Orange pastors take on role in Census count
Prominent pastors in Orlando’s historically Black west side neighborhoods are urging their congregations to fill out U.S. Census questionnaires, part of a last-minute push for the national count that has only four weeks to go.
There, and in other pockets of Orange County where officials fear the population will be undercounted such as the neighborhoods near UCF, the Lee Vista area and Tangelo Park, a mobile unit filled with computers is also making stops in an effort to get people to come on board and complete the forms.
The last-ditch efforts are intended to drive participation in the Census, which determines how much of $675 billion in federal dollars is funneled to the region for schools, health care and other programs. Florida could also pick up additional seats in Congress if the Census documents a surge in population.
“It’s important that we all respond to the census so we can all get counted so we can get the resources we need for childcare, health care, education, and also… this particular year we have the opportunity of gaining a congressional seat,” said Orlando City Commissioner Bakari Burns, who represents some of the west Orlando neighborhoods where participation is below 50% in some places. “What that means is we have an additional advocate in D.C. fighting for us here in Central Florida.”
Counting could end by October, a month earlier than scheduled.
But Saturday, a federal judge in
California temporarily halted efforts by the Trump Administration to shorten the count, issuing a temporary restraining order, according to NPR. The order is expected to remain in place until a hearing scheduled for Sept. 17.
The initial move to shorten the counting period has drawn rebuke from Democrats and four former directors of the nonpartisan Census Bureau, who warned the sped-up timeline would interfere with complete counting
across the country, according to the New York Times.
In Central Florida, many of the focus areas include lower-income neighborhoods, as well as majority African American and Hispanic census tracts. Access to phone or internet could be a factor in low responses in some areas, said Lavon Williams, Orange County’s census committee manager.
“The data shows that our low-income neighborhoods and often our minority populations, particularly our non-English speaking populations, are the ones who are undercounted,” Williams said. “The reason for that, too, is not only because the digital divide and access … but it also has to do with perceptions of government.”
The mobile unit allows people to fill out the Census on site and will be at Westmoreland Drive and South Street on Sunday from11a.m. to 1 p.m., in hopes of encouraging more people to be counted in Orlando’s Parramore area.
Burns said his office has distributed talking points and information to pastors throughout his district. And volunteers are knocking on doors in undercounted neighborhoods, he said.
Participation may be lower in some neighborhoods due to distrust of government, and fears about whether the information provided to the Census could be used against families with mixed immigration status or other concerns, Burns said.
He said those fears are unfounded, but a very real worry is how a low response rate could mean neighborhoods in need don’t get their fair share of money for roads, social programs and other necessities.
“What we have to do is educate the community that this information is not shared with any other entity and is not captured to penalize you,” he said.
In Florida, only about 62% of households have been counted, 33rd best among states and far behind states like Idaho, West Virginia, Washington, Kansas and Oregon, all above 90%.
Among Florida counties, Seminole has the thirdhighest rate of people filling out the questionnaire, at 70.3%. Specifically, Oviedo has 80.7% of households counted and Winter Springs is at 77.5%, data shows.
Orange County is about on par with state levels with about 62% of people responding to the survey. Edgewood, one of the county’s smallest municipalities with about 2,500 residents, has about a 77% response rate, 10th highest among Florida cities.
About 62% of households in Lake and 55% in Osceola have responded to the Census.
Census forms can be filled out online at 2020census.gov/en/ways-to-respond.html, and also by phone or mail.
Due to booming population growth since 2010, some have expected Florida to pick up additional seats in Congress, including possibly in Central Florida.
“If we’re counting 62% and somebody else is counting 80% or 90%, they’re going to get more than their fair share of whatever it is,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said.
Dyer said he spoke to a census worker who was out knocking on doors at unresponsive homes recently, who told the mayor people have been hesitant to answer their doors, in part due to fears of COVID-19.
Distractions associated with the pandemic, where new infections have twice flared up in the past six months and also put thousands out of work, could be a factor in lowering response, Williams said.
The county is aiming to count a higher percentage of its population than the state, and potentially crack 70%.
But, she lamented, “We should’ve been at 62% in April.”