From the older single-family homes near downtown La Grande to farmhouses outside Imbler, Cove and North Powder, Union County has a lot of stairs. Most of the county's housing sits in and around La Grande on the floor of the Grande Ronde Valley, at roughly 2,800 ft, with the Blue Mountains and Wallowa Mountains rising on either side.
Many of those homes were built for families who planned to stay, and many did. When the bedroom or the only full bath is upstairs, a stair lift can let someone keep living in the house they know. This page walks through how local homes affect the type of lift you need and where Union County residents can look for help paying for one.
The county has 11,649 housing units, and a large share are established single-family homes typical of a small county seat. In La Grande, Island City and Union, you will see ranch-style homes, split-level homes and older two-story houses side by side.
A straight staircase between two floors is the simplest case. A straight stair lift mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, and usually fits without remodeling. Split-level homes are different: short runs of stairs with landings often call for a curved lift with a custom rail, or a separate straight lift on each run.
Ranch-style homes may look stair-free, but many have a basement with the laundry or a family room downstairs. Those basement stairs are often narrow and steep, so we measure width and headroom before recommending a model.
Union County covers about 2,039 square miles, and 47% of it is U.S. Forest Service land. With about 13 people per square mile, many older residents live in multi-level farmhouses or valley homes well away from town services around Elgin, Imbler and North Powder.
For these homes, the front steps can be as big a problem as the inside staircase. Outdoor stair lifts are built with weather-resistant parts and covers for valley winters. Where a wheelchair is involved, a vertical platform lift at the porch or garage entry may make more sense than a seat lift.
Distance also matters for planning. Living far from in-home help makes it more important that the lift is easy to use alone, with folding parts so the stairs stay clear for others.
About 18.9% of residents are 65 or older, and 57.4% are homeowners. Owning the home usually means you can install a lift without asking a landlord, and many of the funding programs below require that you own or will own the home.
Renters in walk-up apartments or low-rise buildings face a different situation. A stair lift in a shared stairwell needs the owner's approval, so talk with the building owner before anything else.
If that includes you or your parent, the VA grants below are worth checking first, since they offer the largest amounts.
Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities should start with the Union County VSO Veteran Services Office at 2301 Cove Ave in La Grande, (541) 962-8842. Staff there can help with applications for the VA Specially Adapted Housing, Special Home Adaptation and Temporary Residence Adaptation grants.
For lower-income homeowners age 62 or older outside La Grande's urbanized core, the USDA Section 504 Home Repair program offers grants and low-cost loans for accessibility modifications. Confirm current terms with USDA Rural Development before counting on a dollar figure.
Community Connection of Northeast Oregon, at 2802 Adams Ave. in La Grande, (541) 963-3186, is the Area Agency on Aging for the county. Its listings do not name stair lifts, but it can point you toward other help, including Oregon Project Independence. Statewide, the Oregon Statewide AT Program offers Northwest Access Fund Loans for assistive technology.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home, usable up to 6 times up to the cap; stair lifts are listed as covered. Call (800) 827-1000.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) for permanent home changes for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, such as loss of both hands; stair lifts are listed as covered. Call (800) 827-1000.
For SAH- or SHA-eligible veterans living temporarily in a family member's home, with up to $50,961 or $9,100 (FY2026) depending on eligibility; stair lifts are listed as covered. Call (800) 827-1000.
Grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners age 62 or older, loans up to $40,000, or up to $50,000 combined, covering accessibility modifications including stair lifts. Confirm current terms at (503) 414-3300.
The local aging agency offers options counseling, caregiver support, meals, transport and a no-charge medical-equipment loan closet; stair lifts are not listed in its services. Call (541) 963-7532 to ask about current referrals.
A state program that provides limited in-home help, such as personal care and assistive technology, on a sliding-fee scale through the local Area Agency on Aging; stair lifts are not listed. Call (855) 673-2372.
Medicaid programs that fund home and community-based attendant services for Oregonians who meet a long-term-care level of care; the source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (503) 945-5811 or ask a local ODHS caseworker.
Older adults
2802 Adams Ave., La Grande, 97850
Veterans
2301 Cove Ave, La Grande, 97850
Usually, yes. Split-level homes often have short runs with landings, which may need a curved lift with a custom rail or a separate straight lift on each run. A measurement of the stairs settles which option works.
USDA Section 504 grants are limited to people age 62 or older, but its loans are open to other very-low-income rural homeowners. Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can apply for VA grants regardless of age.
It can. The program covers eligible rural areas, which include most of Union County outside La Grande's urbanized core. Call USDA Rural Development at (503) 414-3300 to check a specific address.
The VA Temporary Residence Adaptation grant funds changes to a family member's home where a qualifying veteran is temporarily living. The veteran must be eligible for SAH or SHA. The Union County VSO at (541) 962-8842 can help with the application.
Yes. Outdoor stair lifts are built for weather and can serve porch or deck steps. If a wheelchair user needs to get in and out, a platform lift may be the better choice.
Veterans should start with the Union County VSO Veteran Services Office at (541) 962-8842. Others can call Community Connection of Northeast Oregon at (541) 963-3186 for local options and referrals.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
