Tulare County runs from the flat San Joaquin Valley floor in the west to the crest of the Sierra Nevada in the east, with Sequoia National Park and Mount Whitney (14,505 ft) on its eastern edge. Most people live down on the level ground, in places like Visalia, Tulare, Porterville, Dinuba, Lindsay and Exeter, but the foothills and eastern county hold homes on sloped lots where steps are part of daily life.
The kind of stairs you have depends a lot on where you live in the county. Newer subdivisions in Visalia, Tulare and Porterville include two-story tract homes, while many older farmhouses and mid-century ranch homes on the valley floor are single-story. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift and where Tulare County residents can look for help paying for one.
The two-story tract homes in the newer subdivisions of Visalia, Tulare and Porterville are where we see interior stair access become a real problem first. When the bedroom and full bath are upstairs, a parent who can no longer climb safely is either stuck downstairs or taking risks every night.
Many of these homes have a single straight run of stairs, which is the simplest setup for a stair lift. A straight lift mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, and usually leaves room for others to keep using the stairs. If the staircase turns at a landing, a curved lift built to that staircase is the usual answer.
Porterville sits at roughly 455 ft at the base of the Sierra foothills, and Visalia has hillier ground nearby at the Venice Hills and the foothills to the east. Out on foothill and eastern-county properties, sloped lots and split-level or multistory homes are more common, and that is where stair access matters most.
Split-level homes often have several short flights rather than one long one. Each flight may need its own straight lift, or a curved lift can follow more than one section. When the hard part is getting from the driveway or yard up to the front door, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift for a wheelchair may fit better than anything inside.
Single-story ranch homes on the valley floor may not need a stair lift at all. A few entry steps can sometimes be handled with a small platform lift or other entry changes, so it is worth looking at the whole route into the house before choosing equipment.
About 11.3% of Tulare County residents are 65 or older, and 57.7% of households own their homes. Homeownership is relatively high for the region, so many older residents are planning to stay in houses they already own, which makes a permanent stair lift a practical choice.
Walk-up apartments and townhouses are part of the county's housing too. If the stairs are shared or the unit is rented, the owner or association will need to be part of the conversation before anything is installed.
The Tulare County Veterans Service Office at 3348 W Mineral King Ave in Visalia, (559) 713-2880, can help a veteran look into VA housing grants.
Median household income in the county is below the state average, so cost-subsidized programs matter here. Three programs listed below name stair lifts as covered: two Medi-Cal home modification benefits and the VA SAH and SHA grants. Each has its own medical or service-connected eligibility rules.
Several local programs cover accessibility repairs without naming stair lifts. Self-Help Enterprises runs housing rehab loans for low-income owners, and the county's CDBG Emergency Repair Program offers grants of up to $30,000 to income-eligible owners in unincorporated communities. Habitat for Humanity of Tulare/Kings Counties also does accessibility repairs, so call to ask whether a lift fits their scope.
If you are not sure where to start, the Kings-Tulare Area Agency on Aging (PSA 15) at 5957 South Mooney Boulevard in Visalia, (559) 737-4660, can point an older adult or family member to the right resource.
A statewide Medi-Cal waiver that covers home modifications, including stair lifts, for people who need nursing facility level of care; work must be prior-authorized and there is a statewide waitlist. Call (800) 776-5746.
An optional Medi-Cal managed care benefit that lists stair lifts among covered home adaptations, with caps and availability that vary by plan. Tulare County members should confirm with their own plan; the listed number is (800) 541-5555.
A free information and referral hub for Tulare and Kings County residents, generally age 60 and up, plus their families and caregivers; it does not grant stair lifts directly but routes people to home modification and repair resources. Call (800) 321-2462.
An independent living center for people with disabilities that helps with assistive technology access and home modification navigation; stair lift funding is not listed. The Visalia office is at 425 E. Oak Ave, Suite 201, and the number is (800) 244-2274.
Deferred-payment loans with no monthly payment for low-income owner-occupants in funded areas such as Dinuba, Exeter, Farmersville, Tulare, Visalia and Woodlake, covering repairs that include handicap-accessible modifications; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (559) 802-1647.
A grant of up to $30,000 for income-eligible owner-occupants in unincorporated Tulare County communities, forgivable after 3 years of owner occupancy, running through June 2027 or until funds run out. Accessibility issues are eligible repairs, though stair lifts are not named; call (559) 802-1647.
Critical home repairs focused on health, safety and accessibility for low-income homeowners, with a focus on seniors and veterans. The source does not confirm stair lift funding, so call (559) 734-4040 to ask.
VA grants for veterans and servicemembers with qualifying service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026; a stair lift can be funded only as part of an approved adaptation plan, and the HISA grant excludes stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
A Medi-Cal program that pays for in-home caregiver hours for aged, blind or disabled residents. It does not cover stair lifts, equipment or home modifications.
Older adults
5957 South Mooney Boulevard, Visalia, 93277
Veterans
3348 W Mineral King Ave, Visalia, 93291
It can. The HCBA Waiver covers home modifications for people who need nursing facility level of care, though it has a statewide waitlist. Some Medi-Cal managed care plans also cover stair lifts through CalAIM Community Supports, so check with your own plan.
Yes. The Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging serves residents generally age 60 and up and their families, and its information and assistance is free. You can call (800) 321-2462 or the Kings-Tulare Area Agency on Aging (PSA 15) office in Visalia at (559) 737-4660.
The Tulare County CDBG Emergency Repair Program offers grants of up to $30,000 to income-eligible owner-occupants in unincorporated communities, and accessibility issues are eligible repairs. Stair lifts are not named, so call Self-Help Enterprises at (559) 802-1647 to ask.
Only as part of an approved SAH or SHA adaptation plan, and only for qualifying service-connected disabilities. The VA HISA grant excludes stair lifts. The Tulare County Veterans Service Office at (559) 713-2880 can help you apply.
No. IHSS pays for caregiver hours only and does not fund equipment or home modifications.
It depends on where the stairs are. Split-level homes may need a lift for each short flight or a curved lift, and steps from the yard or driveway may call for an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift. We look at the full route in and out of the house 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.
