Along the River Raisin in the City of Monroe, the Old Village Historic District and the East Elm-North Macomb Street Historic District hold blocks of early-20th-century and older multi-story homes. Out in Temperance, Dundee, Carleton, Milan and the beach communities like Luna Pier and Estral Beach, plenty of houses date to the mid-20th century or earlier, built two stories tall long before anyone wrote accessibility codes.
That history shows up on the staircase. In many of these homes, a full flight of stairs is the only way to reach the bedrooms or the bathroom. This page walks through which kind of stair lift tends to fit Monroe County homes and which programs can help with the cost.
A lot of the county's housing stock is single-family homes from an era of two-story construction. Many of those houses have one straight run of stairs between floors, which is the simplest and usually the quickest install.
In the historic districts near the River Raisin, some older homes have landings, turns or narrow stairwells. Those call for a curved stair lift built to the shape of the staircase, so we measure each one in person before recommending anything.
Split-level homes are common across the county's townships. They often have several short runs of stairs instead of one long one, and a lift may only be needed on the run that leads to the bedrooms.
Townhouses and walk-up apartments raise a different question. If the stairs are shared or the unit is rented, the owner or building manager usually has to sign off before anything is mounted. Ask early so the project does not stall.
Monroe County sits on the western shore of Lake Erie, and its shoreline at 571 feet is the lowest point in Michigan. The land is generally flat and low-lying, which makes exterior ramps physically workable on most lots.
Ramps take up yard space, though, and some porches and entry steps are better served by an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift. Winters here are milder than much of the state, with average lows of 16 degrees F and about 28.5 inches of snow a year, but an outdoor unit still needs a weather cover and a plan for clearing snow and ice.
About 18.2 percent of county residents are 65 or older, and 75.2 percent of households own their home. Many have lived in the same house for decades near employers like La-Z-Boy, the Monroe Power Plant and the Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station.
For an owner who wants to stay rather than move, a stair lift is often the change that keeps the second floor usable.
The MI Choice Medicaid Waiver and the USDA Section 504 program both list stair lifts among the modifications they fund. Each has its own eligibility rules, described in the programs below.
AgeWays, the VA grants and Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County focus on ramps and home repair, and their sources do not mention stair lifts. It is still worth a call to ask. Statewide options also include the MSHDA Property Improvement Program (PIP) and MI Coordinated Health (formerly MI Health Link). Veterans can reach the Monroe County Department of Veterans Affairs at (734) 240-3287, at 965 S Raisinville Road in Monroe.
A Medicaid program for Michigan residents 65 or older, or 18-64 with a recognized disability, who meet nursing facility level of care and Medicaid financial limits; stair lifts are listed among its home adaptations. Call (800) 803-7174 to confirm current coverage.
AgeWays serves older adults in Monroe and five other counties and connects them to home repair, ramp construction and home safety equipment providers; its page does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 852-7795 to ask whether a stair lift can be funded or referred.
A federal program for low-income homeowners in USDA-designated rural areas offering loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years and grants up to $10,000 for those 62 or older, and stair lifts for multi-story homes are listed as covered. Whether your address counts as rural has to be checked on the USDA eligibility map.
Federal grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA; the VA page describes ramps and wider doorways but does not mention stair lifts. The Monroe County Department of Veterans Affairs at (734) 240-3287 can help with an application.
A local nonprofit program that builds ramps for Monroe County veterans and offers critical repairs, subject to available funding and permits; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (734) 243-2048 to apply or ask questions.
Older adults
29508 Southfield Rd., Suite 100, Southfield, 48076
Veterans
965 S Raisinville Road, Monroe, 48166
Usually, yes. Straight staircases take a standard lift, while stairs with turns or landings need a curved lift made to fit. We measure the staircase first so the recommendation matches the house.
The MI Choice Medicaid Waiver lists stair lifts among the home adaptations it supports, for people who meet its care and financial requirements. Call (800) 803-7174 or AgeWays at (800) 852-7795 to check current coverage.
MI Choice also covers adults 18-64 who have a disability recognized by the Social Security Administration. USDA Section 504 loans have no age minimum, though its grants require age 62 or older.
It depends on the exact address. The program covers areas with populations under 35,000, and each address must be checked on the USDA eligibility map.
Call the Monroe County Department of Veterans Affairs at (734) 240-3287. Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County runs a veteran ramp program at (734) 243-2048, though it does not list stair lifts.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for porches and entry steps. With about 28.5 inches of snow a year here, plan on a weather cover and keeping the rail clear in winter.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
