Mariposa County runs from the western Sierra Nevada foothills east into Yosemite National Park, and its homes reflect that climb. In towns like Mariposa, Bootjack, Catheys Valley and Greeley Hill, houses often sit on sloping lots with steps at the front door, steps to the yard and sometimes a half flight inside.
Much of the housing here is older, too. The Mariposa Town Historic District holds sixty-three historic buildings, including the Mariposa County Courthouse built in 1854, and older single-family homes are common in foothill towns such as Mariposa, Coulterville and Midpines. This page walks through which kind of lift fits these homes and where to look for help paying for one.
Older single-family homes in the county were not built with aging in mind. Stairs tend to be the main barrier for the people who live in them, and a stair lift or stairglide lets someone keep using the whole house instead of closing off a floor.
If the staircase runs in one straight line, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest option. Stairs that turn at a landing or wrap around a corner need a curved rail built to that staircase. In an older house we also look at stair width, the condition of the treads and where the rail can be anchored before recommending anything.
The hilly ground across the foothills pushes many homes onto split levels or hillside lots with several sets of entry stairs. Split-level homes and ranch-style homes both show up here, and even a ranch-style house on a slope can have a long run of steps from the driveway to the door.
For those outside steps, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure is one answer. Where someone uses a wheelchair or cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may make more sense. A short split-level run inside can often take a straight lift, so one house may need more than one solution.
The county has 7152 residents, and 23.1% are 65 or older. The median age is 51.6, and 78.6% of households own their home, so many people here are long-time owners deciding how to stay put rather than move.
If that includes you or your parent, the Mariposa County Veterans Services Office at 5158 Hwy 140, Suite A, Mariposa, 95338 can help with VA paperwork. Their number is (209) 966-3696.
The clearest public option is the Medi-Cal CalAIM Community Supports home modification benefit, which lists stair lifts as a covered item, but only if your managed care plan offers it. Other Medi-Cal programs cover home access changes without naming stair lifts, so it is worth asking directly.
Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can look at the VA grants listed below. Statewide, the FreedomTech Low-Interest Assistive Technology Loan and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) are also options to ask about. For a local starting point, the Area 12 Agency on Aging and DRAIL both serve Mariposa County.
This Environmental Accessibility Adaptations benefit, offered through some Medi-Cal managed care plans, explicitly lists stair lifts as covered, with a $7,500 lifetime maximum for home modifications and limited exceptions for a move or a significant change in condition. Members need a medical need for the change and a plan that offers it.
This statewide waiver covers medically necessary home access adaptations such as ramps, grab bars and bathroom changes, with no stated cost cap; stair lifts are not named in the source. It is for Medi-Cal members who need Nursing Facility Level of Care, with an income limit of about $1,836 a month and an asset limit of $130,000 for an individual.
The agency serving Mariposa County runs a Minor Home Repair program, but whether it covers stair lifts is not known and eligibility is not published. It generally serves adults 60 and older and adults with disabilities; call (209) 532-6272.
Run by Mariposa County HHS, this program pays for in-home personal care hours, not stair lifts or other home modifications. It serves residents 65 and older, blind or disabled who are on Medi-Cal; call (209) 966-2000.
The Disability Resource Agency for Independent Living (Independent Living Center serving Mariposa County) offers assistive technology including home modifications on a case-by-case basis; stair lifts are not specifically mentioned. It serves people with disabilities of any age; call (209) 521-7260.
This VA grant provides up to $126,526 for FY 2026 for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, usable up to 6 times over a lifetime; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Apply with VA Form 26-4555 or call (800) 827-1000.
This VA grant provides up to $25,350 for FY 2026 for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities, usable up to 6 times over a lifetime; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Apply with VA Form 26-4555 or call (800) 827-1000.
This county program focuses on housing stability, including shelter, vouchers, LIHEAP weatherization and case management, and shows no accessibility modification funding; stair lift coverage is unknown. Call (209) 966-2000.
Older adults
13975 Mono Way, #E, Sonora, 95370
Veterans
5158 Hwy 140, Suite A, Mariposa, 95338
It can through the Medi-Cal CalAIM Community Supports home modification benefit, which lists stair lifts as covered, up to a $7,500 lifetime maximum. Your managed care plan has to offer that benefit, so call your plan and ask about Environmental Accessibility Adaptations.
Yes. Outdoor stair lifts are built for the steps leading up to a door, which is common on the sloped lots around the foothills. If the person cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may be the better fit.
No. In-Home Supportive Services pays for personal care hours, not home modifications. Mariposa County HHS at (209) 966-2000 can explain what IHSS does cover.
The Area 12 Agency on Aging serves Mariposa County and generally works with adults 60 and older. It has a Minor Home Repair program, though stair lift coverage is not published, so call (209) 532-6272 to ask.
The Mariposa County Veterans Services Office on Hwy 140 in Mariposa, (209) 966-3696, can help with applications for the VA Specially Adapted Housing and Special Home Adaptation grants. You can also reach the VA at (800) 827-1000.
Usually, yes. Older houses often have narrow or turning stairs, so we measure the staircase and check where the rail can be mounted before recommending a straight or curved lift.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
