Task force unveils $1.5M, ‘action-driven’ plan to fight homelessness in Sioux Falls

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash.com

Sioux Falls’ latest attempt to get a handle on homelessness in the city could come with a seven-figure price tag for taxpayers.

A 13-member panel that spent the summer and fall studying options to reduce the number of transients in South Dakota’s largest metropolitan area will formally recommend nearly $1.5 million worth of initiatives and programming next week.

The Sioux Falls Homeless Task Force’s proposals include a street-outreach team, the creation of a grant program for nonprofits, public education and more housing opportunities.

“This provides very tangible things that the city can do in this specific moment in time. It doesn’t provide an ongoing strategic plan, but for this moment in time, it’s what we could initiate,” city councilor and task force chairman Rich Merkouris told The Dakota Scout Friday. “It’s very tactical, action-driven.”

Here’s a look at what the City Council and Mayor Paul TenHaken will be asked to get behind:

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