Warren County was established in 1813, and you can see that history in its housing. The Fredella Street Historic District in Glens Falls and the Warrensburg Mills Historic District hold homes built long before anyone wrote an accessibility code. Many are multi-story 19th- and early-20th-century houses with narrow interior staircases.
Out past the village cores, the county climbs into the eastern Adirondack Mountains, toward Gore Mountain at 3,198 feet. Homes in Chester, Johnsburg, Thurman and Stony Creek often sit on sloped lots with raised entries. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift and where Warren County families can look for help paying for one.
Narrow staircases in older houses in Glens Falls, Warrensburg and Lake George are where we get the most requests for interior stair lifts. A straight staircase with no landing is usually the simplest install. The rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster and original trim stay as they are.
Older homes often have a turn, a landing or winder steps partway up. Those need a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs. We measure the width at the tightest point, because a narrow stair has to leave enough room for anyone else in the house who still walks it.
Warren County covers 932 square miles, and much of it is mountainous and rural. Split-level homes and houses with raised front entries are common, especially on sloped lots. In these homes the first barrier is often the short run of steps between levels or up to the door, not the main staircase.
A short interior run can take a straight lift. Outside steps exposed to Adirondack weather need an outdoor-rated stair lift. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift that carries the chair may be the better fit than a seat.
Not everyone in Queensbury or Glens Falls North lives in a single-family house. Townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings all show up across the county. A townhouse owner can usually decide on a stair lift alone, while a shared stairwell in a walk-up or low-rise building needs the landlord or association to agree first.
Ownership matters for funding too. About 72.4% of households here own their homes, and some programs below require the applicant to own and live in the home, while others accept renters.
About 23.1% of Warren County residents are 65 or older, so many families here are working out how a parent can stay in a house with stairs. Adult children often start the call after a fall or a hospital stay makes the stairs a daily problem.
The VA has its own grants, and one of them specifically excludes stair glides, so veterans should read the program notes below before applying. Warren County Veterans' Services in Lake George can be reached at (518) 761-6342.
The clearest public route for a stair lift is New York's NHTD Medicaid waiver, whose source lists stair lifts and vertical lifts as a covered environmental modification. It is tied to Medicaid, an approved service plan and a nursing-facility level of care.
For people who are not on Medicaid, the local starting point is the Warren-Hamilton Counties Office for the Aging at 1340 State Route 9 in Lake George, (518) 761-6347. Other programs below fund home repairs or accessibility work, but their sources do not name stair lifts, so ask each one directly before counting on it.
A statewide New York Medicaid waiver whose environmental modifications explicitly include stair lifts and vertical lifts for people who cannot use stairs safely; it requires active Medicaid and an approved service plan. Call (718) 922-9200.
Non-medical in-home services for Warren County residents age 60+ who are not eligible for Medicaid, with a current waiting list; the source does not mention stair lifts, but the office can refer you toward NY Connects and waiver applications. Call (518) 761-6347.
A state grant for disability-related modifications such as ramps, lifts, handrails, doorway widening and roll-in showers, for households at or below 80% of area median income (120% for war-disabled veterans); stair lifts are not named, and a currently funded local administrator for Warren County was not confirmed.
Rural very-low-income homeowners can get a 1% loan up to $40,000, and those 62+ a grant up to $10,000; the source lists accessibility features like ramps or walk-in showers but does not name stair lifts, so check your address with USDA's eligibility tool.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary structural changes, which explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it does not cover a stair lift.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH or $25,350 for SHA on a permanent home in FY2026; the source does not mention stair lifts specifically.
A no-cost 30-90 day loan of equipment like wheelchairs and walkers from SAIL's Queensbury office; stair lifts are not listed, but staff can help with Medicaid waiver routes for longer-term needs. Call (518) 792-3537.
Furnace, insulation and other energy and housing repair measures for income-eligible Warren or Hamilton County households, renters included; the source does not list stair lifts or accessibility work. Call (518) 793-0636.
Older adults
1340 State Route 9, Lake George, 12845
Veterans
1340 State Rt. 9, HSB, Lake George, 12845
It can through the NHTD waiver, which lists stair lifts and vertical lifts as a covered environmental modification. You need active New York Medicaid, an approved service plan and a documented medical need. The program phone is (718) 922-9200.
No. The HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Warren County veterans can call Warren County Veterans' Services at (518) 761-6342 to ask about other VA options.
The Warren County Office for the Aging runs EISEP for residents 60 and older who are not Medicaid-eligible. It funds in-home services rather than stair lifts and has a waiting list, but the office can point you toward other programs. Call (518) 761-6347.
Short runs between levels can often take a straight stair lift. Steps up to a raised outdoor entry need an outdoor-rated lift, and a wheelchair user may need a platform lift instead.
The Section 504 program is limited to USDA-designated rural areas, and much of the county outside the City of Glens Falls may qualify. Eligibility is checked address by address with USDA's online tool, and the source does not name stair lifts as a covered project.
SAIL in Queensbury lends equipment such as wheelchairs and walkers for 30-90 days at no cost, with no insurance or prescription needed. Stair lifts are not on its list. Call (518) 792-3537.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
