Del Norte is California's northernmost coastal county, and its homes reflect that. Along the narrow coastal plain around Crescent City, Bertsch-Oceanview, Fort Dick and Smith River you find older two-story wood-frame houses. Up the river valleys toward Klamath and Gasquet, houses sit on hillside lots with split levels, raised foundations and long runs of outside steps.
That mix of homes makes stairs one of the most common reasons people here struggle to stay put as they get older. This page walks through which kind of stair lift fits the homes in the county's 6 towns, and which programs may help cover the cost, so you can sort out next steps before anyone climbs a ladder or measures a landing.
The 2020 Census counted 11,090 housing units in Del Norte County, and much of that stock is old and modest. Many of the two-story wood-frame houses near the coast have one straight interior staircase between the bedrooms and the main floor.
A straight staircase is the simplest case for a stair lift. The rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so an older house with plaster or uneven walls is usually not a problem. If the stairs turn at a landing or curve, a custom curved rail is built to that exact staircase, which takes longer and costs more.
Most of the county's 1,230 square miles is steep, forested ground in the Coast Range and Klamath Mountains, rising from sea level to 6,415 feet. Homes built on that grade often have split levels, raised foundations and stairs both inside and out.
A split-level home may need more than one short lift, or a single curved rail that handles the turns. Where the problem is the front steps up to a raised foundation, an outdoor-rated stair lift is built to handle weather. For someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift is usually the better fit than a chair.
Housing here also includes townhouses and walk-up apartments. Townhouses often have narrow straight stairs, and most standard straight lifts fold up to leave room for others to walk past.
In a walk-up apartment, the shared stairs belong to the building owner, so the owner has to approve any lift. With 63.1% of occupied units owner-occupied at the 2020 Census, most households here can make that call themselves, but renters should talk to the landlord first.
Sierra Service Project reports a backlog of over 40 low-income senior home-repair requests and says there are limited, if any, organizations that provide home repairs within the county.
That means families here often need to line up funding early. Veterans in particular should check VA grants before paying out of pocket, since several of them name stair lifts as covered.
For Medi-Cal managed-care members, the Environmental Accessibility Adaptations Community Support covers stair lifts when medically necessary, up to a $7,500 lifetime maximum for home modifications. The HCBA Waiver is another Medi-Cal route for people who need nursing-facility level care, though it has a waitlist.
Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities may use the SAH or SHA grant, both of which cover stair lifts. The Del Norte County Veteran Service Office at 810 H Street in Crescent City, (707) 464-2154, can help with the paperwork. Statewide, it is also worth asking about the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP) and the FreedomTech Low-Interest Assistive Technology Loan. The full list of local programs is below.
A home-modification benefit offered at the discretion of Medi-Cal managed-care plans that covers stair lifts when medically necessary, with a $7,500 lifetime maximum for home modifications. Call (800) 863-4155.
A Medi-Cal waiver with home modifications for people who need nursing-facility level care; it has a waitlist, and the sources do not say whether stair lifts are covered. Call (800) 300-1506.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 for FY2026 that covers stair lifts for veterans who own the home and have a qualifying permanent service-connected disability. Apply with VA Form 26-4555 or call (800) 827-1000.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 for FY2026 that covers stair lifts for veterans who own the home and have qualifying service-connected disabilities such as blindness in both eyes or loss of use of both hands. Call (800) 827-1000.
A prescription-based VA grant of up to $6,800 (service-connected) or $2,000 (non-service-connected) for structural alterations; it does not cover stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Information and referral for adults 60 and older and adults with disabilities in Del Norte and Humboldt Counties; it does not fund stair lifts directly but points people to repair and modification resources. Call (707) 442-3763.
A center for independent living offering home access and assistive-technology help and referral, case by case; the source does not say whether stair lifts are funded. Call (707) 908-8621.
Pays for in-home caregiver hours for aged, blind or disabled Medi-Cal recipients; it does not cover stair lifts or home modifications. Call (707) 464-3191.
No-cost weatherization for income-eligible households, delivered locally by Del Norte Senior Center, Inc.; stair lifts are not mentioned in the source. Call (707) 464-7254.
Volunteer home-repair labor for low-income residents, mostly seniors, referred through Del Norte County Senior Center, Open Door Health Clinic and Sutter Home Health; stair lifts are not mentioned, and homeowners or partners typically cover materials.
Affordable housing and home repair for income-qualified homeowners in Del Norte County, case by case; stair lifts are not mentioned in the source.
Older adults
3300 Glenwood Street, Eureka, 95501
Veterans
810 H Street, Crescent City, 95531
It can. Medi-Cal managed-care plans may offer Environmental Accessibility Adaptations, which cover stair lifts when medically necessary, up to a $7,500 lifetime maximum for home modifications. Call (800) 863-4155 to ask about your plan.
Yes. Tri-County Independent Living serves people with disabilities of any age in Del Norte, Humboldt and Trinity Counties at (707) 908-8621, and the Area 1 Agency on Aging also serves adults with disabilities as well as adults 60 and older.
Start with the Del Norte County Veteran Service Office at 810 H Street, Crescent City, (707) 464-2154. They can help you see whether the SAH or SHA grant, both of which cover stair lifts, applies to you.
Yes. Outdoor-rated stair lifts are made for exterior steps, which are common on the raised foundations and hillside lots found around the county. For wheelchair users, a platform lift may be the better choice.
No. In-Home Supportive Services pays for caregiver hours, not equipment or home modifications. It can still help someone stay home while other funding for a lift is worked out.
Then you need a curved stair lift with a rail built to fit your stairs. Split-level homes may need either one curved rail or separate short straight lifts, depending on the layout.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
