Housing is the first domino. Without a confirmed address, parole and probation supervision in South Dakota cannot begin, employment cannot start, and benefits cannot be accessed. South Dakota's parole and probation officers require an approved address before release is authorized. The housing search begins before the gate opens.
South Dakota releases approximately 2,000 people from state prisons annually. The state's transitional housing network is primarily faith-based and nonprofit-operated, concentrated in Sioux Falls. A 2026 governor-appointed Correctional Rehabilitation Task Force is reviewing programs and the Council of State Governments Justice Center has recommended creating a unified rehabilitation and reentry division within SDDOC. Families should plan early and use the DakotaAtHome statewide resource directory (dakotaathome.sd.gov) as their primary search tool.
The Housing Landscape in South Dakota
South Dakota Department of Corrections (SDDOC, doc.sd.gov) has a Reentry Council established by executive order that includes a statewide Reentry Workgroup to identify services and gaps, and Reentry Task Forces in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. The Reentry Council coordinates among state agencies, community-based organizations, and parole/probation to support returning citizens in areas including housing, substance abuse, medical and mental health services, education, and employment.
SDDOC does not operate a large state-run halfway house network. Transitional housing flows primarily through nonprofit and faith-based providers. Placement in community-based programs is coordinated through the parole or probation officer.
DakotaAtHome (dakotaathome.sd.gov): South Dakota's statewide 211-style resource directory. Families can search this site by service type ("Ex-Offender Halfway Houses" or "Transitional Housing") to find programs near the intended release address. This is the most comprehensive statewide self-service tool for reentry housing navigation in South Dakota.
Sioux Falls -- primary transitional housing providers:
Volunteers of America Dakotas (voadakotas.org) operates multiple reentry and transitional housing programs in Sioux Falls. The Berakhah House (400 N. Western Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57104; 605-332-4017) is a VOA Dakotas transitional housing facility. Other VOA Dakotas locations in Sioux Falls serve individuals with a range of housing and reentry needs (826 West 2nd Street; 1401 West 51st Street; 1310 51st Street; 605-357-0990).
Kingdom Boundaries Prison Aftercare provides transitional housing for up to 20 males in Sioux Falls. The organization works alongside Cornerstone Prison Church (a prison congregation in Sioux Falls) and Livingstone Prison Church (a prison congregation in Springfield, SD). Typically, a meeting happens with the individual before release; the program can also help people who are already released if space is available. Services include help finding employment, clothing, and furniture.
Women's transitional housing of up to 20 women is provided by a nonprofit working alongside the Kingdom Boundaries program network, specifically serving women coming out of incarceration and helping them find employment, clothing, and furniture.
Genesis Program / St. Francis House (1301 E. Austin Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57103; 605-334-3879): Ecumenical emergency shelter and transitional housing; case management; employment assistance; independent housing; addiction recovery; money management.
Salvation Army Sioux Falls (1017 N. Sherman Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57103; 605-338-6649): Transitional housing program for men and women.
Stephen's House: Faith-based aftercare program where mentors connect with people while still incarcerated prior to release, providing accountability and a faith-based environment for three to twelve months post-release.
Oxford House Sioux Falls: Oxford House Meta (719 N. Duluth Ave, women, 9 beds) and Oxford House Deacon (2509 S. Van Eps Ave) provide peer-run, self-supporting sober living in Sioux Falls. Oxford Houses are accessible without a corrections referral.
For tribal members, the U.S. Attorney's Offices for the Districts of North and South Dakota partnered with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to establish a reentry program on the reservation, with trained tribal mentors supporting people returning from incarceration. Tribal members releasing to reservation communities should ask their parole officer and tribal social services about available support.
For federal inmates, the Bureau of Prisons coordinates RRC placement for South Dakota federal inmates. The District of South Dakota U.S. Attorney's Office operates a reentry program. Federal RRC placement is coordinated by the BOP unit team beginning 17 to 19 months before the projected release date. Under the First Step Act, earned programming credits can result in RRC placement up to 12 months before release. Families do not apply to federal RRCs directly.
Federal Restrictions on Public and Subsidized Housing
Federal law divides criminal history restrictions on federally assisted housing into mandatory lifetime bans and discretionary bans. Both apply in South Dakota.
Mandatory lifetime bans apply regardless of which South Dakota housing authority is involved:
Anyone subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex offender registration program is banned from admission to public housing and most HUD-assisted programs. This is federal statute and no South Dakota housing authority can waive it.
Anyone convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine on federally assisted property is permanently barred from all HUD-assisted housing.
Certain drug-related convictions carry mandatory restrictions depending on the specific program and conviction type, though PHAs retain some discretion in this category.
Discretionary bans apply to all other criminal history. South Dakota PHAs may consider criminal history but are not required to impose blanket denials. HUD guidance from 2016 encourages individualized assessment. South Dakota PHAs vary in how broadly they apply discretionary standards. The Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8) is administered locally, so the specific policy depends on which South Dakota PHA covers the relevant area.
South Dakota has no statewide fair chance housing law limiting private landlord or PHA use of criminal history beyond the federal framework.
For Families
If anyone in the family lives in public or subsidized housing, this section requires immediate attention before release.
Adding a returning family member with certain criminal convictions to a household in public or HUD-assisted housing can constitute a lease violation and result in termination of the voucher or eviction of the entire household. Families in public housing must contact their specific housing authority before the person comes home. The conversation happens before release, not after.
For families in private rental housing, South Dakota has no statewide fair chance housing law. Landlords may use criminal history in tenant screening without state restrictions.
South Dakota's transitional housing is concentrated in Sioux Falls. Returning citizens releasing to Rapid City, rural areas, or reservation communities will have fewer options and should rely more heavily on the parole officer and DakotaAtHome (dakotaathome.sd.gov) for referrals. In Rapid City, the Reentry Task Force provides coordination.
What families can do before release:
Contact the housing authority immediately if anyone in the household lives in public or subsidized housing. Get the specific policy before the person arrives.
Contact the SDDOC parole officer about housing referrals and community-based program options.
Search DakotaAtHome (dakotaathome.sd.gov) for transitional housing options near the intended release address.
For Sioux Falls men: contact Kingdom Boundaries Prison Aftercare (pre-release contact is typical) and Volunteers of America Dakotas (605-357-0990).
For Sioux Falls women: contact the women's transitional housing program through Kingdom Boundaries' network and VOA Dakotas.
For tribal members: contact tribal social services and the U.S. Attorney's Office reentry program for the District of South Dakota.
Contact the Helpline Center (helplinecenter.org) in Sioux Falls for comprehensive local resource navigation.
Call 211 South Dakota (dial 211 or sd211.org) for housing referrals and reentry services by county.
Confirm all housing with the assigned parole or probation officer. An approved address is required before release.
State Resources
SDDOC Reentry (doc.sd.gov/about/reentry): Reentry Council; Reentry Workgroup; Reentry Task Forces in Sioux Falls and Rapid City; community coordination.
DakotaAtHome (dakotaathome.sd.gov): Statewide 211-style resource directory; searchable by service type including transitional housing and reentry services.
Volunteers of America Dakotas (voadakotas.org): Transitional housing including Berakhah House (400 N. Western Ave, Sioux Falls; 605-332-4017); multiple Sioux Falls locations.
Kingdom Boundaries Prison Aftercare: Men's transitional housing (up to 20) in Sioux Falls; pre-release contact typical; employment, clothing, furniture assistance.
Genesis Program / St. Francis House (1301 E. Austin Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57103; 605-334-3879): Ecumenical transitional housing; case management; employment and addiction recovery.
Salvation Army Sioux Falls (1017 N. Sherman Ave; 605-338-6649): Transitional housing program.
Oxford Houses Sioux Falls: Oxford House Meta (719 N. Duluth Ave, women); Oxford House Deacon (2509 S. Van Eps Ave); peer-run sober living.
Helpline Center (helplinecenter.org, Sioux Falls): Comprehensive local resource database; reentry navigation.
211 South Dakota (sd211.org; dial 211): Free statewide referrals to housing, reentry services, shelter, and emergency assistance by county.
South Dakota Legal Aid (sdlegalaid.org): Free civil legal assistance for eligible low-income South Dakotans, including housing rights.
Frequently asked questions
Can a felon get into public housing in South Dakota?
It depends on the conviction type and the specific South Dakota housing authority. Federal law mandates lifetime bans from HUD-assisted housing for people subject to lifetime sex offender registration and for people convicted of meth production on federally assisted property. Outside those mandatory bans, South Dakota PHAs have discretion to consider criminal history but are not required to impose blanket bans. Policies vary across South Dakota's housing authorities. Contact the specific PHA in the relevant city or county for their current policy.
What are the federal housing bans for felons?
Two are mandatory everywhere: (1) lifetime sex offender registration bars admission from HUD-assisted housing, and (2) conviction for manufacturing meth on federally assisted property is a permanent bar. Beyond those, PHAs have discretion to consider other criminal history but are not required to impose blanket bans. HUD guidance from 2016 discourages blanket denials and encourages individualized assessments considering the offense, time elapsed, and evidence of rehabilitation.
Can my family lose Section 8 if my person moves in?
Yes. Allowing a person with a disqualifying criminal history to reside in a Section 8 or public housing unit can constitute a lease violation and result in termination of the voucher or eviction of the entire household. Contact the housing authority before the person comes home. The conversation with the PHA happens before release, not after.
How does transitional housing work in South Dakota?
South Dakota does not operate a large state-run halfway house network. Transitional housing flows through nonprofit and faith-based providers in Sioux Falls and other communities. Key Sioux Falls providers include Volunteers of America Dakotas (Berakhah House), Kingdom Boundaries Prison Aftercare (up to 20 men), Genesis Program/St. Francis House, Salvation Army, and Oxford Houses. For women, the Kingdom Boundaries network operates parallel women's transitional housing. Stephen's House provides faith-based aftercare with pre-release mentor connections. For federal inmates, BOP coordinates RRC placement beginning 17 to 19 months before release; under the First Step Act, programming credits can result in placement up to 12 months before release.
What reentry housing exists in Sioux Falls?
Sioux Falls has South Dakota's strongest concentration of reentry housing. Volunteers of America Dakotas operates Berakhah House (400 N. Western Ave; 605-332-4017) and multiple other locations. Kingdom Boundaries Prison Aftercare provides men's transitional housing (up to 20) with pre-release contact through prison church partnerships. The women's counterpart provides transitional housing for up to 20 women. Genesis Program/St. Francis House (1301 E. Austin St; 605-334-3879) provides ecumenical transitional housing and case management. Salvation Army (1017 N. Sherman Ave; 605-338-6649) provides transitional housing. Oxford House Meta and Oxford House Deacon provide sober living. The Helpline Center (helplinecenter.org) maintains a comprehensive database of all Sioux Falls reentry resources.
How does federal RRC placement work in South Dakota?
The BOP unit team begins reviewing federal inmates for RRC eligibility 17 to 19 months before the projected release date. Federal RRC placement for South Dakota inmates is coordinated by the applicable BOP regional management office. The District of South Dakota U.S. Attorney's Office operates a reentry program. Under the First Step Act, earned programming credits can result in RRC placement up to 12 months before release. Families cannot apply to RRCs directly. Families can help by ensuring the planned release address is clearly documented with the case manager well in advance.
Can landlords in SD refuse to rent to ex-felons?
Yes. South Dakota has no statewide fair chance housing law. Landlords may use criminal history in tenant screening without state restrictions. Landlords using background check services must comply with the federal FCRA, which requires consent and adverse action notices. HUD guidance advises that blanket criminal history bans may violate the federal Fair Housing Act through disparate impact. South Dakota Legal Aid (sdlegalaid.org) provides free guidance on housing rights.
What housing programs help returning citizens in SD?
SDDOC (doc.sd.gov/about/reentry) coordinates Reentry Task Forces in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. DakotaAtHome (dakotaathome.sd.gov) provides a statewide resource directory searchable by housing type. VOA Dakotas (voadakotas.org; 605-357-0990) provides transitional housing in Sioux Falls. Kingdom Boundaries provides men's and women's transitional housing in Sioux Falls. Genesis Program/St. Francis House (605-334-3879) provides shelter and transitional housing. Salvation Army (605-338-6649) provides transitional housing. Oxford Houses provide sober living. 211 SD (sd211.org, dial 211) provides county referrals. SD Legal Aid (sdlegalaid.org) provides free housing legal help.
How do I find housing before my person is released?
Contact the SDDOC parole officer about housing referrals. Search DakotaAtHome (dakotaathome.sd.gov) for transitional housing options near the intended release address. Contact Kingdom Boundaries Prison Aftercare for pre-release contact in Sioux Falls -- they typically meet with individuals before release. Contact VOA Dakotas (605-357-0990) and Genesis Program/St. Francis House (605-334-3879). Call 211 SD for county referrals. For tribal members: contact tribal social services. If the family home is in public housing, contact the PHA immediately. Confirm all housing with the assigned parole or probation officer before release.
Do sex offenders face housing limits in South Dakota?
Yes. South Dakota law restricts registered sex offenders from residing within 500 feet of schools, childcare facilities, or public parks. Many South Dakota transitional housing programs, including faith-based and faith-affiliated homes, will not accept registered sex offenders. SDDOC supervision conditions for registrants may impose additional restrictions. Families of registrants must work directly with the supervising officer to identify compliant housing well before release. Confirm the current South Dakota statute (SDCL §22-24B-22 or current equivalent) and required distances at publish time. ---
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