2010 census- will you be counted?

An article on The Daily News Online discusses the difficulty officials are anticipating this year in taking the census. It begins with "Where will you be on Census Day — living in your RV, couch surfing at your friends', squatting in your parents' basement?" Since there are so many people who have lost their homes, this year will present special challenges.

Census-takers will be looking in some unusual places for people including under bridges, along river banks - and for the first time - people living in cars. It sounds like they will be looking in RVs for the homeless too. I imagine that census takers in places like Venice, CA and other cities that have homeless populations will be knocking on RV doors.

According to the article, people will be counted wherever they are "living" on April 1, 2010 (January 25 if you are in Alaska). This could present challenges for RVers. Full-time RVers should receive their census form by mail by the first of April even if forwarded. I haven't seen the form, but I would think that we could put our domicile address down even if we are not there. Our domicile state will want to count us as their citizens. It will affect the dollars they receive from the federal government. If a census-taker knocks on the door of your RV, it should be enough to say you've already mailed your form in.

I'm sure it is a challenge to count all the people living in the United States, since some people want to stay under the radar. But I don't like the idea that the press makes it seem like those who live in RVs are there because they lost their homes without acknowledging that many of us live in RVs by choice. What do you think? Add your comment below. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Related posts:

• Venice aka "Muscle Beach" does not want RVers
• RVs for the homeless in affluent Santa Barbara
• RVs: the full range - from the homeless to millionaires

Comments

[Retirement RVs]

Agreed. The fulltime RVer population seems to grow every year and MOST fulltime RVer's choose this lifestyle, they are not forced into it. This probably won't ever happen, but I almost think that the government should come up with a new classification for fulltimers. My prediction for 2010 :).

[Jaimie Hall Bruzenak]

I heard once they called us the "affluent homeless!" They might need to add another classification for those who aren't living in an RV by choice.

Jaimie

[Ed Greenberg]

It's important for us to send in our forms proactively and not wait for an enumerator to seek us out. We need to be counted in our domicile, since the count determines such things as legislative districts and distribution of public spending.

[Mike Goad]

We probably won't be traveling at that point in the year.

I'm so disillusioned by the media right now that I could care less what spin they put on anything -- it's always filtered by what they think will sell.

The census is important. Significant decisions are based on it, so it needs to be as accurate as possible.

That being said, I wouldn't be a census taker for any amount of money (unless I was desperate, of course). There are just too many weird -- and wired -- people out there.

Mike
exit78.com and
haw creek out 'n about

[Jaimie Hall Bruzenak]

I agree, Ed. Send them in without having someone track us done. It does determine important things for our state.

Mike, I'm not sure I'd want to be a census taker either. However, it does pay pretty well for short-term work.

Jaimie

[Kimberly Goza]

I've been doing a bit of research on this topic. What I am trying to find out is how we will receive the form. You cannot download it online and our state does not recognize our address as a residence (because it is a mail service) so I doubt they will be sending the form to us. I have put in a call and will let you know if I hear back from the Census Department.
This page may answer some of your questions in the meantime. http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2010/resid_rules/resid_rules.html

[Jaimie Hall Bruzenak]

Yes, let me know. We just got our mail for the month from S.D. and we did not have a form either. Hmm...

Jaimie

[Marty Kantanen]

I am also out of SD and was told by our mail forwarding that we will not receive the form as they are a commercial business. I spent 20 minutes on the phone with the census people and they said to send it in for the state we will be in on April 1. I want to be counted in SD but have been told that will not happen. Any suggestions?

[Jaimie Hall Bruzenak]

Did you/can you obtain a form where you are now? We plan to cross out the address and bar code and replace it with our S.D. address. Not sure how that will work, but we're going to give that a try.

Jaimie

[Jaimie Hall Bruzenak]

I did find this info at the census website:

Looking at the census site, there is a number you can all after 4/12 if you don't get a form (English 1-866-872-6868). Also, you can go to http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/ and find a census help center. I looked in one area I am familiar with and 2 government offices and the library were listed. I imagine they have forms available, though I haven't verified that.

Jaimie