Walk the 138 acres of the Olde Towne Historic District, bounded by Crawford Parkway, London Street and the Elizabeth River, and you see stairs everywhere. Many of the Federal and Greek Revival townhouses here are 'basement houses,' where the main living floor sits above a ground-level entry. That stepped layout is one of the most common reasons Portsmouth families call about a stair lift.
Outside the historic core, the city's homes run from single-family houses and duplexes to townhouses, row houses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. Each one puts the stairs in a different spot, so the right lift depends on the house in front of us, not a catalog page. Below is how the local housing lines up with lift types, and where to look for help paying.
The 89 contributing buildings in Olde Towne date from the colonial era through the early 1900s, in Federal, Greek Revival, Queen Anne, Late Victorian and Romanesque Revival styles. In a basement house, getting from the front door to the kitchen and bedrooms means climbing, often more than once a day.
These homes can need more than one solution. Steps from the street entry to the main floor may call for an outdoor lift, while the interior staircase up to bedrooms may be straight or may turn at a landing. A staircase that turns usually needs a curved rail built to fit it.
Row houses and townhouses tend to have long, narrow staircases between floors. When the run is straight with no landing turn, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest fit.
Duplexes and walk-up apartments add a question of who owns the stairs. If the stairway is shared or you rent, the building owner will need to agree before anything is installed. Where a staircase is too tight for a seat, or a wheelchair user needs to change levels, a platform lift is worth discussing at the home visit.
Portsmouth has a population of 97,299, and 15.2% of residents are 65 or older. About 56.9% of households own their homes, which matters because most grants and every permanent install start with the owner's approval.
Veterans have a few extra funding avenues, covered below, though not every VA grant pays for stair lifts.
The program that most clearly names lifts is the Virginia Housing accessibility grant family. It lists chairlifts as a covered modification, pays up to $10,000, and has separate tracks for homeowners, veterans and service members, and renters. Income limits are tied to area median income, and applications go through a Virginia Housing-accepted agent.
Other sources are less direct. The CCC Plus waiver pays for environmental modifications but its member guide does not name stair lifts. The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, and the SAH and SHA grants do not mention them. The Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit (LHTC) and the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority (ATLFA) are other statewide programs worth asking about.
If you are not sure where to begin, Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia at (757) 461-9481 and Endependence Center, Inc. at (757) 461-8007 can point you to resources. Veterans can reach the Portsmouth Benefits Office at (757) 953-6205, at 620 John Paul Circle, Building 3, 7th Floor.
A state Medicaid waiver benefit that pays up to $5,000 per household per year for home modifications, resetting each July 1, for enrolled participants who need nursing-facility or hospital level of care. Its member guide lists ramps, wider doorways, bathroom changes and grab bars, but does not mention stair lifts.
State grants of up to $10,000 for homeowners, veterans and service members, and renters, with income limits of 60% or 80% of area median income depending on the track, and chairlifts are listed as covered. Applications go through a Virginia Housing-accepted agent; call (877) 843-2123.
A VA benefit of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime, depending on disability status, for permanent structural changes approved through the VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service. It does not cover stair lifts; the VA specifically excludes stair glides.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026, for large structural adaptations. The program description does not mention stair lifts.
The area agency on aging for Portsmouth and neighboring cities and counties, offering referral and care coordination rather than direct funding; stair lifts are not listed among its services. Call (757) 461-9481.
A nonprofit center for independent living serving people with disabilities in the Norfolk and South Hampton Roads region, including Portsmouth, that keeps an updated list of home modification funding resources for renters and homeowners. It does not mention stair lifts specifically; call (757) 461-8007.
Older adults
2551 Eltham Avenue, Suite Q, Norfolk, 23513
Veterans
620 John Paul Circle, Building 3, 7th Floor, Portsmouth, 23708
Often, yes. These homes put the main living floor above a ground-level entry, so the plan may include an outdoor lift for the entry steps and an indoor lift for the staircase inside. We look at both during the home visit.
The Virginia Housing Accessibility Grants list chairlifts as a covered modification, with up to $10,000 available. You apply through a Virginia Housing-accepted agent, and you can call (877) 843-2123 to start.
The Rental Unit Accessibility Modification grant from Virginia Housing serves renters with income at or below 60% of area median income, up to $10,000. You will also need your landlord's permission before any installation.
Not through HISA, which specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts. Veterans with income at or below 80% of area median income can look at Virginia Housing's Granting Freedom grant, which covers chairlifts, and can contact the Portsmouth Benefits Office at (757) 953-6205.
The CCC Plus environmental modifications benefit pays up to $5,000 per household per year, but its member guide does not name stair lifts. Ask your waiver contacts directly before counting on it.
Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia at (757) 461-9481 handles referrals for older adults in Portsmouth. Endependence Center, Inc. at (757) 461-8007 keeps a list of home modification funding resources.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
