Maryland Home Modification Grants in 2026: What Families Can Actually Get

If your parent lives in Maryland and needs home modifications to stay safe and independent, there's money available to help — more than most families realize. The challenge is that Maryland's programs are administered through multiple agencies, some at the state level and some at the county level, and they don't always advertise aggressively.

This guide covers the main programs available in 2026, with real eligibility requirements and dollar amounts — not vague summaries.

Maryland Accessible Homes for Seniors

Administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), this is Maryland's flagship home modification grant for seniors.

What it covers: Accessibility modifications including grab bars, ramps, stairlifts, roll-in showers, wider doorways, and other structural changes that help seniors remain in their homes.

Who qualifies:

• Maryland homeowner age 55 or older
• For loans: household income cannot exceed 80% of the Statewide or Washington DC MSA median
• Must be the primary residence

How much: Deferred loans (no repayment until you sell, transfer, or refinance). Grants up to $15,000 are available to senior homeowners who earn less than 50% of the area median income (AMI), need accessibility modifications, and do not qualify for a loan. Grants do not need to be repaid. *(Updated Oct 2026 to match DHCD's program page.)*

How to apply: Through DHCD directly or through your county's participating partner organizations. Visit dhcd.maryland.gov or call 1-800-756-0119. Wait times exist; apply early.

Pro tip: DHCD works with local nonprofits and housing agencies to administer the program at the county level. In some counties, the local partner handles intake and may have slightly different procedures.

Montgomery County: Design for Life Program

Montgomery County has its own home modification program that goes beyond the state's Accessible Homes for Seniors offering.

What it is: A county property tax credit (not a grant) for accessibility features such as no-step entrances, 32-inch doorways, accessible bathrooms, grab bars, and stair or chair lifts. *(Updated Oct 2026 to match Montgomery County DPS.)*

Who qualifies:

• Owner of a Montgomery County home that is their primary residence
• No age or income limit; the program is for all ages

How much: Up to $2,500 (50% of costs) for individual features if you spend more than $500; up to $3,000 (100% of costs) for making a single-family home Visitable (Level I); up to $10,000 (100% of costs) for making it Liveable (Level II). The credit is reduced by any other government or nonprofit assistance for the same feature, and at most $2,000 is applied per tax year, with the rest carried forward to future years (DPS FAQ).

How to apply: Through the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS). Submit the Design for Life application with your cost documents; DPS certifies the work and the credit appears on your property tax bill. Details: Montgomery County DPS Design for Life.

Maryland Community Options Waiver

The Community Options Waiver (CO Waiver) is a Medicaid waiver program for adults with disabilities who need institutional-level care but want to remain in the community.

What it covers: Among other services, the CO Waiver can fund home modifications that enable a person to safely stay home instead of moving to a facility. This includes ramps, grab bars, roll-in showers, stairlifts, and environmental modifications.

Who qualifies:

• Maryland resident with a significant disability (not age-restricted, but many participants are seniors)
• Medicaid-eligible (income and asset limits apply)
• Requires nursing-home level of care (assessed by the state)

How much: Modifications are covered as part of a broader care plan, not as a standalone grant with a fixed cap. The CO Waiver covers the full cost of approved modifications.

How to apply: Through the Maryland Department of Health, Developmental Disabilities Administration, or your local Medicaid office. This process involves a functional assessment — it's more intensive than a direct grant application, but the coverage can be comprehensive.

Important: If your parent already receives Medicaid or is approaching Medicaid eligibility, talk to a benefits counselor about the CO Waiver before spending out of pocket on modifications.

VA HISA Grant for Maryland Veterans

Maryland has a significant veteran population — and the VA's Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant is one of the most accessible modification grants available.

What it covers: Medically necessary improvements such as permanent ramps, roll-in showers and lowered counters. VA excludes stair glides, porch lifts and portable ramps (VA PSAS).

Who qualifies:

• Up to $6,800 lifetime for a service-connected disability, or for a non-service-connected disability if you also have a single service-connected disability rated at least 50% (combined ratings don't count)
• Up to $2,000 lifetime for any other disability
• Must have a VA physician's prescription specifying the medical need and required modifications

How to apply: Through your VA primary care provider. Get a prescription that specifies the diagnosis, the functional limitation, and the modifications required. Submit through the VA medical center — Baltimore VA and Washington DC VA both process HISA applications.

Timeline: Typically 4–8 weeks from application to approval.

Stacking Multiple Programs

These programs can often be used on the same project:

Example: A Maryland veteran, age 67, living in Silver Spring, needs a ramp, a roll-in shower, and grab bars throughout the home. Estimated cost: $22,000.

• VA HISA (service-connected): $6,800
• Accessible Homes for Seniors grant (if under 50% AMI and not loan-eligible): up to $15,000; otherwise a deferred Accessible Homes for Seniors loan
• Design for Life (if in Montgomery County): a property tax credit after the work, up to $10,000 for a Level II (Liveable) home, reduced by HISA or Accessible Homes for Seniors grant money spent on the same features and applied at most $2,000 per tax year

Together, HISA and Accessible Homes for Seniors could cover most of the cost. If your parent doesn't qualify for the grant (under 50% AMI and not loan-eligible), the loan portion would be a deferred loan, repaid when the home is sold, transferred, or refinanced. *(Updated Oct 2026.)*

Non-veteran example: A 70-year-old Silver Spring homeowner at 65% AMI needs bathroom modifications totaling $15,000. That income is above the 50% AMI grant limit, but within the 80% limit for an Accessible Homes for Seniors deferred loan, which could cover the work if funds are available.

How to Start

1. Get a home assessment first. An occupational therapist (OT) assessment documents your parent's functional needs and creates the paper trail that most grant programs require.

2. Contact your Area Agency on Aging. Maryland has 19 local Area Agencies on Aging. They know every local program — including small county-level grants that aren't listed online. Find yours at mdoa.maryland.gov.

3. Apply to Accessible Homes for Seniors early. The waitlist is real. Even if modifications aren't urgent yet, getting the application in sets your place in line.

4. If your parent is a veteran, start the VA process in parallel. HISA and Accessible Homes for Seniors don't conflict.

Maryland's programs are genuinely useful — but they require some navigation. The payoff is substantial.

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