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2020 Census Address Canvassing in Irving

The 2020 Census is already underway in the form of data collection. Primarily, the Census Bureau is making sure that they have an accurate list of addresses so they can ensure that everyone gets counted. Part of this process consists of working with City Staff through the Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) program to compare the Census Bureau's records to the City's records. The other major part is to reconcile the discrepancies between the Census Bureau's address list and the city's list.    

Address Canvassers are Census Bureau employees who reconcile those two address lists. They are local residents hired by the Census Bureau to verify that the locations the Census Bureau believes might be residences actually are. Address Canvassers will always wear their Census Bureau ID and will carry a bag or laptop marked with the Census Bureau logo. While checking for the address, they will also knock on the door to speak with an occupant of that dwelling unit to make sure that they have the address correct and to ask if there are any secondary living quarters present but not visible from the street, and what the mailing address of such secondary quarters might be. An Address Canvasser will not ask about who is living at a residence, their names, ages or any other questions that may be asked in the 2020 Census or American Community Survey.

In 2009, Address Canvassers attempted to visit every residence in the nation while verifying the Census Bureau's records. In 2019, they expect to visit about 30 percent of all residences. Most of their attention in Irving will be focused on areas of town where new construction is underway or recently completed, but they also will visit many older neighborhoods to see if there are secondary living quarters recently added but not in their address list.

When they speak with a resident, they will leave a flier reminding people they are required by law to respond to the 2020 Census and that an individual's answers are completely confidential. This means that if a Census worker finds out that an Irving homeowner has family living in a "garage" they built in the back yard, that Census worker is never allowed to report such information to the city's Code Enforcement Department, Police or anyone else outside the Census Bureau. If the Census worker or anyone in the Census Bureau shares that information, they are violating federal law and may be sentenced to up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.  

Census Bureau's website on Address Canvassing..

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