Sioux Falls Code chapter 124 prohibits obstructing public sidewalks and right-of-way. Officers can ask anyone sitting or lying on a downtown sidewalk to move and may issue a misdemeanor citation if the obstruction continues after warning.
Sioux Falls does not have an explicit Seattle-style sit-lie ban, but chapter 124 of the city code makes it unlawful to obstruct sidewalks, alleys, or other public ways. Police use this provision to address persistent encampments or persons blocking pedestrian routes downtown and near transit hubs along Phillips Avenue and Minnesota Avenue. Standard practice is a verbal warning and an offer of services through the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House or the Sioux Falls Welcome Coalition before a citation. Repeated refusals can produce a misdemeanor charge under chapter 80, plus removal of property left in the right-of-way under chapter 119.
Continuing to obstruct a sidewalk after warning is a city misdemeanor with fines up to the chapter 80 cap, jail exposure, and seizure of personal property left in the right-of-way.
See how Sioux Falls's sit-lie rules rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.