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
Importance of the 2010 Census to the Gulf Coast Region
The lingering effects of 2005's devastation will make the 2010 count both the most difficult and important in the region's history. The results of the 2010 count will influence the allocation of federal funds to the Gulf Coast region and representation for these communities in Congress, as well as in their respective state legislatures, for the next 10 years.
The numbers are significant. According to the Brookings Institution, Louisiana received more than $11.5 billion in federal assistance that was distributed based on decennial census statistics in 2007; Alabama and Mississippi received $5.9 and $5.6 billion respectively, covering community and regional development; health programs; education, training, employment and social services; transportation; income security; and more. As a spokesman for the New Orleans mayor told The Times-Picayune in July, "A low population count would mean the loss of millions of dollars needed to provide critical services, such as those for children, education and the elderly."
In addition to ongoing federal programs, 2010 Census numbers will influence the receipt of future economic stimulus funds as well as ongoing hurricane recovery spending. Even a relatively small undercount of several thousand people could result in the loss of millions of dollars for communities that are still recovering.
In July 2009, a group of community leaders led by Trupania Bonner of Moving Forward Gulf Coast, Inc. wrote in a letter to Rep. William Clay, chairman of the House subcommittee that oversees the census, "An accurate census is essential to all communities, but its importance is magnified in Gulf Coast communities devastated by Katrina and subsequent storms….Our communities desperately need federal support to rebuild and strengthen our transportation, education, housing, health care, and public safety infrastructure. An accurate census also offers a necessary portrait of the pace of recovery and the challenges that remain to reach our goal of long term stability and prosperity, and will help ensure that our communities are represented fairly in national and state legislatures." (See Appendix A.)
The tremendously high stakes of the census count in a region still struggling to recover have led to some controversy over the treatment of people who are still displaced but hope to return home. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has encouraged displaced residents to identify themselves as residents of the city in the 2010 Census if they intend to return to their pre-storm homes but have not yet done so. A spokesperson later clarified, "What we're really talking about is people who are really close to coming back." Census Dallas Regional Director Gabriel Sanchez responded to Mayor Nagin's proposal by saying, "We need to count people where they live, not where they plan to live or where they want to live." In this report, we will recommend steps that policymakers can take both to preserve the integrity of the census count and protect the interests of New Orleans and other still-recovering communities.
Next Section: Difficulties of a Post-Katrina Count in Gulf Coast Communities
