Refugio County spreads across 771 square miles of flat Gulf Coast prairie, with the county seat of Refugio and smaller communities like Woodsboro, Tivoli, Bayside and Austwell. Most homes here are older, modest single-family houses on low-density lots, and plenty of them sit a few steps up from the ground.
That raised entry is often where trouble starts. A porch with several steps, a split-level layout, or a home rebuilt after Hurricane Harvey can all call for a different kind of lift. This page walks through what fits local homes and which programs may help cover the cost.
The housing here is mostly single-family homes, ranch-style homes, split-level homes and some low-rise buildings. A one-story ranch may have no indoor staircase at all, so the real barrier is usually the steps at the front or back door.
Split-level homes are different. They often have short flights between levels, and a straight stair lift can work on each run if the stairs are a single straight line. Where a staircase turns or has a landing, a curved rail is built to follow that shape.
For entry steps, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift is the usual answer. A platform lift can carry a wheelchair, which a seat-style lift cannot.
Hurricane Harvey made landfall near the county in August 2017 and caused widespread damage to homes. The county's recovery effort included repair grants, a Direct Housing Program that placed survivors in mobile homes and travel trailers, and the Partial Repair and Essential Power Program (PREPS) for temporary repairs.
That means a good share of homes have been repaired, replaced, or are aging since the storm. Before choosing a lift, it is worth looking closely at the steps, railings and footing at each door, since a lift needs solid stairs or a stable base to mount on.
The climate is humid subtropical, with about 37 inches of rain a year. Any lift mounted on a porch or exterior steps will face that moisture, so an outdoor-rated model and a plan for covering it make sense.
Refugio sits roughly 35 miles north of Corpus Christi, and many larger services are based there. For rural households, that distance is one more reason to get the measurements and the product choice right on the first visit.
Veterans in particular should check VA programs early, since the rules on stair lifts differ from one grant to the next.
Many households own their homes, which matters because several programs below are limited to homeowners or need the owner's approval for changes.
The median household income in the county is $60,181 and the median property value is $99,000, so many seniors on fixed incomes will look at grants or low-interest loans before paying out of pocket.
None of the programs listed below names stair lifts outright as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Most cover home modifications or accessibility changes in general, so the decision comes down to your individual plan or application. A good first call for seniors is the Area Agency on Aging of the Coastal Bend, and for veterans, the Refugio County Veterans Service Office.
A Texas Medicaid managed-care waiver for adults 21 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care, with minor home modifications among its services. Stair lifts are not named, so coverage depends on your service plan and managed-care approval; call (877) 782-6440.
A Medicaid waiver for Texans with an intellectual disability or a related condition that began before age 22, which lists minor home modifications among its services. Stair lifts are not itemized; call (855) 937-2372.
A TDHCA grant of up to $22,500 for households at or below 80% of Area Median Family Income that include a person with a disability, open to owners and renters. Listed items include ramps, handrails and wider doorways, but stair lifts are not named; call (512) 936-7799 to find the administrator serving Refugio County.
Loans up to $40,000 at a fixed 1% interest rate and grants up to $10,000 (up to $15,000 in a presidentially declared disaster area) for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants limited to those at least 62 years old. Accessibility changes are approved work, but stair lifts are not specifically named; confirm property eligibility with USDA Rural Development.
A lifetime VA grant for medically necessary structural changes, up to $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status. It does not cover stair lifts: the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts; call (361) 526-4413 for local help.
VA grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) lifetime for FY2026, to buy, build or adapt a home. Stair lifts are not itemized among covered adaptations; call (800) 827-1000.
The local office for VA claims, appeals and benefits advice for county veterans and their families; it does not fund stair lifts or home changes itself. It is the place to start a disability rating that could lead to HISA or SAH/SHA eligibility; call (361) 526-4413.
Free information, referral and application help for adults 60 and older, people with disabilities, veterans and caregivers in Refugio County, including Housing Navigation Services. It does not list a stair lift program, but it is a good place to ask about current in-home accessibility help; call (361) 883-3935.
A nonprofit center for people with disabilities in the Coastal Bend that lists home modification programs among its services from its Corpus Christi office. It does not say which modifications are covered, so call (361) 883-8461 to ask about stair lifts and service in Refugio County.
Older adults
2910 Leopard St., Corpus Christi, 78408
Veterans
808 Commerce Street - Room 100, Refugio, 78377
Not through the HISA grant, which explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants fund home adaptations for certain severe service-connected disabilities but do not name stair lifts. The Refugio County Veterans Service Office at 808 Commerce Street - Room 100 in Refugio, (361) 526-4413, can help with claims and next steps.
Yes. The Area Agency on Aging of the Coastal Bend serves adults 60 and older in Refugio County and offers free referral and application help at (361) 883-3935. The Coastal Bend AAA office is at 2910 Leopard St., Corpus Christi, 78408, phone (361) 883-5743.
Grant funds under the USDA Section 504 program require the homeowner to be at least 62 years old, have very low income and be unable to repay a loan. The grant must be repaid if the home is sold within 3 years of the grant agreement.
Often the barrier is the steps at the door rather than a staircase. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can handle entry steps, and a platform lift can carry a wheelchair.
It can. Many homes in the county were repaired, replaced or have aged since the 2017 storm, so the steps, railings and footing should be checked before a lift is mounted.
Split-level homes usually have short flights between levels. A straight stair lift fits a straight run, and a curved lift is used where the stairs turn or have a landing.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
