Clallam County climbs straight up from the Strait of Juan de Fuca toward the Olympic Mountains. Plenty of houses around Port Angeles sit on hillside lots, with multi-level layouts or a run of exterior steps just to reach the front door. Sequim, Forks, Carlsborg, Jamestown and the other towns have their own mix of older single-family homes, split-levels and walk-up apartments.
This page walks through what that housing means for a stair lift, from a straight indoor rail to an outdoor unit on an entry staircase. It also covers the public and nonprofit programs that may help with the cost, and who to call in the county.
Many older homes around Port Angeles were built into the slope, so the living space is split across levels. A split-level home often has short flights between floors, and each flight may need its own lift or a rail that follows a turn.
A single straight staircase is the simplest case and usually the quickest install. When the stairs turn, pass a landing or change direction partway up, a curved rail built to that staircase is the usual answer.
On the North Olympic Peninsula, the hardest stairs are often outside. A hillside house can have a long set of steps between the driveway and the door, and those steps get wet weather for much of the year.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for this kind of use, with weather covers and sealed parts. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift can be a better fit than a seat, since the rider does not need to transfer.
Townhouses and walk-up apartments tend to have narrow, straight stairs. A slim rail with a folding seat and footrest keeps the stairway open for others. In a rental or a shared stairwell, the owner or building manager will need to approve the install.
Much of the county's land is national forest or park, so towns like Forks, Neah Bay and Clallam Bay are a long drive from Port Angeles and Sequim. It helps to plan the measurement visit and any follow-up service ahead of time rather than waiting until the stairs become a crisis.
That is a lot of households thinking about how long they can keep using the stairs at home.
The local economy has leaned on timber, fishing and seasonal tourism, so paying out of pocket is not easy for every family. That makes the programs below worth checking before you decide.
For Apple Health (Medicaid) enrollees, the Health-Related Social Needs benefit run through the local Area Agency on Aging is the program most directly tied to home safety modifications and adaptive equipment. COPES is another Medicaid route for people who meet nursing-facility level of care, but its source does not itemize stair lifts.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant does not cover stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants are the VA options to ask about. Homeowners with lower incomes can also look at the USDA Section 504 program and the Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County Critical Repairs Program.
Statewide, it is also worth asking about the Northwest Access Fund Home Modification Loan, Community First Choice (CFC) and the Senior Citizens & People with Disabilities Property Tax Exemption.
A state Medicaid waiver for aged, blind or disabled residents who meet nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid financial limits. The source does not list stair lifts, and a waitlist can apply. Call (360) 209-8338 or apply through Washington Connection or the local DSHS Home and Community Services office.
A Medicaid social-needs benefit for qualifying Apple Health enrollees in Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson and Pacific Counties, covering home safety modifications and adaptive equipment, which can include a stair lift. Funds are limited each year, so a waitlist is possible. Call (360) 209-8338.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime, depending on disability status, for medically necessary home access changes. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides are excluded.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities: SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 (FY2026), across up to 6 lifetime disbursements. Stair lifts are not named in the source, so confirm with VA case by case.
Federal loans and grants for very-low-income homeowners in USDA-eligible rural areas to repair, modernize or remove health and safety hazards. Stair lifts are not listed, so check with the USDA Rural Development Washington state office.
A nonprofit repair program for Clallam County homeowners in their primary residence with household income less than 80% of Area Median Income and 8 hours of sweat equity. Interior accessibility work is covered, but stair lifts are not named; call (360) 775-3744 or use the pre-application to ask.
Older adults
2500 Lower Elwha Rd., Port Angeles, 98363
Veterans
216 S Francis Street, Port Angeles, 98362
Yes. Outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior stairs and wet weather, which is common on hillside lots around Port Angeles. If the rider uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may be the better choice.
The Apple Health HRSN benefit covers home safety modifications and adaptive equipment for qualifying enrollees in Clallam County. Funding is limited and a referral is not guaranteed, so call (360) 209-8338 to ask.
No. HISA specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities can ask VA about the SAH or SHA grants instead.
The Northwest Veterans Resource Center is at 216 S Francis Street, Port Angeles, 98362. Their phone is (360) 797-1791.
Olympic AAA is at 2500 Lower Elwha Rd., Port Angeles, 98363, phone (360) 532-0520. For the COPES and Apple Health HRSN programs, the listed number is (360) 209-8338.
Yes, though travel from the larger towns is a longer drive across the county. Schedule the measurement visit early so the install and any follow-up service can be planned around the distance.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
