Committee pushes for Census response

Lorain residents still have time to complete the 2020 U.S. Census without getting a visit from a Census worker later this year, said the city’s advocates for the national head count.

The city of Lorain’s Complete Count Subcommittee held a teleconference July 14 to review the response rates in the city this summer.

In the last month or so, the novel coronavirus pandemic has hindered efforts for the committee members to get out and meet people in person, to ask them to reply to the Census questions, said Rick Soto, chief of staff to Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley and city co-representative with Executive Assistant Darlene Dowell.

The Lorain subcommittee held a caravana car parade around South Lorain on June 6 to promote the Census.

The members continue their work, but Lorain’s reply rate is creeping up only slowly in July, Soto said.

“I hate to use the word flatlined,” he said about city responses.

For months, the committee members have emphasized the need for a complete count in Lorain city and county.

Having accurate figures for population helps ensure communities receive the proper share of federal money that helps pay for social service and public improvement programs.

In 2010, Lorain’s total response rate was about 74 percent — meaning an estimated 26 percent of the population officially was not counted, said Richard Romero, partnership specialist for the Census Bureau’s Philadelphia Region.

Romero estimated the city missed out on federal aid worth up to $30 million, due to the low count.

The city is working with a number of partner agencies on the Census promotion, including Assata Cheers, community engagement fellow for the Community Foundation of Lorain County and Victor Leandry, executive director of El Centro de Servicios Sociales Inc. in South Lorain.

Self responders

As of July 6, Lorain County communities had a mix of self-response rates, which count the number of households taking action on the Census before workers go out to add to the total.

North Ridgeville, Grafton, LaGrange and Vermilion already exceeded the 2010 self-response rates, according to Census figures provided to the Lorain subcommittee.

Others were getting close.

Lorain posted the largest gap, with this year’s self response rate at 60.5 percent so far.

The 2010 self response rate was 66 percent, according to the figures.

Workers heading out

Aug. 11 is the official start date for Census workers to hit the streets to seek out households that have not responded yet.

The national Census website notes that could happen even this month.

But the Lorain subcommittee members said there still is time for people to answer the query about how many people were living at a residence as of April 1, Census Day and the point in time of the official tally of America’s population.

The online and telephone response deadline was extended to Oct. 31 for Lorainites and people across the country.

Anyone who wants to avoid a visit by a census taker can reply by mail, electronically or by phone.

Local residents will see at least two more local campaigns, and possible Census assistants, to help people respond.

Calling faith leaders

A national faith-based take action weekend will take place July 24-26, Romero said.

In past years, religious leaders have helped spread the word about the importance of responding to the Census.

But because of COVID-19, church leaders have not been able to participate in Census awareness this year, Romero said.

Census back to school

Lorain Public Library

System is working to incorporate a drive-thru Census response plan for upcoming back-to-school events for local families, said Sam Lewis, strategic initiatives manager for the library.

The goal is to have workers with computer tablets to help people respond to the Census.

The Library System also wants to hold a raffle with prizes for people who complete the Census at that time, Lewis said.

Mobile assistance

The Census also has started a new mobile questionnaire assistance, or MQA, program.

Census “representatives will encourage people to respond to the 2020 Census in open, public places in the lowest responding areas of the nation,” according to plans from the Census Bureau.

“These are places where people naturally visit when leaving home to help increase self-response rates,” the plans say.

Locations for the assistants will include grocery stores and markets, food banks, laundromats, restaurants and grab-and-go eateries, unemployment offices, back-to-school drives, places of worship and libraries.

The program is separate from the census takers who will visit households where people have not responded to the questionnaires.

Avoid scams

Some people have used the Census as a cover for scams and fraud, Romero said.

U.S. Census workers will ask questions relating to population.

Everyone should know they will not ask for financial information.

“If you get a phone call asking for your bank account or Social Security number or a donation, it’s not the Census,” Romero said.