From Columbia Heights and Fridley up through Coon Rapids, Blaine and Andover, and out to East Bethel, Oak Grove and St. Francis, Anoka County spans 21 towns and 446 square miles. A lot of the houses here are suburban single-family homes built from the mid-20th century onward, and many of them have a full flight of interior stairs between floors.
The Mississippi River runs along part of the county line, the Rum River cuts through it, and lakes like Bunker Lake, Cedar Lake, Ham Lake and Round Lake dot the map. That shoreline and terrain is a big reason so many homes here have walkout basements or split-level layouts. Those extra steps are what usually bring a family to call us about a stair lift.
Two-story and split-entry houses are common across cities like Anoka, Blaine, Coon Rapids and Fridley. A two-story home with one straight flight is usually the simplest job: a straight stair lift runs on a rail fastened to the stair treads, not the wall.
Split-level and split-entry homes are different. You often have a short run up to the main floor and another short run down, with a landing in between. Depending on the layout, that can mean two separate straight lifts or one curved lift that follows the turn.
Before recommending anything, we measure the stairs, look at where the landings and doorways fall, and check where a person would get on and off safely at each end.
Homes built on sloped lots near the rivers and lakes often have walkout basements, which put a full flight inside and sometimes more steps outside. If the laundry, a bedroom or the main entrance is on the lower level, that flight gets used every day.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for steps to a deck, porch or lower-level entry. For someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may be the better fit for a short rise at an entrance. We will tell you plainly which one your home can take.
The county also has townhouses and walk-up apartments. Townhouse stairs are often narrow and may turn, so a slim straight or curved rail is the usual answer.
In a walk-up apartment or an association-managed townhouse, the stairs may be shared or governed by building rules. Check with the owner or association before you plan an install, and we can work with them on the details.
About 15.0% of county residents are 65 or older, and 80.4% of households own their homes. That is a lot of people who would rather stay in a house they know than move because the stairs got hard.
If that includes you or a parent, Anoka County Veteran Services at 2100 3rd Avenue, Suite 216, in Anoka can help sort out VA benefits. Call (763) 324-4500.
The county's median household income is $100,812, so many families pay directly or use financing such as the Minnesota Housing Fix Up Loan. For accessibility improvements for a household member with a disability, the Fix Up Loan's usual income limit is waived.
For those who need help, the Minnesota Elderly Waiver (age 65 and up) and the CADI Waiver (under 65) list home modifications as covered, and both start with a MnCHOICES assessment through Anoka County Disability & Aging Services at (763) 324-1450. County rehab loans, the City of Anoka SAFE Homes grant and Trellis home modification funding are other options. One caution: the VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides.
The programs below are listed with what each source actually says about stair lifts and home modifications. Many do not mention stair lifts by name, so ask the program directly before you count on it.
A Medical Assistance waiver for Minnesota residents 65 and older who need a nursing facility level of care, with home modifications listed as a covered benefit; 2026 limits are $2,982 per month in income and $3,000 in assets for a single applicant. Call (800) 333-2433.
A Medical Assistance waiver for residents under 65 with a disability who need a hospital or nursing facility level of care; home and vehicle modifications, including installation of lifts, are covered under the individual service plan. Apply through Anoka County at (763) 324-1450.
The county's front door for the MnCHOICES assessment needed for Elderly Waiver, CADI, Alternative Care and related services; its own page does not list stair lifts or home modifications. Call (763) 324-1450.
Deferred-payment loans for income-eligible homeowner-occupants, with a separate Emergency & Accessibility Loan track; stair lifts are not listed by name, 2026-2027 income limits run from $73,650 for 1 person to $138,900 for 8, and there is a wait list. Call (763) 324-4650.
A $5,000 to $30,000 grant that does not need to be repaid, open only to owner-occupants within Anoka city limits and prioritizing seniors and people with disabilities; it lists ramps and bathroom improvements but does not name stair lifts. Call (763) 576-2724.
A home improvement loan for owner-occupants of 1-4 unit properties through a participating Minnesota Housing lender, with the income limit waived for accessibility improvements for a household member with a disability. Stair lifts are not itemized by name.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners in USDA-designated rural areas, with grants limited to those 62 and older; stair lifts are not named, and many incorporated cities in this metro county are not eligible, so check your address on the USDA map.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary structural changes, but the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Apply through Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026; the VA page names ramps and wider doorways but does not list stair lifts.
Older Americans Act funding for adults 60 and older in the 7-county metro, including Anoka County, with home modification listed as a supported service; money goes through local partner agencies, not directly to residents. Call (651) 641-8612 or Senior LinkAge Line to find the current provider.
An in-kind chore and minor help program for residents 60 and older, not a cash grant; the source does not mention stair lifts or accessibility equipment. Call (763) 783-4747.
Older adults
2365 N. McKnight Rd., Suite 3, North St. Paul, 55109
Veterans
2100 3rd Avenue, Suite 216, Anoka, 55303
Not through the HISA grant, which explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts by name either, so call Anoka County Veteran Services at (763) 324-4500 to talk through what may apply.
Yes, the CADI Waiver serves Minnesota residents under 65 with a disability who need a hospital or nursing facility level of care and are on Medical Assistance. Home and vehicle modifications, including installation of lifts, are covered. Start with Anoka County Disability & Aging Services at (763) 324-1450.
The Elderly Waiver lists home modifications as a covered benefit, funded through your individual service plan. You need to be 65 or older, on Medical Assistance and assessed as needing a nursing facility level of care. It is not an entitlement and depends on waiver allocation.
The City of Anoka SAFE Homes Grant offers $5,000 to $30,000 that does not need to be repaid, for owner-occupants inside Anoka city limits. It prioritizes seniors and people with disabilities and runs first-come, first-served. Stair lifts are not named, so call (763) 576-2724 to ask.
Possibly, but it depends on your exact address. Anoka County is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro, so many incorporated cities are not eligible, while some outlying areas may be. Grants also require you to be 62 or older and very low income.
The Minnesota Housing Fix Up Loan waives its income limit when the work is for the accessibility of a household member with a disability. You apply through a participating Minnesota Housing lender.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
