Walsenburg grew up around coal. The county seat boomed early in the 1900s and then declined after demand for coal ended in the 1940s, so many of its homes have been standing a long time and still have their original staircases. La Veta, the county's other town, sits closer to the Spanish Peaks and the eastern edge of the Sangre de Cristo Range.
This page covers how the homes and terrain in Huerfano County shape the kind of stair lift that fits, and which state, federal and local programs are worth a phone call before you buy. Nearly 3 in 10 residents here are 65 or older, so these questions come up in a lot of households.
Long-established mining towns tend to have older multi-level homes, and Walsenburg is no exception. Original staircases in these houses are often narrow or steep, and some turn at a landing.
A straight staircase usually takes a straight rail, which is the simplest install. A staircase that turns or has a landing needs a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs, so we measure on site before quoting anything.
Before an install in an older house, we also check the condition of the treads and the wall side of the stairs. A solid stair matters more than its age.
Plenty of homes in the county are ranch-style homes or manufactured homes, and both are mostly on one floor. The problem is often the steps outside, at the front door, the back porch or a raised entry.
For those steps, an outdoor stair lift built for weather is one option. Where someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may make more sense. Townhouses and low-rise buildings usually call for an indoor straight or curved lift, depending on the stairway.
Huerfano County covers 1,593 square miles, much of it mountainous. A small population spread over that much ground makes it harder for contractors, equipment delivery and aging-in-place services to reach every home.
If your home is outside Walsenburg or La Veta, tell us that up front. It helps us plan the measurement visit and the install day so the work gets done in as few trips as possible.
The county's median age is 55.3, one of the older county populations in Colorado, and 29.6 percent of residents are 65 or older. About 61.4 percent of households own their home, which matters because several repair and modification programs require ownership.
The county has its own Veterans Service Office in Walsenburg that helps with VA applications, including adaptive housing.
The county's economy never fully recovered from the decline of coal mining, and the poverty rate is around 17.33 percent. With a smaller local tax base, most help for home changes comes from state and federal programs rather than the county.
None of the programs below name stair lifts as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Several do fund home modifications in general, so it is worth asking each one directly. The South Central Council of Governments Area Agency on Aging at (719) 845-1133 is a good first call for referrals.
A Medicaid waiver benefit for adults 65+ with a functional impairment or adults 18+ with a physical disability, with a $10,000 lifetime maximum for home modifications. The source does not mention stair lifts specifically.
The regional intake and counseling point for older adults and adults with disabilities in Huerfano and Las Animas counties; it does not list stair lifts or home modification. Call (719) 845-1133 for referrals.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 lifetime for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants limited to those 62+. Stair lifts are not named in the source.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home changes, but it does not cover stair lifts; stair glides are listed as excluded equipment. Call the Huerfano County Veterans Service Office at (719) 738-2810.
Grants for veterans who own their homes and have qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026. The source mentions ramps and wider doorways but does not name stair lifts.
A state income tax credit of up to $5,000 for accessibility retrofits for a taxpayer, spouse or dependent with a disability, illness or impairment, for work done between 2019 and 2028. Stair lifts are not specifically named; call (720) 527-0836.
A center for independent living serving 17 counties, including Huerfano, with advocacy, skills training and referrals rather than cash grants. No stair lift or home modification funding is listed; call (719) 546-1271.
Free local help for veterans and their families applying for VA benefits, including adaptive housing applications; stair lifts are not specifically mentioned. Call (719) 738-2810.
Older adults
13 West 3rd Street, Suite 110, La Junta, 81050
Veterans
401 Main Street, Suite 303, Walsenburg, 81089
The Colorado EBD waiver includes a home modification benefit with a $10,000 lifetime maximum, but the source does not name stair lifts. Ask the South Central Council of Governments Area Agency on Aging at (719) 845-1133 about applying and whether a lift could qualify.
No. The VA lists stair glides and porch lifts as excluded removable equipment under HISA. Veterans can ask the Huerfano County Veterans Service Office at (719) 738-2810 about other VA housing grants such as SAH and SHA.
Huerfano County Veterans Services is at 401 Main Street, Suite 303, Walsenburg, 81089, phone (719) 738-3000. The Veterans Service Office is also listed at (719) 738-2810.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants up to $10,000 lifetime to rural homeowners 62 and older with very low incomes who cannot repay a repair loan. The source does not name stair lifts, so ask whether your project qualifies.
It can if there are steps at the entry or porch. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift is often used for those steps, and we can tell you which fits after measuring.
The Colorado Home Modification Tax Credit Program offers up to $5,000 for accessibility work done between 2019 and 2028, including other areas of the home. Stair lifts are not specifically named, so call (720) 527-0836 to confirm.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
