Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 7, 1 July 2009 — Coming to your neighborhood soon: the 2010 Census [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Coming to your neighborhood soon: the 2010 Census

By Uza Simon Public Affairs Specialist

As preparations ramp up for next year, officials from the U.S. Census Bureau have a special message for Native Hawaiians: "Stand up and be counted in order to get your fair share of federal funds," said Marilyn Youza, manager of the U.S. Census Bureau in Honolulu. Eaeh year the federal govermnent doles out about $300 billion in funding through deci-sion-making processes that are partly guided by census data. Youza names Alu Like ine. among the Hawaiian-focused programs that could be underfunded if too few Native Hawaiians respond to the 2010 U.S. Census expected to get underway in March. Hawai'i has an exceptionally low participation rate in past census surveys, leading to some unfortunate consequences, Youza said. "In 1980, Kaua'i was undercounted, and then eame Hurricane 'Iwa and the island was unable to get all the federal disaster relief aid it might have been eligible for," she said. "Then there was low participation in the 1990 Census. Hurricane 'Iniki hit Kaua'i the next year and again the undercounting meant underfunding for residents affected by the devastation." In addition to funding, census data also determines representation in Congress. "It has happened that when the census records a downward population shift, a state has then lost a congressional seat," said Youza. "With such a small delegation from Hawai'i, we would not want to see that happen here." Census results may also be a factor in helping loeal govermnents decide the plaeement of schools, hospitals, fire stations and other community institutions. Responses are anonymous and not used for any purposes other than the demographic snapshot they provide. Census workers take an oath of confidentiality that lasts a lifetime, Youza said. As part of a plan to improve Native Hawaiian participation in the 2010 Census, the bureau will be opening a second O'ahu office in Wai'anae. Youza said residents of the makeshift tent cities occupied by the homeless along the Wai'anae Coast may be concerned that census information will be used against them.

but she said the outcome is quite the opposite: "Only with an accurate count of the homeless ean government know how great the need is for programs that provide help." Early next year, the regional office for the U.S. 2010 Census will also be looking to hire an estimated 3,000 workers to help with the count. The goal is to match employees with their home neighborhoods. "In these hard eeonomie times, we expect a pool of up to 10,000 applicants, but specifically we will be looking to hire people who are comfortable going door-to-door, because they understand the residents in those blocks where they are working." All census workers must first pass a test to be considered for a position. In order to help qualify more people, Youza said her office is partnering with coimnunity organizations that will offer test preparation in addition to providing a neighborhood plaee where the actual exam will be given. Census jobs pay from about $12 to $20 an hour. A handful of managerial positions have already been filled. The 2010 Census is a simplified version of the previous one of 2000. It contains only 10 questions. It will be mailed out to all addresses with instructions for residents to return it by mail. Census forms will not be sent to post office boxes or to unconventional residences such as beach campsites. Anyone who lives in either of these situations ean expect a visit by a census taker. The same is true of any household that receives the mailed form and doesn't return it within the specified time. One census question asks for identification of ethnicity. Given the prevalence of mixed ethnicity in Hawai'i, this is a special eoneem, Youza said, adding that the 2010 Census will allow participants to be counted simultaneously in more than than one ethnic category. "This means we will end up with more ethnicities than people but that's OK, because it will give us an accurate picture of ethnic representation," she said. "Census taking is a very intensive and timeconsuming job, but the two main reasons we do it are money and power - or federal funds and poliīieal representation," said Youza. "So I hope everyone will understand the importance of filling out the form or feel free to ask for help with the form, if they need it." ■

^United States Census 2010

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