2023 Statewide Homeless Count
On Jan. 24, 2023, South Dakota Housing for the Homeless Consortium (SDHHC), an affiliate of South Dakota Housing (SDHDA) conducted its annual Point-In-Time and Housing Inventory Count (PIT-HIC). The Count is a census and estimate of all households experiencing homelessness in South Dakota. The 2023 Count revealed that 1,282 individuals were experiencing homelessness in South Dakota on that night.
Local organizations with the assistance of volunteers carried out count activities on the local level. SDHDA, as the lead agency for the SDHHC, collected and finalized this data in order to complete the mandatory submission to the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.
The PIT-HIC is part of the ongoing systems management that SDHHC completes to track statewide progress towards addressing homelessness. PIT-HIC data is key to future funding formulas and informs the decision-making process of resource allocation and program management.
While the final number of the 2023 Count is lower than 2022, this does not necessarily represent an overall decrease in the number of South Dakotans experiencing homelessness. The 2023 Count was not able to receive data from key communities and programs that are not mandated to report. Programs and regions with consistent PIT-HIC submissions show an overall increase in the number of households experiencing homelessness.
Of the 1,282 homeless individuals counted:
1,282 persons were counted compared to 1,389 in 2022, a decrease of 8 percent;
76 percent were adults over the age of 24, 16 percent were children under 18, and 8 percent were young adults 18 to 24 years of age;
73 percent of those surveyed were sheltered on the night of the count and 27 percent of those surveyed were unsheltered on the night of the count;
Additional information and numbers specific for Sioux Falls and Rapid City can be found at housingforthehomeless.org.
Homelessness is defined by HUD as anyone who is:
Living in an emergency shelter, domestic violence shelter, or in a transitional housing program dedicated to homeless households; or
Living in a motel/hotel that is being paid for by a governmental entity including Tribes, or charitable organization assisting homeless; or
Sleeping outside, in cars, vans, tents, or in public or private places not meant for human habitation such as a park toilet; or
Sleeping situations in homes, buildings, RVs, or campers without one or more of these items: heat, functioning toilet, place for bathing, place for preparing food, working connection for water or sewer, or electricity are places not meant for human habitation.
About SD Housing for the Homeless Consortium
In 2001, the South Dakota Housing for the Homeless Consortium was created to help unify the people who provide services to the homeless. Throughout the years, this group has been able to identify gaps and create programs and services that make it easier for people to make it on their own. Since its initiation, the consortium has received federal funding totaling over $31 million to provide development, operations and supportive services to a variety of homeless programs across the state.
For more information:
Please submit written media inquiries to Joseph Tielke at joseph@sdhda.org.