From the farm country around Rush City and Harris to the lakeshore homes near Chisago City and Lindstrom, Chisago County has a lot of houses built on rolling ground. The land slopes to the south and east toward the Saint Croix River, and lots near Chisago Lake and Green Lake often come with walkout basements and multi-level floor plans.
That mix matters when someone in the house starts having trouble with steps. A stair lift that works in a townhouse in North Branch may not suit a split-level in Wyoming or a lakeside walkout in Center City. This page walks through what local homes usually need and which programs may help pay for the work.
Much of the county's housing went up during a growth boom from 1970 to 2000, when the population rose 135%. That left a lot of newer exurban and lakeshore construction alongside older farmsteads in the agricultural areas. Split-level homes, detached houses, single-family homes and townhouses are all common here.
A straight staircase with no landings is the simplest case and usually takes a straight stair lift. Split-levels are different: they often have two or three short flights, so we look at whether one lift can follow the turns or whether each flight needs its own unit. Older farmhouses can have narrow or steep stairs, which we measure carefully before recommending anything.
With 28 square miles of water and roughly 72,257 acres of wetlands, plenty of homes sit on sloped lots or lakeshore parcels. Walkout designs put the main living space on one level and a lower level that opens onto the yard, so the inside stairs get used every day.
Outside, a sloped lot can mean steps from the driveway to the door or down toward the water. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle Minnesota weather on those exterior runs. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may be a better fit than a seat, and we check whether the space allows one.
About 16.3% of county residents are 65 or older, and 80.9% own their homes. Since owners can modify their own houses, a lot of families here are deciding between adding a lift and moving.
If that includes someone in your household, the county veterans office in Center City is a good first call before you spend your own money.
No single program here lists stair lifts by name, so it pays to ask before you buy. One VA grant, HISA, specifically excludes stair glides. Most other programs cover accessibility work in general terms and leave the final call to the program staff or your case manager.
Lakes and Pines Community Action Council, at (320) 679-1800, delivers several home repair and accessibility programs in the county. Minnesota Housing, at (651) 296-7608, runs the Fix Up Loan, where accessibility improvements are an eligible use. Veterans can start with the Chisago County Veterans Service Office at (651) 213-5680. The full list is below.
Federal grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities who own or co-own their home, with caps of up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA. The VA describes uses like ramps and widening doorways, and stair lifts are not listed, so ask the county veterans office at (651) 213-5680 before applying.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 over a lifetime for medically necessary home changes approved by a VA physician. It does not cover stair lifts: the VA excludes porch lifts and stair glides, though ramps and entrance changes can qualify.
A county office that helps veterans and dependents apply for VA benefits, including the HISA and SAH/SHA housing grants; it does not fund lifts directly. Call (651) 213-5680, 8:00-4:30 Monday through Friday.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners in USDA-defined rural areas, with grants limited to owners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. Ramps and walk-in tubs are named as examples, but stair lifts are not mentioned, and your address must be confirmed on USDA's eligibility map.
A forgivable loan of up to $37,500 for low-income homeowners, forgiven if you stay in the home for the 15-year term, and the income limit is waived when the work is for a household member with a disability. Accessibility is part of the program, but stair lifts are not itemized; call (651) 296-7608.
A fixed-rate loan from $2,000 to $75,000 with no down payment, with an income limit of $196,600 for Chisago County. Accessibility improvements are an eligible use, though stair lifts are not separately named and the lender sets final eligibility; call (651) 296-7608.
A 0% interest, 15-year forgivable loan for Chisago County homeowners who meet Minnesota Housing income guidelines and have net assets under $25,000. It covers permanent repairs and handicap accessibility improvements, but stair lifts are not named; call (320) 679-1800.
A one-time grant of up to $7,500 for residents 65 or older in the Lakes and Pines service area, which includes Chisago County. Named uses include accessible showers, ramps and flooring fixes, while stair lifts are not listed; call (320) 679-1800 to ask.
The area agency on aging for a 14-county region that includes Chisago County, coordinating in-home services and referring residents to home-modification providers such as Lakes and Pines. It does not itemize stair lift coverage; call (320) 253-9349.
A home modification service for Minnesotans enrolled in a disability waiver such as the Elderly Waiver or CADI, approved through your case manager. Specific devices, including stair lifts, are not listed; call (866) 333-2466 or talk with your county case manager.
Older adults
600 25th Ave. South, Suite 108, St. Cloud, 56301
Veterans
313 N Main Street, Room 230, Center City, 55012
The HISA grant will not, since it excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way. Call the Chisago County Veterans Service Office at (651) 213-5680 to talk through what might apply.
Lakes and Pines Community Action Council offers Live Well At Home, a one-time grant of up to $7,500 for residents 65 or older. Stair lifts are not on its list of named uses, so call (320) 679-1800 and ask before you plan around it.
Usually, yes. Split-levels often have several short flights, so the choice is between one lift that follows the turns or a separate straight lift on each flight. We measure each flight during the home visit to sort that out.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, such as a run from the driveway on a sloped lot. If someone in the home uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may be the better option.
The Minnesota Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program waives its income limit when the improvement is for the accessibility of a household member with a disability. The Fix Up Loan also has a much higher limit, $196,600 for Chisago County. Call Minnesota Housing at (651) 296-7608.
The USDA Section 504 program only serves USDA-defined rural areas, and eligibility has to be checked for your specific address on USDA's eligibility map. The grant portion also requires the owner to be 62 or older and unable to repay a loan.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
