Downtown Redding still has two-story Victorian and Italianate houses from the late 1800s. Out in Palo Cedro, Shingletown and the foothills above the Sacramento River, homes sit on sloped lots with raised entries and split floor plans. Across the county's 24 towns, a lot of people climb stairs every day just to get to a bedroom or the front door.
This page covers how Shasta County homes affect the kind of stair lift you would need, and which local, state and federal programs may help pay for one. It is written for older homeowners and for the adult children helping them decide.
Redding's housing runs from the 1871 Thompson House, believed to be the oldest home still standing in the city, to the 1887 Frisbie mansion on East Street and the 1879 McCormick Mansion at 1452 Oregon St. Later came mid-century and post-Shasta-Dam-era houses like the 1938 Crowe House, built for Frank Crowe, the dam's construction superintendent.
Older two-story homes often have stairs with a landing, a turn or a narrow run. A straight stair lift fits a single flight with no turns. Stairs that turn or wrap around a landing usually need a curved lift, which is built to the shape of your staircase.
We measure before recommending anything. The width of the stairs, where the rail can mount and how much room sits at the top and bottom all decide which lift will work.
Shasta County covers about 3,847 square miles at the north end of the Sacramento Valley. The land rises sharply to the east into the foothills and the Cascade Range, and mountains line the county on the east, north and west.
That terrain shows up in the houses. Split-level homes in places like Bella Vista, Happy Valley and Shasta Lake often have short flights between levels, and some need more than one lift. Ranch-style homes on sloped lots may have no interior stairs but several steps up to the front door, which is where an outdoor stair lift helps.
For someone who uses a wheelchair, a seat lift is not enough. A platform lift carries the chair itself and is often the better fit for a raised entry or porch.
About 20.3 percent of Shasta County residents are 65 or older, and 61.7 percent of households own their home. Owners can install a lift without asking a landlord, and many county programs are written for owner-occupied homes.
The Shasta County Veterans Service Office at 1855 Shasta Street in Redding can help with VA paperwork; call (530) 225-5616.
Medi-Cal is the main route for many residents. Shasta County's Medi-Cal plan is Partnership HealthPlan of California, and its Community Supports benefit for home modifications is the first thing to ask about. The HCBA Waiver also covers environmental accessibility adaptations for people who qualify for nursing-facility level care.
Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can apply for VA housing adaptation grants. County and city repair programs exist too, though some are too small for a lift or do not list accessibility work, so call before you count on them.
The programs list below shows each option, what it covers and who to call. Statewide, you can also ask about the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP) and the FreedomTech Low-Interest Assistive Technology Loan.
A statewide Medi-Cal waiver for people of any age who qualify for nursing-facility or similar care; home modifications for safety and access are a covered service, approved case by case, and the waiver has had a waitlist. Call (916) 552-9105.
A Medi-Cal managed-care benefit for members at risk of hospital or nursing-facility stays that can cover stair lifts; Shasta residents apply through Partnership HealthPlan of California and should confirm its lifetime cap directly. Call (855) 427-1223.
Offers information, assistance and referral for older adults, generally 60 and up, but the source does not list stair lift funding. Call (530) 842-1687 for referrals to home-modification resources.
A nonprofit with assistive-technology and independent-living programs for people with disabilities, at 2440 Athens Ave in Redding; whether it helps with stair lifts is unknown. Call (530) 242-8550 to ask.
Federal grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected mobility disabilities, covering stair access adaptations under an approved plan: SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY 2026. Call (800) 827-1000.
Low-interest repair loans for low-income owner-occupied homes in unincorporated Shasta County; accessibility work is not listed separately, so confirm stair lift eligibility. Call (530) 225-5160.
Grants of up to $500 per repair, with a $1,500 lifetime cap, for low-income homeowners 62 and older inside Redding city limits; it does not cover stair lifts. Call (530) 225-4040 for minor health and safety repairs.
A Redding nonprofit with no documented repair or aging-in-place program, so stair lift help is unknown. Contact the group to ask whether any accessibility help is offered.
Older adults
P.O. Box 1400, Yreka, 96097
Veterans
1855 Shasta Street, Redding, 96001
It can. The CalAIM home-modification benefit is a model that lists stair lifts, and in Shasta County it runs through Partnership HealthPlan of California. Ask the plan whether it offers the benefit and what its cap is, or call (855) 427-1223.
Yes. The HCBA Waiver has no age limit for people who qualify for nursing-facility level care; call (916) 552-9105. The Disability Action Center in Redding serves people with disabilities at (530) 242-8550.
No. The City of Redding Minor Home Repair for Seniors Program pays up to $500 per repair with a $1,500 lifetime cap, which is too small for a lift. It can still help with other small safety repairs.
The Shasta County Housing Rehabilitation Program offers low-interest repair loans to low-income owners in unincorporated Shasta County. Accessibility work is not listed separately, so call (530) 225-5160 to ask about a stair lift.
Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities apply with VA Form 26-4555, online, by mail or in person. The Shasta County Veterans Service Office at 1855 Shasta Street in Redding can help; call (530) 225-5616.
Often, yes. Many foothill and ranch-style homes here have raised entries. An outdoor stair lift handles the steps, and a platform lift is the better choice if a wheelchair needs to go up too.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
