From the old Gold Rush streets of Murphys, Angels Camp, Mokelumne Hill and San Andreas to newer foothill developments around Copperopolis, Valley Springs and Rancho Calaveras, a lot of Calaveras County homes sit on a slope. Houses built into hillsides often end up with raised entries, interior staircases and split-level layouts. That is the kind of home where a stair lift earns its keep.
This page walks through how the county's homes and terrain shape the right lift, from a straight rail in a two-story house in Arnold to an outdoor unit on the front steps of a place in Mountain Ranch or West Point. It also lists the county, state, federal and nonprofit programs that may help cover the cost, with the phone numbers to call.
Calaveras County covers about 1,037 square miles of oak-studded Sierra Nevada foothills, climbing from near the Central Valley edge to 8,174 feet. Towns grew along the slopes and drainages of the Mokelumne, Calaveras and Stanislaus rivers, so flat lots are the exception.
A single straight staircase between two floors usually takes a straight stair lift, which is the simplest install. Split-level homes are different. Short flights with a landing or a turn between them often need a curved rail built to fit that exact staircase, or a separate lift for each flight.
Before recommending anything, we measure the stairs, check the landings at top and bottom, and look at where the rail can mount. In older foothill homes, that visit tells you more than any brochure.
Many homes here sit on raised foundations or step down a grade, which means the hardest stairs are often outside. A set of steps from the driveway to the front door can keep someone inside more than any staircase in the house.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps and run on the same idea as an indoor unit. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a vertical platform lift at the entry is often the better answer, since a stair lift seat requires the rider to transfer.
Manufactured homes, which are common across the county, usually have a short run of entry steps. A platform lift or a short outdoor lift can work well there, depending on the space beside the door.
About 28.8% of county residents are 65 or older, and 84.4% of households own their homes. Many are long-time owners aging in place in multi-level foothill houses, which is why owner-based home modification programs matter here.
The Calaveras County Veterans Services Office at the Jenny Lind Memorial Bldg, 300 W. Daphne Street in Valley Springs, can help with VA paperwork. Call (209) 754-6910.
Start with the Calaveras County Home Accessible Modification (HAM) Program if someone in the home has a disability. It funds modifications such as vertical lifts on a first come, first served basis until the money runs out, so calling early helps.
Veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability should look at the VA Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) and Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grants. People on Medi-Cal who qualify for nursing facility level care may get help through the HCBA Waiver, though it has had a waitlist.
Other statewide options to ask about include the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP), the FreedomTech Low-Interest Assistive Technology Loan, and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). The full program list below explains who each one serves.
A county grant for owner-occupied homes with a resident who has a disability, based on household size and income, covering ramps, grab bars, vertical lifts and other modifications; stair lifts are covered. Funds are first come, first served; call (209) 754-6325.
A statewide Medi-Cal waiver that covers environmental accessibility adaptations, including stair lifts, for people eligible for nursing facility or similar level of care, with no individual cost limit per the source. It has had a waitlist since July 2023, but applicants are still encouraged to apply at (800) 776-5746.
Pays for in-home caregiver hours for Medi-Cal-eligible aged, blind or disabled residents, administered through Calaveras County HHSA. It does not cover stair lifts or other equipment; call (209) 754-6452.
Offers very-low-income rural homeowners loans up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years, plus grants up to $10,000 for owners 62+ to remove health and safety hazards; most of the county qualifies as rural. The source does not mention stair lifts, so ask at (530) 792-5800.
Federal grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home: SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 (FY2026), and stair lifts are covered. Apply with VA Form 26-4555 or call (800) 827-1000.
A nonprofit repair and ADA accessibility program for income-qualified owner-occupants in Calaveras County who plan to stay 3+ years; mobile and manufactured homes in parks are excluded. Stair lifts are not mentioned in the source; call (209) 890-3848.
An independent living center offering assistive technology referral, advocacy and peer counseling for people with any disability; it does not fund equipment directly, and stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (209) 521-7260.
Serves adults 60+ with Minor Home Repair, meals and HICAP counseling; whether stair lifts are covered is unknown. The office is at 13975 Mono Way, #E in Sonora, (209) 532-6272.
Older adults
13975 Mono Way, #E, Sonora, 95370
Veterans
Jenny Lind Memorial Bldg 300 W. Daphne Street, Valley Springs, 95252
Yes. The Calaveras County Home Accessible Modification (HAM) Program covers modifications including vertical lifts for owner-occupied homes with a resident who has a disability, based on income and household size. Funding is first come, first served, so call (209) 754-6325 soon.
No. California In-Home Supportive Services funds caregiver hours, not equipment or home modifications. It can still be useful alongside a lift, and you can reach the local office at (209) 754-6452.
The Area 12 Agency on Aging serves people 60 and older, but other programs have no age floor. The HAM Program is based on disability and income, and USDA Section 504 repair loans are open to very-low-income rural homeowners of all ages, while its grants require age 62+.
Habitat for Humanity Calaveras excludes mobile and manufactured homes in parks from its Critical Home Repair Program. The HAM Program and Medi-Cal HCBA Waiver do not list that exclusion, so check with them instead.
Call the Calaveras County Veterans Services Office in Valley Springs at (209) 754-6910. They can help with the VA SAH and SHA grants, which cover stair lifts for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities.
The waiver has had a waitlist since July 2023, but applicants are still encouraged to apply. It covers stair lifts based on medical necessity with no individual cost limit per the source; call (800) 776-5746.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
