What is the Census and Why Is It Important?

The census is a self-portrait of the nation. The U.S. Constitution requires the federal government count everyone living in the country every 10 years. The tally must include people of all ages, races, and ethnic groups; all citizens and non-citizens. Every household should complete a census form (either online, or by mail or phone) by the end of April 2020. Participating in the census is our right and responsibility.

Census data shape the future of our community and define our voice in Congress.

• The 2020 Census will determine how more than $800 billion in federal government resources will be distributed each year for the next decade to states and localities.
• Census data is used to determine where schools, roads, hospitals, child care centers, senior centers and other services should be built.
• Key federal programs rely on data and allocations derived from the census, including:
• Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicare Part B, Highway Planning and Construction, Section 8, Title I Grants, Special Education Grants (IDEA), State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Head Start.
• Census data are also used for apportionment of Congressional seats and redistricting at all levels of government.
• Census data are indispensable for monitoring discrimination and the enforcement of a broad range of civil rights laws.

• Yes. Under the law, Census data can only be used for statistical purposes. Title 13 of the U.S. Code requires respondent’s information to be kept confidential, and guarantees personal information will not be used against respondents in court or by a government agency.
• Personal census information cannot be disclosed for 72 years (including names, addresses, and telephone numbers).
• Census Bureau staff who have access to personal information are sworn for life to protect confidentiality, and are subject to a $250,000 fine and/or up to five years in federal prison for wrongful disclosure of information.

The U.S. Constitution requires that every person living in the United States is counted every ten years.  The next Census will take place from March through July of 2020. Census data are important to our democracy. It determines the apportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and how district lines are drawn at all levels of government. Census data also guide the allocation of more than $800 billion in federal funding to programs that are crucial to the well-being of families and communities. Below are the top 10 Census-guided federal programs:

• Medi-Cal
• Supplemental Nutritional Assistance (SNAP)
• Medicare
• Highway Planning and Construction
• Section 8 Housing
• Title 1 Grants to Local Education Agencies
• National School Lunch Program
• Special Education Grants
• State Children’s Health Insurance (CHIP)
• Head Start / Early Head Start

Census Tracts 1122.01 and 1122.02 will receive bilingual materials in the mail.

Census Tracts 1321 and 1330 will receieve a paper questionnaire in the first mailing.