In this report:
- Acknowledgements
- Executive Summary
- Introduction
- Part I - Demographic Trends in Katrina-Affected Areas and Their Impact on the 2010 Census
- Part II - Census Procedures and Operational Challenges to Getting an Accurate Count in the Aftermath of a Catastrophe
- Part III - Operational and Policy Recommendations for a More Accurate 2010 Census in the Gulf Coast
- Appendix A
A Potential Downside to Relatively Strong Economic Conditions
Another irony of the continued recovery effort in Katrina-impacted areas, especially in Greater New Orleans, is that lower unemployment – due to job opportunities stemming from ongoing renewal and rehabilitation efforts – could make it more difficult for the Census Bureau to recruit and retain an adequate temporary workforce at the height of census operations next spring.
The GNOCDC reported that the unemployment rate in the New Orleans metropolitan area is 7.3 percent, compared to 9.5 percent for the nation. This year, to help attract a sufficient number of temporary workers, the Dallas Regional Census Office offered a higher hourly wage for the address canvassing operation than a consulting firm had recommended. The same flexible approach may be needed as Local Census Offices open and begin recruiting thousands of census takers, crew leaders, supervisors, and administrative staff for the height of census operations in 2010.
Given the broader economic uncertainties, it is not clear whether this will be a factor in Gulf Coast census hiring for next spring's major field operations. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, unemployment in some Gulf Coast areas, including Harrison, Hancock, and Jackson Counties in Mississippi and Baldwin County in Alabama, was running significantly lower than the national rate, while unemployment in Alabama's Mobile and Escambia Counties was higher than the national figure.
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