Sioux Falls Dudley House Director blames VA and Poor Public Transit for Homeless issues

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In November, the Director of the Dudley House Homeless shelter, Madeline Shields, shared her frustration with Jon Micheals on FORUM. While she praised the SFPD she shared a lot of frustration with how the VA doesn’t help (without using their name) and that Public Transit is almost non-existent on the weekends. While I would agree with her public transit is a complete turd mobile and the VA is a joke, there are solutions.

She said that it is hard for people who live in the shelter to get to work on the weekends if they work at hotels without public transit. First off, the hotels could pick them up since most of them have shuttle buses and secondly, this is what happens when you build a shelter where there are few jobs nearby for those who live there.

As for the VA, why not have a constant/permanent contact with them, or better yet, get in touch with our supposed three pro-veteran congressional delegates and tell them the issues (oh that’s right none of them have ever served.)

Shields also said that in order for them to get work, they must have a birth certificate to get an ID and those items should be FREE to the residents. Or, the shelter could start and endowment fund to help them pay for it? They come up with $200 a day for lunch, but don’t have a fund for IDs? OR get a hold of our legislators and get it changed.

There is also a need for more FELON FRIENDLY housing, which I would agree, but developers and contractors work on a GREED only basis. TIFs for Condos NOT for former CONVICTS.

She also says many choose to live outside instead of taking advantage of the shelter. While this is true, they certainly don’t need to be using your parking lot, we can come up with options.

I get her frustration with how many government programs are set up OR not set up, but this is why I have been telling people you have to put many heads together to come up with a solution(s). Just going on FORUM and complaining about it doesn’t fix it.

Honestly, I don’t understand the resistant to trying to solve this issue. Shields is right, it’s not all in her lap, but she has to be willing to reach out for solutions. Homelessness doesn’t solve itself on its own. Maybe after the City Council and Mayor get their 30% raise next year, they’ll start tackling the homeless issue ☹

Posted in: Bishop Dudley House, Downtown Sioux Falls, Homeless, Sioux Falls

11 Thoughts on “Sioux Falls Dudley House Director blames VA and Poor Public Transit for Homeless issues”

  1. Warren Phear on December 20, 2021 at 10:40 pm said:

    The VA? A joke? This VA has always done right by me, and many, many other vets. Not sure of what you mean by joke, and in what context. VA funding can only stretch so far. I would like you to explain in greater detail why you think they are a joke.

  2. l3wis on December 21, 2021 at 6:39 am said:

    I think when it comes to what Shields is talking about, helping younger vets with PTSD they could do a lot more.

  3. D@ily Spin on December 21, 2021 at 6:53 am said:

    As a vet, I disagree with VA criticism. They do well for vets. They can’t extend services for the homeless. There’s a limit to their reach. Yes, there are social programs. They too can only do so much. What’s lacking is help from city hall. If they can freely award TIF’s they should have money to address the homeless and help Dudley House.

  4. "Woodstock" on December 21, 2021 at 2:30 pm said:

    “Have you heard?”…. “The DTSF Burger Battle is back!”…. “27 Restaurants will participate!”… “I am sure there is more coverage to follow”…. “Last year a pizza place won it”… “I think that’s a good thing”… “It shows our city’s diversity”…. (“They should do a car wash battle, too”….)

  5. l3wis on December 21, 2021 at 9:49 pm said:

    I am disappointed that Pizza Cheeks did not put a burger patty between two slices of pepperoni pizza, called the poser.

  6. "Woodstock" on December 21, 2021 at 11:12 pm said:

    “But I am shocked that a place that serves Italian food would win a Burger Battle”…. “You would think German fascists would be better at making a burger”…. #FascistFastFood

  7. anominous on December 22, 2021 at 11:11 am said:

    help, oh no our supply chain might run out of melted cheese for the fucking burger ba do a kelo story on us

  8. Fear & Loathing in Sioux Falls on December 22, 2021 at 12:27 pm said:

    You know what DaBaby says: “Go put some cheese on that”…

    FF: 01:20

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUVcZfQe-Kw

  9. "Woodstock" on December 22, 2021 at 12:28 pm said:

    “Oh, I just love Dua Lipa”… “She can put cheese on me anytime she wants to”….

  10. Further Fear & Loathing on December 22, 2021 at 12:38 pm said:

    Don’t you love Pizza Cheeks? It’s a touch of New York inside a touch of Little Italy wrapped in a slice found in a bar that gives you a ’69 vibe. I am talking about the year. You know, Tricky Dick, Apollo 11, Chappaquiddick, Charlie, the original Woodstock, and the Twins losing the Pendant to the Orioles.

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