Clackamas County runs from flat valley-floor suburbs like Oregon City and Milwaukie out to the forested slopes of Mount Hood National Forest. Between those two ends sit 22 towns, including Lake Oswego, West Linn, Happy Valley, Sandy, Estacada and Rhododendron. The stairs inside these homes vary as much as the land under them.
Most homes here are older single-family houses that people want to stay in, not new construction built with accessibility in mind. That makes the question practical: which stair lift fits the staircase you already have, and which local or veteran program might help with the cost? This page walks through both.
The county's housing is mostly single-family and largely mature Pacific Northwest construction, with split-level homes, townhouses and walk-up apartments mixed in. The median owner-occupied home value is $639,300, and in a market like that most aging-in-place projects mean retrofitting a multi-story house rather than moving.
A single straight run of stairs, common in many single-family homes and townhouses, usually takes a straight stair lift. Staircases that turn at a landing or wrap around a corner need a curved rail built to that exact shape.
Split-level homes are their own case. Short flights between half levels can sometimes be handled with one lift, but a house with several short sets of steps may need more than one, or a platform lift where a wheelchair is involved. We look at every flight before recommending anything.
The county covers 1,883 square miles of Willamette Valley floor, foothills and mountain slopes. About 82.9% of residents live in urban areas and 17.1% in rural areas, and many hillside and rural-fringe homes have staircases connecting split grades.
In places like Damascus, Boring, Beavercreek or Mulino, the hardest steps are sometimes outside: from a driveway up to the front door, or down to a lower entry. An outdoor stair lift is built for weather exposure, which matters on a wet Pacific Northwest porch. A platform lift is another option when the person uses a wheelchair or walker and cannot transfer to a seat.
Of the county's 295,777 residents, 18.7% are 65 or older, and 71.3% of households own their home. Owners can install a lift whenever they decide; renters in townhouses or walk-up apartments should get the property owner's approval first.
If that includes you or your parent, read the VA programs below closely, because one well-known VA grant does not cover stair lifts at all.
Household incomes here run high. The median is $103,827, and the poverty rate is 8.2%, so many homeowners will be above the 80% of area median income limit used by several local programs. For a one-person household that limit is $71,900, rising to $135,500 for eight people.
None of the county, state or nonprofit programs below names stair lifts in its published materials. That does not always mean no; it means you should ask directly before counting on the money. The VA HISA grant is the one program that explicitly excludes stair glides.
Oregon also has statewide options worth asking about, including Oregon Project Independence (OPI / OPI-M) and the Oregon Statewide AT Program, Northwest Access Fund Loans. A good first call is the county's Aging and Disability Resource Connection at (503) 650-5622, which can point you to the right program.
County loans for owner-occupants below 80% of area median income, in tiers up to $15,000, $25,000 and $35,000; stair lifts are not listed, and manufactured homes in parks do not qualify. Call Clackamas County Community Development at (503) 655-8591.
A county grant of up to $7,500 for low-income residents with physical disabilities, with examples such as ramps, handrails, widened doorways and grab bars; stair lifts are not listed by name. Call (503) 655-8591 to ask whether your project qualifies.
Federal 1% repair loans for very-low-income homeowners in USDA-eligible rural areas, plus grants for those 62 or older who cannot repay a loan, to remove health and safety hazards. Stair lifts are not named, and you should check whether your address is in an eligible area.
A lifetime VA grant of $6,800 for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 for other eligible disabilities, applied for through the VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service. It does not cover stair lifts: stair glides and porch lifts are specifically excluded.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) toward buying, building or modifying a home for veterans with severe qualifying service-connected disabilities, with a Temporary Residence Adaptation option up to $50,961. Stair lifts are not named as covered or excluded.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) to adapt a home owned by the veteran or a family member, with a Temporary Residence Adaptation option up to $9,100. Stair lifts are not named as covered or excluded.
Medicaid home and community-based services for aged or physically disabled Oregonians who meet financial and nursing-facility level-of-care rules; home modifications and stair lifts are not itemized, so ask your APD case manager. Call (855) 673-2372.
State home repair funds for veterans only, with accessibility and adaptability modifications listed as a covered category; stair lifts are not named. Call Oregon Housing and Community Services at (800) 453-5511 to find the local organization handling it.
No-cost repairs, including safety and ADA modifications, for homeowners below 80% of area median income who have owned their home at least 4 years and plan to age in place; stair lifts are not itemized. Call (503) 523-0738.
Free information, referral and care planning for older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers, not a funding source itself. Call (503) 650-5622, or the Clackamas County Social Services main office at (503) 655-8640.
Older adults
2051 Kaen Road, Oregon City, 97045
Veterans
2051 Kaen Road, Suite 280, Oregon City, 97045
No. The VA states that stair glides and porch lifts are excluded from HISA. Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities can ask about the SAH or SHA grants, which do not name stair lifts either way, or the Oregon Restore Health and Safety Program at (800) 453-5511.
Call the Clackamas County ADRC at (503) 650-5622. Clackamas County Social Services is the county's Area Agency on Aging and can refer you to Medicaid waivers, the county Home Accessibility Grant and other local resources.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants to very-low-income homeowners 62 or older who cannot repay a loan, if the home is in a USDA-eligible rural area. Parts of the county outside the Portland-area urban core qualify, so verify the address first.
Manufactured homes in parks do not qualify for the Clackamas County Home Repair Loan Program. Call Community Development at (503) 655-8591 to ask about other options.
Yes. The Clackamas County Veterans Service Office is at 2051 Kaen Road, Suite 280, in Oregon City. Reach them at (503) 650-5631.
It depends on how the flights connect. Short separate runs between half levels may each need their own lift, while a turning staircase needs a curved rail. We measure every flight before recommending a setup.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
