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u.s. news Diamars 6 Juli 2021

Census takers worry that apartment renters were undercounted

(AP) - Census taker Linda Roth- Education Fund, a civil rights group. for their cooperation prior to the start
field’s government-issued iPhone of the operation,” the statement said,
kept directing her back to apart- Incomplete data on the race or eth- adding that bureau officials were con-
ments in San Francisco that she nic background of renters could also fident in the work of census takers.
already knew were vacant. When hinder the formation of Black- or In cases where renters did not re-
she did find apartments that were Hispanic-majority political districts. spond to census questionnaires, or
occupied, she was sometimes census takers were unable to inter-
turned away because of the pan- Renters typically have lower self-re- view them, the Census Bureau had
demic. sponse rates than homeowners, so the to use other, less reliable methods to
government relies more on census count them. Those methods includ-
“I had a few landlords who said, ‘It’s takers knocking on their doors, said ed using administrative records from and early next year with the release of
COVID. You can’t come in,’” Roth- Jeri Green, a former senior adviser the Internal Revenue Service or the a survey that measures the accuracy
field said. at the Census Bureau, who served as Social Security Administration, ask- of the count.
a consultant to the National Urban ing neighbors or postal workers for
In a national headcount turned up- League during the 2020 census. information or using a last-resort sta- The Census Bureau already has re-
side down by natural disasters, politi- tistical technique. leased 2020 census figures used for
cal turmoil and a deadly virus, apart- “This is a population that was at risk deciding how many congressional
ment renters proved particularly hard of being missed prior to COVID,” Some 60% of census supervisors sur- seats each state gets, and those num-
to count last year. That has former Green said. “We know it’s a challenge veyed by the Governmental Account- bers showed how just a few dozen
census takers and experts worried for the Census Bureau to accurately ability Office for a study on 2020 people being counted or overlooked
that the tally failed to account for all enumerate renters.” census operations reported that their made a big difference. If 89 more
of them. census takers had difficulties com- people had been tallied, New York
During the 2010 census, renters were pleting caseloads because they were would not have lost a congressional
Overlooking people in the nation’s undercounted by 1.1%, but the rate unable to get into apartment build- seat. If 26 people had been missed in
44 million rental homes carries a po- was higher for some tenants. Black ings. Minnesota, the Gopher State would
tentially high price. Because the cen- male renters between ages 30 and 49 have lost a seat.
sus helps determine how $1.5 trillion were undercounted by 12.2%, and “The pandemic made communica-
in federal money is spent each year, Hispanic male renters between ages tion with the building managers diffi- Numbers used for redrawing con-
the lower numbers would mean less 18 and 29 were undercounted by cult,” the GAO said in a report issued gressional and legislative districts will
government help to pay for schools, 8.6%, according to the Leadership in March. “Specifically (supervisors) not be ready until August.
roads and medical services in those Conference Education Fund. told us that enumerators were often
communities. turned away from accessing multi- Jan Rice, who worked as a census tak-
Delays from the pandemic caused unit buildings because of the pan- er in Denver, said she was frustrated
Around 36% of homes in the U.S. the Census Bureau to eliminate a demic.” that she was prohibited from contact-
are occupied by renters, up from 33% step ahead of the door-knocking ing apartment managers on her own
during the last census a decade ago. phase where census supervisors meet Nathan Bean, a census supervisor in so she could get information on oc-
with building managers or landlords Chicago, said that even when he was cupied units and remove vacant units
Under the best of circumstances, to find out which apartments were able to reach property managers by from the database, sparing other cen-
renters are among the hardest peo- vacant or occupied, so census tak- phone last summer, they would often sus takers from wasting their time.
ple to count because they tend to be ers won’t waste their time knocking say, “‘We aren’t going to answer your When she tried it, her supervisor told
more transient and are more likely to on vacant units, the agency said in a calls. We aren’t going to answer your her, “‘Your job is to knock on doors,’”
live below the poverty line. They also statement. questions.’” she said.
tend to be disproportionately people
of color, who also are traditionally “We were, however, able to inform How much renters were under- “It killed our productivity,” Rice said.
undercounted in the census, accord- the landlords or managers that enu- counted, if they actually were missed, “If you don’t count them correctly,
ing to The Leadership Conference merators would be visiting and asking will not be known until December you don’t give them a voice.”

Hot dog! NYC marks July 4 with eating contest, fireworks

(AP) — After a year lost graphed spectacle. pre-recorded around the watch the epic chowdown in the fans again helped propel
to the coronavirus, New country in front of live audi- Brooklyn. Joey “Jaws” Chest- him to victory.
York City’s most well- This year, crowds were wel- ences. nut topped his own record by
known Fourth of July tra- come to gather. downing 76 franks and buns Landmarks around the state,
ditions were back Sunday. Last year, because of pandem- in 10 minutes in the men’s from the World Trade Cen-
The show was broadcast live ic restrictions, there were a competition, while Michelle ter’s centerpiece tower and
The traditional Macy’s on NBC as part of a two- series of shorter fireworks Lesco took the women’s title the Empire State Building to
Fourth of July fireworks show hour special featuring artists shows in the days leading up by eating 30 3/4 wieners and Niagara Falls, were lit in red,
returned in full form with a including the Black Pumas, to the holiday, with the loca- buns. white and blue to mark Inde-
display over the East River, Coldplay, OneRepublic and tions kept secret in advance pendence Day.
as shells were shot from five Reba McEntire. The per- to keep people from congre- The event wasn’t quite the
barges in a televised, choreo- formers’ appearances were gating. same as usual. Instead of be- “If the last 16 months has re-
ing at Surf and Stillwell av- affirmed anything, it’s how
Other revelers expressed a enues, just off the Coney precious life is and how vi-
mix of joy and apprehension, Island boardwalk, this year’s tal liberty is to our identity
noting the coronavirus re- competition was held nearby as New Yorkers and Ameri-
mains far from vanquished. in a minor league baseball cans,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Slightly more than half of the stadium, Maimonides Park. said in a statement.
city’s population is fully vac- Spectators were asked to reg-
cinated, according to the city ister for free tickets in ad- Melanie Delcourt, mean-
health department, but many vance. while, celebrated her first
spectators were masked. Fourth of July since moving
Last year, though, there were to the U.S. eight months ago
The annual spectacle of glut- no spectators allowed as from Paris.
tony that is the Nathan’s Fa- Chestnut ate a then-record
mous July Fourth hot dog 75 hot dogs and buns. “It’s just so beautiful,” she
eating contest also once again said of the gatherings. “We’ll
welcomed live audiences to He said Sunday that hearing remember this a long time.”