Assistant Regional Director The Road to the 2010 Census NC SDC Meeting Thank you all for your time today and attending this session. I hope to briefly, and in general, cover the activities and plans the Census Bureau has made thus far for conducting the 2010 Census. You should have a packet of information in front of you that contains the powerpoint slides that I am going to cover along with some additional information that I will direct you to look at as I go through this presentation. Somonica L. Green Assistant Regional Director June 18, 2008

Why take a Census? Apportionment of Congress Appropriation of funds

What are the Goals for 2010 Census? Less Costly Use Technology more Efficiently Improve Maps & Address Lists Deliver Data on A More Timely Basis (ACS)

How do we Take a Census? Develop/Update Address List and Maps. Deliver Census Questionnaires to Addresses by Mail or in Person. Receive completed Questionnaires by mail. Follow-up with Households that do not Return the Questionnaire.

Part 1 – Building a List of Addresses Address List from Census 2000 Updates from the US Postal Service Partnership with Local Governments LUCA Boundaries Address Canvassing Operation Building the Address List is less known than counting the population, but it’s every bit as important. In fact, in some ways, it’s more important. There are two ways we miss people in the Census. The first is if we miss someone that’s living in the house. The second is when we miss the house altogether. (It could be an apartment, dorm room, etc.) If we miss a house – we actually could be missing several people. That’s why building a comprehensive address list is so important. We use the address list from the 2000 Census as a starting point. We’ve not done that before. In past Censuses, we always built the census address list from scratch. Using the 2000 Address List gives us an excellent base to start. Next, we get regular updates from the US Postal Service of the addresses where they’re delivering mail. This allows us to keep pace with newly built residences as well as any address changes. Right now, we’re working with local governments on a program called the “Local Update of Census Addresses” or “LUCA”. This program was first put in place in the 2000 Census. It allows us to open our address list to the city, county or state government and let them review it for accuracy. They can add, delete or change the location of addresses. Local governments often have excellent address files and their review of our list helps us – and it helps them. Our address list is protected by Title 13 of the United States Code, and local officials are subject to the confidentiality rules that prohibit using the list for anything other than Census purposes. They cannot use it for things like code enforcement. We are also working with local officials to ensure we have the most current and accurate boundaries – this ensures when we produce data for the city, we’ve accounted for annexations and other changes to their boundaries. We get this information once a year. Once we’ve built our address list based on the 2000 Census, the updates from the Postal Service, and the review by local officials – we go to the ground to verify it in an operation called Address Canvassing. 5

Part 1 – Building a List of Addresses Address Canvassing: Spring/Summer 2009 Census Taker will verify the location and information for every address in the U.S. Use Handheld Computers – GPS Technology An Estimated 5,000 Workers in NC The Address Canvassing operation is the second largest field activity for the 2010 Census. It takes place in the spring and summer of next year. Basically, a census taker will walk or drive every street in the United States to do a “field check” of our address list. They will add units we’ve missed, delete units that don’t exist and correct units that are in the wrong place. For the first time, we will use handheld computers – equipped with GPS technology – to pinpoint the exact location of the unit. (This is important for redistricting purposes). To complete this task, we will hire an estimated 150,000 workers nationwide. In your district, we’re planning to hire… 6

Part 2 – The Population Count Our Guiding Principles It’s Safe It’s Easy It’s Important 7

Part 2 – The Population Count It’s Safe! Answers are protected by law! Title 13 of the United States Code Penalty – Up To 5 Years in Prison, or $250,000 fine for violations, or both The Core of our Ability to Build Trust 8

Part 2 – The Population Count It’s Easy! Mail Census Questionnaires in February / March 2010 Short Form – 10 Questions, 10 Minutes A New Mail Strategy Bilingual Mail Forms (English/Spanish)

Part 2 – The Population Count It’s Important! Apportion the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriate $300 billion in federal funds to states and communities every year Redistricting of state legislatures, county and city councils, and voting districts

Part 2 – The Population Count Following Up on Non Responses Summer 2010 Send a Census Taker to the door Estimated 700,000 Workers Nationwide More than 20,000 Census Workers in NC

Part 2 – The Population Count Other Living Situations – Special Procedures Military Bases / College Dorms Prisons RV Parks, Campgrounds, Marinas, etc. People Experiencing Homelessness Remote / Rural Areas, Areas with Delivery Problems

Timeline of Key Activities Calendar Year 2008 Open Regional Census Center Open Early Local Census Office 15 in Charlotte 5-state region 5 in NC – Asheville, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, and Greenville Hire and train Key Staff

Timeline of Key Activities Calendar Year 2008

Timeline of Key Activities Calendar Year 2009 Address Canvassing Adjudication of LUCA Appeals Open Remaining Local Census Offices 37 in Charlotte 5-state region 8-10 in North Carolina Recruit/Recruit/Recruit

Timeline of Key Activities Calendar Year 2010 Questionnaires Mailed or Delivered Census Day – April 1, 2010 Group Quarters Enumeration Follow-up to Non-Responding Households 2010 is when the actual Census Count is completed. Depending on how you have chosen to enumerate your tribe, which is one of things we’ll discuss during the one on one consultation session, the count will actually begin sometime in March 2010. Census day is April 1. It is the set day in which we want to know where each person was physically living. During March and April we will also count people in what we call group quarters, which are such places as College dorms, prisons, women’s shelters, nursing homes, etc. If the Census is conducted by mailout/mailback or update leave (which is just dropping off the questionnaire to a household and asking them to mail it back) then non-response follow-up will take place in April and May. During the summer months and late into 2010 we will conduct quality checks to measure the accuracy of the Census. Finally, as I mentioned before, we must deliver the counts to the President of the United States by December 31, 2010. Counts Delivered to the President

Checking Our Work Extensive Quality Assurance Operations Independent Assessments Closely Monitored Internally and Externally

What’s Different in 2010 Short Form Only Use of Hand-held Computers (AC only) Second Mailing of Questionnaires So what’s different with this 2010 Census from previous Census’s taken? First, we will be using a short form only, 7 questions. The Census long form, the one that asked information about rooms in your house, running water, income, etc. has now become the American Community Survey which I will cover in a minute. We will also be using hand held computers with GPS (global positioning software) to list all the housing units during address canvassing in 2009 . We also plan the use of targeted second mailings to areas of low mail response.

American Community Survey: (aka Census Long Form) Large, monthly, sample survey Began nationally in 2005 Provides more current characteristics data Produces more current data at various levels

Our Key Challenges Recruiting! Participation Capable Managers that Represent the Community Trusted Voices to Educate and Motivate Enough Qualified Applicants for the 70,000+ jobs in the Charlotte Region Participation Building Trust Motivating Cooperation

Communicating these Principles Communications Campaign Paid Advertising Local promotional efforts Complete Count Committees Local initiatives to promote the Census Organized Independently Partnership and Data Services Program “Grassroots” efforts to reach the hardest to count communities

Supporting Your Community Consider Involvement in a Complete Count Committee Emphasize the Importance of Census Participation 22

Supporting Your Community Questions about Jobs? Toll Free Number: 1 – 888 – 222 – 4936 Questions / Concerns about the Census? Regional Census Center main number: (704) 909 - 6700 23

Questions