Longview was founded in 1921 by timber baron Robert A. Long and the Long-Bell Lumber Company, and much of it was built out by 1934 in Georgian-revival, Tudor, and craftsman styles. That means a lot of houses in Longview, Kelso, and nearby towns are 90 to 100+ years old, with bedrooms upstairs and a single staircase connecting the floors.
Outside the Longview-Kelso area, homes in places like Castle Rock, Kalama, Woodland, and Ryderwood sit on hillier rural lots along the Cowlitz, Kalama, Lewis, and Toutle Rivers. This page walks through how those homes affect the kind of stair lift you need, and where people in the county can look for help paying for one.
The traditional two-story floor plans in Longview's early neighborhoods often have one straight run of stairs from the front hall to the bedrooms. A straight stair lift is usually the simplest fit for that layout, since the rail mounts to the stair treads rather than the wall.
Houses this old can have narrow staircases, tight landings, or doors near the top or bottom step. We measure the width, the clearance at each end, and the condition of the treads before recommending a model, because a century-old staircase does not always match modern assumptions.
Postwar suburban development added split-level homes and townhouses across the county. These often have short flights broken up by landings, or stairs that turn partway up.
When a staircase changes direction, a curved stair lift with a custom-bent rail is usually the answer. In some split-level homes, two separate straight lifts on two short flights can also work, depending on how the levels connect and where the person spends most of the day.
About 33% of county residents live in rural, hillier areas, compared with about 67% in urban areas, mostly around Longview and Kelso. On a steeper lot, the hardest stairs may be outside: porch steps, a sloped walk, or stairs down to a garage.
Outdoor stair lifts are built to handle weather on exterior steps. Where someone uses a wheelchair or cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may make more sense than a seated stair lift. We look at the whole path from the driveway to the main living floor before suggesting either one.
About 18.9% of Cowlitz County residents are 65 or older, and 57.7% of households own their homes. Many longtime homeowners here came from mill and manufacturing work and now live on fixed or moderate retirement incomes.
That matters because some veterans can use VA housing grants, and the Cowlitz County Veterans Service Center in Longview at (360) 200-4611 can help sort out which benefits apply.
Only one program listed below, the Northwest Access Fund, explicitly names stair lift installation as something it finances, through low-interest loans of up to $60,000 with terms up to 10 years. The other local programs focus on home repair, accessibility, or in-home care and do not list stair lifts by name, so call and ask directly.
Statewide options to ask about include the COPES Waiver (Community Options Program Entry System), Community First Choice (CFC), VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics), and the Senior Citizens & People with Disabilities Property Tax Exemption. The AAA & Disabilities of Southwest Washington office at 1338 Commerce Avenue, Suite 309, Longview, (360) 694-8144, is a good first call to figure out which ones fit.
Information, referral, and in-home assistance for older adults, adults with disabilities, and family caregivers in Cowlitz or Wahkiakum County; its materials do not list stair lift or home modification funding. Call (360) 577-4929 to ask about home-safety referrals and Medicaid waiver intake.
The state intake point in Kelso for Medicaid long-term-care and in-home waiver services for residents who are aged, blind, or disabled; the source does not say whether stair lifts are a covered benefit. Call (360) 501-2540 and confirm with an assigned case manager.
A state grant for health, safety, and durability repairs for low-income homeowners in eligible rural parts of Cowlitz County, including improvements for households experiencing disabilities, though stair lifts are not named. Call Lower Columbia CAP at (360) 762-3222.
Exterior repair and accessibility work such as ramps, rails, walkways, and porch repair for homeowner-occupants at or below 65% of Area Median Income, with priority for residents age 60+, people with disabilities, and veterans; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (360) 425-6177.
A non-profit low-interest loan of up to $60,000 with up to a 10-year term for people of any age with a disability, including seniors with age-related limitations, and it explicitly covers stair lift installation. Call (206) 328-5116.
Federal grants for veterans with specific service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026; the VA describes ramps and wider doorways and does not name stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
A Longview community action agency offering housing repair, weatherization, energy assistance, and senior services to low-income Cowlitz and Wahkiakum County residents; stair lifts are not listed. Call (360) 425-3430 for current program details.
Older adults
1338 Commerce Avenue, Suite 309, Longview, 98632
Veterans
1005 Fir St, Longview, 98632
Often yes, since many of these 90 to 100+ year old homes have a straight run of stairs. We check the stair width, landings, and nearby doors first, because older staircases can be narrow or tight at the top.
The Northwest Access Fund is the one program in our list that explicitly finances stair lift installation, through loans of up to $60,000 with up to a 10-year term. Call (206) 328-5116.
A Brush with Kindness from Cowlitz County Habitat for Humanity gives priority to residents age 60+, though it focuses on exterior work like ramps and rails and does not mention stair lifts. The HRGP through Lower Columbia CAP serves low-income rural homeowners and covers disability-related improvements.
Rural properties often need help with outside steps as much as inside ones. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift may fit, and we look at the full route from the driveway into the house.
Call the Cowlitz County Veterans Service Center at 1005 Fir St in Longview, (360) 200-4611. Staff can explain VA housing grants and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics), or you can reach the VA at (800) 827-1000.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
