South Dakota Housing Awards $2.18 million to assist homeless, domestic violence victims

South Dakota Housing’s Board of Commissioners awarded $2.18 million to assist South Dakotans who are homeless, at-risk of homelessness or fleeing domestic violence or human trafficking by financing the development of emergency housing and providing financial assistance for support services.

The $2.18 million dollars in HOME-American Rescue Plan funding is in addition to the previously announced, competitively awarded $5.7 million.

HOME-American Rescue Plan is one-time funding, which was appropriated under the HOME Program through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The primary purpose is to provide funding to assist those who are homeless and other vulnerable populations through capital investment for affordable rental housing, non-congregate shelter and supportive services.

In Watertown, the recipients of the HOME-American Rescue Plan include Watertown Cares, which will received an additional $86,000 for the acquisition and rehab of an existing facility to transform the 10 short-term rental units into eight non-congregate shelter units, each equipped with their own bathroom and kitchenette. The facility will serve homeless families and individuals.

And the Watertown Cares Supportive Services will receive $225,500 in additional funding for case management and direct financial assistance, such as rental and utility deposits, rental arrears, rental and utility assistance and application fees for clients.