Walk through Beverley, Wharf, Newtown, Stuart Addition, Gospel Hill or The Villages and you see houses built mostly between the 1870s and 1920s, during Staunton's Victorian-era boom. Many of them still have their original stairways, and many sit on hills. That combination is why we spend so much time measuring old staircases in this city.
Staunton is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley, not part of any Virginia county. This page covers how local homes and terrain affect the kind of stair lift you would need, and which programs in and around Staunton may help with the cost of home modifications.
Architect Thomas J. Collins designed or remodeled over 200 local buildings starting in 1891. The result is a mix of Jeffersonian Neo-Classical, Greek Revival, Victorian and 1920s bungalow styles, and a lot of multi-story homes with stairways that were never built with a lift in mind.
A single straight run of stairs usually takes a straight rail, which is the simpler install. Stairs that turn at a landing or wind as they climb need a curved rail made to fit that staircase. In a home with original woodwork, we look at where the rail mounts so the stairway keeps its character.
Staunton's topography is hilly, and the Stuart Addition Historic District has been described as having some of the steepest hills in town. On a sloped lot, the trouble often starts before the front door, with a run of exterior steps up from the sidewalk or driveway.
An outdoor stair lift built for weather can handle those steps. Where a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift or a ramp may fit better. We usually look at the whole route from the car to the bedroom before recommending anything.
Staunton's housing also includes townhouses, row houses and walk-up apartments alongside single-family and detached houses. Stairs in attached homes are often narrow, so the folded width of the chair matters as much as the rail.
About 59.5% of Staunton households own their homes. If you rent, talk with the owner before any install, since the rail attaches to the stairs. Some programs below, such as EHARP, allow tenants to apply with owner approval.
For many families, that means a parent who wants to stay in a house with stairs they have climbed for decades.
Veterans should know up front that VA programs differ. HISA explicitly excludes stair glides, while the SAH and SHA grants focus on adaptations such as ramps and doorway widening. The veterans Staunton Office at Greenbrier Office Complex 1600 North Coalter Street Building 1, Suite 17B, Staunton 24401, can be reached at (540) 332-8900.
Staunton's median household income was $65,581 in 2024, which leaves many older homeowners paying for modifications carefully. None of the local programs listed below names stair lifts specifically, so ask each one directly whether a lift fits their rules before you count on it.
A good first call is the Valley Program for Aging Services at (540) 949-7141, whose office is at 325 Pine Avenue, Waynesboro 22980. Statewide options worth asking about include the CCC Plus Waiver (Cardinal Care Managed Care), the Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit (LHTC) and the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority (ATLFA).
For people enrolled in the FIS, CL or BI Medicaid waivers, this service pays for home adaptations up to $5,000 per calendar year, with ramps, grab-bars and doorway widening named as covered. Stair lifts are not listed in the source, so confirm with your waiver contact.
Serves people 60 and older and their caregivers in the City of Staunton, Augusta County and the City of Waynesboro, including home repair and modification help; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (540) 949-7141.
Low-income homeowners within Staunton city limits may get essential repairs and accessibility improvements through Renewing Homes of Greater Augusta, which received a $65,000 FY2025 allocation. Stair lifts are not named; call the Housing Programs Division at (540) 332-3871 to confirm current-year scope.
Offers up to $4,000 per household at or below 80% of area median income for repairs including wheelchair ramps and other accessibility modifications; stair lifts are not named. It is not available in CDBG Entitlement Jurisdictions, so confirm availability for Staunton by calling (804) 371-7000.
Very-low-income homeowners can borrow up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest, and those 62+ who cannot repay may get grants up to $10,000; stair lifts are not listed. The property must be in a USDA-eligible rural area, and incorporated city addresses are frequently excluded, so check the eligibility map first.
Provides up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home alterations for veterans, but it explicitly does not fund stair glides or porch lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
For veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, SAH pays up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 (FY2026) for home adaptations such as ramps; stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 827-1000.
A nonprofit offering independent living services and referrals to people with any type of disability in Planning District 6, including Staunton; it does not list a home-modification or stair lift program. Call (540) 433-6513 to ask about current referrals.
Older adults
325 Pine Avenue, Waynesboro, 22980
Veterans
Greenbrier Office Complex 1600 North Coalter Street Building 1, Suite 17B, Staunton, 24401
Often it can. Many homes in Staunton's historic districts were built between the 1870s and 1920s with original stairways, and a straight run takes a straight rail while a turning stairway needs a curved one. A measurement at the house tells you which.
Staunton is an independent city, not part of any county, but the Valley Program for Aging Services covers the City of Staunton, Augusta County and the City of Waynesboro. You can reach them at (540) 949-7141.
VPAS serves people 60 and older, but Valley Associates for Independent Living works with individuals with any type of disability in the Staunton area. Call VAIL at (540) 433-6513.
The HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts, so ask the VA at (800) 827-1000 or the veterans Staunton Office at (540) 332-8900 about your situation.
Staunton is hilly, especially around the Stuart Addition Historic District, so exterior steps are a common problem. An outdoor stair lift, a platform lift or a ramp may fit, depending on the steps and whether a wheelchair is used.
Possibly, but the property must be in a USDA-eligible rural area, and incorporated city areas are frequently excluded. Check your address on USDA's official eligibility map before applying.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
