1. 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

2. Why take a Census?
Apportionment of Congress
Appropriation of funds

3. 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)

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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

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

8. 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

9. 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)

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. Timeline of Key Activities Calendar Year 2008

15. 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

16. 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 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

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

18. 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 We also plan the use of targeted second mailings to areas of low mail response.

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

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

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

24. Questions