Modoc County sits in the far northeastern corner of California, with Oregon to the north and Nevada to the east. Most homes are in Alturas, the county seat, where the north and south forks of the Pit River meet. The rest are spread out in places like Cedarville, Newell, California Pines and Canby.
Many of these houses are older and modest: two-story farmhouses, ranch-style and split-level homes, manufactured homes, and plenty of houses with basements. In a place with long, snowy winters, the stairs inside the house are part of daily life. This page covers which lift fits which kind of home and where Modoc County residents can look for help paying for one.
An older two-story farmhouse often has one straight flight between floors. That is the simplest case for a straight stair lift, which runs on a rail fastened to the stair treads rather than the wall.
Basement stairs are a different story. They are often narrow, steep or turn at the bottom, and they may lead to the laundry, the furnace or the freezer. If the staircase bends or has a landing, a curved lift with a custom-built rail is usually the answer.
Split-level homes have several short flights. Each one may need its own lift, so we look at which levels the person actually uses every day before recommending anything.
The valley floor here sits near 4,000 feet, and the Modoc Plateau to the north is roughly a mile high. Cold, snowy winters and icy conditions keep people indoors for months, which puts more weight on getting up and down the inside stairs safely.
Manufactured homes and ranch-style homes may have few or no interior stairs but still have steps at the entry. For those, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can be worth a look. We check the entry layout and how it handles snow and ice before suggesting one.
About 26.5 percent of Modoc County residents are 65 or older, and 71.7 percent of households own their homes. That is a lot of people who plan to stay in houses they own, often on fixed or modest incomes.
For a veteran with a service-connected disability, VA housing grants can be one of the larger sources of help, so it is worth checking eligibility early.
Only a few programs name stair lifts directly. The two VA grants listed below do. Others, like the Medi-Cal HCBA waiver and USDA repair funds, cover home accessibility work but do not spell out stair lifts, so ask before you count on them.
For veterans, a good first stop is the Modoc County Veteran's Service Office at 202 West 4th Street, Suite F, in Alturas, (530) 233-6209. For older adults and caregivers, the PSA 2 Area Agency on Aging in Yreka, (530) 842-1687, can point you to local options.
Statewide programs to ask about include the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP), VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the FreedomTech Low-Interest Assistive Technology Loan.
A statewide Medi-Cal waiver for people who meet nursing facility level of care, which covers environmental accessibility adaptations (home modifications); whether a stair lift qualifies is not confirmed. There is no Modoc office, so apply through the HCBA waiver agency serving the county or DHCS, and expect enrollment limits or a waitlist.
Pays for authorized in-home care hours for low-income aged (65+), blind or disabled Medi-Cal recipients, and does not fund capital home modifications such as stair lifts. Call (530) 233-6501.
Offers information, referral, caregiver and senior support for adults 60+ and adults with disabilities; it does not directly fund stair lifts but can steer you to services. Call (530) 842-1687.
Provides assistive technology guidance and referral for people with disabilities and may help identify home modification funding, though it is not a grant source itself. Call (530) 893-8527.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 for FY 2026 for veterans with a qualifying severe service-connected disability who own or will own the home, and it covers stair lifts. Apply with VA Form 26-4555 or call (800) 827-1000.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 for FY 2026 for veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability, and it covers stair lifts. Apply with VA Form 26-4555 or call (800) 827-1000.
Offers grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners 62+ and 1% loans up to $40,000 for accessibility and safety repairs; stair lifts are not specifically named. All of Modoc County is rural and USDA-eligible.
Locally run rehabilitation funds for low- and moderate-income owner-occupants where accessibility work is a typical eligible activity; stair lift coverage is unknown. No active Modoc County cycle was confirmed at the time of research.
Older adults
P.O. Box 1400, Yreka, 96097
Veterans
202 West 4th Street, Suite F, Alturas, 96101
Usually, yes. Straight basement stairs can take a straight lift, and stairs that turn or have a landing need a curved lift with a custom rail. We measure the width and pitch first, since older basement stairs are often narrow.
Regular IHSS hours do not pay for stair lifts. The Medi-Cal HCBA waiver covers environmental accessibility adaptations for people who meet nursing facility level of care, but stair lift coverage is not confirmed and enrollment limits apply.
Contact the Modoc County Veteran's Service Office at 202 West 4th Street, Suite F, Alturas, (530) 233-6209. They can help you look at the SAH and SHA grants, both of which cover stair lifts, and VA benefits such as HISA.
The Disability Action Center serves people with disabilities in Modoc County regardless of age and can help find funding; call (530) 893-8527. The VA grants and the HCBA waiver also are not tied to being 60 or older.
All of Modoc County is rural and USDA-eligible, so location will not rule you out. Grants up to $10,000 are for very-low-income owners 62+ who cannot repay a loan, and stair lifts are not specifically named, so confirm with USDA before planning on it.
An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift may fit, depending on how the entry is laid out. With the snow and ice here, we look at the steps, the landing and the approach before recommending one.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
