A split-level in Yucaipa, a two-story house in Rancho Cucamonga and a cabin above the garage in Crestline have very different stairs. San Bernardino County covers 20,105 square miles and 51 towns, so the right lift depends on where the house sits.
This page walks through what local homes mean for a stair lift, from the valley suburbs to the Victor Valley and the mountain resort towns. It also lists the programs that can help pay, with the phone numbers to call.
The San Bernardino Mountains split the county into three zones. To the southwest is the San Bernardino Valley and the Inland Empire, with towns like Fontana, Ontario, Rialto and Chino. To the north is the Victor Valley high desert, around Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley and Spring Valley Lake. East of that is the open Mojave Desert, with places like Barstow, Twentynine Palms and Yucca Valley.
Valley homes are mostly single-family homes, townhouses, split-level homes, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. A standard two-story house with one straight flight is the simplest job. Split-levels often have short runs between floors, which may need more than one lift or a curved rail.
Big Bear Lake, Big Bear City, Lake Arrowhead, Crestline, Running Springs and Forest Falls sit on steep, forested slopes. Many homes there are multi-level cabins where the main living floor sits above the garage and below the bedrooms. That means stairs on the way in and stairs again inside.
For these houses we often look at a curved lift for turning staircases and an outdoor lift for exterior steps from the driveway. Where a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. The range tops out at 11,503 ft at San Gorgonio Mountain, and homes built on graded mountain lots rarely have a level path to the front door.
About 12.3% of county residents are 65 or older, and 60.9% of households own their homes. Among households headed by someone 65 or older, about 80% own, and about 52% of those owners have no mortgage.
That matters for planning. An owner can install a permanent rail, and some repair loans and veteran grants require ownership.
The clearest public routes are Medi-Cal and the VA. The Medi-Cal HCBA Waiver and the Medi-Cal managed care home modification benefit both list home accessibility adaptations, and the managed care benefit names stair lifts directly. Local Medi-Cal members are served by IEHP and Molina, so ask your own plan about its cap.
Veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability can look at the SAH and SHA grants. Homeowners inside San Bernardino city limits with lower incomes can ask about the city rehabilitation loan. Statewide, the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP) and the FreedomTech Low-Interest Assistive Technology Loan are also worth asking about.
If you are not sure where to start, call San Bernardino County Aging & Adult Services (PSA 20) at (909) 891-3917, 686 East Mill Street, San Bernardino 92415. Veterans can reach San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs at (909) 382-3290, 222 W. Hospitality Ln., 3rd Floor, San Bernardino 92415.
A statewide Medi-Cal waiver for people who meet nursing-facility level of care, and it covers medically necessary environmental accessibility adaptations, including stair lifts, with no individual cost cap but a current waitlist. Call (916) 552-9105.
A CalAIM home modification benefit for Medi-Cal managed care members at risk of hospital or nursing-facility care, and stair lifts are explicitly listed as covered, subject to a plan-set lifetime cap. Confirm the cap with IEHP or Molina, or call (800) 440-4347.
A county-run Medi-Cal program that pays for caregiver hours for people who are 65+, blind or disabled, but it does not pay for stair lifts or home modifications. Call (909) 891-3700.
The county's referral hub for older adults and people with disabilities, pointing residents to Medi-Cal waivers, IHSS and local home repair resources; stair lifts are not listed as a direct service. Call (909) 891-3900.
A center for independent living offering assistive technology, benefits and housing help, and nursing-facility transitions; stair lift funding is not listed, but staff can help you work through waiver and EAA applications. Call (909) 890-9516.
A deferred-payment loan of up to $40,000 at 3% for owners within City of San Bernardino limits at or below 80% of Area Median Income, covering repairs and ADA improvements; stair lifts are not named, so confirm with NPHS at (909) 988-5979.
Volunteer-based help with minor repairs, weatherization and accessibility work for owner-occupied homes with household income below 80% of the county median. Stair lifts are not specifically listed.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) to build, buy or modify a home for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, and stair lifts qualify as part of an approved adaptation plan. Call (800) 827-1000.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for accessibility changes for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, and stair lifts qualify as part of an approved adaptation plan. Call (800) 827-1000.
A VA medical-benefit grant for structural changes like ramps, roll-in showers and wider doorways; stair lift coverage is unknown, so veterans should look first at SAH or SHA. Call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
686 East Mill Street, San Bernardino, 92415
Veterans
222 W. Hospitality Ln., 3rd Floor, San Bernardino, 92415
It can. The Medi-Cal managed care home modification benefit lists stair lifts by name, and the HCBA Waiver covers medically necessary accessibility adaptations. Local members are served by IEHP and Molina, so ask your plan about its lifetime cap.
No. IHSS pays for caregiver hours, not equipment or home modifications. Those hours can free up household money for a lift, and you can reach IHSS at (909) 891-3700.
Outdoor lifts are built for exterior stairs, which are common on the sloped lots in mountain towns like Big Bear Lake, Lake Arrowhead and Crestline. Many of these homes also need a second lift inside because living space sits above the garage.
Yes. San Bernardino County Aging & Adult Services (PSA 20) serves residents generally 60 and older and can refer you to waivers and home repair resources. Call (909) 891-3917.
Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can apply for the SAH grant of up to $126,526 or the SHA grant of up to $25,350 using VA Form 26-4555. Call (800) 827-1000, or San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs at (909) 382-3290.
No. That loan only serves owner-occupied homes within the City of San Bernardino city limits. Outside the city, ask Habitat for Humanity of San Bernardino Area about its Home Repair Program or call Aging & Adult Services.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
