IHDA Home Repair Program: Can Illinois Homeowners Use It for Accessibility Remodels?

The question of whether an Illinois homeowner can use state or federal assistance for an accessibility remodel has a more complicated answer than most online guides suggest. There are real programs available, the amounts are meaningful, and eligibility varies by income, disability status, and veteran status. The programs also have waiting lists, annual funding limits, and eligibility rules that change. This post covers what is verified as of May 2026 and what you need to confirm before making project decisions.

Our accessible bathroom services and accessible kitchen services pages cover the full construction and design scope for this type of work.

The IHDA Home Repair and Accessibility Program

The Illinois Housing Development Authority Home Repair and Accessibility Program provides up to $50,000 per qualifying household for home repair and accessibility modifications. The program is available to owner-occupant homeowners with household income below 80 percent of area median income (AMI).

Verified as of May 2026. Grant maximum $50,000, income limit 80 percent AMI. Confirm current availability and eligibility at ihda.org before planning. Program funding is appropriated annually and demand consistently exceeds available funding; waiting lists and program closures during the year are common.

What the Program Covers

Covered work under the IHDA program can include repairs that address health and safety hazards and modifications that improve home accessibility. Accessibility modifications documented as necessary for a resident’s health, safety, or mobility are a core program focus.

Examples of accessibility work that may qualify:

• Grab bar installation with proper wall blocking
• Curbless shower conversion
• Doorway widening for wheelchair access
• Ramp construction
• Lighting and switch modifications

Eligibility for specific modifications and the documentation required vary by program administration. Contact IHDA directly for current requirements.

Applying: The Realistic Picture

IHDA programs are administered through local subgrantees; intake process and wait times vary by county. For Cook County and Lake County homeowners, contact IHDA at 312-836-5200 or through ihda.org to identify the current subgrantee serving your area. The 80 percent AMI threshold varies by county and household size; confirm the current figure for your county and household at ihda.org before assuming eligibility.

Medicare: What It Does and Does Not Cover

This distinction matters for a lot of North Shore homeowners who are planning accessibility work during or after a Medicare transition.

Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover structural home modifications. Grab bars, curbless shower conversions, ramp construction, and doorway widening are home modifications, not durable medical equipment, and Original Medicare does not cover them. This is not a policy gap or ambiguity; it is a clear exclusion.

Medicare Advantage (Part C) is a different story. Some Medicare Advantage plans added home modification coverage as a supplemental benefit beginning in 2019, following a change in CMS rules. Whether your plan covers home modifications, what is covered, and what dollar limit applies is entirely plan-specific. Review your Evidence of Coverage document or call the Member Services number on your card and ask specifically whether your plan includes a “home modification benefit.” Do not assume coverage based on general statements about Advantage plans; the benefit structure varies significantly between plans and plan years.

VA Programs for Veterans

Veterans with service-connected disabilities have access to three separate VA home modification programs. These are verified figures from va.gov as of May 2026; confirm current amounts before applying.

Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant. For veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities. FY2026 maximum approximately $126,526. Used to purchase, construct, or modify a home for the veteran’s disability. Administered through VA Regional Loan Centers.

Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grant. For veterans with different qualifying service-connected disabilities. FY2026 maximum approximately $25,350.

Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) Grant. For medical necessity modifications related to a service-connected or non-service-connected disability. Maximum $6,800 for service-connected; $2,000 for non-service-connected. HISA is administered through VA health care facilities, not VA loan programs, and the application goes through the VA medical center rather than a Regional Loan Center. This distinction matters for the application process.

For veterans in the North Shore area, including Highland Park and surrounding communities, the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital and the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center serve Lake County. Contact the Social Work department at your VA medical center to begin the HISA application process.

For a related post on VA programs, read VA Housing Grant for Home Modifications: SAH, SHA, and HISA for Illinois Veterans.

Illinois Medicaid Home and Community Based Services

Illinois Medicaid operates Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waivers that may cover some accessibility modifications for qualifying individuals. Which specific waiver covers structural modifications, what modifications are covered, and the current application process involves multiple waiver programs with different eligibility criteria.

This is an area where a social worker or the Illinois Department on Aging is better positioned to guide individual homeowners than a general blog post. Contact the Illinois Department on Aging or call the Elder Care Helpline at 1-800-252-8966 for current information on which HCBS waivers cover home accessibility modifications and how to apply.

Waiting lists for HCBS waivers in Illinois are common. If you are planning accessibility modifications in the near term and Medicaid coverage is a potential funding source, starting the inquiry process early is advisable.

Planning an Accessible Remodel When Funding Is Part of the Picture

The practical reality for North Shore homeowners considering accessibility modifications is that multiple programs may be relevant depending on income, veteran status, insurance coverage, and the specific modifications needed. The programs are not interchangeable; each has specific eligibility criteria, covered work, and application processes. Some programs also restrict combining funding sources in a single project, while others permit it; confirm the stacking rules directly with each program before finalizing how the project budget is assembled.

Before finalizing the scope and timeline of an accessibility project, confirm:

• Whether your household income is within IHDA-eligible limits for your county
• Whether your Medicare Advantage plan has a home modification benefit
• Whether you or a household member has VA eligibility for HISA, SAH, or SHA
• Whether any Illinois Medicaid HCBS waiver applies to your situation

All figures in this post were verified in May 2026. Amounts and eligibility change annually.

Delta - Bathroom and Kitchen Remodeling has worked with North Shore homeowners integrating grab bar blocking, curbless shower conversions, doorway widening, and accessible kitchen modifications into full remodel projects. The technical scope of this work, independently of how it is funded, is covered in Accessible Bathroom Design Guide.

Contact Delta - Bathroom and Kitchen Remodeling to discuss the physical scope of an accessibility remodel. We can describe what the construction involves, what permits are required, and what the project timeline looks like so that you are working with a clear picture when you pursue funding sources.