Bowie County sits in the far northeast corner of Texas, where the state meets Oklahoma and Arkansas. Texarkana, the largest city, grew from a railroad town after the Texas and Pacific Railway sold the first lots in December 1873, and its federal courthouse and post office sits right on the state line. The courthouse for the county itself is in New Boston, and families also live in Wake Village, Nash, Hooks, De Kalb, Red Lick, Maud, Redwater and Leary.
The land here is flat. Texarkana sits at 325 feet, so the stairs that give people trouble are rarely on a hillside. They are inside the house, or out front where a raised foundation puts the door several steps above the yard. That is where a stair lift earns its keep, and this page walks through which kind fits which home and where to look for help paying.
In Bowie County the need for a stair lift comes from how the house was built, not from the lay of the land. Two-story houses, split-level homes and houses on raised foundations all put steps between a person and the rooms or doors they use every day.
About 17.0% of county residents are 65 or older, and many of them live in the same homes they raised families in. A stair lift lets someone keep using the upstairs bedroom or the front door without making the climb on their own legs.
Single-family homes with one straight staircase are the simplest job. A straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, and usually goes in within a day.
Split-level homes are different. They often have short flights between levels, and a staircase that turns or has a landing needs a curved rail built to fit that exact stair. We measure before quoting anything so the rail matches the turns.
For a house on a raised foundation, the hard part may be the porch or entry steps. An outdoor stair lift is built for weather, and a vertical platform lift can work when a wheelchair has to come along. Townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings can also take a lift, but renters and owners in shared buildings should get permission from the landlord or association first.
About 54.2% of households here own their home, and that equity is often how families pay. For others, the county's median household income of about $59,803 means grants and low-interest loans matter.
The clearest match is the USDA Section 504 program, which lists stair lifts among its accessibility repairs. It serves rural areas, so the unincorporated parts of the county are more likely to qualify than central Texarkana. Other programs below cover home modifications but do not name stair lifts, so ask directly before you count on them.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts.
The larger SAH and SHA grants are for severe service-connected disabilities and do not itemize stair lifts. The Texas Veteran Service Officer at the Bowie County Courthouse, 710 James Bowie Drive in New Boston, can help file claims and sort out what applies. Call (903) 628-6816.
If you are 60 or older, or caring for someone who is, the Ark-Tex AAA at 4808 Elizabeth St. in Texarkana is a good first call at (903) 832-8636. They handle benefits counseling and referrals for Bowie County and eight neighboring counties.
Then have the staircase measured. Knowing whether you need a straight, curved or outdoor lift makes every funding conversation easier.
A Texas Medicaid waiver for people of any age with a disability that began before age 22, with up to $10,000 over a lifetime for minor home modifications. Stair lifts are not listed among the named modifications, so confirm with your Case Manager; call (877) 438-5658.
Information, care coordination and caregiver support for adults 60 and older in Bowie County and the rest of the nine-county Ark-Tex region. It does not list a stair lift or home modification grant but can refer you; call (800) 372-4464.
Federal loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older, combinable up to $50,000, for very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas. Stair lifts are covered as an accessibility modification.
A one-time state grant of up to $22,500 for Texas owners or renters with a household member who has a disability. Its listed modifications include ramps, handrails and door widening but not stair lifts; call (512) 475-3800.
A lifetime grant of $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability rating, for medically necessary changes to a veteran's home. Stair glides and porch lifts are excluded; call (800) 827-1000.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or adapt a home. Stair lifts are not listed among the examples; call (800) 827-1000.
The county office in New Boston that helps veterans and surviving spouses file VA claims, including HISA, SAH and SHA. It does not fund home modifications itself; call (903) 628-6816.
A nonprofit repair program for low-income, disabled or veteran homeowners on both sides of Texarkana, focused on exterior and code repairs; stair lifts are not listed. It recently stated it is not accepting home repair applications, so call (903) 832-1746 to check.
Older adults
4808 Elizabeth St., Texarkana, 75503
Veterans
710 James Bowie Drive, New Boston, 75570
The HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts, so ask the Bowie County veterans office at (903) 628-6816 or the VA at (800) 827-1000 about your situation.
Maybe not in central Texarkana, which may not count as rural. Surrounding unincorporated areas of the county usually do, and USDA's mapping tool confirms eligibility for a specific address.
The USDA 504 grant requires age 62 or older, but its loans do not list that age limit. The CLASS Waiver and the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program are open to qualifying people of any age, and Ark-Tex AAA serves adults 60 and older.
If the problem is the entry steps, an outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift is the usual answer. We look at the steps, the landing and whether a wheelchair is involved before recommending one.
The Amy Young Barrier Removal Program accepts renters as well as owners, and the VA HISA grant applies to rented homes. Neither lists stair lifts, and you will need the landlord's permission before any installation.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
