Between 1950 and 1960, Macomb County's population more than doubled, from 184,961 to 405,804. Auto and manufacturing families moved out from Detroit and filled Warren, Sterling Heights and Roseville with blocks of mid-century single-family houses, many with a staircase down to the basement or up to the bedrooms.
Many of those houses are still lived in by the people who bought them, or by their children. From the built-out suburbs near Eight Mile up to Richmond, Armada and Memphis in the north, we install stair lifts across all 15 towns on this page, and below we explain which kind of lift fits which kind of Macomb County home and where to look for help paying for one.
The 2020 Census counted 369,404 housing units in Macomb County, and 73.6% of occupied units were owner-occupied. That is a lot of older, owner-occupied single-family homes, and the stairs in them were built for people who were young when they moved in.
In the inner-ring ranch homes of Warren, Eastpointe, Center Line and St. Clair Shores, the living space is often on one floor and the stairs that matter lead to the basement, where the laundry usually is. Those runs are typically straight, which means a straight-rail lift. A straight rail is the simplest kind to fit and usually goes in faster than a custom curve.
Before we quote, we check the stair width, the condition of the treads and whether the bottom of the rail will block a doorway at the foot of the stairs. Basement stairs are often narrow, so a folding seat and footrest make a real difference.
Split-level homes are common in the county, and they bring short flights between several levels. Sometimes one straight lift on the flight used most is enough. If the owner needs to reach every level, a curved rail that follows the turns may be the better fit.
Townhouses tend to have a full flight to the bedrooms, sometimes with a landing and a turn. A turn at a landing usually calls for a curved lift, which is built to the measurements of that staircase. In low-rise apartment buildings, the stairs are often shared space, so the building owner has to agree to any installation.
Macomb County covers 571 square miles along the eastern shore of Lake St. Clair. The south end, near Eight Mile and up toward Hall Road (M-59), is dense and built-out. North of there, towns like Richmond, Armada, Romeo and New Haven sit among more rural and small-town properties.
Larger rural and exurban houses can mean longer stair runs, entry steps outside the house, or a porch that is the real problem rather than the indoor stairs. In those cases we look at an outdoor lift rated for weather, or a platform lift for someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat. Michigan winters matter here, so we discuss covers and placement on the visit.
Many are part of the historically blue-collar homeowner base that bought in during the postwar boom and plans to stay put.
For a family, the question is usually whether a parent can keep using the whole house. If the bedroom or the laundry is on a different level, a stair lift is often less disruptive than moving a bedroom or a washer and dryer, and it can be removed later.
None of the programs we found names stair lifts specifically, so the right move is to call and ask directly. The strongest local lead is the Macomb County Housing Rehabilitation Program, which lists barrier-free access for the disabled and elderly as an eligible improvement. AgeWays coordinates home repair and home safety equipment services for people 60 and older.
Veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability can look into the VA Specially Adapted Housing family of grants, and Macomb County Veterans Services in Clinton Township can help at (586) 469-5100. The Region 1B AAA office in Southfield is at (248) 357-2255.
Statewide programs worth asking about include the MI Choice Waiver Program, MI Coordinated Health (formerly MI Health Link), the MSHDA Property Improvement Program (PIP) and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). Ask each one whether a stair lift can be included before you sign anything.
AgeWays connects adults 60 and older in Macomb and five neighboring counties with home repair, ramp construction, home safety equipment and an adaptive equipment loan closet. Stair lifts are not listed, so call (800) 852-7795 and ask what providers or funding are available in Macomb County and whether a stair lift can be funded, loaned or referred.
This county program helps low-to-moderate income homeowners with a project split into a 50% grant and a 50% zero-interest deferred loan, and it lists barrier-free access for the disabled and elderly as eligible work. Stair lifts are not itemized, so call (586) 466-6256 to ask whether one qualifies.
These federal VA grants help veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities adapt a home, with FY2026 caps of up to $126,526 for SAH, $25,350 for SHA, and $50,961 or $9,100 for TRA. Stair lifts are not named in the covered examples, so call the VA at (800) 827-1000 to ask.
Older adults
29508 Southfield Rd., Suite 100, Southfield, 48076
Veterans
21885 Dunham Suite 3, Clinton Township, 48036
AgeWays serves adults 60 and older. The Macomb County Housing Rehabilitation Program does not list an age requirement; it is based on income and home ownership, so a younger homeowner with a disability can call (586) 466-6256 to ask.
It lists barrier-free access for the disabled and elderly as an eligible improvement, but stair lifts are not itemized. Call Community Development at (586) 466-6256 and ask before you schedule an installation.
Half is a grant and half is a zero-interest, deferred-payment loan. No payments are required while the home stays your primary residence and the title does not change.
You must own and live in a single-family home in Macomb County as your primary residence for one continuous year. You also need current homeowners insurance and cannot be behind on property taxes or your mortgage.
The Temporary Residence Adaptation grant is for a veteran living temporarily in a family member's home who already qualifies for an SAH or SHA grant, and no home ownership is required. Macomb County Veterans Services at (586) 469-5100 can help you sort out eligibility.
Not always. If only one short flight is a problem, a straight lift may do. If the stairs turn at a landing or you need to reach several levels on one rail, a curved lift built to your staircase is usually the answer.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
