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Codington County approves updated MOU to remain a coordinated-entry access point
Summary
The Codington County Commission voted to authorize the chair to sign an updated memorandum of understanding with the South Dakota Housing Authority so the county can continue serving as a coordinated-entry access point for homelessness assessments; county staff said the state updated the contract but could not immediately detail changes.
Codington County commissioners voted Tuesday to authorize the chair to sign an updated memorandum of understanding with the South Dakota Housing Authority that keeps the county as an access point for South Dakota’s coordinated entry system for people experiencing homelessness.
The action was approved by voice vote after Commissioner Johnson moved and Commissioner McElhaney seconded the motion. County staff said the memorandum continues the role that allows local staff to perform assessments for individuals seeking housing services through the state system.
The MOU is an updated 2025 contract from the South Dakota Housing Authority, county staff said. Sarah (last name not specified in the meeting transcript), who presented the item, told commissioners she had not brought the prior agreement to the meeting and could not detail every change. She said she would follow up with the Housing Authority and bring more specifics back if commissioners wanted them. "They said it was really clinical pieces, and I should have brought the previous one," Sarah said during the discussion.
Sarah described the county’s role as one of the sites across South Dakota that can perform coordinated entry assessments on behalf of state programs. Commissioners asked for clarity about what changed in the updated document; Sarah offered to return with a comparison if the board preferred.
The motion carried by voice vote. No roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting minutes. Sarah told the board she would procure the prior MOU and highlight substantive changes for commissioners if requested.
Why it matters: coordinated entry is the standard the state uses to screen and prioritize people for homelessness assistance and for matching clients to available housing resources. Maintaining local access points can affect how quickly residents access assessments and referrals to services administered through the South Dakota Housing Authority.
Next steps: the chair will sign the 2025 MOU and staff said they would return with additional details about differences from the prior agreement if the commission requests them.
