SOUTH DAKOTA WORKING TO ELIMINATE HUNGER & HOMELESSNESS

( Pierre) – January’s statewide homeless survey identified 1,029 homeless individuals. A total of 785 adults and 244 children were counted.

Only 19 individuals were found living in cars or on the street. Although this may seem like great success, the agencies performing the survey are quick to point out that the rest of those counted have no permanent home either, and they stress that one-fourth of them are children.

With 143 adults living in hotels; 240 living temporarily in shelters; and 328 living in transitional housing where they are receiving intense social services and training to prepare them to live independently, South Dakota still has some work to do.

The 1-day, point-in-time survey, performed on January 25, 2005, attempted to eliminate duplication which may have been encountered previously with individuals traveling from one community to another and counts being performed at different times in different locations.

“It is important to note that the total number of homeless counted and the total number reflected as unsheltered can vary substantially day by day,” said Vona Johnson, Coordinator for the Housing for the Homeless Consortium. “Situations change often for people whose lives are affected by homelessness; the numbers reflected in this count are just a snapshot of the situation.”

The low number of those totally without shelter may relate to the January weather in South Dakota or it may reflect some of the progress made by the 30 entities which have received a total of $7 million in federal funding for Homeless and Emergency Shelter Grants since the statewide Housing for the Homeless Consortium was organized.

Two thirds of the adults counted statewide were single individuals. Nearly twenty percent were single parents. Married couples with or without children accounted for less than ten percent. About half of those counted ranged from 15 years to 35 years old, and half were 36 years and older.

“Almost half of the adults surveyed are employed by various means, including day labor,” Johnson said. “To us this is an indication that people are willing to work, but may need job or life skills training or other services and supports to allow them to improve their life situation so they can sustain housing in today’s market.”

Of those contacted statewide on January 25, 444 adults actually took time to complete the survey, which was conducted by representatives of and volunteers for the South Dakota Housing for the Homeless Consortium, Goodwill Industries, and the Black Hills Homeless Coalition. An additional 341 adults, who made contact with surveyors and were counted, chose not to complete the survey.

The information gathered from the surveys completed is critical in assisting State and local agencies and officials to identify and apply for resources to assist the homeless and at-risk populations. Oftentimes, individual assistance and direct case management are critical in helping these folks turn their lives around.

Nearly half of the adults surveyed responded that this was the only time they had been homeless in a three-year period. Another 15 percent had been homeless twice in the last three years and a quarter of them had been homeless three or more times in the last three years.

It is probably not surprising that housing was identified as the greatest need by those surveyed, followed by the need for medical/dental care, housing placement services, transportation, job skills training, and food or food stamps.

“It is also important to note that there was limited participation in the count in areas outside of Sioux Falls and Rapid City,” commented Johnson. “In the future, we want to use this as a stepping stone to get more communities involved, giving us a clearer picture of the severity of homelessness statewide.”

The Housing for the Homeless Consortium was created in 2001 to unite all who work to provide shelter, jobs, food, education, health care and private or public support to those who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. The primary focus of the group is to identify gaps in mainstream programs and services that make it difficult for people to make it on their own. Sometimes it is as simple as sharing information between nonprofit and public providers on programs and services that are already available, but not well publicized.

President Bush has challenged agencies nationwide to work together and better coordinate services and housing resources to end homelessness by 2012.

Since its inception, the Statewide Consortium has received grants totaling $5.3 million from the HUD Continuum of Care Program to provide development, operating, and supportive service funding to a variety of homeless programs. In January, $1.7 million was awarded for a new permanent supportive housing program for the chronic homeless with disabilities in Rapid City, a Homeless Management Information System to simplify the intake process for people accessing services, and the renewal of several programs in Sioux Falls and other areas of the State.

Additional information about homelessness in South Dakota and the programs to assist those who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless can be found at the Consortium’s website at www.housingforthehomeless.org. All who are interested in getting involved in improving the system and providing needed services to the homeless and at-risk population are encouraged to email lisab@sdhda.org or call (605) 773-3181 to obtain information regarding the next Housing for the Homeless meeting.

 

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Note to reporters: Please find attached the January 25, 2005, homeless count demographics.

 

 

South Dakota Homeless Count Demographics

January 25, 2005

 

Demographic	Statewide*	Minnehaha County	Pennington County
Total Homeless (adults only)	785	418	302
Total Homeless Children	244	157	53
Total Male (adults)	499	300	175
Total Female (adults)	264	118	106
Race - White	215	145	60
Race - Native American	125	68	52
Race - Hispanic	13	8	5
Race - African American	14	12	2
Race - Other	4	2	2
Age - 15-25 years old	92	76	13
Age - 26-35 years old	100	55	37
Age - 36-45 years old	120	65	51
Age - 46-55 years old	87	46	37
Age - 56 and over	28	12	16
Families - Single Parents	86	62	6
Families - Married Couple/No Children	19	14	6
Families - Married Couple/With Children	16	16	0
Episodes of Homelessness - 1 time in 3 years	206	125	67
Episodes of Homelessness - 2 times in 3 years	70	46	24
Episodes of Homelessness - 3 times in 3 years	37	24	10
Episodes of Homelessness - 4 times or more	72	30	40
Income - SSDI	56	28	27
Income - Veteran's Benefits	10	5	4
Income - Unemployment Insurance	11	6	5
Income - SSI/Retirement	6	6	0
Income - Food Stamps	58	43	9
Income - Child Support	10	10	0
Income - Employment	198	102	85
Income - Relatives	20	15	3
Income - Nothing	63	45	15
Individuals that served in the Military	79	41	37
Individuals registered with the VA	57	30	26
*Since the response from counties outside of Minnehaha and Pennington was limited, those numbers are included in the statewide totals for homeless adults and children only. Also there were individuals within Pennington and Minnehaha that did not answer every question.
Contact Betty Durfee, Goodwill Industries, for information on Sioux Falls and Surrounding Areas (605) 731-1932
Contact Barb Garcia, Black Hills Homeless Coalition, for information on Rapid City (605) 394-4181
Contact Vona Johnson, South Dakota Housing Development Authority, for information on statewide numbers (605) 773-4567

 

 

 

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