City Provides Updates on Homelessness Services Initiatives

Published on October 22, 2025

The City of Sioux Falls continues to take coordinated actions, alongside county, state, and service partners, to address homelessness across the community. Recent efforts include implementation of the new city dwellings ordinance, expanded summer outreach partnerships, and ongoing development of an extreme weather plan for the upcoming winter season.

“The work to support unhoused individuals in our community is complex and ever evolving,” said Michelle Treasure, the City’s Homelessness Services Coordinator. “Collaboration is key to progress, and we have many great service providers in the community who are doing impactful work to get people the support they need. While we have made great strides, there is always more work to be done.”

On August 19, the Sioux Falls City Council passed a new ordinance designed to address illegal encampments in public spaces. Three key provisions of the ordinance include contacting individuals before issuing a notice of violation, providing 24-hour notice before removing unoccupied dwellings, and offering short-term storage for personal belongings collected from encampment sites. This ordinance reflects the City’s commitment to connecting individuals with available resources, not simply enforcing encampment restrictions.

Throughout the summer, the City collaborated with several community partners—including the Downtown Sioux Falls Ambassadors, the South Dakota Urban Indian Health Wo’Okiye Project, and the Sioux Falls Police Department’s resource officers—to connect with individuals experiencing homelessness and provide needed support.

The City also concluded this year’s “Cash Handouts Don’t Help” campaign, which encouraged people to support local nonprofit organizations instead of giving cash directly to panhandlers. Due to its success, the campaign will return next year.

In preparation for the winter, the City worked with community partners to develop an extreme weather plan, modeled after the Kansas City “Built for Zero” initiative.

The plan is built around five key pillars:

1. Living outside is dangerous.
2. Continuous assessment of emergency shelter space is vital.
3. Wrap-around services are critical.
4. One size does not fit all.
5. Family reunification is a priority.

“Our community is united in ensuring that every person has access to safe shelter—moving people out of the cold and into warmth and stability,” Treasure said.

For more information about these initiatives and ways to get involved, visit siouxfalls.gov/homelessness.