Coos Bay grew up around a natural harbor, and its houses climbed the hills that ring the bay. Drive the older streets above Coos Bay and North Bend and you see it right away: front-entry steps, sloped lots and split-level layouts. Many of those homes were built long before anyone thought about getting up the stairs with a cane or a walker.
This page is for families in Coos Bay, North Bend, Coquille, Bandon, Myrtle Point, Lakeside, Powers and the smaller communities around them. It covers which kind of stair lift tends to fit the homes here, what the outside steps mean for a project, and which programs in Coos County and across Oregon can help pay for one.
Coos County had 31,378 housing units in 2020, and most of that stock is older and modest rather than new subdivisions. Common types here include single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes. Each one asks something different of a stair lift.
A single straight flight in a detached house is usually the simplest job. A straight-rail lift mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so it rarely needs any changes to the house.
Split-level homes are a different story. The short flights and landings often mean a curved rail made to fit that staircase, or two separate straight lifts. We measure every turn and landing before recommending either one.
The county mixes coastal dunes, bay-front lowlands and forested hills of the Coast Range. Many established neighborhoods around Coos Bay, North Bend and Coquille sit on sloped lots, so the hard part of the day is often getting from the driveway to the front door.
For those front-entry steps, an outdoor stair lift built to handle weather is one option. Where someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may make more sense than a seated chair. We look at the inside and outside stairs together so the whole route from car to bedroom works.
About 25.7% of Coos County residents are 65 or older, and 65.5% own their homes. For many households, that means an aging owner in a house they plan to stay in, with stairs that get harder each year.
If that includes a parent or spouse, it is worth calling the Coos County Veterans Service Office in North Bend at (541) 551-0222 before you buy anything, since some veteran programs only help when you apply first.
Household budgets here are often tight, so many families start with funding programs. The strongest fit for a stair lift is the Oregon Medicaid K Plan, which can put up to $5,000 toward home modifications for people eligible for Oregon Medicaid. Veterans should also look at the Restore Health and Safety program run through Oregon Housing and Community Services.
Rural homeowners with very low income may qualify for USDA Section 504 loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest, or grants up to $10,000 for those 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. Local groups such as NeighborWorks Umpqua and Coos County Habitat for Humanity fund repairs too, though their sources do not name stair lifts, so ask directly.
Other statewide options to ask about include Oregon Project Independence (OPI / OPI-M), the Oregon Statewide AT Program - Northwest Access Fund Loans, and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). The program list below gives details and phone numbers.
A state Medicaid benefit that provides up to $5,000 toward necessary home modifications, including stair lifts, for seniors and people with physical disabilities who qualify for Oregon Medicaid. Call (503) 945-5600 and ask a case worker whether a stair lift can be approved under your plan.
A state home-repair grant for veterans only that covers accessibility and adaptability modifications, administered through local nonprofit organizations. Call (800) 453-5511 to be routed to the organization serving Coos County.
Federal loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 or older who cannot repay, for very-low-income owners in eligible rural areas; the source does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 414-1226 to check eligibility.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 for FY2026 for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities to modify a home they own, with a Temporary Residence Adaptation version up to $50,961; the source does not mention stair lifts. The Coos County Veterans Service Office at (541) 551-0222 can help with questions.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities, with a Temporary Residence Adaptation version up to $9,100; stair lifts are not mentioned in the source. Ask the Coos County Veterans Service Office at (541) 551-0222 how to apply.
A home-modification program for seniors 60 and over in Coos or Curry County, described as adding grab bars and wheelchair ramps; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (541) 269-2013 to ask whether stair access can be funded.
A nonprofit repair program for homeowners in Coos, Curry and Douglas counties that lists ramps and handicap accessible repairs, with applicants placed on a waitlist; stair lifts are not named. Call (541) 756-1000 to get on the list.
A grant-funded program that helps limited-income homeowners in Coos County with health and safety repairs; stair lifts are not mentioned in the source. Call (541) 756-9080 to ask whether your project would qualify.
Older adults
93781 Newport, Coos Bay, 97420
Veterans
1611 Virginia Ave, Suite #125B, North Bend, 97459
Usually, yes. Split-level homes often need a curved rail made for the staircase or two straight lifts, one for each flight. An in-home measurement tells you which one fits.
Many homes on sloped lots around Coos Bay, North Bend and Coquille have steps from the driveway to the door. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can cover those, and we plan them together with any indoor stairs.
The local Area Agency on Aging program is for people 60 and over, but the Oregon Medicaid K Plan covers seniors and people with physical disabilities who qualify for Oregon Medicaid. Call (503) 945-5600 to ask about eligibility.
Start with the Coos County Veterans Service Office in North Bend at (541) 551-0222. You can also call Oregon Housing and Community Services at (800) 453-5511 about the Restore Health and Safety program, which is for veterans only.
South Coast Business Employment (Coos/Curry) in Coos Bay handles aging services for the area. Their number is (541) 269-2013.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
