The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

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Part II - Census Procedures and Operational Challenges to Getting an Accurate Count in the Aftermath of a Catastrophe

While the Census Bureau has acknowledged the unique circumstances and challenging environment for the 2010 Census in the Gulf Coast, local advocates remain concerned that current procedures, strategies, and resources will be insufficient to overcome conditions that can lead to an undercount and undermine accuracy.

The July 2009 letter from local advocates seeking a congressional field hearing on plans for the census in the Gulf Coast region included this summary:

 
All of these conditions – rapid population growth, large numbers of displaced folks, and distressed neighborhoods – present additional significant challenges for the Census Bureau and its community and municipal partners.  Mail service in blighted communities might not reach all homes in various stages of renovation, even if homeowners have started to move back in, and census takers may find it difficult to navigate unsafe and unmarked streets to reach unresponsive households and to determine correctly the occupancy status of many structures.

The January 2009 New Orleans Index reported that "massive destruction from Hurricane Katrina remains widespread … Hundreds of streets are still in disrepair.  Tens of thousands of residential, commercial, and institutional buildings remain damaged and unoccupied."

Next Section: Addressing the Challenges of an Address-Based System