There will be one constant in 2023, more fluff & puff bluster from our esteemed leader;
“$1.9ish billion in building permits we’re going to hit this year. Probably added another 7,000 people to the community, so trying to sustain and keep up with the demands of that growth in 2022 has been challenging,” Tenhaken said.
I would love to see the correlation between population growth and commercial building permits, if one exists (you know, like homelessness and Rec MJ). I would also like to know where the ‘probably’ in population growth comes from? If you do some quick googling, you will see the average population growth in Sioux Falls is about 4,000 people a year yet when the talking heads get in front of a camera they have thrown all kinds of numbers out there. Over the past few weeks I have heard 3.5K, 4K, and even 10K. I guess the mayor is just cherry picking another number from the sky.
I would love to see the breakdown of this supposed population growth;
• How many were newborns? When I researched this a few years ago, it was determined that almost HALF of the new population growth in Sioux Falls was newborns from existing residents.
• How many were dependent minors, stay-at-home parents and retired seniors that are NOT in the adult, full-time workforce?
• How many are working full-time jobs?
• How many are working remote jobs with NO economic ties to the local economy?
• How many have permanent housing they either purchased 100% or are paying a mortgage?
• How many residents have either died or moved away?
• How many simply use Sioux Falls as a permanent address but live 50% or more out of state?
• How many are living in poverty?
It’s easy to pull numbers from your ass but a breakdown would be helpful. One thing I personally have seen over the past 2 years is a constant rotation of these supposed new people. In other words I have seen a lot of newcomers realizing Sioux Falls just isn’t for them and they move on quickly.
The biggest reasons newcomers leave?
• Lack of diversity in healthcare options and insurance
• A lackluster and deficient public transit system and unsafe streets for peds and bicyclists.
• Lack of a living wage
• Lack of affordable permanent and short term housing
• Job growth opportunities in the blue collar sector
When people from out of state tell me they want to move to SD because of all the freedom and liberty here I remind them we do have quite a bit of freedom here, freedom from earning a living wage and having access to affordable housing and healthcare, other than that, it’s a pretty great place to live . . . probably.
When I shared how rigged the system is in South Dakota like mailbox voters with no skin in the game and everything else about the state out of staters voice a desire to use SD as a dumping ground for the idiots from their states. Didn’t matter their political affiliation. Once they found out the real South Dakota they became enthused to sell the state to their knuckleheads to move there.
Anytime I have people from out of state tell me how lucky I am to have Noem as governor, I always say to them, “You can have her.”
How many are illegal aliens? How many are dead but voted for Trump?
Noem could have been next to Washington on Mt. Rushmore. Can’t afford the makeup. Trump instead?
Lucky to have Noem? Hell, a 1000 people died of covid in South Dakota because of her lackluster approach to covid, when you compare the policies and stats of Minnesota to South Dakota. Plus, Minnesota had to deal with the density of the Twin Cities, and they still came in better with more positive covid stats…. The only density we have in South Dakota is 41st Street on a Saturday afternoon, but then everyone is safely enclosed in their big black SUVs (Some white) as well….
( and Woodstock adds: “But I am quite impressed with how she can ride a horse, however”…. (….”Pearl white, too”…. ))
Think of it this way, Sturgis has a population of 7100, but for roughly two weeks each year, it has a population of 500,000. So, if we take 7100 times 50 and 500,000 times 2 and then add those two final numbers together and then divide them by 52, then you get the average population of Sturgis for a given year, which would be about 26,058. So, maybe when you factor in weekend traffic on 41st, the influx of rocker jeans during a local country concert, and journey construction workers from south of the border, that our population is either greater or much less, than we realize.
the grown in residency in Sioux Falls can be found in the finance reports, let alone the Census every years. The true #’s are between 2,800 to 3,800 plus or minus boom times. The greatest population growth occurred between 1945 to 1955 when the Army Base came to Sioux Falls. The population in 1940 was 38,000, while the population in 1950 quadrupled to 78,000 more than 100% growth. But the “base” had something to do with adding residents in the Northwest area – West Sioux.
Imagine back then, during the height of the “‘base'” in West Sioux, of conceptualizing a bunch of taxidermy at a local hardware store, an apocalyptic pawn shop, Canaries’ ball, country acts galore, two arenas, and a new Entertainment District…. It must have been exciting.
#RosiesWillHaveTheFinalSay #EvenTheJailLeft
Zitterich, neither West Sioux nor anything south of 33rd were part of SF at the time. They were independent towns. The population of Sioux Falls was NOT 38,000.
It was 41,000. The population of Sioux Falls was NOT 70,000 in 1950. It was 53,000. It didn’t hit 70,000 until 1970. 70,000 is NOT 4x 38,000. Jeebus. How do you survive?
There’s one less in the state. Noem is somewhere else on the state airplane cheering for Trump.
I am not sure where Rufusx gets his comments from, as a life long West Sioux resident, I know the history, and have learned more of the history of Sioux Falls today.
I stand behind my comments, the population of the Town of Sioux Falls in 1940 was roughly 38,000 residents. Much of the Town of Sioux Falls was situated below the Bluff Line north of 33rd Street, and south of North Drive, and its eastern borders were by this time pushing Cliff Avenue on the eastern side, and Grange on the Western side.
Yes, RUFUSX is correct, Sioux Falls is made up of several bedside communities around its outer edges, that I never denied, in fact, I spoke of them – East Sioux Falls, West Sioux Falls, South Sioux Falls, you could even make an argument there was a North Sioux Falls in the area of which the Airport held today, but this was merely a “Swamp Area” where we saw natural springs along the river.
We also had Homestead Claims through out the area – as mentioned, the Phillips Family land aka McKennan Park, the Lyons-Axtel Homstead in the “West” along the river, the Kiwanis Club, and of course the Edith Merideth Townsite Claim known of West Sioux Falls.
West Sioux Falls was not really a town, but rather a “Bed Side Community” of Sioux Falls residents wanting to get out of hustle and bustle of the city at the time
When the Air Base came to Sioux Falls in 1940, finally approved in the year 1941, it was to be an expansive area which would hold a residency, nearly the same size as the Town of Sioux Falls itself. Yes, by 1950 give or take a few years, the “Base” had attracted many residents, it was a town within itself in between West Sioux Falls and Downtown Sioux Falls – it practically doubles the “RESIDENCY” of the Big Bend Area of the Sioux River.
The Town of Sioux Falls was pushing more into the “western” areas by the 1950’s and with it, the annexation of the lands held within West Sioux Falls, the Airforce Base, etc.
The Town of Sioux Falls practically, historically, doubled over night, as the landowners in the Northwest Areas agreed to become part of the Town of Sioux Falls in the 1950’s.
So yes, I am correct, the Town of Sioux Falls went from roughly 38,000 as per the census recorded by the 1940 U.S Census Year, and by the end of the 1950’s was climaxing @ 78,000, the population grows to 99,000 by the 1990 Census Year.
The Populations are Officially “recorded” in Census Years, so in 1940, we had 38,000 residents, and with the base, ‘we’ more than doubled the residency of the area.
The population of the Air Force Base was nearly the same residency as the Town of Sioux Falls, and when you couple that residency of West Sioux Falls – you had a total of 78,000 people.
Don’t forget about South Sioux Falls, too. #SouthSiouxElementary
Yes, I did mention it – You had the original Town of Sioux Falls (town site) beneath the bluff line; while we had East Sioux Falls developing between 1880 to 1902, you had West Sioux developing between 1930 to 1950, you had South Sioux Falls developing shortly after beginning in 1950-1960…
What helped connect these bedside communities was the Federal and State Highway Systems known as U.S 16, 77 and S.D Hwy 38, 42, and 115.
Thereafter, those Homestead Claims such as the Tuttle Family, the Lyon-Axtel Family, and the Property Holders known as Kiwanis Club and also to include the Property Holders in the north near where the Airport is today…
I do not know at what points (years) these bedside communities were annexed into the city limits, but when the Air Force Base was built in the 1940’s, I do know this added to the 1940 Population of Sioux Falls which was about 38,000 at the time, and the base, brought a massive migration of residents in a short period of time.
Some of them moved into Sioux Falls, while others resided on the base..At the same time West Sioux was developing fast between 1940 to 1980. I am assuming, West Sioux was annexed in the 1960’s as the Base donated much of their lands to Sioux Falls which became the Football Field, Ball Park, Arena, Holiday Inn.
Russell Street was built in the 1950’s using parts of S.D Hwy 38, Walnut Street, North Drive.
Keep in mind S.D Hwy 38 and U.S Hwy 16 utilized city streets of West Madison St, Burnside Street, West Ave, 10th Street, back to 6th Street, to East Madison Street.
U.S Hwy 77 utilized North Cliff Avenue, North Drive, Maine Avenue, 3rd Street, Minnesota Avenue southward.
How many of you remember all the Springs, Creeks, and the old Sioux River Pathway under neath the Airport ??
The airport was pretty much a swamp area…
Covell Lake begins up inside the Indstrial Park along C Avenue north of Russell Street.
C Avenue was an old Army Base Roadway, leading south along what is Covell Avenue today, along the western edge of Covell Lake, curving west, crossing West Avenue today into where the old American Legion is today connecting to Burnside Street.
The Army Base built Terrace Swimming Pool in 1940’s i twas massivly bigger than today, it was an Olympic size Pool…
West Sioux Falls was on the western side of the Base, Town of Sioux Falls was as far west as Grange Avenue; while the BASE stretched from Alonquin Street south to Burnside Street, and from Covell Lake west to Elmwood Avenue. It was a huge complex.
Alonquie Street once crossed over the Sioux River near UPS, hence, the old Trustle Bridge.
Western Ave split Howard Wood and the Arena, while Elmwood Ave crossed over Russell Street connecting to Elmwood Hall