Hall County sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with Lake Lanier forming part of the Gainesville shoreline. Between Gainesville, Flowery Branch, Oakwood, Lula, Clermont and Gillsville, the hilly, wooded ground puts a lot of houses on sloped lots, and sloped lots tend to mean split levels, basement stairs and steps up from the driveway.
More than half of the county's residents live in unincorporated areas rather than inside a town. If you are helping a parent stay in a house out on a country road or a lake lot, the stairs inside and the steps outside both matter. This page walks through what kind of lift fits local homes and which programs in the area may help with the cost.
Hall County is in the upper Piedmont, where the land rolls toward the Chattahoochee River and Lake Lanier on the west side and the Upper Oconee River on the east. That terrain is why so many homes here are built into a hill, with a garage or basement on one level and the main living space above.
A single straight flight between two floors is the simplest case and usually takes a straight rail. Stairs that turn at a landing, wrap around a corner or split in two directions need a curved rail built to fit that staircase. On a hillside lot, the steps from the driveway or down toward the water may call for an outdoor lift rated for weather.
Most housing here is single-family homes, along with townhouses, split-level homes, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. Split-level homes are common on sloped ground and often have short flights of six or seven steps between levels, which can each take a short straight lift.
Townhouses usually stack living space over two or three floors, so the main question is whether the bedroom stairs run straight or turn. In walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings, a shared stairway belongs to the owner or association, so get permission in writing before anyone plans an installation. For someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a vertical platform lift at an entrance can be a better answer than a chair on a rail.
That second number is worth noting, because veterans have their own offices and benefit rules, covered below.
The 2020 census recorded 76,865 housing units in Hall County with a 69.1 percent owner-occupancy rate. Owning the home matters because several aid programs only pay for changes to a home the applicant owns and lives in.
Cost is a real question here. The 2010 census put Gainesville's median household income at $38,119, with about 29.1 percent of the city's population below the poverty line, so many families look for help before paying out of pocket.
None of the local programs listed below name stair lifts as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Some do fund accessibility changes or home modifications in general, so ask each one directly whether a lift can be considered for your situation.
Two good first calls are the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission AAA at 4080 Mundy Mill Road in Oakwood, (770) 538-2650, and, for veterans, the Gainesville Veterans Field Service Office of the Georgia Department of Veterans Service at 311 Green St. NW in Gainesville, (770) 531-6060. Statewide options also include the Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP), the Credit-Able Loan Program, the Community Care Services Program (CCSP) and the SOURCE Waiver.
This Older Americans Act program provides up to $2,000 per household, with a possible maximum of $3,500, for repairs and accessibility modifications for adults 60 and older with an impairment that limits daily activities; stair lifts are not named in the source. Call Legacy Link at (855) 266-4283.
A state grant for people with disabilities who own and live in the home, covering work such as ramps, roll-in showers and widened doorways; stair lifts are not mentioned. Hall County residents apply through the Disability Resource Center in Gainesville, and the program number is (770) 270-6860.
This nonprofit at 615 F Oak Street in Gainesville offers home modifications and assistive technology services for people with disabilities, though it does not say whether stair lifts are included. Call (770) 534-6656.
A Medicaid waiver that helps older adults and people with disabilities stay at home instead of a nursing home; the source does not list whether home modifications or stair lifts are covered. Call (404) 656-4507 or ask your case manager.
A lifetime benefit of $6,800 or $2,000 for veterans with a medical need for home improvements, covering items like entrance access, ramps and bathroom changes; the VA page lists stair glides and porch lifts as not covered. Call (800) 827-1000.
Grants for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026; the VA gives ramps and widened doorways as examples and does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
4080 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood, 30566
Veterans
311 Green St. NW, Gainesville, 30501
The Legacy Link home modification program is for adults 60 and older. The Home Access Program and the Disability Resource Center in Gainesville serve people with disabilities without that age limit, so a younger person with a disability can start with the Disability Resource Center at (770) 534-6656.
The VA HISA grant page lists stair glides as not covered. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either way, so a veteran with a qualifying service-connected disability should ask the VA at (800) 827-1000 or the Gainesville Veterans Field Service Office at (770) 531-6060.
Not always. Split-level homes often have short straight flights between levels, and each can take its own straight rail. If a flight turns at a landing, a curved rail built for that stair is the usual answer.
Yes, outdoor lifts are made for exterior steps and weather. On sloped Lake Lanier or foothill lots, we look at the full run of steps and the footing before recommending a model.
The Georgia Mountains Regional Commission AAA is at 4080 Mundy Mill Road in Oakwood. You can reach them at (770) 538-2650.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
