From Cloverdale down to Petaluma, and from Sea Ranch and Bodega Bay over to Kenwood and Glen Ellen, Sonoma County covers about 1,768 square miles of the North Coast Ranges. The Mayacamas Mountains and the Sonoma Mountains frame the valleys and plains, and the Pacific coastline runs 76 miles. A lot of houses here sit on a slope, and that shapes the stairs inside them.
Many homes in Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Healdsburg and the smaller towns are older, often multi-story, and the county has nearly 200 formal historical landmarks. Two-story and raised-entry homes commonly have steep interior staircases. This page walks through which kind of lift tends to fit, and which local and state programs are worth a phone call before you pay.
Because so many neighborhoods are built on grade, homes often end up with split levels and multi-story layouts. A split-level home can have two or three short flights instead of one long one. Each flight may need its own lift, or a single curved rail that follows the turns.
A straight stair lift works when the staircase runs in one line from bottom to top with no landing turn. If the stairs turn at a landing or wrap around a corner, a curved rail is custom built to that exact staircase. We measure on site before recommending either one.
The county's housing includes single-family homes, townhouses, walk-up apartments, split-level homes and ranch-style homes. Ranch-style homes usually have living space on one floor, so the stairs that matter are often the entry steps outside. A two-story single-family home or townhouse usually needs an interior lift to reach the bedrooms.
Walk-up apartments are different. The stairs are often shared, so the building owner has to approve any installation. If you rent, ask the owner first, then call us for a measurement.
Raised-entry homes are where porch and platform lifts come in. A platform lift can carry a wheelchair or walker user from the yard to the front door, and an outdoor-rated stair lift can handle exterior steps. Homes near the coast in places like Bodega Bay, Sea Ranch or Cazadero should have outdoor equipment chosen with weather exposure in mind.
About 19.9% of Sonoma County's 402,124 residents are 65 or older, and roughly 60.1% of households own their homes. Many are long-time owners who want to stay put in a house they know well. A stair lift is often the change that keeps an upstairs bedroom in use.
If that includes you or your parent, the VA grants below are worth checking before any other funding.
Several local and state programs fund home modifications for people with disabilities, low-income owners and older adults. None of the program sources we reviewed list stair lifts by name, so ask each one directly whether a stair lift or porch lift qualifies in your case. Waiting lists are common, so it helps to apply early.
A good first call is the Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging. It does not pay for modifications itself, but it refers people to the home access, rehab loan and Medi-Cal waiver programs. Statewide options you can also ask about include the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP), the FreedomTech Low-Interest Assistive Technology Loan, and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
For veterans, the Sonoma County Veterans Service Office in Santa Rosa is at 3725 Westwind Blvd, 1st Floor, and can be reached at (707) 565-5960. The office can help with VA paperwork for housing grants.
A locally funded program that provides home modifications at no cost to qualifying Sonoma County residents with a disability, including seniors and veterans, with income limits of about $65,550 for one person or $76,050 for two; the source does not mention stair lifts specifically. Call (707) 528-2745, and expect that a waiting list may apply.
A nonprofit that does no-cost home repair and accessibility work for low-income homeowners, seniors and people with a disability in Petaluma and across the North Bay; stair lifts are not mentioned on its source page. Call (707) 765-3944 to ask about eligibility.
Low-interest rehabilitation loans for owner-occupants below 80% of area median income in unincorporated Sonoma County and the cities of Cloverdale, Cotati, Healdsburg, Rohnert Park, Sebastopol, Sonoma and Windsor; the program page does not mention stair lifts. Call (707) 565-7501.
A Medi-Cal waiver that can fund environmental accessibility adaptations case by case for people who meet nursing-facility level of care and Medi-Cal financial rules; stair lifts are not listed, and the program has reached its slot limit with a waitlist. Apply through the HCBA Waiver agency serving the county, and the Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging can help coordinate.
Information, referral and care coordination for adults 60 and older, adults with disabilities and caregivers; it does not pay for stair lifts or other modifications but refers people to programs that might. Call (707) 565-5900, or reach the agency's PSA 27 office at (707) 565-5950.
Federal grants for veterans and service members with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own their home, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026; stair lifts are not listed by name. Apply with VA Form 26-4555, and the Sonoma County Veterans Service Office at (707) 565-5960 can help.
Older adults
P.O. Box 4059, Santa Rosa, 95402
Veterans
3725 Westwind Blvd, 1st Floor, Santa Rosa, 95403
Usually, yes. Split-level homes are common in Sonoma County because so many lots are on a slope, and the short flights can be handled with separate straight lifts or one curved rail. The right choice depends on how the flights connect, which we check during a home visit.
Yes, depending on the program. The DSLC Home Access Modification (HAM) Program serves Sonoma County residents with a disability, and Rebuilding Together Petaluma serves individuals with a disability as well as seniors. The Area Agency on Aging focuses on adults 60 and older but also serves adults with disabilities and caregivers.
The Sonoma County Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program lists unincorporated areas plus Cloverdale, Cotati, Healdsburg, Rohnert Park, Sebastopol, Sonoma and Windsor. Santa Rosa is not on that list, so call (707) 565-7501 to confirm and ask what other options apply.
The Medi-Cal Home and Community-Based Alternatives (HCBA) Waiver can cover home accessibility changes case by case, but its source does not list stair lifts, and it requires nursing-facility level of care. The program has a waitlist, so the Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging is a good place to start the process.
For raised-entry homes, a porch or platform lift or an outdoor-rated stair lift is usually the answer. Platform lifts work for wheelchair users, while an outdoor stair lift suits someone who can sit and transfer.
Start with the Sonoma County Veterans Service Office in Santa Rosa at (707) 565-5960. Staff there can help with VA housing grants such as SAH and SHA, which are applied for with VA Form 26-4555.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
