Tyler, the Smith County seat, has eight National Register historic districts plus two local overlay districts, among them the Brick Streets Historic District and the Azalea Residential Historic District. Many of the older homes in those neighborhoods were built before the single-story ranch house became the norm, so the bedrooms are often upstairs.
Out past Tyler, in Whitehouse, Lindale, Bullard, Troup, Arp, Winona and the other towns across the county, the ground rolls instead of lying flat. Split-level and multi-story homes are common on those lots. That mix of old staircases and hillside floor plans is why a stair lift is often the simplest way to keep living in a home you already know.
Most homes in the county fall into a few types: single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses, split-level homes and walk-up apartments. Each one points toward a different kind of lift.
A single straight run of stairs, common in townhouses and many detached houses, usually takes a straight stair lift. These mount to the stair treads, not the wall, so the staircase itself stays intact.
Older two-story houses in Tyler's historic districts often have landings, turns or narrow stairways. Those call for a curved lift with a rail built to the shape of the staircase. In a walk-up apartment, the landlord or building owner will need to approve any installation first.
Smith County covers about 950 square miles of rolling East Texas terrain, and Tyler sits at 499 feet. On sloped lots, a split-level house can put a short flight of stairs between every part of daily life, plus steps up from the driveway or yard.
Short interior flights in a split-level can often be handled with a straight lift on each run. Steps outside to a porch or entry need an outdoor lift, and for a wheelchair user a platform lift may be the better fit.
Outdoor equipment here has to handle a lot. The mean daily July high is about 93.1°F, the area gets about 47.66 inches of rain a year, and winter can bring hard freezes. The record low is -6°F, set on Feb. 16, 2021. Any lift mounted outside should be rated for heat, humidity and freezing weather.
The rules here are specific and worth knowing before you apply.
The VA HISA benefit explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it will not pay for a stair lift. The larger SAH and SHA housing grants cover home modifications for qualifying severe disabilities, but stair lifts are not named on the VA's list. The Smith County Veteran Services Office at 3212 West Front Street in Tyler, (903) 590-2950, can help a veteran sort out which benefits apply.
None of the programs available to Smith County residents names stair lifts as a covered item. Several cover home modifications or accessibility work in general, so it is worth asking each one directly before you buy.
For adults 60 and older, the Area Agency on Aging of East Texas is a good first call. Its office at 3800 Stone Rd. in Kilgore can be reached at (903) 984-8641, or call (800) 442-8845. Medicaid-eligible adults 21 and older who need nursing-facility level care may qualify for minor home modifications through STAR+PLUS.
Homeowners with lower incomes can ask Habitat for Humanity of Smith County about its Critical Repairs Program. Statewide, you can also ask about the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR) and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver. Each program is summarized below.
A Texas Medicaid waiver for adults 21 and older who need nursing-facility level care. It lists minor home modifications as a covered service, but stair lifts are not named and no dollar limit is published, so ask your STAR+PLUS service coordinator or call (877) 782-6440 or 2-1-1.
Information, referral, benefits counseling and care coordination for adults 60 and older in a 14-county region that includes Smith County. It is not an equipment fund and does not list stair lifts, but it can screen you for whatever repair help is currently available; call (800) 442-8845.
A Tyler-based disability resource organization at 719 West Front Street offering skills training, advocacy, peer mentoring, information and referral, and transition services. Its published services do not include home modifications or stair lifts; call (903) 581-7542 to ask about current referrals.
Grant-funded critical repairs for homeowners who live in the home full-time, own no other property and have household income generally below 80% of the $98,800 area median family income figure the program lists. Accessibility work like ramps and grab bars is part of its scope, but stair lifts are not named, so call (903) 595-6630 to ask.
A VA benefit for home accessibility changes, with a $6,800 lifetime maximum for service-connected disabilities and $2,000 for other qualifying disabilities. The VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it does not cover a stair lift.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying severe disabilities who own or will own their home, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA. Modifications like ramps and wider doorways are covered, but stair lifts are not named specifically.
Older adults
3800 Stone Rd., Kilgore, 75662
Veterans
3212 West Front Street, Tyler, 75702
Often, yes. Older multi-story homes in districts like the Brick Streets Historic District and the Azalea Residential Historic District frequently have turns or landings, which usually means a curved lift with a custom rail. An in-home assessment shows what your staircase needs.
It needs to be rated for it. Summers here average a July high of about 93.1°F, rain runs about 47.66 inches a year, and the county has seen a record low of -6°F. Choose outdoor equipment built for heat, humidity and hard freezes.
The HISA benefit does not; the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. SAH and SHA grants cover home modifications for certain severe disabilities, though stair lifts are not named. The Smith County Veteran Services Office at (903) 590-2950 can help you check.
The Area Agency on Aging serves adults 60 and older. STAR+PLUS starts at age 21 for Medicaid-eligible adults who need nursing-facility level care, and it lists minor home modifications as a covered service. Habitat for Humanity's Critical Repairs Program is based on homeownership and income, not age.
For adults 60 and older, the East Texas AAA in Kilgore at (903) 984-8641 is a practical starting point. Veterans can start with the Smith County Veteran Services Office in Tyler. Medicaid members in STAR+PLUS should talk to their service coordinator.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
