PIERRE, S.D. – Today, the South Dakota Housing & Development Authority (SDHDA) returned $81.5 million in unused Emergency Rental Assistance funds to the federal government. Governor Noem wrote to Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury Adewale Adeyemo to support returning the funding. She also asked that $18 million of the funds be redirected to South Dakota tribes.

“South Dakota has the strongest economy of any state in the nation,” wrote Governor Noem. “Our unemployment rate stands at 2.6%. We are leading the nation in personal income growth. Fewer than 2,500 South Dakotans are receiving unemployment benefits, and there are nearly 30,000 job openings statewide. With our low cost of living, low taxes, and high rates in-migration to our state, our state’s population – and our GDP – has experienced historic growth over the last two years.”

“As a result, the millions of dollars in rental assistance that the federal government provided to our state are simply not necessary. Our renters enjoy something even better than government hand-outs: a job,” Governor Noem continued.

The Governor asked that nearly $18 million of the funds be redirected to South Dakota’s tribes after three of the state’s tribes identified a need for additional assistance for their members. Those needs include:  

• $14.6 million to the Oglala Sioux Tribe;
• $1.7 million to the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe; and
• $1.7 million to the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe.

You can find Governor Noem’s letter here.