Short answer: Texans who need a safer bathroom can look to the TDHCA Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (up to $22,500 for households with a person with a disability), Medicaid waiver home modifications, VA HISA grants, USDA Section 504 repair help in rural areas and city repair programs. Most require approval before work starts.
On this page
Which Texas programs might help with my bathroom?
Pick the answer that fits the person who will use the bathroom. If you are a son, daughter or caregiver filling this out, answer for your parent or the person you care for. "Not sure" is always a fine answer; the checker will tell you what to ask.
This checker is a starting map, not an approval. Every program on it sets its own rules, and funding can run out. Call the agency named in each result before you sign anything or start work.
How do the Texas bathroom funding programs compare?
The table lists the published maximums from each agency. A maximum is a ceiling, not a promise; most awards are sized to the specific work a caseworker approves.
| Program | Who runs it | Published maximum | Main tests | How to start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amy Young Barrier Removal (AYBR) | TDHCA through local nonprofits and governments | $22,500 one-time grant | Household includes a person with a disability; income at or under 80% of area median | Find a local administrator with TDHCA's Help for Texans search |
| STAR+PLUS minor home modifications | Texas Medicaid health plans | $7,500 lifetime, then $300 a year for repairs | STAR+PLUS member eligible for home and community-based services | Ask the health plan service coordinator |
| CLASS waiver minor home modifications | Texas HHS | $10,000 lifetime, then up to $300 per plan period for repairs | Enrolled in the CLASS waiver | Ask the CLASS case manager |
| VA HISA grant | VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service | $6,800 lifetime (service-connected or 50%+ rating); $2,000 for other enrolled veterans | Medical need documented by a VA provider | Ask the VA provider or prosthetics office |
| VA SHA grant | VA housing grants | $25,350 (fiscal year 2026) | Specific severe service-connected disabilities | Apply through VA.gov |
| USDA Section 504 repair grant | USDA Rural Development | $10,000 grant; loans up to $40,000 | Homeowner 62+ for grants, very low income, eligible rural area | Call the USDA Rural Development office for your county |
| City repair programs (example: Corpus Christi) | City housing departments using HUD block grant money | Varies; Corpus Christi lists up to $24,999 | Usually owner-occupied, low income, 62+ or disabled | Watch your city's application window |
What is the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program and who qualifies?
The Amy Young Barrier Removal Program, usually shortened to AYBR, is run by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) with money from the state Housing Trust Fund. It pays for accessibility changes and the removal of hazards in homes where a person with a disability lives. TDHCA's program page lists one-time grants of up to $22,500 per household.
The main eligibility tests
- Disability: at least one household member must meet the state's definition of a person with a disability, documented on a certification form.
- Income: household income cannot exceed 80 percent of the area median family income, using HUD's HOME program tables.
- Owners and renters: both can qualify. A renter needs written permission from the property owner, and the landlord must fix any life-threatening hazards before the program pays for accessibility work.
- Savings: the 2025 program manual caps household liquid assets at $25,000.
- Taxes and mortgage: property taxes must be current or on an approved payment plan, and an owner must be current on any mortgage or home equity loan.
- Manufactured homes: units built on or after January 1, 1995 may qualify. Older units may be limited to exterior access work such as ramps and handrails.
How the $22,500 is split
The manual explains that the ceiling covers both construction and the administrator's soft costs, with soft costs capped at one eleventh of the project. At the full $22,500, that works out to as much as $2,045.45 in soft costs and about $20,455 for the actual work. That is a useful number to keep in mind when you look at a bathroom quote.
How to apply
You do not apply to TDHCA. The agency contracts with local nonprofits and governments that reserve funds for each household as they qualify it. Go to TDHCA's Help for Texans page, choose "Home Repair / Accessibility Modifications," and enter your city or county to see providers near you. TDHCA notes the program is not offered in every part of the state, so if nothing appears, ask your Area Agency on Aging or call 2-1-1 for other local options.
Expect an intake application, proof of income, a disability certification, an inspection of the home with before photos, a written work scope and, later, final inspection and after photos. The administrator, not the homeowner, hires and pays the contractor.
Can Texas Medicaid pay for bathroom modifications?
Only through specific waiver programs, not through regular Medicaid coverage. Texas HHS lists minor home modifications as a service in seven of its long-term services and supports waivers: STAR+PLUS home and community-based services, YES, STAR Kids MDCP, CLASS, DBMD, HCS and TxHmL.
- STAR+PLUS: the STAR+PLUS handbook sets a $7,500 lifetime limit per member, then $300 a year for repairs. Its bathroom list includes wheelchair accessible showers, bathtub modifications and toilet changes. Our STAR+PLUS home modifications guide covers the details.
- CLASS: the CLASS provider manual sets a $10,000 lifetime maximum and names roll-in showers and bathtub modifications among allowed items.
- Other waivers: the limits differ by program. The case manager or service coordinator can tell you what remains of the person's lifetime amount.
Waiver modifications are meant to be modest. They do not pay for major remodeling or room additions, and the health plan or case manager must document why the change is needed.
What help is there for Texas veterans?
The VA's Home Improvements and Structural Alterations grant, called HISA, pays for medically needed changes such as roll-in showers. The VA lists a lifetime benefit of $6,800 for a service-connected condition, or for any condition when the veteran has a service-connected rating of 50 percent or more, and $2,000 for other enrolled veterans. Veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities may instead qualify for the Special Home Adaptation grant, which the VA lists at up to $25,350 for fiscal year 2026, or the larger Specially Adapted Housing grant. Our Texas veterans guide lists VA health systems by region, and Aging Safely Baths explains the national rules in its VA HISA grant guide.
Does USDA Section 504 help in rural Texas?
USDA Rural Development's Section 504 Home Repair program serves very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas. Its Texas page lists loans up to $40,000 at a fixed 1 percent rate over 20 years and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older, used to remove health and safety hazards. Loans and grants can be combined for up to $50,000, and a grant must be repaid if the home is sold within three years. Plenty of Texas towns outside the big metros count as rural for USDA purposes. Call the Rural Development office for your county to confirm the address and income limit. For more on country homes, see our rural Texas guide.
Do Texas cities have bathroom repair programs?
Many do, usually funded by HUD Community Development Block Grants and opened for short application windows. The City of Corpus Christi is a clear example: its Minor Home Repair Program offered grants of up to $24,999 for health and safety repairs, including accessibility modifications, to homeowners inside the city who are 62 or older, disabled, a veteran or a veteran's surviving spouse, with income at or under 50 percent of area median. The 2025 window ran October 7 to 21 and used a lottery because demand outran funding. Our Corpus Christi and Coastal Bend guide walks through it.
To find a program near you, call your city's housing or community development office, ask the Area Agency on Aging for your county (statewide line 1-800-252-9240), or dial 2-1-1.
What about Medicare and taxes?
Original Medicare pays for a set list of durable medical equipment, and walk-in tubs are not on it. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer bathroom safety extras, but coverage is plan by plan. Aging Safely Baths covers both in its Medicare and walk-in tubs guide. On taxes, IRS Publication 502 lets some medically needed home changes count as medical expenses, minus any increase in the home's value, and only for people who itemize and whose medical costs pass 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income. Texas has no state income tax.
Will a program pay for a walk-in tub, or only a shower?
This is the question families ask most, and the honest answer is that it depends on what the caseworker documents as medically needed. The program rules we read name accessible and roll-in showers, bathtub modifications, grab bars and toilet changes. The VA's HISA page specifically excludes spas, hot tubs and whirlpool-style units, so jets and air massage are not something to expect a grant to cover. A basic soaking walk-in tub or a low-threshold shower is the easier case to make. If a tub is the right fit for the person, ask the administrator in writing whether a walk-in tub is allowed before you choose a model, and compare it with a shower in our tub or shower guide.
If a program covers part of the cost and you want a feature it will not pay for, ask whether you can pay the difference yourself. Some administrators allow it; others do not.
What steps work for every Texas program?
- Write down the need. A note from a doctor, occupational therapist or VA provider describing why bathing is unsafe carries weight everywhere.
- Call before any work. Almost every program refuses to pay for work that started before approval.
- Ask about stacking. The AYBR manual allows its funds to be combined with other sources, while Corpus Christi's program will not pay for the same purpose twice. Ask each office how it treats other help.
- Get an itemized written quote. We write quotes in the format programs ask for, with fixture, labor and plumbing lines separated.
- Keep copies. Save every letter, photo, invoice and approval in one folder.
Ready to price the bathroom while you work through the paperwork? Call 1-888-779-2284 or use the quote form below. You can also read our wider guide to paying for a walk-in tub in Texas, the Aging Safely Baths Texas page, or shop barrier-free shower kits at Showers4Less.
Common questions
What is the most a Texas program pays for a bathroom modification?
For most households the largest state program is the TDHCA Amy Young Barrier Removal Program, with one-time grants of up to $22,500. Veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities may qualify for the VA SHA grant, listed at up to $25,350 for fiscal year 2026.
Does the Amy Young program pay for walk-in tubs?
TDHCA describes the program as paying for accessibility modifications and hazard removal without listing specific fixtures. Whether a walk-in tub is approved depends on the documented need and the local administrator, so ask in writing before choosing a model.
Is there an age limit for the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program?
TDHCA does not list an age requirement. The household must include a person with a disability and have income at or under 80 percent of area median family income.
Can renters in Texas get help with an accessible bathroom?
Yes for the Amy Young program, which accepts tenants with written permission from the property owner. USDA Section 504 and most city repair programs, such as Corpus Christi's, are for homeowners only.
How do I find an Amy Young program administrator near me?
Use TDHCA's Help for Texans page, choose Home Repair / Accessibility Modifications and enter your city or county. If no provider appears, call your Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-252-9240 or dial 2-1-1.
Will a program pay me back for work I already finished?
Usually not. Almost every program, including the VA and Medicaid waivers, needs approval before the work begins, and the Amy Young program pays its contractor directly after inspections.
Does Medicare pay for a walk-in tub in Texas?
Original Medicare generally does not, because walk-in tubs are not on its durable medical equipment list. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer bathroom safety extras; ask your plan in writing.
Sources
- Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs: Amy Young Barrier Removal Program
- TDHCA: AYBR Program Manual (updated May 2025)
- TDHCA: Help for Texans provider search
- HUD: Income limits by county
- Texas HHS: STAR+PLUS Handbook 6600, Minor Home Modifications
- Texas HHS: CLASS Provider Manual, Appendix II, Minor Home Modification Services
- Texas HHS: Long-Term Services and Supports Waiver Programs chart (revised September 2025)
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: HISA program
- VA: Disability housing grants (SAH and SHA)
- USDA Rural Development: Single Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants in Texas
- City of Corpus Christi: Minor Home Repair Program FAQ (October 2025)
- Texas HHS: Area Agencies on Aging directory
- Medicare: Durable medical equipment coverage
- IRS Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses
- 2-1-1 Texas
Agencies update their rules and amounts. Confirm with the linked source before you rely on a figure.
Related Texas guides
- Paying for a walk-in tubEvery funding route in one plain map
- STAR+PLUS home modificationsMedicaid minor home modification rules
- Help for Texas veteransHISA, SHA and SAH, and where to apply
- Corpus Christi and the Coastal BendCity repair grant, permits and drought
- Texas Area Agencies on AgingFind the agency for your county
- Tub or shower?Matching the bathroom to the bather