Bell County stretches across 12 towns, from Killeen and Harker Heights near Fort Cavazos to Temple, Belton, Salado and small places like Holland, Rogers and Pendleton. Most of the housing here is newer tract development, not old multi-story houses, and that shapes what kind of stair lift a home needs.
Killeen grew up as a service center for the base, and Temple started as a railway headquarters in 1881. So a stair lift visit in this county can mean a split-level home in one town, a townhouse in another, or a duplex rented by a military family. The steps and the paperwork are a little different in each case.
The 2020 Census counted 147,599 housing units in the county, and most of them are relatively modern single-family homes. Newer construction usually means standard stair widths and solid framing, which makes a straight stair lift a fairly simple retrofit.
Split-level homes are common too. These often have short runs of stairs with a turn or landing between levels, so a curved rail or two separate straight lifts may fit better than one long rail. We measure each run before recommending either.
Townhouses and duplexes tend to have a single straight staircase, which suits a straight lift. Walk-up apartments are harder, because the stairs are often shared or outside the unit, and the building owner has to approve any change.
About 44.8% of occupied homes in the county were renter-occupied in 2020. If you rent, talk with your landlord before an assessment. Some funding, including several programs below, also requires that you own the home.
Veteran-serving resources are concentrated in Killeen, Temple and Belton, so families in the smaller towns may need to travel for appointments.
The Bell County Veteran Service Office is at 301 Priest Dr, Room 111/113, Killeen, 76541, and can be reached at (254) 933-5915. It is a good first stop for sorting out which VA grants apply to your situation.
No program below names stair lifts as a covered item, and one, the VA HISA grant, rules out stair glides by name. That does not end the conversation. Some programs leave the decision to a service coordinator or an approved adaptation plan.
For older adults, the Central Texas AAA at 2180 N. Main St., Belton, 76513, phone (254) 933-7075, can help with screening and referrals. Statewide programs worth asking about include the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR) and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver.
A Medicaid waiver benefit with a $7,500 lifetime limit for minor home modifications plus $300 a year for repairs; stair lifts are not listed as covered or excluded, so your service coordinator decides case by case. Call (877) 438-5658.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 for other eligible disabilities, for owned or rented homes; it explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities who own or intend to own the home; the source does not mention stair lifts by name. Call (800) 827-1000.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years, or grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, in USDA-eligible rural areas; stair lifts are not named in the source. Many Killeen, Temple and Belton addresses are urbanized and need individual verification.
An information and referral agency for adults 60 and older and their caregivers that does not fund home modifications directly but can screen you for STAR+PLUS and other programs. Call (254) 770-2330 or toll free 800-447-7169.
Older adults
2180 N. Main St., Belton, 76513
Veterans
301 Priest Dr, Room 111/113, Killeen, 76541
No. The VA HISA program page lists stair glides and porch lifts among its exclusions. The SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts either way, so ask about them at (800) 827-1000 or the Bell County Veteran Service Office at (254) 933-5915.
Possibly. The STAR+PLUS HCBS Waiver covers minor home modifications up to a $7,500 lifetime limit, and stair lifts are neither listed nor excluded. Your STAR+PLUS service coordinator makes the call and must add it to your service plan.
STAR+PLUS HCBS is open to people 21 and older with a qualifying disability who meet the other requirements. The AAACT services are aimed at adults 60 and older and their caregivers.
Only if the specific address is in a USDA-designated rural area. Many parts of Killeen, Temple and Belton are urbanized, so you need to check the address on the USDA eligibility site. The program is also for homeowner-occupants only.
Not always. Split-level homes often have short runs with a landing, which can call for a curved rail or two straight lifts. We decide after measuring the stairs.
You will need your landlord's approval for any installation. For funding, the VA HISA grant applies to rented primary homes, but it excludes stair glides, while SAH, SHA and USDA Section 504 require ownership or intent to own.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
