Many houses in Elmira, Horseheads and Elmira Heights went up in the late 19th and early-to-mid 20th century, when the railroads and factories were growing. Homes from that era usually have a full interior staircase between a street-level or raised entry and the main living space. That layout is a daily obstacle for anyone whose knees, hips or balance are giving out.
Outside the city, the land gets steep fast. Hillsides like Harris Hill rise above the Chemung River valley, so homes in places like Big Flats, Pine Valley or Van Etten often sit on sloped lots with elevated entries and more than one level. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift and where people in the county can look for help paying for one.
The common housing types across the county include single-family homes, townhouses, row houses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes. A single straight staircase, the kind found in many older single-family homes and row houses, is usually the simplest fit for a straight stair lift.
Older homes can still bring surprises. Stairs may be narrow or turn at a landing, and a staircase with a turn calls for a curved lift built to that specific stairway. We look at the width, the turns and what is at the top and bottom before recommending anything.
The Hurricane Agnes flood in 1972 damaged or destroyed about 5,000 homes in Elmira, and urban renewal afterward reshaped much of the downtown housing. So the street you live on may mix older houses with newer ones, and two neighbors can need very different setups.
Chemung County sits on the Allegheny Plateau in the Southern Tier, and a lot of homes are built into hillsides. Split-level homes have short runs of stairs between floors, and a home on a slope may have several steps just to reach the front door. Each run is measured on its own.
Winters here are cold and snowy, which makes icy exterior steps a real fall risk. An outdoor stair lift, built for weather exposure, can cover entry steps so a person is not walking on ice to get in or out. Where a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may be the better choice than a seat.
If you live in a walk-up apartment or rent, talk to the property owner first. Some funding programs below accept tenants, but they require landlord approval.
About 19.8% of Chemung County's 89,055 residents are 65 or older, and 69.3% of households own their homes. For an owner, a stair lift is often the step that makes it possible to keep living on all floors of a house they already know.
The county Department of Veteran's Affairs is at 425 Pennsylvania Avenue in Elmira and can be reached at (607) 737-5445 to talk through VA benefits.
Paying out of pocket is not the only route. The median household income is around $66,527 and the poverty rate is near 14%, so many families here look at grants, waivers or loans first.
A good first call is the Chemung County Department of Aging and Long Term Care at (607) 737-5520, 425 Pennsylvania Avenue in Elmira. It connects residents to Access to Home, USDA Rural Development, Community Progress Inc., City of Elmira Community Development and other funders, and keeps a Home Repair, Modification & Maintenance Resources Packet.
Statewide programs worth asking about include New York Medicaid Home Modifications (NHTD Waiver & MLTC), VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics), the New York RESTORE Program and New York EISEP. The local programs below explain which ones mention stair lifts or home modifications.
A state home modification grant for households at or below 80% of area median income with a documented physical disability, and stair glides are listed among eligible modifications. Funding comes in rounds, so start with Bishop Sheen Housing's online pre-screening or call (585) 657-4114.
A Medicaid waiver for people 18 and older who need nursing facility level of care, with home modifications and assistive technology among the supports coordinated for participants. Southern Tier Independence Center serves Chemung County at (607) 724-2111.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners, with grants limited to those 62 and older; the source does not mention stair lifts. The City of Elmira is unlikely to qualify, but many surrounding towns may, and the county packet lists USDA Rural Development at 776-7398.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically needed structural changes, but stair glides are specifically excluded. Call (877) 222-8387 for other modifications such as entrances or bathrooms.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home; the source does not mention stair lifts. Call (877) 222-8387.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands or severe burns; stair lifts are not mentioned in the source. Call (877) 222-8387.
A referral and case-management hub for seniors and people with disabilities that helps with home modifications, though it does not give out grant money itself. Call (607) 737-5520.
Grants and loans for low-to-moderate-income owners living inside the City of Elmira; the city's page does not list stair lifts or accessibility work. The number on file is (607) 737-5691, which is worth confirming with the county aging office.
Housing rehabilitation for low- to moderate-income homeowners in Chemung County outside the City of Elmira; stair lifts are not listed. Call (607) 962-3506.
Short-term assistive equipment loans, such as wheelchairs and ramps, at no direct cost for people with disabilities; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (607) 962-8225.
Older adults
425 Pennsylvania Avenue, Elmira, 14902
Veterans
425 Pennsylvania Avenue, Elmira, 14902
Usually, yes. Many homes built during Elmira's railroad and manufacturing years have one full interior staircase, which often suits a straight lift, while stairs that turn at a landing need a curved lift measured to that stairway.
Access to Home lists stair glides as an eligible modification for households at or below 80% of area median income, and the NHTD Medicaid waiver covers home modifications for eligible participants. Call Bishop Sheen Housing at (585) 657-4114 or Southern Tier Independence Center at (607) 724-2111.
No. HISA specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either, so ask the VA at (877) 222-8387 or the county Department of Veteran's Affairs at (607) 737-5445 about your situation.
It can. Many towns around the city may fall in USDA-eligible rural areas for Section 504 help, and Community Progress, Inc. serves homeowners outside the City of Elmira at (607) 962-3506. Check USDA eligibility by your exact address.
The NHTD waiver is open to people 18 to 64 with a documented permanent physical disability, and Access to Home is based on income and disability, not age. USDA 504 grants, though, require age 62 or older.
Call the Chemung County Department of Aging and Long Term Care at (607) 737-5520. It can point you to the programs that fit your income, your town and your home.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
