Remember our Veterans
Since November is the month when both Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving occur, it is the perfect time to thank a veteran for their service to our country. Their service too often goes unappreciated or even disdained. The liberties that this nation was founded on are disappearing under our noses and those who fought and bled and died to preserve those liberties are not given the credit they deserve. I encourage everyone to take time this month to show a veteran how much you appreciate their service. One of the ways that we are honored to be able to show our appreciation to our veterans is by helping them continue to live comfortably and safely in their home through home modifications. If you or a loved one is a veteran who could benefit from these programs, I would be delighted to help point you in the right direction. There are three grants we participate with to modify homes for veterans, the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant, the Home Improvement and Structural Alteration (HISA) grant, and the Granting Freedom grant. I will give some of the requirements and details of each grant here. Feel free to get in touch with me if you have questions or need more information. The SAH grant is the largest of the three, the most comprehensive, and has the strictest requirements. In order to qualify for the SAH grant, a veteran must have a service connected disability that falls within the guidelines of the program. The grant is used to help the veteran live independently in a barrier free environment. The funds can be used to remodel an existing home to meet the requirements, build a new home that is compliant, or even pay down the principal on a home you already own that is accessible according to the VA standards. Bear in mind that the standards are quite stringent and the VA will generally stick to the letter of the law in meeting their accessibility requirements. For example, there must be two means of egress such as a ramp or lift, one of which must lead directly from the veteran’s bedroom. The current maximum amount of the grant is $90,364. The grant is administered through the VA Regional office, located in the Poff building. The HISA grant is available to veterans with both service connected and non service connected disabilities. A HISA grant will pay up to $6,800 to a veteran with a service connected disability and $2,000 to a veteran with a non service connected disability. This is the only one of the three grants that offers benefits to veterans with non service connected disabilities. The HISA grant will pay to modify an existing home to make it more accessible. Examples include installing a curbless shower or widening doorways. It cannot be used to alter the use of part of a home such as converting a bedroom into a bathroom. HISA grants are administered by the prosthetics department at the VA hospital. The Granting Freedom grant is paid with private funds and is administered by the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA). The requirements are similar to the HISA grant except that it is not available to veterans with non service connected disabilities. This grant pays up to $6,000. The application is processed by your local independent living center. We frequently do jobs for veterans combining two or even all three of these grants on the same project. There is also accessibility equipment available to veterans who need it outside of these grant programs. For more information, please call me at 540-384-2064.
Be Thankful
Do you ever get discouraged? Of course, we all do. Things don’t go our way, we suffer aches and pains or serious health problems or people let us down. There are certainly lots of things going on the country to get discouraged about. With Thanksgiving coming up this month, how do we get ourselves in a thankful mood? I am reminded of the old hymn “Count your Blessings” written by Johnson Oatman, Jr. in 1897. Part of the song goes like this: When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. If we take the time to look we will soon find that we have more to be thankful for than to be discouraged about. One thing I am thankful for is our nation’s veterans. At Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. we have the privilege of performing home modifications for veterans to make their homes safer and more comfortable for them. Veterans Day is November 11, commemorating the armistice signed to cease hostilities in World War I. Signed on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, it was first celebrated as Armistice Day, and later as Veterans Day to honor all American veterans. Let’s all take some time this month to thank a veteran for their service to our country. Without their sacrifice we would be living in a much different world. We are losing our World War II veterans, referred to as the greatest generation, on a daily basis. They stood up for freedom and many paid the ultimate price. A little more of that spirit would go a long way today. I am also thankful for my family and my health. Thanksgiving is a time when families gather, sometimes for the only time all year. Slow down and take time to appreciate one another and let your family members know how much you love and appreciate them. Be thankful for health. Take time to look around your home and take care of any hazards that could lead to an accident. Falls are a serious hazard for older adults and can lead to serious injury or even death. Look around your home for loose rugs, trailing extension, cords, and clutter. Make sure you have bright, glare free lighting throughout your home. Make sure you have sturdy railings or grab bars throughout your home to hold on to. Consider adding a fall protection package particularly in the bathroom. The fall protection package consists of a tub to shower conversion, fall protection flooring and shower and bath mats, and grab bars. An investment in your safety today will pay you back in a sense of security tomorrow. I today’s world there are many things to be upset and discouraged about. It takes effort to look for and focus on positive things. But the effort is well worth the trouble. An attitude of gratitude is often one of the biggest factors in longevity and overall health. People who acknowledge all that God has done for them live longer, happier lives. Take time to think about all you have to be thankful for and share it with others this month as we celebrate Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. Look for ways to brighten someone’s day. You’ll be glad you did. Thank you for reading “Housing Matters” and please let me know if there are topics you would like me to discuss. You can reach me by phone at (540) 384-2064 or by email at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com
Thank a Veteran
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month back in 1918, an agreement was reached to suspend hostilities in World War I which was called at the time, “The War to End all Wars”. As we all know, it was not the war to end all wars, as millions of brave American men and women have served to defend our freedom in the decades since then. November 11 was celebrated as Armistice Day until 1954 when the name was changed to Veteran’s Day. It is a day to honor our veterans and thank them for all they have done to preserve and defend the American way of life. In so many ways our freedoms are being eroded from within and many people do not treasure the freedoms which remain. If you are a veteran, I and my family thank you for your service from the bottom of our heart. Please take some time this month and throughout the year to thank a veteran for their service. I am taking this detour from my usual topic because I believe it is critical to our country that we remember where we have come from and thank those who have helped us to defend freedom. In my work I have the privilege of performing home modifications for veterans to help them get around in their homes more easily. I am always struck by the strength and stability of these veterans. Although many of them returned from war with grievous injuries, most of them do not expect or want any attention for themselves. They believe they were just doing their job. Particularly among veterans of World War II, there is a common belief that everyone just did what was necessary to save our country. We could sure use some of that kind of thinking today! There are around 23 million veterans living in the United States and over 9 million of them are over 65. Along with the population at large, these veterans are aging and facing the challenges associated with growing older. Let’s all look for ways to make these veteran’s lives a little easier. Just taking the time to thank them for their service and let them know that some of us really appreciate all they have done really makes their day! If you are a veteran and need help paying for needed home modifications there are a number of grants available to offset the cost of these modifications. They include the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant, the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant, and the Granting Freedom grant. While the bulk of these grants are available to veterans who need modifications due to service connected disabilities, there are some programs available for all veterans. Any amounts not covered by these grants may also be eligible for the Livable Homes Tax Credit which I have written about in Housing Matters in the past. To learn more about these programs please feel free to give me a call at (540) 384-2064. Once again I would like to thank all those who have served our country and defended our freedoms. God bless you!
Remember our Veterans
Since November is the month when both Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving occur, it is the perfect time to thank a veteran for their service to our country. Their service too often goes unappreciated or even disdained. The liberties that this nation was founded on are disappearing under our noses and those who fought and bled and died to preserve those liberties are not given the credit they deserve. I encourage everyone to take time this month to show a veteran how much you appreciate their service. One of the ways that we are honored to be able to show our appreciation to our veterans is by helping them continue to live comfortably and safely in their home through home modifications. If you or a loved one is a veteran who could benefit from these programs, I would be delighted to help point you in the right direction. There are three grants we participate with to modify homes for veterans, the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant, the Home Improvement and Structural Alteration (HISA) grant, and the Granting Freedom grant. I will give some of the requirements and details of each grant here. Feel free to get in touch with me if you have questions or need more information. The SAH grant is the largest of the three, the most comprehensive, and has the strictest requirements. In order to qualify for the SAH grant, a veteran must have a service connected disability that falls within the guidelines of the program. The grant is used to help the veteran live independently in a barrier free environment. The funds can be used to remodel an existing home to meet the requirements, build a new home that is compliant, or even pay down the principal on a home you already own that is accessible according to the VA standards. Bear in mind that the standards are quite stringent and the VA will generally stick to the letter of the law in meeting their accessibility requirements. For example, there must be two means of egress such as a ramp or lift, one of which must lead directly from the veteran’s bedroom. The current maximum amount of the grant is $67,555. The grant is administered through the VA Regional office, located in the Poff building. The HISA grant is available to veterans with both service connected and non service connected disabilities. A HISA grant will pay up to $6,800 to a veteran with a service connected disability and $2,000 to a veteran with a non service connected disability. This is the only one of the three grants that offers benefits to veterans with non service connected disabilities. The HISA grant will pay to modify an existing home to make it more accessible. Examples include installing a curbless shower or widening doorways. It cannot be used to alter the use of part of a home such as converting a bedroom into a bathroom. HISA grants are administered by the prosthetics department at the VA hospital. The Granting Freedom grant is paid with private funds and is administered by the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA). The requirements are similar to the HISA grant except that it is not available to veterans with non service connected disabilities. This grant pays up to $4,000. The application is sent to the VHDA in Richmond along with a quote from a contractor. We frequently do jobs for veterans combining two or even all three of these grants on the same project. There is also accessibility equipment available to veterans who need it outside of these grant programs. For more information, please call me at 540-556-0650.
Thank a Veteran
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month back in 1918, an agreement was reached to suspend hostilities in World War I which was called at the time, “The War to End all Wars”. As we all know, it was not the war to end all wars, as millions of brave American men and women have served to defend our freedom in the decades since then. November 11 was celebrated as Armistice Day until 1954 when the name was changed to Veteran’s Day. It is a day to honor our veterans and thank them for all they have done to preserve and defend the American way of life. In so many ways our freedoms are being eroded from within and many people do not treasure the freedoms which remain. If you are a veteran, I and my family thank you for your service from the bottom of my heart. Please take some time this month and throughout the year to thank a veteran for their service. I am taking this detour from my usual topic because I believe it is critical to our country that we remember where we have come from and thank those who have helped us to defend freedom. In my work I have the privilege of performing home modifications for veterans to help them get around in their homes more easily. I am always struck by the strength and stability of these veterans. Although many of them returned from war with grievous injuries, most of them do not expect or want any attention on themselves. They believe they were just doing their job. Particularly among veterans of World War II, there is a common belief that everyone just did what was necessary to save our country. We could sure use some of that kind of thinking today! There are around 23 million veterans living in the United States and over 9 million of them are over 65. Along with the population at large, these veterans are aging and facing the challenges associated with growing older. Let’s all look for ways to make these veteran’s lives a little easier. Just taking the time to thank them for their service and let them know that some of us really appreciate all they have done really makes their day! If you are a veteran and need help paying for needed home modifications there are a number of grants available to offset the cost of these modifications. They include the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant, the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant, and the Granting Freedom grant. While the bulk of these grants are available to veterans who need modifications due to service connected disabilities, there are some programs available for all veterans. Any amounts not covered by these grants may also be eligible for the Livable Homes Tax Credit which I wrote about in Housing Matters last month. To learn more about these programs please feel free to give me a call at (540) 384-2064. Once again I would like to thank all those who have served our country and defended our freedoms. God bless you!
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