Housing

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Black Hills foundation awarded $3 million for housing work

BY: - February 7, 2023

The Bush Foundation, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, is awarding more than $3 million to the Black Hills Area Community Foundation to address affordable housing problems in Rapid City, according to a news release. The award includes a $1 million grant to support a Strategic Housing Initiative, a $2 million investment in the Rapid City […]

Houses in a new development on Oct. 28, 2022, in Harrisburg. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight)

Housing money fix could clear Senate in week one

BY: - January 10, 2023

State lawmakers aim to quickly pass a bill to clear a thicket of confusion over how to get $200 million in housing infrastructure money out of state coffers and into the hands of developers. The money, initially appropriated last session, was meant to help address a 10,000-home shortage in workforce housing. But concerns over the […]

COMMENTARY
Houses in a new development on Oct. 28, 2022, in Harrisburg. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight)

Political squabbling stalls vital housing investments

BY: - January 8, 2023

The Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes and inaction by our state’s political leaders have had a dramatic negative effect on South Dakota’s real estate market. A series of interest rate hikes has caused residential sales to decline while the price per single family home is up. Additionally, the inventory of houses available for sale is […]

In November, Colorado voters passed Prop 123, which will allow 0.1% of the state income tax rate to be used to increase the affordable housing stock among other provisions to help the unhoused. This man, who was living in an encampment in Boulder last year, said he had been on a housing wait list for a long time. (Derek Miles for Colorado Newsline)

Voters embraced affordable housing initiatives. Advocates say Congress should do the same.

BY: - December 14, 2022

Voters in Colorado approved a statewide affordable housing initiative in November; while voters in nine cities across the country OK’d measures to finance the construction of affordable housing, preserve existing rental properties and support renters. But as housing costs soar, analysts and advocates say more needs to be done and argue that federal action is […]

Houses under construction on Oct. 28, 2022 in Harrisburg, SD.

$200 million for housing infrastructure in holding pattern

BY: - October 30, 2022

South Dakota developers hoping to access $200 million in infrastructure funding to fill a 10,000-home gap in workforce housing will have another winter to wait. The reason? Lawmakers passed a bill last winter intended to encourage new housing with no income restrictions, but voted to deposit the lion’s share of the money into a fund […]

Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum addresses the city's homeless task force on Oct. 24, 2022 in Carnegie Town Hall in Sioux Falls.

Street teams, ‘housing first’ among recommendations from Sioux Falls homeless task force

BY: - October 25, 2022

Street teams of social workers and volunteers would be the first to respond to panhandling and loitering if the Sioux Falls City Council heeds the advice of its homeless task force. The task force met Monday for one of its final meetings before pitching its suggestions to the council.  The group emerged earlier this year […]

The Veterans Helping Hands Project in Hot Springs will include a factory where veterans will learn building trades after completing substance abuse treatment. (Courtesy of Veterans Helping Hands Project)

Millions in housing help on the way for abuse victims, veterans and others

BY: - October 25, 2022

Victims of domestic violence, veterans, and those who’ve struggled with housing insecurity in South Dakota will soon have more options for temporary shelter thanks to federal COVID relief money. More than $7.5 million in federal funding will be split between six nonprofits with plans to refurbish or expand living spaces in Sioux Falls, Watertown, Pierre, […]