Norwalk was founded in 1817, when Connecticut settler Platt Benedict built one of the town's first houses. The settlers who followed brought New England customs and New England architecture with them, and many of those multi-story homes still stand in Norwalk's historic core, with traditional interior staircases that are often steep and narrow.
Beyond the county seat, Huron County covers 495 square miles of small towns and open farm country, from Bellevue and Willard to New London, Plymouth, Monroeville, Greenwich, Wakeman, Holiday Lakes, North Fairfield and Collins. This page walks through how the homes here tend to work with a stair lift, and which local and state programs may help with the cost.
The New England-style houses in Norwalk's historic core were built with the bedrooms upstairs. That layout is the main reason families start asking about a stair lift: the kitchen and front door are on one floor, and the bed and bath are on the other.
If the staircase runs in one straight line from bottom to top, a straight rail is usually the simplest fit. Many older homes have a landing, a turn or winding steps near the top, and those need a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs. We measure the stairs in person before recommending either one.
Much of the county's housing is single-family and detached, including split-level homes and ranch-style homes. A split-level often has short flights of stairs between levels, so it can take more than one lift, or a platform lift, to reach every part of the house.
Ranch-style homes keep most rooms on one floor, but steps down to a basement or up to an entry can still be a problem. With the county split almost evenly between urban and rural areas (48.6% urban, 51.4% rural as of 2020), many homes sit on open land where the outside steps matter as much as the inside ones. An outdoor stair lift is built for weather and can handle entry steps.
About 18.8% of Huron County residents are 65 or older, and 66.8% of households own their homes. For an owner, a stair lift is often a way to keep living in a familiar house instead of moving to a single-floor place.
Ownership also matters for funding. Several of the repair programs below are open only to homeowners who live in the home, so it helps to have the deed and income paperwork ready when you call.
The program most directly tied to home modifications is PASSPORT, Ohio's Medicaid waiver for people 60 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care. In this area it runs through the Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging, at 2131 Park Avenue W., Suite 100, Ontario, 44906, phone (419) 524-4144.
Local home repair grants from Great Lakes Community Action Partnership and the Community Action Commission of Erie, Huron & Richland Counties do not name stair lifts on their pages, so ask directly. Homes in USDA-eligible rural areas may qualify for Section 504 repair loans and grants.
The Huron County Veterans Service Office at 185 Shady Lane Dr., Suite C, Norwalk, 44857, phone (419) 668-4150, can help with VA claims. Keep in mind that the VA HISA grant does not cover stair glides.
Ohio's Medicaid waiver for residents 60 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care, and it lists home modifications as a covered service, approved case by case in the care plan. Huron County residents apply through the Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging at (419) 524-4144.
Offers in-home help, wellness and fall-prevention classes such as Stepping On and Matter of Balance, and serves as the gateway to PASSPORT for residents generally 60 and older. Stair lift funding is not listed; call (567) 247-6487.
A home repair grant for Huron County homeowners that covers repairs including ADA modifications, with a 1-person income limit of $49,150. Stair lifts are not named on its page, so ask when you call (800) 775-9767.
A home repair grant for low-income homeowners in Erie, Huron or Richland County, with $375,000 in funding for about 12 housing units. Its page does not say whether accessibility work or stair lifts are covered; call (419) 626-4320.
Offers loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older, combined up to $50,000, in USDA-eligible rural areas. Repairs can address accessibility for a household member with a disability, though stair lifts are not named.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for permanent structural changes tied to a covered disability. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides are listed as excluded removable equipment.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities to adapt a home they own. Stair lifts are not named among the adaptations described.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities such as loss of use of both hands. Stair lifts are not specifically mentioned.
Helps Huron County veterans, spouses and minor children with VA claims and emergency financial assistance. Home modification funding is not listed, but it can help with VA grant claims; call (419) 668-4150.
A nonprofit offering advocacy, referrals and peer support for people with disabilities in Huron and nearby counties. It does not fund stair lifts directly; call (419) 526-6770 for referrals.
Older adults
2131 Park Avenue W., Suite 100, Ontario, 44906
Veterans
185 Shady Lane Dr., Suite C, Norwalk, 44857
Usually, yes, though many of the older New England-style homes have narrow stairs or turns. A straight rail works for a single straight flight, and a curved rail is built for stairs with landings or winding steps. We confirm the fit by measuring in person.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels, so the answer depends on which levels you need to reach. Some households use one lift for the most-used flight, and others need more than one lift or a platform lift.
PASSPORT and the Area Agency on Aging services are for people 60 and older, and the USDA grant is limited to homeowners 62 and older. Younger homeowners may look at the GLCAP or CACEHR home repair programs, the USDA Section 504 loan, or the Independent Living Center of North Central Ohio for referrals.
The VA HISA grant does not, because stair glides are excluded as removable equipment. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either. The Huron County Veterans Service Office at (419) 668-4150 can help a veteran review VA options.
Much of Huron County outside Norwalk is in a USDA-eligible rural area, but you need to check your specific address on the USDA eligibility map. You also need to own and live in the home and meet the very-low income limit.
Call the Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging at (419) 524-4144. It handles PASSPORT enrollment for Huron County, and home modifications are approved through each person's care plan.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
