What is the Census?
The Census is a count of everyone residing in the United States, regardless of citizenship. In March 2010, the US Census Bureau will send a form in the mail to every household in the country.
IT’S EASY, IMPORTANT AND SAFE
The Census form asks only 10 questions and takes about 10 minutes to complete. Households are asked about the number of people living in your household, their age, race and gender.
By law, the Census Bureau cannot share answers with anyone, including law enforcement and federal agencies.
What is the Census Undercount?
In 2000, despite considerable resources to count everyone, the Census missed more than 3 million people nationally.
The most likely to be missed or “undercounted” by the Census are people who live in big cities, low-income people, people of color, children, immigrants, and people with disabilities.
What's at Stake for the City of Los Angeles?
The U.S. Census defines who we are as a City and nation. The next Census will be in 2010, but its impact on the City will last over a decade.
The City of Los Angeles is working toward a full and accurate Census because our future depends on it.
FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS
An accurate population count leads to major funding for Los Angeles. Census data determines how much federal and state funding should go to cities like ours. Each year, more than $400 billion in federal and state funding is given to communities for neighborhood improvements, public health, public schools, transportation and much more. That is more than $4 trillion over a 10-year period.
In the 2000 Census, about 76,800 Angelenos were missed or “undercounted.” This was the second highest undercount in the nation. Because our population figures were wrong, the City of Los Angeles lost $206 million in state and federal funds over the last 10 years.
POLITICAL REPRESENTATION
California uses Census data to draw the boundaries for Congressional and state legislative districts. Our population figures also determine how many Congressional members represent our state. If our population is undercounted in the 2010 Census, California may lose one of our Congressional districts.
PLANNING FOR OUR FUTURE
Government and businesses use Census data to plan ahead. An accurate count helps determine how many teachers we need in our classrooms, where to build new roads, and how much funding we need for emergency food and shelter programs, among many other things. A full and accurate Census helps the City of Los Angeles plan for our future.
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