Not everything that happens in the legislature this year is a total toilet flush. HB1033 which provides $200 Million towards housing passed after being amended to leave the welfare developers hands out of the cookie jar.
Section 6. The executive director of the South Dakota Housing Development Authority shall approve vouchers and the state auditor shall draw warrants to pay expenditures authorized by this Act.
Originally the private contractors and developers wanted a portion of this fund to carte blanche build whatever they wanted whether it was affordable housing or not. Now the SDHDA has the power to make sure the funding goes towards worthy accessible housing projects. The private developers still get a piece of the pie if they are willing to help build affordable housing.
This is all the more reason why Sioux Falls should be involved in 20 and not just 10 legislative districts through the help of LDs that have both a rural and urban component, so that Sioux Falls can then have greater possible control of Pierre and stop such bills…. No, wait a minute, that’s not my position (Wow, for a moment there, I sounded like a member of the local Chamber. 🙁 )….
The result will be new ways to sneak public money into more play palaces or your buddy’s bank account.