usually pull in minutes. A funding fee applies to most buyers, but veterans receiving compensation for a service-connected disability are often exempt.

  • Entitlement can be restored and reused; a previous VA loan does not permanently use it up.
  • If you are behind on a VA-guaranteed mortgage, VA loan technicians can intervene with the servicer.
  • Specially Adapted Housing and Special Home Adaptation grants help pay for accessibility modifications.

Property tax and state programs

Many states, including California, offer property tax exemptions for disabled veterans. These are state programs, so the rules and the application run through your county, not VA.

Your county veteran service office is the right place to ask about these.

Questions to bring to an accredited representative

County veteran service officers and VSO representatives help at no cost. Accredited attorneys and claims agents may charge fees in the limited situations allowed by law.

  • Am I exempt from the VA funding fee?
  • How much entitlement do I have left and can it be restored?
  • Do I qualify for an adapted housing grant?
  • What property tax relief is available in my county?
  • If I am behind on payments, can a VA loan technician contact my servicer?
Find your county officeSearch accredited help nationwide

Your next step

Housing resourcesAsk your county officeVA housing assistance

Official sources

Reviewed against these sources on September 22, 2026. Rules change. Confirm details with VA or an accredited representative before you act on them.

This guide is general education. It does not decide your eligibility, it is not legal or medical advice, and Helping The Brave is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Keep reading

Eligibility basics

Discharge status, service period and length of service decide which doors are open to you. Understanding them first saves months of guessing.

Disability compensation

A monthly, tax-free payment for conditions connected to your service. The rating is about how much the condition limits you, not how severe it feels.

VA health care

Enrollment puts you in a priority group, and that group decides what you pay. Many veterans who assume they do not qualify actually do.