Statewide Homeless Count to be Conducted in January

Pierre – On Jan. 23, 2024, the South Dakota Housing for the Homeless Consortium (SDHHC), an affiliate of South Dakota Housing, will conduct its annual statewide point-in-time (PIT) homeless count. The PIT Count is a national one-day census and estimate of all people experiencing homelessness and fleeing domestic violence.

The PIT is an important source of annual data, providing characteristics of people who are experiencing homelessness. Every year this data 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 the primary tool for showing unmet need in our communities. To help prepare for the count, a virtual Town Hall and training for those wanting to be involved is being held on Dec. 18, 2023, at 3 p.m. CST. To request an invite, please email joseph@sdhda.org.

Volunteers across the state help SDHHC conduct the count of those experiencing homelessness. To be effective, SDHHC divides the state into six count areas with local coordinators in each area who work with agencies and volunteers to conduct the PIT Count. Coordinators and their areas are listed below. We urge communities and projects to contact their local coordinator to inquire as to how they can participate. Federally-funded homeless programs are required to participate in the PIT.

• City of Sioux Falls; Suzy Smith, smith@augie.edu, Augustana Research Institute, or 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, richie@voanr.org, Volunteers of America-Northern Rockies (VOA-NR)
• Region 2; Beadle, Brown, Campbell, Day, Edmunds, Faulk, Hand, Hughes, Hyde, Marshall, McPherson, Potter, Roberts, Spink, Stanley, Sully, Walworth counties. Yvette Heesch, yvette@growsd.org, Grow South Dakota
• 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. Melissa Johnson, mjohnson@rocsinc.org, Rural Office of Community Services (ROCS)
• Region 4; Minnehaha, Grant, Deuel, Codington, Hamlin, Clark, Kingsbury, Brookings, Miner, Lake, Lincoln, Moody, McCook, Turner counties. Jamie Kessler, jkessler@interlakescap.com, Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership (ICAP)
• Veterans Affairs (VA) staff will collect information for VA programs.
  • West River contact Andrew Havens, havens@va.gov, 605-490-2794
  • East River contact Kristy Anderson, Anderson438@va.gov, 605-336-3230 ext. 6938.

In 2001, the South Dakota Housing for the Homeless Consortium was created to help unify the people who provide services to the homeless. Since its initiation, the consortium has received federal funding totaling over $33 million to provide development, operations and supportive services to a variety of homeless programs across the state.