New Yorkers Alerted to Upcoming Census Outreach; Takers Visiting Homes

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection has issued guidance to New Yorkers about Census takers who will be visiting homes that haven’t yet responded to the Census. To encourage participation, the Census Bureau also recently started emailing households that have not yet responded to the Census.

“It has never been more important for all New Yorkers to complete the Census, and we want to make sure every single person living in New York State is armed with key information about the process to ensure a complete count,”said New York State Secretary of State Rossana Rosado.

Once every decade, the nation conducts the Census, which is a constitutionally mandated count of every American,regardless of their citizenship status. The decennial census is one of the nation’s most important programs. New Yorkers’ fair share of federal funds for programs essential to health care, education, emergency planning, housing, economic development and transportation, as well as our congressional representation in Washington, all depends on an accurate and fully counted census response.

Below is key information on the Census counting process that all New Yorkers should keep in mind when completing the Census:

Census Takers in your Neighborhood.You may see census takers, known asenumerators, in your neighborhood to collect responses to the 2020 Census. Census takers will only be visiting homes that haven’t yet responded to the Census online, by phone or by mail. All census takers completed a virtual COVID-19 training on social distancing and other health and safety protocols and will follow CDC and local public health guidelines when they visit. All Census takers are required to wear a face mask and will also be equipped with hand sanitizer and gloves.

Census takers are hired from your area, and their goal is to help you and everyone in your home be counted in the 2020 Census. If the census taker who visits your home does not speak your language, you may request a return visit from a census taker who does speak your language. If no one is home when the census taker visits, the census taker will leave a notice of their visit with information about how to respond online, by phone or by mail.

Below are reminders to help you identify a Census taker:

• Census takers and field representatives will conduct their work between the hours of 9 am and 9 pm.
• All Census takers or field representatives will present an ID badge that includes their name, their photograph, a Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date.
• In addition to wearing a mask, all Census takers or field representatives will have an official 2020 Census bag and Census Bureau-issued electronic device, such as a laptop or smartphone, bearing the Census Bureau logo. There will be an “official business” notice on their car.
• Official Census takers will NEVER ask to enter your home. They will never ask for money, threaten detainment or deportation, or request additional documentation. They will only ask questions that are on the official Census questionnaire.

Census Emails.The Census Bureau also recently began emailing households that have not yet responded to the Census. Emails will be sent to all households in low-responding areas, even to those households that have responded. The email messages will come from[email protected] and will have a link to the Census self-response page. There will be an option to opt out of receiving future messages.

Questions Asked.The Census asks how many people are living in your household as of April 1, 2020. The Census asks just 10 basic questions: name; number of people living or staying in the home on April 1, 2020; whether the residence is owned or rented; telephone number (only to be used if needed for official Census Bureau business); sex; age; date of birth; Hispanic origin; race; and relationship with other household members.

Avoiding Scams Online: The use of any website that mentions being affiliated with the U.S. Census should be verified. The easiest way to verify the site is to check if address includes “.gov,” as only official U.S. and state government websites can use “.gov.” Fraudulent sites purporting to be official government service providers may steal personal information.

Reporting Suspected Fraud:If you suspect fraud, call844-330-2020to speak with a local Census Bureau representative. If it is determined that the visitor who came to your door does not work for the Census Bureau, contact your local police department.