For Immediate Release: January 3, 2023
For More Information: Lorraine Polak, 773-3181

Statewide Homeless Count 

PIERRE – On Jan. 24, 2023, South Dakota Housing for the Homeless Consortium (SDHHC), an affiliate of South Dakota Housing Development Authority (SDHDA), will conduct its annual statewide Point-In-Time (PIT) homeless count.

The Point-In-Time homeless count is an important source of annual data, providing characteristics of people who are experiencing homelessness. Data from the annual PIT homeless count is used to measure homelessness on local, state, and national levels. PIT count data helps policy makers and communities measure progress, identify strengths and gaps in services, increases public awareness of homelessness, and enhances system planning and responses. The PIT count is not a perfect instrument but it is our primary tool for showing unmet need in our communities.

With the help of volunteers across the state, SDHHC will conduct a count of homeless persons within the geographic area of South Dakota. To be effective, SDHHC divides the state into six count areas. There are coordinators in each area who will be working with agencies and volunteers to conduct the PIT count. Coordinators and their areas are listed below. If you have been involved with the count in the past, or would like to be involved, please contact the individuals in your area for more information on training and organization plans for communities.

• City of Sioux Falls; Suzy Smith – suzanne.smith@augie.edu Augustana Research Institute, 605-274-5010
  
  
• Rapid City & Region 1; Bennet, Butte, Corson, Custer, Dewey, Fall River, Jackson, Haakon, Harding, Lawrence, Meade, Pennington, Perkins, Ziebach, Oglala Lakota counties; Amy Richie – amy.richie@voanr.org Volunteers of America-Northern Rockies (VOA-NR), 605-341-8336
  
  
• Region 2; Beadle, Brown, Campbell, Day, Edmunds, Faulk, Hand, Hughes, Hyde, Marshall, McPherson, Potter, Roberts, Spink, Stanley, Sully, Walworth Contact: Yvette Heesch – yvette@growsd.org  Grow South Dakota, 605-698-7654
  
  
• Region 3; Aurora, Bon Homme, Brule, Buffalo, Charles Mix, Clay, Davison, Douglas, Gregory, Lyman, Mellette, Sanborn, Todd, Tripp, Union, Yankton, Hanson, Hutchinson, Jerauld, Jones counties; Angela Waldner – awaldner@rocsinc.org Rural Office Community Services, (ROCS), 605-487-7634
  
  
• Region 4; Minnehaha, Grant, Deuel, Codington, Hamlin, Clark, Kingsbury, Brookings, Miner, Lake, Lincoln, Moody, McCook, Turner counties. Wendy Barrett – wbarrett@interlakescap.com Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership (ICAP), or 605-692-6391 ext. 28
  
  
• Veterans Affairs (VA) staff will collect information for VA programs.
  
  
  • West River: Andrew Havens andrew.havens@va.gov 605-490-2794
    
    
  • East River: Kristy Anderson kristy.anderson438@va.gov 605-336-3230 ext. 6938.

-30-

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.