The Hollenbeck Youth Center in East Los Angeles, which serves its Boyle Heights community, is one of the hardest to count (HTC) areas in the country.
It’s an area where there’s a high level of linguistic isolation- where over 84 percent of the people living in the 90033 zip code speak primarily Spanish- and added factors that traditionally result in a low response rate.
"It’s really important that they get Census information from people whom they trust, who have provided services in the past,” said Mindy Meyer, Special Consultant, Center for Collaborative Policy California State University, Sacramento. “So the partnership with the trusted messengers and the government makes that possible.”
Meyer worked on Census 2000 education with a more resources and funding outreach. Now, with a tremendously depleted budget, her role is to is help connect community organizations for Census 2010 education and outreach.
“While the census form may seem simple and straight forward to many, others may see something completely different. Many families are doubled up in their living environment or living in garages or other unconventional housing, they may have immigration or legal concerns, they could be negatively impacted if this information got into the wrong hands.” adds Meyer.
The challenges and skepticism in HTC areas are great...Why does the government need this information? What does this have to do with me, my family, my community? Will it really benefit us? Who will have access to this information? Why do they need to know about my children or their names?
Through the crucial partnership between trusted community based messengers and the government, people feel they can rely on these messengers to correctly advise and tell them the truth.
“When a trusted messenger says, ‘Your information is protected, no landlord, law enforcement official, immigration officer, no one will have access to information that identifies you for 72 years under penalty of law" people are more likely to believe it. When the trusted messenger tells them they need to know about the children so they came plan enough spots in schools and day cares, they are open to hearing what the trusted messenger has to say. When the trusted messenger tells them the purpose of the census, they listen,” said Meyer.
According to the US Census Bureau, HTC determinations are derived from 12 variables associated with high nonresponse rates. They are:
1. Vacant units;
2. Multi-family Housing Units;
3. Renter Occupied Units;
4. Occupied Units with More Than 1.5 Persons Per Room;
5. Households that are Not Husband/Wife Families;
6. Occupied Units with No Telephone Service;
7. Adults that are Not High School Graduates;
8. People Below Poverty;
9. Households with Public Assistance Income;
10. People Unemployed;
11. Linguistically Isolated Households;
12. Occupied Units Where Householder Recently Moved Into Unit.
Posted by Denise L. Poon on 03/27/10
