Southampton County covers about 602 square miles of flat Atlantic Coastal Plain, with the Blackwater River on its eastern edge, the Meherrin River on its western edge and the Nottoway River running through the middle. Courtland is the county seat, and small towns like Sedley, Boykins, Newsoms, Southampton Meadows and Ivor are spread out between farm fields. Roughly 98.2% of residents live in rural parts of the county.
That spread-out pattern shapes how a stair lift project goes here. Homes sit far apart, local contractors who specialize in accessibility work are limited, and state funding programs carry more weight than they would in a city. This page walks through what the local houses mean for a stair lift and where Southampton County families can turn for help paying for one.
Most homes in the county are single-family and detached houses, with some duplexes, walk-up apartments and split-level homes mixed in. A detached house with one full staircase is usually the simplest job: a straight stair lift mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, and runs from the bottom step to the top.
Split-level homes are different. They often have two or three short flights between levels, and one person may need to use more than one of them every day. Depending on the layout, that can mean a short straight lift on each flight or a curved lift that follows a landing or turn.
Walk-up apartments and duplexes bring their own questions, such as whether the stair is shared and who owns it. We look at that during the home visit before talking about any equipment.
The county also has properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If your home is an older one, we check how the stairs were built and how a lift can be attached without major changes to the staircase.
The terrain here is generally flat and low, but the three river systems create flood-prone lowlands. That matters for accessibility because the trouble spot is often the steps up to the front or back door, not an indoor staircase.
For a few porch or entry steps, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure is one option. For a person who uses a wheelchair, a vertical platform lift at the entrance may work better than a seat-style lift. We measure the rise, the landing at the top and the ground at the bottom before recommending either.
At the 2020 Census, 20.7% of Southampton County residents were 65 or older. Many of them want to stay in the homes they already own, and 57.7% of residents are homeowners, which matters because several funding programs below require that you own and live in the home.
If that includes someone in your household, read the VA programs carefully, because one of them excludes stair glides outright and another does not mention them.
Two statewide programs name stair lifts directly. The Virginia Housing Accessibility Grants program lists chairlifts among covered modifications and offers up to $10,000 that does not have to be repaid, for homeowners at or below 60% of Area Median Income. The Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority (ATLFA) lends money for stair lifts, with interest typically around 5%.
Other programs are worth a call even though their sources do not name stair lifts. The CCC Plus Medicaid waiver covers environmental modifications as a general category, and USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants serve very-low-income rural homeowners, which fits much of this county.
If you are not sure where to begin, the Southampton County Department of Social Services at (757) 653-0357 can screen for benefit eligibility. Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia and the Endependence Center also serve Southampton County and can point you to the right application. Each program is summarized below.
A Medicaid waiver for eligible aged, blind and disabled Virginians that covers environmental modifications and assistive technology, though the official page does not mention stair lifts specifically. Contact Cover Virginia at (833) 522-5582 to get a care coordinator assigned; assessment typically takes 30-45 days.
A grant of up to $10,000 with no repayment for homeowners at or below 60% of Area Median Income with a household member who has a disability, and it explicitly covers chairlifts. Applications go through an approved agent such as the Endependence Center; Virginia Housing can be reached at (877) 843-2123.
A statewide loan program for Virginians with disabilities or their caregivers that names stair lifts among the items it finances, with interest typically around 5%. You will need a vendor quote, proof of income and identity, and proof of disability; call (804) 662-9000.
A VA grant for medically necessary home alterations, with a $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime maximum depending on disability status. It does not cover stair lifts, since the VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts; call (800) 827-1000 for other home changes.
VA grants for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH or $25,350 for SHA in FY2026, to build, buy or remodel an accessible home. The source does not mention stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000 to ask about your situation.
Repair loans up to $20,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $7,500 for very-low-income rural homeowners age 62 or older who cannot repay a loan, aimed at removing health or safety hazards. The source does not mention stair lifts, so confirm figures and eligibility with your local USDA Rural Development office.
The regional Area Agency on Aging serving Southampton County, offering options counseling, caregiver support and other in-home services, but not a stair lift program. Call (757) 461-9481 to ask about referrals to CCC Plus, Virginia Housing or other funding.
A center for independent living whose service area includes Southampton County, providing information, referral and advocacy, and it commonly acts as an approved agent for Virginia Housing accessibility grants. It does not list its own stair lift funding; call (757) 461-8007.
Grants of up to $5,000 when possible for low- and moderate-income senior or disabled homeowners in a service area that includes Southampton County. The source does not say whether stair lifts count as covered accessibility work, so call (757) 858-1388 to ask.
Case management and referral for older adults and adults with disabilities in the county, not a direct grant or stair lift program. Call the main office at (757) 653-0357 to be screened for CCC Plus and other benefits; the 24/7 hotline is (888) 832-3858.
Older adults
2551 Eltham Avenue, Suite Q, Norfolk, 23513
Veterans
6350 Center Drive, Building 5, Suite 100, Norfolk, 23502
Two do: the Virginia Housing Accessibility Grants program, which lists chairlifts among covered modifications, and the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority, which lists stair lifts among the items it finances. Other programs on this page either exclude stair lifts or do not mention them.
The VA HISA grant does not, because the VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts from that program. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either way. Veterans can call (800) 827-1000 or the Virginia Department of Veterans Services Norfolk office at (757) 455-0814 to talk through options.
USDA Section 504 offers grants up to $7,500 lifetime for rural homeowners age 62 or older who cannot repay a repair loan. The program funds repairs that remove a health or safety hazard and does not name stair lifts, so confirm with the local USDA Rural Development office.
Applications must be filed through a Virginia Housing approved agent. For county residents, the Endependence Center at (757) 461-8007 is one such agent. You must be a homeowner at or below 60% of Area Median Income with a household member who has a disability.
After you contact Cover Virginia at (833) 522-5582 and a care coordinator is assigned, the assessment typically takes 30-45 days. The waiver covers environmental modifications in general, and the amount is set in each person's plan of care.
The Southampton County Department of Social Services at (757) 653-0357 is a practical first call for benefit screening. Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia at (757) 461-9481 also serves the whole county and can refer you to funding programs.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
