Martin County sits on the flat southern High Plains about 25 miles northeast of Midland, with Stanton and Ackerly as its two towns and a lot of open country in between. The homes here are mostly single-family homes, detached houses and ranch-style homes, and the housing stock runs from 124 homes built in 1939 or earlier to 223 built in 2010 or later during the Permian drilling expansion.
That spread matters when you are planning for a parent who is starting to struggle with steps. An older house in Stanton and a newer one outside Ackerly can need very different equipment, and the right answer depends on the stairs you actually have, inside or out. This page walks through what we look at, and where families in Martin County can turn for help with the cost.
The Permian Basin Regional Planning Commission counts 2,177 housing units in Martin County. Of the 124 homes dating from 1939 or earlier, the original stair width and floor plan usually decide what an installation can look like, more than the budget does.
A straight stair lift runs on a single rail along one flight with no turns, and it is the simplest fit. When a staircase turns or has a landing, a curved rail is built to that stair. In a narrow older stairway, we measure carefully so the chair and rail leave room for others to pass.
The land around Stanton and Ackerly is mostly flat, and many ranch-style homes keep living space on one floor. For those houses the trouble spot is often the entry steps, not an indoor staircase, so an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift at the porch can be the better fit.
Equipment outside has to handle the local climate, with January lows around 30°F and July highs near 95°F. We look at sun exposure, drainage and the condition of the steps before recommending an outdoor unit. A platform lift is worth considering when someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat.
About 61.2 percent of Martin County residents are homeowners, and 1,433 of the county's housing units are owner-occupied. That means roughly two out of every three homes can be modified on the owner's own decision rather than a landlord's.
If your parent rents, talk with the landlord before ordering anything. Some assistance programs, including the Amy Young Barrier Removal (AYBR) Program, accept tenants as well as homeowners.
Services in the county are concentrated in Stanton, and installers and home-modification contractors are most likely based in nearby Midland. For a farm or ranch home, that can mean a longer drive for the measuring visit, the install and any service calls later.
It helps to plan the visit with the stairs cleared and the person who will ride the lift at home. That way we can check seat height, the top and bottom landings and the power outlet in one trip.
Local household budgets here can rise and fall with oil and gas prices, so it is worth checking for help before paying out of pocket. Most programs listed below describe general accessibility or home repair work and do not name stair lifts, so ask each one directly whether a lift would qualify.
The VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides, while the SAH and SHA grants cover broader home adaptation for severe service-connected disabilities. Statewide, families can also ask about the STAR+PLUS Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver.
A TDHCA one-time accessibility grant of up to $22,500 for households that include a person with a disability and earn at or below 80% of AMFI, open to tenants and homeowners; stair lifts are not listed by name. The program is not available in all areas of Texas at any given time, so confirm Martin County availability first by calling (915) 851-0272.
Very-low-income rural homeowners can get repair loans up to $20,000 at 1% for 20 years, and homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan can get grants up to $7,500, combined up to $27,500. Stair lifts are not listed by name and would be decided case by case; call (432) 336-7585.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary fixed alterations like entrance access and roll-in showers. Stair lifts are not covered; the VA explicitly excludes stair glides.
Lifetime grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or adapt a home. Stair lifts are not listed by name, so ask whether one fits an approved adaptation plan.
The AAA serves adults 60 and older in Martin County and refers them to volunteer home repair and weatherization groups for elderly and disabled homeowners on limited incomes; stair lifts are not listed by name. Call (432) 563-1061 or toll-free 800-491-4636.
A nonprofit independent living center that lists Martin County in its service area and runs an assistive equipment and accessibility program plus the RampUp ramp-building project for people with significant disabilities. Stair lifts are not listed by name; call (432) 580-3439.
Older adults
2514 Kermit Highway, Odessa, 79764
Veterans
202 Henry O. Flipper St., San Angelo, 76903
Yes. The Area Agency on Aging of the Permian Basin serves adults 60 and older and their caregivers in Martin County. Call (432) 563-1061 or 800-491-4636 to ask about home repair referrals and other services.
Not through the HISA grant, which explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants fund home adaptation for certain severe service-connected disabilities but do not name stair lifts, so ask the VA directly. Workforce Solutions Permian Basin in San Angelo can be reached at (325) 795-4245.
The Amy Young Barrier Removal (AYBR) Program accepts tenants as well as homeowners if the household includes a person with a disability and meets the income limit. Get the landlord's approval and confirm the program is available in Martin County by calling (915) 851-0272.
Often it can, but in those older homes the original stair width and floor plan usually set what the installation looks like. A measuring visit tells you whether a straight or curved rail will fit and leave enough room on the stairs.
Outdoor units are built for exposure, and we plan around local temperatures that run from January lows near 30°F to July highs near 95°F. We also check the steps and drainage before recommending one.
USDA Section 504 offers grants up to $7,500 to very-low-income rural homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. Stair lifts are not named, so coverage is case by case. Call (432) 336-7585.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
