Homeless Advisory Board

What Poverty and Homelessness Looks Like in Sioux Falls…

In September 2007, the Statewide Homeless Count identified 1,026 homeless people in the State of South Dakota – 648 of them live right here in Minnehaha County.
For the first time, doubled-up numbers were also counted. Doubled up means that people are living together – either related or non-related – out of economic necessity, not because they want to. The point in time survey found that 593 people admitted to living doubled-up statewide, and 274 live in Sioux Falls.
During the 2007-2008 school year, 820 students in the Sioux Falls School District were identified as homeless at some point, which is up from 669 students the previous year.
2008 Federal Poverty Guidelines for a family of 4 is $21,200, but the Median Income in Sioux Falls for a family of 4 is $65,100.
In April 2008, 6,933 students or 35.3% of the total school population were on free or reduced meals. This is an increase of 3.3% from last year – the largest increase was in the free lunch category. To qualify for free meals, a family must be below the federal poverty guideline.
The Banquet served 3,157 MORE meals to children in 2007.
Volunteers of America, Dakotas Bowden Youth Center averages 60 meals an evening.
Causes of homelessness are varied but can include domestic violence, mental health issues, catastrophic illness, unemployment, substance abuse, and a lack of affordable housing.
Housing is deemed affordable when it is about 30% of a person’s income.
Fair market rent in 2008 for an efficiency unit in Sioux Falls is $486.
A two-bedroom apartment is $653. A family member earning minimum wage of $5.85/hour would have to work 80 hours or more a week to be able to afford that apartment.
Often times the difference between being housed and being homeless is the support network that is available – both familial/friend and in the community – how it responds or has set up a safety net to prevent homelessness.
The Homeless Advisory Board endorses the nationwide concept of Housing First which is premised on the notion that housing is a basic human right, and as such should not be denied to anyone, even if they are abusing alcohol or other substances. There is no one standard of permanent supportive housing that is proven to work best with the homeless population. Each category of homelessness - chronic, family, dually-diagnosed, chemically dependent - requires creativity in service provision. What they do have in common include an apartment, case management, medical and mental health care in some capacity. Success is defined in a variety of ways but the three most decisive are: housing retention, harm reduction, and expense.

Across the United States…

The average age of a homeless person in the United States is 7 (yes, 7).
The typical homeless family is a single, 20-year-old mother with two preschool children.
During the course of one year, over 1.35 million children across the United States are homeless.
Close to 700,000 people are homeless on any given night in America.
Children under the age of 8 are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population now comprising over 50%.
Statistically, 10% of any city’s homeless population can be considered chronically homeless.

Board Information