39° and Clear
MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Coon Rapids Launches Home Accessibility Grants for Seniors, With Applications Opening at October 22 Workshop
COON RAPIDS, MN (October 18, 2026). Coon Rapids is launching a home accessibility grant program that could help older homeowners pay for smaller improvements intended to make everyday movement around their homes easier.
The Home to Stay pilot offers grants of up to $2,500 to qualifying residents age 65 and older. Properties must be owner-occupied, but the city has established no income limits. Participation is limited to 50 recipients.
Residents will have their first opportunity to submit an application during a free workshop Thursday, October 22, at 4 p.m. at the Coon Rapids Civic Center, 11155 Robinson Drive. The session will explain the program and application process.
A Program Focused on Smaller Changes
The grants may cover grab bars, handrails, lever-style doorknobs, accessible thresholds and raised toilets. Those improvements address specific household features that can become more difficult to use as residents age.
The program does not cover ramps, walk-in showers or larger home modifications. Homeowners considering a substantial bathroom renovation or a new exterior ramp should therefore review the exclusions before assuming their project qualifies.
The distinction matters because the program has both a financial ceiling and a limited scope. It is designed to support certain accessibility improvements, rather than provide a general home renovation allowance.
Residents should ask city staff about their proposed work and the application requirements before making purchasing or installation decisions.
Accessibility and Independent Living
The program’s focus overlaps with federal recommendations for reducing hazards in older adults’ homes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends grab bars around bathing areas and toilets, railings on stairs, adequate lighting and removal of items that create tripping hazards.
The CDC also emphasizes that preventing falls involves more than modifying a building. Its guidance includes discussing fall risk with a health care provider, reviewing medications, checking vision and maintaining strength and balance. Home improvements are one part of that broader effort.
Falls can threaten an older person’s ability to continue living independently. The CDC identifies falls as the leading cause of injury death among adults 65 and older, while emphasizing that many falls can be prevented. These national findings provide context for the types of improvements Coon Rapids is offering to support; they do not establish outcomes for the new local pilot.
Where Residents Can Get Information
Homeowners interested in the pilot can contact Kristin DeGrande, the city’s housing programs coordinator, at 763-767-6517 or kdegrande@coonrapidsmn.gov.
The city’s Home to Stay program page lists eligibility information, covered improvements and workshop details. The October 22 session is the announced starting point for applications, with awards limited to the pilot’s 50 recipients.
STAY CONNECTED TO MINNEAPOLIMEDIA
Local stories matter. Subscribe free to MinneapoliMedia and receive independent news, community reporting and important updates from Minneapolis, the North Metro and communities across Minnesota.
SUBSCRIBE FREE: https://minneapolimedia.town.news/subscribe
MinneapoliMedia | Community. Culture. Civic Life
