Central Pasco has a lot of early-to-mid 20th century houses, and many of them still have their original interior staircases. Out in West Pasco the subdivisions are newer, and farther out are Connell, Basin City and Mesa. The stairs we see in these homes vary a great deal, and so does the lift that fits them.
Franklin County sits on the flat river plain of the Columbia Plateau, between the Columbia and Snake Rivers. The level ground keeps many outdoor approaches simple. It does nothing about a steep flight of stairs inside an older two-story house, and that is usually where a stair lift becomes the deciding factor in staying home.
A single straight flight, common in many traditional two-story homes, usually takes a straight stair lift. The rail runs along one side of the stairs and is anchored to the treads, not the wall. Installs like this tend to be the most direct.
Split-level homes are different. They often have short runs between levels, sometimes with a turn or a landing, and that can mean a curved rail or more than one lift. We measure each flight before recommending anything.
Townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings bring a question of permission as well as fit. If you rent, or the stairs are shared, talk with the owner or building management before planning an install.
Because the county is mostly flat, many homes have only a few steps up to the porch or entry. Even a few steps can be the hardest part of leaving the house. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can handle that entry, and a platform lift is the usual choice for someone who uses a wheelchair.
Pasco sits in the rain shadow of the Cascade Range, with a windswept, semi-arid climate and little precipitation. Equipment that lives outside here should be rated for outdoor use and covered when not in use.
The county's population of 86,841 skews young, with 9.6% of residents age 65 or older. A smaller senior population can mean fewer people around you who have already been through this, so knowing where the local help is matters more.
Owning the home makes most modification programs easier to use, and veterans have their own set of VA grants to check, though not all of them pay for stair lifts.
Of the programs below, the Northwest Access Fund is the only one whose own page names stairlift installation. It is a loan of up to $60,000 with terms up to 120 months, not a grant.
The other programs either do not mention stair lifts or, in the case of the VA HISA grant, exclude stair glides outright. Some, like COPES and the Washington State Home Rehabilitation Grant Program, decide what they fund case by case, so it is worth asking. The Franklin County ADRC at (509) 412-1013 is the local starting point for getting connected to COPES, HRGP and other funding.
You can also reach ALTC Southeast Washington at (509) 735-0315, 3311 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite D-100, Kennewick 99336. Veterans can visit Franklin County Veterans Resources at 1016 N. 4th Avenue, Pasco 99301, or call (509) 737-3987.
Federal grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, with SAH up to $126,526, SHA up to $25,350 and TRA up to $50,961 or $9,100 (FY2026). The VA's page gives ramps and wider doorways as examples and does not mention stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000.
A medically necessary home modification grant with a lifetime cap of $6,800 or $2,000, depending on the disability. It explicitly excludes stair glides, porch lifts and portable ramps, so it will not pay for a stair lift.
An Apple Health waiver for people who meet nursing-facility level of care but want to stay home; it can fund modifications that support health, safety and independence, set case by case in the plan of care. The rule does not name stair lifts; call (855) 567-0252.
A repair grant for homeowners in rural-designated areas at or below 200% of Federal Poverty Level, 80% of Area Median Income, or 60% of State Median Income, with priority for seniors, people with disabilities and veterans. It includes improvements for households experiencing disabilities but does not list stair lifts; call Benton Franklin Community Action Connections at (509) 545-4052.
A nonprofit loan of up to $60,000 over as long as 120 months for Washington, Oregon and Idaho residents with disabilities, including seniors with age-related limitations, and it lists installation of stairlifts. The interest rate is set by the Board and can change monthly; call (206) 328-5116.
Very-low-income homeowners in USDA-designated rural areas can get loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years, and those age 62+ may get grants up to $10,000 to remove health and safety hazards. Stair lifts are not mentioned, and rural eligibility must be checked for each address.
Free energy-efficiency work such as insulation, air sealing and furnace tune-ups for low-income renters and homeowners. Accessibility changes like stair lifts are not mentioned; call (509) 545-4042.
An information, referral and case management office for older adults and adults with disabilities, not a direct cash benefit. It is the local starting point for reaching COPES, HRGP and other modification funding; call (509) 412-1013.
Older adults
3311 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite D-100, Kennewick, 99336
Veterans
1016 N. 4th Avenue, Pasco, 99301
The Northwest Access Fund lists installation of stairlifts among its home modification loans. It lends up to $60,000 with up to 120 months to repay, and you can reach it at (206) 328-5116.
The HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH, SHA and TRA grants do not name stair lifts, so ask the VA directly at (800) 827-1000 or stop by Franklin County Veterans Resources at 1016 N. 4th Avenue in Pasco.
Yes. The USDA Section 504 program and the Washington State Home Rehabilitation Grant Program both serve rural-designated areas, and much of the county outside the Pasco urban core may qualify. Neither names stair lifts, and USDA eligibility has to be confirmed for your specific address.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants up to $10,000 to homeowners age 62+ who cannot repay a loan and need to remove health or safety hazards. Its materials do not mention stair lifts, so confirm before counting on it.
The COPES waiver is built for that situation and can fund environmental modifications set through the plan of care. It does not name stair lifts, so start with the Franklin County ADRC at (509) 412-1013 to arrange an assessment.
Call the Franklin County ADRC at (509) 412-1013. It connects Franklin County residents to COPES, HRGP and other modification funding.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
