Nine of the ten poorest counties in the United States are in South Dakota — all of them on or adjacent to the Pine Ridge, Rosebud, Cheyenne River, and Standing Rock Sioux reservations. If you are homeless in South Dakota and you are a tribal member, that context matters enormously for where to start and who can actually help you fastest.
For everyone else: Sioux Falls has the most developed homeless services in the state by a wide margin. Rapid City sits at the edge of reservation country and serves both urban and rural tribal populations. Aberdeen, Watertown, and Pierre have limited but functional programs. Much of the rest of the state — particularly the western ranching counties — has essentially no formal homeless infrastructure beyond a county welfare office and a local church.
This guide from House for Homeless covers emergency hotel and motel voucher resources across South Dakota.
Need emergency housing in South Dakota tonight? Call 211 — available 24 hours. Veterans call 877-424-3838. Tribal members: call your tribe’s social services first (numbers below).
Tribal Members — Read This First
If you are a member of a South Dakota tribe, your tribal social services department is your strongest and fastest resource. County programs and nonprofits can supplement, but they cannot match what your own tribal government can authorize for eligible members.
Oglala Sioux Tribe (Pine Ridge) Social Services: 605-867-5824 Rosebud Sioux Tribe Social Services: 605-747-2296 Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Social Services: 605-964-4155 Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Social Services: 701-854-7201 Crow Creek Sioux Tribe Social Services: 605-245-2216 Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Social Services: 605-473-5561 Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Social Services: 605-698-3911 Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe Social Services: 605-997-3891
The homelessness situation on Pine Ridge and Rosebud is characterized less by street homelessness and more by severe overcrowding — extended families crammed into homes designed for far fewer people, with no realistic prospect of alternative housing. If this is your situation, ask your tribal social services specifically about emergency housing funds and whether the tribe has any motel voucher agreements with nearby towns.
Sioux Falls — Where Most of South Dakota’s Homeless Services Live
Sioux Falls has the largest city homeless population in South Dakota and a service infrastructure that reflects its status as the state’s economic center. If you are homeless anywhere in eastern South Dakota and you have the ability to reach Sioux Falls, the resources there are substantially better than what you will find elsewhere in the state.
Bishop Dudley Hospitality House The primary emergency shelter in Sioux Falls, serving men, women, and families.
- Phone: 605-988-3688
- Address: 701 N Cliff Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57103
- Website: dioceseofsf.org/bishop-dudley-hospitality-house
- Intake: 24 hours
Salvation Army of Sioux Falls Emergency hotel vouchers, food, and utility assistance.
- Phone: 605-336-4030 | Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Catholic Social Services (Sioux Falls) Emergency assistance including housing help for anyone regardless of faith.
- Phone: 605-988-3765 | catholicsocialsservicessd.org
Volunteers of America Dakotas Emergency housing and support services across the Sioux Falls area.
- Phone: 605-339-1999 | voa-dakotas.org
Sioux Falls YWCA (DV survivors) Emergency shelter and housing for domestic violence survivors.
- Phone: 605-339-0116 (24-hour crisis line)
Minnehaha County Social Services (TANF emergency funds)
- Phone: 605-367-4203
Rapid City — Gateway to Reservation Country
Rapid City is unique in South Dakota: it sits at the intersection of the urban economy and the reservation world, and its homeless population is disproportionately Native American — many people who have come to the city seeking services unavailable on the reservation and who have not found stable housing. The services here reflect that reality.
Rapid City CoC / Western South Dakota Community Action Coordinates homeless services in the Rapid City area.
- Phone: 605-348-0820 | wsdca.org
Cornerstone Rescue Mission The anchor emergency shelter in Rapid City, serving both city residents and people from surrounding reservation communities.
- Phone: 605-716-0001
- Address: 625 E Adams St, Rapid City, SD 57701
- Website: cornerstonerescuemission.org
- Intake: 24 hours
Salvation Army Rapid City Emergency housing assistance including hotel vouchers.
- Phone: 605-342-4769
Catholic Social Services Rapid City Emergency assistance including housing help.
- Phone: 605-348-6086
Pennington County Social Services County TANF emergency funds.
- Phone: 605-394-2280
Aberdeen, Pierre, and Smaller Cities
Outside of Sioux Falls and Rapid City, South Dakota’s cities have thin homeless service coverage. Here is who to call:
Aberdeen (Brown County) The Salvation Army at 605-225-4584 is the primary emergency contact. Brown County Social Services at 605-626-7100 administers TANF emergency funds.
Pierre (Hughes County) Pierre has limited formal services — the Salvation Army at 605-224-5669 is the main option, alongside Hughes County Social Services at 605-773-6478.
Watertown (Codington County) Codington County Social Services at 605-882-5070 is the primary government resource. Local churches — particularly Catholic and Lutheran congregations — often provide emergency hotel vouchers when county funds are unavailable.
Mitchell, Huron, Brookings Call 211 first. In most of these communities, the Salvation Army (if present), Catholic Social Services, and your county social services office are the three contacts to try in sequence.
How South Dakota’s Emergency Hotel System Actually Works
South Dakota does not have a dedicated hotel voucher program. What exists:
County Social Services administer TANF emergency assistance — this can sometimes cover a hotel stay for families with children, but it requires an active case and a specific authorization. Call your county office directly, explain you are homeless with children, and ask specifically about emergency housing authorization. Find your county at dss.sd.gov.
South Dakota Housing Development Authority (SDHDA) distributes ESG funds to local nonprofits. The actual hotel vouchers flow through organizations like the Salvation Army and Catholic Social Services, not directly from SDHDA.
Faith communities are a larger part of the safety net here than in most states. Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota (605-357-0100) operates programs statewide, and local church emergency funds — particularly in rural areas — often exist without any public listing.
For all of this: call 211 first (available 24 hours statewide) to find out what is actually funded and available in your specific area today.
Western South Dakota’s Winter Reality
Western South Dakota winters are severe. Rapid City sits at 3,200 feet elevation and temperatures routinely drop below 0°F with wind chills far lower. If you are on or near a reservation in western South Dakota during winter:
- Many shelters activate no-turn-away cold weather policies when temperatures are life-threatening
- Contact your tribal social services immediately — tribal emergency housing funds are sometimes more responsive during declared weather emergencies
- Cornerstone Rescue Mission in Rapid City operates 24 hours and is the most accessible emergency option in western SD during extreme cold
What to Do Once You Have a Placement
The moment you have a hotel room, start working on what comes next — placements rarely last more than a week.
Apply for South Dakota SNAP at dss.sd.gov or call 1-877-999-5765. With zero income you qualify for the maximum food assistance benefit and can receive expedited approval within 7 days.
Apply for South Dakota Medicaid at the same site. Healthcare and mental health coverage are critical for housing stability.
Get into coordinated entry. In Sioux Falls, call Volunteers of America Dakotas or 211. In Rapid City, call Western SD Community Action. Coordinated entry connects you to rapid rehousing and emergency rental programs — the faster you are assessed, the faster something moves.
Apply for Section 8 now — not later. Housing Authority of Sioux Falls: 605-367-8924. Understanding how the voucher process works from day one prevents common mistakes. Also worth exploring other housing assistance programs while you wait, since South Dakota PHAs have long lists.
Frequently Asked Questions
I am on a South Dakota reservation with no hotel nearby. What are my options?
Contact your tribal social services department first — numbers are at the top of this page. Some tribes have agreements with motels in nearby towns or maintain emergency housing funds specifically for this situation. If your tribe cannot help immediately, call 211 and ask whether your county social services office has emergency authorization authority for your area. In extreme cold, call 211 and state explicitly that you are in a weather emergency — this triggers different protocols.
Why is homelessness so different on South Dakota reservations?
The homelessness on Pine Ridge, Rosebud, and other South Dakota reservations is primarily hidden homelessness — not street homelessness, but severe overcrowding, with multiple families sharing homes that aren’t adequate for one. Official homeless counts almost never capture this. The structural cause is a severe housing shortage on tribal land combined with limited economic opportunity and limited access to mainstream housing assistance programs. Your tribal government’s social services and HUD tribal housing programs are the most relevant resources.
Does Sioux Falls have better resources than the rest of South Dakota?
Yes, significantly. Bishop Dudley Hospitality House, Volunteers of America Dakotas, Catholic Social Services, and the Salvation Army give Sioux Falls a service depth that no other South Dakota city comes close to matching. If you are homeless in eastern South Dakota and can get to Sioux Falls, the probability of finding emergency placement is substantially higher there. Call ahead to confirm availability — 605-988-3688 for Bishop Dudley.
Are there hotel vouchers for homeless families in South Dakota?
Yes. County Social Services offices can sometimes authorize emergency hotel placements through TANF for families with children in crisis. Call 211 and be specific that you have children — this triggers a different eligibility pathway than a single adult request. In Sioux Falls, Bishop Dudley and Catholic Social Services both serve families. Once placed, families may also qualify for rental assistance programs to avoid returning to crisis.
Are there hotel vouchers for homeless veterans in South Dakota?
Yes — call 877-424-3838 rather than the general 211 line. South Dakota has VA resources at the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System and the Hot Springs VA Medical Center, with CBOCs in Rapid City, Aberdeen, and other cities. Veteran-specific programs including HUD-VASH and SSVF rapid rehousing move faster than general homeless programs.
What is Lutheran Social Services doing for homeless people in South Dakota?
Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota at 605-357-0100 operates programs statewide and is one of the most geographically distributed homeless service organizations in the state. In rural areas where the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities have no presence, LSS may be the only private organization with emergency housing funds. Call them directly in addition to 211 — they are sometimes underpublicized relative to their actual capacity.
What about homeless youth in South Dakota?
South Dakota has limited youth-specific homeless programs outside of Sioux Falls. Volunteers of America Dakotas in Sioux Falls has programs for young adults. In Rapid City, call 211 and ask specifically for youth housing resources. The statewide 211 system can identify any youth-specific programs active in your area.
Can I get a hotel voucher without ID in South Dakota?
Many programs will work with you without identification, particularly during cold weather emergencies. Bishop Dudley in Sioux Falls and Cornerstone in Rapid City both operate with relatively low barriers. Call ahead and explain your situation — do not assume lack of ID disqualifies you. South Dakota offers free ID through the DMV for low-income residents — ask 211 or your county social services office for assistance obtaining one.