From the older blocks off Main Street in Cortez to ranch-style places on the mesas outside Mancos, Dolores, Lewis and Towaoc, homes in Montezuma County are built a lot of different ways. Cortez dates to 1886, when it was built to house workers on the tunnels and irrigation ditches that carried water out of the Dolores River. Some of those in-town houses still have the interior stairs of their era.
Out in the country, the picture changes. Newer subdivisions and single-story rural homes sit on high-desert mesa tops, often on sloped or mesa-edge lots. That means the right stair lift depends a lot on which part of the county you live in and when your house was built.
Century-old homes in Cortez often have a single straight run of stairs to a second floor or basement. A straight stair lift is usually the simplest fit there, mounted to the treads rather than the wall.
Split-level homes are a different job. Short flights between levels, or a turn at a landing, can call for a curved rail built to match the staircase. We measure each flight before recommending anything, because two houses on the same block can need very different equipment.
Many ranch-style homes have no interior stairs at all, but the trouble starts outside. Rural properties on sloped or mesa-edge lots often have porch or entry steps, and Cortez averages 33.4 inches of snowfall a year. Snow and ice on exterior stairs add real fall risk for older residents.
An outdoor stair lift with a weather-rated rail can handle those entry steps. Where the climb is short and a wheelchair or walker is involved, a platform lift may make more sense. Either way, we look at drainage, footing and how the steps hold up in winter before suggesting a model.
Townhouses and walk-up apartments usually have a straight interior flight, which suits a standard stair lift. If you rent, talk with the owner first, since a lift attaches to the stairs.
Most households here own their homes; the county's homeownership rate was 76.2% as of 2024, well above the national average. Owners can make that decision themselves, and several of the programs below require that you own and live in the home.
In 2020, 23.7% of county residents were 65 or older, and the 2024 poverty rate of 13.3% ran above the national average. For many families, that makes grants, waivers and low-interest loans worth checking before paying out of pocket.
Be aware that most programs below do not name stair lifts in their published rules, so you will need to ask each one directly. One is clear: the VA HISA grant does not pay for stair glides. A good first call is the San Juan Basin Area Agency on Aging or Colorado Housing Connects, which can steer you to whatever currently applies.
The Montezuma County Veteran Service Office in Cortez helps with VA applications at no cost.
A statewide Medicaid benefit for people enrolled in one of six HCBS waivers, including Elderly, Blind, and Disabled (EBD), with a $14,000 lifetime maximum on most of those waivers. Listed modifications include ramps, grab bars and doorway widening; stair lifts are not named, so call (970) 264-0501 to ask.
Loans up to $40,000 at a fixed 1% rate, and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners age 62+, for homes in eligible rural areas, which includes most of unincorporated Montezuma County outside Cortez. The program does not name stair lifts; call (970) 399-8198.
A VA grant for medically necessary structural changes such as built-in ramps, accessible bathrooms and widened doorways. It does not cover stair lifts; the VA lists stair glides as excluded removable equipment. Call (970) 565-7155 for help with other VA options.
Grants for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities to build, buy or remodel a home for accessibility, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026. Stair lifts are not specifically named; call (800) 827-1000.
The Area Agency on Aging for Montezuma County, offering options counseling, benefits enrollment and service vouchers, and screening for Medicaid home-modification benefits. No stair lift or home-modification voucher is listed; call (970) 264-0501, or the county Senior Center at (970) 565-4166.
A Center for Independent Living with a Cortez office, offering benefits navigation, Veteran-Directed Care and other support for people with disabilities and older adults. It does not list stair lift funding, but it is a useful referral contact at (970) 259-1672.
A Cortez-based repair and renovation program for homeowners who own and live in a home on a foundation, using volunteer labor. It does not say whether stair lifts are covered, so ask when applying at (970) 565-8312.
County financial assistance for seniors, mostly adults 60+, that includes house repairs and personal chores. No stair lift amount is listed; call (970) 565-4166 to see whether a stair-related project fits.
A county office in Cortez that helps veterans and families apply for VA benefits, including HISA, SAH and SHA, at no cost. It is not a funding source itself and does not name stair lifts; call (970) 565-7155.
A free statewide helpline that connects Colorado homeowners and renters with repair, accessibility and weatherization programs. It does not fund stair lifts directly but can route you to programs that may help; call (844) 926-6632.
Older adults
295 Girard Street, Suite B, Durango, 81303
Veterans
107 North Chestnut, Suite #3, Cortez, 81321
No. The VA lists stair glides among removable equipment that HISA does not fund. HISA covers permanent changes like built-in ramps and accessible bathrooms. The Montezuma County Veteran Service Office at (970) 565-7155 can help you look at other VA options such as SAH or SHA.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants up to $10,000 to very-low-income homeowners age 62+ in eligible rural areas, and most of unincorporated Montezuma County outside Cortez qualifies. Grants are limited to removing health and safety hazards, and stair lifts are not named, so call (970) 399-8198 to ask.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for exposed steps. With Cortez averaging 33.4 inches of snowfall a year, we check the condition of the steps and how snow sheds before installing. For short climbs with a wheelchair, a platform lift may be the better fit.
Call the San Juan Basin Area Agency on Aging at (970) 264-0501 or Colorado Housing Connects at (844) 926-6632. Both can screen you and point you to programs that fit your situation.
Its Financial Assistance category includes house repairs and personal chores, mostly for adults 60+. No set amount or stair lift category is listed, so call (970) 565-4166 to ask about current funding.
The Southwest Center for Independence runs a Cortez office open Fridays 1:00-4:00 p.m. You can also reach them at (970) 259-1672.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
