CENSUS 2000
COUNT QUESTION RESOLUTION PROGRAM
Overview:
After the release of Public Law 94-171 redistricting data containing population counts (Summary File 1), demographic profiles, housing units, and group quarters, some government units may want to challenge the official Census 2000 numbers.
The Census Bureau will offer these governments the
opportunity to challenge these numbers beginning on June 30, 2001 and ending on
September 30, 2003.
Challenges to the overseas counts of persons in the military or in federal positions and their dependents will not be accepted. These counts were obtained through administrative records and are only used for the apportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
No additional data will be collected as part of the Count Question Resolution (CQR) program. The Census Bureau will respond to all questions and will notify affected governments of any changes in their official counts.
Background:
The Census Bureau undertook a major effort to insure the accuracy of the address lists that were used for Census 2000. Local governments were given the opportunity to review and update the Census Bureau’s address list before the census as part of the Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) program. In cases where the local government and census could not agree on the housing list, the government unit could appeal to the Census Address List Appeals Office.
In addition to LUCA, government units with city-style addresses had another opportunity to update the Census 2000 list for the New Construction Program. Governments were also given the opportunity to review the boundaries of their jurisdiction under the Boundary and Validation program.
Other opportunities were also taken to allow for additions, corrections and deletions of Census addresses and corrections to population counts. Between May and August 2000, the Coverage Edit Follow-Up operation resolved population count discrepancies. The Coverage Improvement Follow-up program (June-August 2000) enumerated housing units that were inaccurately listed as vacant or nonexistent in an earlier census operation. A Field Verification operation (July-August 2000) checked addresses that did not match the address master file. A Population UnKnown follow-up (July-August 2000) rechecked units know to be occupied, but the number of occupants was unknown.
Despite all of these efforts to gain an accurate count, the Census Bureau realizes it will still receive challenges to the officially released counts. The challenge timetable is based on the release of Summary File 1. This data will be released between June and September 2001 and contain block level data on the number of housing units, providing local governments the opportunity to review census data for challenges.
The Bureau of the Census must be contacted directly by officials of the local government in order to initiate the challenge process. However, those acting on behalf of the local government, such as county clerks, city or county planners, local planning representatives, and state legislators with redistricting functions may also contact the Bureau.
Types of Corrections That Will Be Considered for the Census 2000 Count Questions Resolution Program
·
Boundary
Corrections: Census 2000 accepts boundaries in
place as of January 1, 2000. The Bureau
will check to ensure that any new information does not reflect changes after
that date. The CQR program will address
problems such as the inaccurate reporting of jurisdictional boundaries and the
inaccurate recording of boundaries. The
program does not address other boundary problems such as for census tracts,
voting districts, school districts, etc.
·
Geocoding
Corrections: This deals with the placement of
living quarters and associated population within the correct block. Officials will be notified when the Census
Bureau moves group quarters or housing units to different blocks within the
jurisdiction.
·
Coverage
Corrections: Specific living quarters or
persons identified during Census 2000 but erroneously included or excluded due
to processing errors. This can be
additions or deletions.
Challenges that Result in Corrections:
Any corrected number that is
released will be based on counts as of April 1, 2000. These new official counts may be used by the government entity
for all programs requiring official Census 2000 data. The Census Bureau will not make corrections in the data
concerning the characteristics of the population or housing inventory.
An inventory of corrections will also be available on American FactFinder.
Note that none of the standard Census 2000 data
products will reflect the corrections.
Challenges that Do Not Result in Corrections:
When a local government provides
evidence that the Census Bureau missed housing units or group quarters that existed
on April 1, 2000, but the Count Question Resolution program finds no error, the
Census Bureau will respond by sending a letter to the local
official/representative stating that the Census Bureau will maintain the
documentation for consideration of address list update over the decade.
Internal Census Bureau Review:
Changes to counts and boundaries
for a jurisdiction also may result from Census Bureau initiated research and
review. In cases where population
counts are changed, new official number will be issued to the affected
jurisdiction.
METHOD OF COLLECTION
CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTABLE
DOCUMENTATION NECESSARY TO INITIATE CENSUS 2000 COUNT QUESTION RESOLUTION
PROCESS
The Census Bureau will require
documentation before committing resources to investigate local concerns. In general, government entities must:
·
Specify
whether the challenge disputes the location of a governmental unit boundary or
the number of housing units and/or group quarters population counts in one or
more tabulation blocks.
·
For
boundary disputes, indicate on a map the location of the governmental unit
boundary in dispute. This must be the
correct boundary as of January 1, 2000.
An acceptable map must be used.
·
For
housing unit challenges, governments must identity the specific Census 2000
tabulation block that is being contested and a list of all housing units on
that block as of April 1, 2000.
·
For
group quarters challenges, the name of the group quarter must be provided and
evidence that support the number of persons in the facility (e.g., a list of
residents). Show the specific block
where the count is being contested.
·
Provide
electronic or paper versions of the documentation to support the challenge.
Boundary Challenge Criteria:
All governmental unit boundary
challenges must be based on boundaries in effect on January 1, 2000. Maps submitted must show the correct
location of the boundary, including the Census 2000 block numbers. There should also be a list of addresses in
the affected blocks.
For boundary changes affected by
legal actions not recorded by the Census Bureau, local governments must submit
the effective date and the ordinance number or law that effected the change, as
well as a statement that the boundary is not under litigation. The Census Bureau will notify all affected
jurisdictions of the result.
Acceptable Maps:
·
Census
2000 Public Law 94-171 County Block Maps
·
Paper
Census 2000 Block Maps
·
Paper
Maps from the TIGER/Line File generated using commercial geographical
information systems
·
Other
maps showing Census 2000 tabulation block numbers and boundaries as of January
1, 2000.
Housing Unit Count:
Challenges to housing unit counts
must specify the tabulation blocks for which the counts are being challenged.
Summary File 1 (SF1) can be used to obtain tabulation block housing unit
counts. Complainants must provide a
complete address list for all units that should be included in each contested
block.
Group Quarters Population Count:
Challenges to group quarters
population counts must specify the tabulation blocks for which the count is
being challenged. A complete address
list for the group quarters must also be included. Provide the name, address, and telephone number for the administrative
office as of April 1, 2000.
Types of Address Lists:
City-Style Address Lists must
include house number, street name, post office name, state and Zip Code
organized by Census 2000 block. Unit
identifiers in multi-unit buildings must also be included.
Non-City-Style Address Lists must
be keyed to the spot maps that show the exact location of the housing
unit. All housing units in the disputed
block must be described and located.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Governmental units challenging the
completeness or accuracy of the Census 2000 counts should submit their
challenge in writing to:
Count
Question Resolution Program
Room 2002, SFC-2
Decennial Management Division
U.S. Census Bureau
Washington, DC 20233-0001