Lamar County stretches across 907 square miles of Northeast Texas along the Red River and the Oklahoma border. Paris is the county seat, and the smaller towns of Reno, Blossom, Powderly, Deport and Roxton round out the six communities we plan for. A little over half of residents live in urban areas, mostly in Paris, while 47.5% live in the rural parts of the county.
Most homes here are single-family detached houses, 18,054 of the roughly 20,700+ housing units. Somewhere around 35-40% were built before 1980, including 3,737 from the 1970s alone. Houses from that era often have interior stairs or a raised entry, and those are the homes where a stair lift tends to make the biggest difference.
A straight stair lift fits a single, uninterrupted flight. That covers many older two-story single-family homes and some townhouses, and it is usually the simplest install.
Split-level homes are different. They often have several short flights with landings between them, so the choice comes down to a curved rail that follows the turns or separate straight lifts on each run. We measure every flight before recommending one approach.
Ranch-style homes may have no inside stairs at all, but a raised entry can still keep someone from getting in and out safely. For those steps, an outdoor lift or a platform lift is often the better fit, especially if a wheelchair or walker is involved.
That veteran share matters because it opens the door to VA programs, though those programs have limits on what they pay for, covered below.
About 54.3% of households own their home. Owners can install a lift on their own schedule. If you rent a townhouse or a walk-up apartment, talk with the property owner first, since a lift attaches to the stairs.
Living in Paris or out in the countryside changes which programs you can apply to. Much of Lamar County outside Paris city limits counts as a USDA-eligible rural area, which brings federal home-repair loans and grants into play for very-low-income homeowners.
Income is a real concern for many families here. Median household income was $61,880 in 2024, below both the national and Texas averages, and the poverty rate is about 19% compared with 12.5% nationally. That is why it helps to check every program before paying out of pocket.
None of the programs listed below name stair lifts as a covered item, so plan on asking each one directly. Some fund home modifications in general, some only offer referrals, and one VA grant specifically excludes stair glides.
A good first call is the Ark-Tex AAA at (903) 832-8636, located at 4808 Elizabeth St., Texarkana 75503. Veterans can visit the Lamar County Veterans Service Officer at 231 Lamar Avenue, Room 101, Paris 75460, or call (903) 737-2484.
Statewide, it is also worth asking about the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR), the STAR+PLUS Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver, and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
Provides information and referral, care coordination and benefits counseling for people 60 and older and family caregivers in the nine-county Ark-Tex region, including Lamar County. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed, so use it as a starting point for referrals by calling (800) 372-4464.
A state Medicaid program for recipients age 21 and older who need home and community-based services, with benefits set by an individual care plan and income and asset limits. Stair lifts are not listed as a covered item.
Enrolled CLASS waiver participants can request minor home modifications through their case manager, up to $10,000 over a lifetime, with 3 competitive bids required for items over $1,000. Stair lifts are not named among covered items.
Very-low-income rural homeowners can get loans up to $40,000 at a fixed 1% rate over 20 years, and homeowners 62+ can get grants up to $10,000 for removing health and safety hazards. Stair lifts are not listed, so ask the USDA at (800) 414-1226 whether your project qualifies.
Pays for medically necessary home modifications, with a $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime maximum depending on disability status, and requires VA Form 10-0103. The VA source states HISA will not pay for removable equipment such as porch lifts and stair glides.
For veterans with severe service-connected disabilities, offering up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA), usable up to 6 times over a lifetime. Stair lifts are not specifically named as a covered adaptation.
A nonprofit center that serves Lamar County with advocacy, information and referral on topics like adaptive equipment, peer support and independent living skills, not direct cash grants. Stair lifts are not listed; call (936) 544-2811.
Older adults
4808 Elizabeth St., Texarkana, 75503
Veterans
231 Lamar Avenue, Room 101, Paris, 75460
The Ark-Tex Area Agency on Aging serves people 60 and older and family caregivers. Texas STAR+PLUS serves Medicaid recipients age 21 and older, and the Crockett Resource Center for Independent Living serves individuals with disabilities.
The HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides as removable equipment. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so ask the Lamar County Veterans Service Officer at (903) 737-2484 before you count on VA funding.
Possibly. Lamar County has USDA-eligible rural areas outside Paris city limits, where very-low-income homeowners may qualify for Section 504 repair loans or, if 62 or older, grants. Call (800) 414-1226 to ask whether a lift counts as a health and safety fix.
Yes, an outdoor lift can handle exterior steps at a raised entry. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may be the better choice.
Usually. Split-level homes often have short flights with landings, so we either use a curved rail or install straight lifts on each run, depending on the layout.
The Ark-Tex AAA at (903) 832-8636 can help sort out benefits and referrals. Veterans should also contact the Lamar County Veterans Service Officer in Paris at (903) 737-2484.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
