A state board awarded the remainder of grant funding Tuesday from the Housing Infrastructure Financing Program, while much of the program’s loan money remains available.

The program uses a mix of state and federal money to ease the burden of high inflation for homebuilders and address a need for workforce housing. Lawmakers created the program in 2023, after legal wrangling held up the funds the previous year. It covers up to one-third of the cost of a development’s roads, sewer lines, street lights and other costs associated with building new neighborhoods. 

The funding pool included $50 million in federal COVID relief funding for grants, $50 million in state funding for grants, $100 million in state funding for loans, plus interest income earned by the funds. 

The South Dakota Housing Authority Board awarded $1,077,604 — the remainder of interest-derived grant funds — to a water booster pump station project meant to increase water capacity to the Shepherd Hills development near Menards in eastern Rapid City. The total project costs $5.8 million and will provide water capacity to 78 single family lots and hundreds of multifamily lots within the undeveloped area, said Housing Development Authority Executive Director Chas Olson.

The board also approved a loan Tuesday of $625,000 to another Rapid City project. Stoney Creek Reserve plans to develop 25 single family home lots on the southwest edge of the city. The total project cost is $2.1 million.

The authority has awarded money to 74 projects from the fund so far. The funds will help create 7,043 new single family home lots and 5,127 new multifamily units.

The board has awarded $120.5 million after the December meeting and has about $86.3 million in loan funds available. About $2 million is reserved for an administrative fee for South Dakota Housing to run the program. The funds have garnered an extra $9 million due to interest.

Olson told South Dakota Searchlight earlier this year that demand for loans was lower as long as grants were available, and many of the grant-funded projects are now underway.

“As a result, contractors are occupied, and developers without ongoing projects might be waiting to see how quickly these new units are absorbed,” Olson said.

The 2024 FCS playoffs have mostly played to form entering the quarterfinal round. Everybody’s chasing the national championship, including UC Davis and South Dakota as they meet in a 4-vs-5 showdown.

Montana State, North Dakota State and South Dakota State are the only FCS teams to hold the No. 1 ranking this season, and they’re seeded 1, 2 and 3, respectively, in the 2024 playoffs.

South Dakota and UC Davis have lurked right behind that trio of powers for much of the season, and they’re set to meet in a national quarterfinal on Saturday. The winner will advance to the semifinal round for the first time.

The eight highest seeds from a 24-team bracket have advanced to the quarterfinals. School host sites are utilized in the FCS playoffs until the national championship game on Jan. 6 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

FCS Playoffs – Quarterfinal

No. 5 seed UC Davis (11-2) at No. 4 seed South Dakota (10-2)

Kickoff – 3 p.m. ET Saturday at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, South Dakota (ESPN+)

Series – South Dakota leads 4-2 (last meeting: South Dakota won 27-17 on Sept. 12, 2015)

Wins in FCS Playoffs – UC Davis: Illinois State (42-10); South Dakota: Tarleton State (42-31)

Coaches – UC Davis: Tim Plough (11-2, first season); South Dakota: Bob Nielson (52-47, ninth season; 238-127-1 overall)

3 Players to Watch – UC Davis: QB Miles Hastings (328 of 469, 4,148 yards, 35 TDs, 8 INTs), RB Lan Larison (277 carries, 1,425 yards, 17 TDs; 61 receptions, 842 yards, 6 TDs), LB David Meyer (113 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 4 INTs); South Dakota: RB Travis Theis (155 carries, 976 yards, 16 TDs; 24 receptions, 261 yards, 2 TDs), DE Mi’Quise Grace (58 tackles, 18 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 2 FF, 2 FR), S Dennis Shorter (63 tackles, 2 INTs, 10 PBU, 2 FF) 

Notable – Both teams are ranked in the FCS top 10 of scoring offense and total offense. UC Davis is fueled by Hastings, the FCS leader in passing yards, and Larison, the national leader in scrimmage yards per game (174.4) and all-purpose yards per game (180.2). Wide receiver Trent Tompkins is three receiving yards shy of the Big Sky runner-up having five players with 500+ each. But the Aggies have to account for USD’s stud pass rushers – Grace, the MVFC defensive player of the year for a conference tri-champion, and Nick Gaes (22 career sacks). Coyotes lefty QB Aidan Bouman (2,470 yards, 18 TDs, 2 INTs) has been well-protected by his offensive line, which has helped with them committing the second-fewest turnovers (six) in the FCS. USD has three combined kickoff and punt return TDs without giving up any, while UC Davis has surrendered a pair and not found the end zone.  

Up Next – The winner will play either No. 1 seed Montana State (13-0) or No. 8 seed Idaho (10-3) in a national semifinal on Dec. 21

Prediction – South Dakota 28, UC Davis 27

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