News

Census 2020

Although many homeowners may feel that the census is intrusive and unnecessary, it is actually required by law and critical to the future of your city, town, and even your community association. Every individual living in the United States and any of its territories is required by law to be counted as part of the 2020 Census. Answers to the Census are protected by law and no personal information will be disclosed to anyone as a result of their answers.

While many believe the census is simply used to count the general population, it is also used to create important and up to date statistics about communities and neighborhoods. These statistics are used by various agencies to ensure that communities continue to receive the allocation of funds that they need for services; such as education, medical and emergency services, road-related services, and various other federal and state resources. In addition to funding community programs, the census is also used to determine the number of seats that will be set aside for each state in the U.S. House of Representatives as well as to draw lines for legislative districts for congress and state representation.

For the reasons above it is crucial that census takers have access to all private communities to conduct their duties and ensure that all households are counted for the census. According to the Federal Statute, an HOA cannot deny entry to a census taker to canvas the community for any reason.  The statute also requires that if asked by a Census representative, the HOA must answer and provide the names of the occupants in the community; the HOA cannot restrict access  of the representative to the community and cannot set a specific time for Census takers to arrive or leave, they must be allowed to conduct their canvas at their own pace and in their own time.

You can proactively take the Census survey online which can reduce the need for canvassing in your neighborhood. https://my2020census.gov/ These questions usually take no longer than five minutes to complete and only require basic information on your residence and occupants.