Make sure renters are counted in the 2020 census
Renters should be sure to be counted in the 2020 U.S. Census, which is still underway.
Starting in mid-April, the U.S. Census Bureau mailed paper questionnaires to homes that had not yet responded and between July 1 and Sept. 3, census takers began targeting large groups of people to ensure everyone is counted.
Earlier this month, U.S. Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham released laid out a plan to accelerate and encourage census collection during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The plan included hiring more workers to assist in this process.
Participation in the U.S. Census has a direct impact on the allocation and betterment of your community’s resources such as roads, access to health care and political representation.
And as a renter or rental owner, it is imperative you are proactive in participating as renters share certain characteristics that compound their risk of being undercounted, according to Censuscounts.org.
As the Arizona population grows, so does the demand for apartment communities. But the risk for being undercounted increases as more Arizonans live in apartment communities.
One factor leading to the risk of undercounting renters is transitory status. Rental residents are more likely to be missed in the census because they are more likely to move during the censustaking process.
More than 60 percent of renters live in multi-unit buildings, which are considered “an area hard-to-count,” according to Censuscounts.org.
Although census workers hand-delivered paper questionnaire packages at the doors of apartment residents in areas where housing units did not have mail delivered to their physical location, if you missed out on this information, this is your reminder to take action now.
If you have moved in the last couple of months or relocated due to the public health situation and have not completed the census, visit 2020census.gov to do your part to help your community and beyond.
The census takes about 10 minutes to complete. Your cooperation will take up a small part of your day, but will leave a huge impact on your community.
Courtney Gilstrap LeVinus is president and CEO of Arizona Multihousing Association.